North Dakota recruit Nick Schmaltz became the fourth NCAA prospect selected in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft when he was selected 20th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks made a trade with the San Jose Sharks, moving up from the 27th spot in the first round to the 20th spot in the first round in order to select Schmaltz.
Here is our pre-draft scouting report on Schmaltz.
The Blackhawks are known for drafting a lot of American prospects, and Schmaltz should fit in well in their organization. It's also unlikely that the Blackhawks will try to push Schmaltz towards the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL, opting instead to give him time to develop at North Dakota. If Schmaltz does play for the Blackhawks, he will be a divisional rival of his older brother and future North Dakota teammate Jordan, who was a first round selection of the St. Louis Blues in 2012.