The Blackhawks still haven’t drafted and developed a defensemen since Niklas Hjalmarsson.
Acquiring a player like Jake McCabe will soften that fact a bit and, ironically, McCabe’s similarities to Hjalmarsson are also what will endear him to Blackhawks fans: he’s quietly effective shutdown defender who is responsible with and without the puck. They are not necessarily similar stylistically, but their roles and how well they have performed at them makes for a decent comparison.
Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the 2012 NHL Draft (44th overall), McCabe went through a traditional development cycle for a defensemen, something that likely helped solidify his skillset without rushing him.