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Potential Blackhawks Draft Pick Joins Patrick Kane in Elite Company

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Ron Luce | Last updated Mar 24, 2025 6:17 PM ET

Although 11 games remain on the Chicago Blackhawks' season schedule, a natural shift will begin occurring within the fanbase. A bad season already brings NHL Draft hype to the fanbase, but the awakening of spring weather heightens that excitement about the annual event at the end of June.

With 51 points in the NHL standings, the Blackhawks are currently slated to have the second-best odds in the NHL Draft Lottery, meaning they mathematically cannot pick worse than fourth overall in the first round. If they move up or stay put, they should have the opportunity to draft OHL star Michael Misa.

Misa posted 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in just 65 OHL contests this season. With the OHL playoffs now underway, Misa's point totals are the highest for an OHL player in their draft-eligible season since... Patrick Kane.

Michael Misa caps off his phenomenal campaign with a 5-point night in the final game of the season. pic.twitter.com/trYmtoZZaN
— BarDown (@BarDown) March 24, 2025

Coming out of the London Knights program in 2006-07, Kane had 145 points (62 goals, 83 assists) in just 58 games. However, like Misa, he was not the unanimous top player in his draft class. In fact, there was a real debate about James van Riemsdyk being the player the Blackhawks selected with the top pick in the draft. Instead, Dale Tallon took Patrick Kane and the rest was history.

Perhaps Misa joins the Blackhawks, having an opportunity to join the likes of Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Artyom Levshunov as the future core for a potential contender. It would be poetic given the type of season he's had in the OHL. Jonathan Toews arrived before Patrick Kane, who's to say that Misa doesn't arrive after Bedard to ignite the Blackhawks' timeline for contention?

Regardless of what the future holds, Misa joins elite company with his point totals. Misa's season is so special, that the last time something remotely close happened was nearly 20 years ago.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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