First-round picks: No. 21

2001-02 record: 41-27-13-1, 96 points (9th overall)

What they need
The Blackhawks were pushed around in their first-round playoff loss to St. Louis, so finding bigger and scrappier personnel is a priority. They also could use an infusion of youth on the blue line, where all of the regulars in the postseason were over 30. With Tony Amonte headed for unrestricted free agency, Chicago might look for goal-scoringhelp.

The Blackhawks finally returned to the postseason, but that means picking at 21st overall, their worst spot since selecting defenseman Steve McCarthy in 1999. Of general manager Mike Smith's 28 draft picks, 17 have been Europeans.

Recent first-round picks
2001: Tuomo Ruutu, C-LW
The younger brother of Vancouver Canucks winger Jarkko Ruutu had seven goals and 16 assists in 51 games for Jokerit in the Finnish Elite League and impressed the Blackhawks with his work ethic.

2001: Adam Munro, G
Stock dropped after he lost the No. 1 goaltending job on his junior team. Ended up 24-13-1 with a 3.37 goals-against average with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League.

2000: Mikhail Yakoubov, C
Had a big season with talented Red Deer team in the Western Hockey League. Led the squad in scoring with 32 goals and 57 assists in 71 games, collecting six power-play tallies and three shorthanded goals.

2000: Pavel Vorobiev, LW
The 2001-02 season was a lost one for this Russian as he recovered from knee surgery.

1999: Steve McCarthy, D
The Blackhawks had hoped this highly touted defenseman would be able to stick with the big club in 2001-02. But after a three-game stint in Chicago, he spent the rest of the season with Norfolk of the AHL.