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Blackhawks draft picks 2015: Here are Chicago’s seven newest prospects

The Chicago Blackhawks were unexpectedly quiet during the draft, making no trades and winding up with the same seven picks they held going into the weekend. The team waited until Saturday morning to make its first selection at No. 54 — compensation for losing Kevin Hayes — which it used to nab forward Graham Knott, then finished the draft at No. 211 by picking John Dahlstrom.

The Blackhawks family now has seven new members, several of whom will be heading to college now, which seems to be a strategy the team likes to use. Here are the seven players drafted by Chicago on Saturday:

Graham Knott – 2nd round, No. 54

With their first pick this year the Blackhawks selected Graham Knott, a left wing from Etobicoke, Ontario, listed at 6’3, 192 pounds. He plays for the Niagara Icedogs of the Ontario Hockey League with 25 goals and 43 points in 59 games last season. He describes himself as a good two-way forward who can throw his weight around. (Elite Prospects profile, NHL prospects profile)

Dennis Gilbert – 3rd round, No. 91

Gilbert is a left-shooting defenseman, listed at 6’2, 201 pounds. Although he is from the Buffalo area (he’s skated with Patrick Kane in the offseason), there is a local connection for the Blackhawks, as he spent the 2014-15 season playing for the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League, where he posted 27 points and 89 PIM in 59 games. He is committed to the University of Notre Dame for next season. (Elite Prospects profile, NHL prospects profile)

Ryan Shea – 4th round, No. 121

Another college-bound American defenseman, Shea is 6′ and 175 pounds. The Massachusetts native is committed to Northeastern University next season. He played for Boston College High School in the 2014-15 season, where he recorded six goals and 35 points in 22 games. (Elite Prospects profile)

Radovan Bondra – 5th round, No. 151

A big (6’5, 218 pounds) Slovakian winger, Bondra was ranked somewhat higher than No. 151 by several sources. Corey Pronman had him as an honorable mention in his top 100. Bondra played for HC Kosice last season with four points in 15 games and represented Slovakia at both the U18 and U20 levels internationally. (Elite Prospects profile)

Roy Radke – 6th round, No. 164

Radke is a 6’2, 205-pound right wing. He plays for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League and had nine goals and 18 points in 64 games. He’s another local kid and a Blackhawks fan, from Geneva, Ill. He formerly played for the Chicago Mission along with 2014 first-round pick Nick Schmaltz. (Elite Prospects profile)

Joni Tuulola – 6th round, No. 181

Tuulola is a left-shooting Finnish defenseman listed at 6’1, 185 pounds. He played last season for HPK of the Finnish Liiga with 10 points in 32 games. (Elite Prospects profile)

John Dahlstrom – 7th round, No. 211

With the final pick of the 2015 NHL draft, the Blackhawks chose Swedish forward John Dahlstrom. The 6′, 187-pound center/left wing spent most of the season with Frolunda’s U20 squad, where he posted 20 goals and 35 points in 28 games. He also played for Sweden at the U18 level. (Elite Prospects profile)

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