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Hawks lose chance at 1st-rounder with Fleury, Wild eliminated

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Barring an offseason trade, the Chicago Blackhawks will not have a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft after the Minnesota Wild were eliminated on Thursday night by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Blackhawks acquired a conditional second-round pick for Marc-Andre Fleury at the trade deadline and it could have turned into a first-rounder if Minnesota reached the Western Conference Final and Fleury accounted for four of the eight wins in the first two rounds. The Wild came up six wins short, and Fleury was credited with two wins.

It was a little surprising that Minnesota turned to Cam Talbot in a must-win Game 6 on the road. While he hadn't lost a game in regulation since March 1, the Wild committed to Fleury for five games and should've ridden or died with him, given the fact they didn't change it up after the Game 1 loss. It was an unfair position to put Talbot in, and now it will be interesting to see whether Fleury re-signs in Minnesota or explores free agency.

The Blackhawks currently have eight draft picks this year, including two in the second round and three in the third round. One of those third-rounders could become a second if Edmonton makes it to the Stanley Cup Final and Duncan Keith ranks top four among Oilers defensemen in ice time as part of the condition in the Caleb Jones trade.

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