| Good morning, Chicago. It's hot in Chicago right now, but the abnormal heat wave hasn't hindered the first impressions of any Blackhawks prospects. "It's a sick city, I love it here," said Ryan Roobroeck, 18, the No. 35 pick of this year's NHL draft. "There hasn't been one point where I said, 'Wow, it
's not a place I want to be.'" The next era of the Hawks skated at the Blackhawks Ice Center to begin their development camp on Monday. Training in an NHL practice facility exceeded the expectations
of the Hawks' second-round draft picks. "Beautiful rink out there, little bit of a different experience than what I've done in the past,
" Roobroeck said. "It's a great experience, everybody's very welcoming out there (which) makes it a whole lot easier." Ryan Roobroeck, left, and Xavier Villeneuve pose for a portrait after the Blackhawks selected them in the second round of the NHL draft on June 27, 2026, in Buffalo, NY. (Joe Hrycych/Getty) Added No. 34 pick Xavier Villeneuve: "It's really nice, just a dream come true. So exciting to be here, I can't wait for what's next." The Hawks picked Villeneuve with their first selection of the 2026 NHL draft after trading for a two-player package highlighted by defenseman Bowen Byram. The 18-year-old had quality conversations with the Hawks and general manager Kyle Davidson. Today’s eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History | 
