Prospect System Ranking – 6th (Previous Rank - 6th)
GM: Kyle Davidson Hired: October 2021
COACH: Luke Richardson Hired: June 2022
It doesn’t take much to change the course of an organization; just ask the Chicago Blackhawks, who struck gold by winning the draft lottery and landing generational talent Connor Bedard. After his first full season in the NHL, Bedard is already making an unsurprising impact, revitalizing the franchise. The Blackhawks’ youth movement doesn’t stop there, as they have also seen several youngsters graduate to the big league recently, including Lukas Reichel, Alex Vlasic, and Kevin Korchinski.
That list of graduates may grow further next year, with 2024 second overall pick Artyom Levshunov (ranked 16th) pressing for a spot on the Hawks’ blueline out the gate. Although, recent additions to the backend that include Alec Martinez and T.J Brodie may hint at alternative plans.
On the cusp of turning pro is Frank Nazar (57th), who is fresh off a two-year NCAA stint where he contributed nearly a point-per-game (0.89). He joins current Rockford standouts such as Ethan Del Mastro (95th), Wyatt Kaiser, and goaltender Drew Commesso (118th) in the AHL.
Further down the pipeline, the Blackhawks boast a strong group of prospects developing in various walks of North America, including Oliver Moore (80th), Sacha Boisvert (111th), Marek Vanacker (147th), Sam Rinzel (125th) and Nick Lardis (152nd), who all sit comfortably within our top-200 list here at McKeen’s.
With eight picks in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft (so far), including two first-rounders and two second-rounders, Chicago’s prospect pool is set to grow even further in the near future.
Contrary to the belief that the Blackhawks would take a step back for another season to await further reinforcements, the team has bolstered its lineup with veteran talent to complement Bedard. With additions such as Ilya Mikheyev, Pat Maroon, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Teuvo Teräväinen, they may be more competitive than originally predicted.
While the Blackhawks may still be years away from true Stanley Cup contention, the rebuild is progressing smoothly, and the landing is likely to be much softer than most full rebuilds typically endure.
Chicago Blackhawks Top-15 Prospects
1. Artyom Levshunov
Chicago wanted to add a franchise-changing defenceman after they were lucky enough to pick a franchise-changing forward in Connor Bedard last year, and they're hoping they found him in Levshunov this summer. He's a complete blueliner who does everything at a high level, albeit arguably one without a truly elite trait. Not only does he thrive in all the various situations throughout a game, he has the necessary conditioning and inner drive to handle the pressure and workload of being a top-pairing defender. Whether up a goal or down a goal at a key juncture in a game, he’s always ready to go over the boards and has what it takes to get the job done. Levshunov will be a foundational piece for the Blackhawks as they seek to transition out of their rebuild toward being a top Stanley Cup contender once again.
2. Frank Nazar
After being limited to just 13 games in 2022-23 due to injury, Nazar was clearly intent on rebounding in a big way this season, and boy did he ever. He scored at a point-per-game pace in the NCAA for Michigan and did the same at the World Juniors, helping the United States win the gold medal. And as if that wasn’t enough, he put a bow on the year by scoring his first NHL goal in his first NHL game. He plays the game at a breakneck pace and is able to slice through coverage like a hot knife through butter. He’s equally tenacious without the puck, as there aren’t many forwards out there who are better on the forecheck. Players with his short stature often have a tough time in the NHL, but Nazar just plays so fast and so focused that it’s hard to make contact and slow him down.
3. Oliver Moore
Moore is one of the fastest hockey players in the world, across all ages and leagues and levels, and him being that good in that specific area makes it easier to adjust to new situations, because he knows he always has that elite trait to lean on. That's the main reason why it took him no time at all to find his bearings in the NCAA, and he'll experience a similar luxury when he goes to the AHL. Well, that’s if he even stops there at all on his way to Chicago, which could very well happen. He's also quite smart about how he uses that speed to be a difference-maker for his team all over the ice, and the more his hands can keep catching up to his feet, the more maddening it's going to be for enemy defenders who are tasked with neutralizing him.
4. Ethan Del Mastro
The way that Del Mastro continues to constantly build more and more layers upon the foundation of his game is quite impressive and should not be undervalued. He is making huge strides in his development every year, and his secret is knowing his strengths and steadfastly perfecting them. Mature and poised beyond his years, he sees the ice in front of him with expert awareness and always knows exactly where he needs to be and what his next move is, whether that’s driving play forward or looking to win the puck back. He keeps things simple and no-frills, but that’s a perfectly fine strategy for him to focus on since every decision he makes is usually the correct one. He’s the type of defencemen who could conceivably accumulate more than 1,000 games in the NHL because coaches will always be able to rely on him as a two-way difference-maker.
5. Sacha Boisvert
Boisvert is the kind of top prospect who has more potential than his stats alone would suggest. He's a powerful forward who is strong on the puck and leans more as a shooter than a playmaker, which is a little uncommon for centers, but he makes it work. There are currently some issues with his skating ability and pacing, but what's important to recognize and appeals to scouts is that both of those weaknesses look fixable down the road with the right training and development, and since he's going the college route he'll have plenty of time to work on them. In a different organization there might be more concerns about his eventual effectiveness, especially if he had to do a lot of heavy lifting by himself, but on paper he should fit in very well with Chicago's other forward prospects, who will complement Boisvert's game and help elevate it.
6. Drew Commesso
Commesso’s development to this point could accurately be described as “slow and steady,” but that’s not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to goaltenders. At no point in his three years in the NCAA was he ever within the upper echelon of college goalies, but he was always very good, winning more games than he lost while also helping Boston University win a Hockey East title in 2023. His first year in the AHL was very much in the same mold: good, steady performances from start to finish and respectable statistics overall, even though he never exactly established himself as one of the best netminding prospects in the league. Nevertheless, Stanley Cups have been won before with goalies who are Steady Eddies who didn’t need to steal games single-handedly, so long as they made the right saves at the right times.
7. Sam Rinzel
Rinzel has always been seen as a bit of a long-term project, and Chicago’s expectations were undoubtedly centered around reasonable year-over-year growth. He hasn’t needed to be a major difference-maker yet, so long as he kept getting closer and closer to the projected ceiling of him becoming that kind of player one day. So far, so good. This past season was easily his most impressive one yet, finishing with more points than any other defender on his team, while also guarding his own zone admirably well as a college freshman. He’s the type of big, rangy, right-shooting blueliner that all teams highly covet these days, which is why the Blackhawks used a 1st-round draft pick to acquire him even though he was still a long way away from the NHL at the time. Their patience should pay off eventually so long as they are content to stay the course.
8. Marek Vanacker
Vanacker had a standout sophomore season in the OHL, and what made it extra interesting is that he didn't have a lot of support around him and often had to make his success single-handedly. He's an athletic and assertive winger who builds up huge amounts of power and speed skating in a straight line, and it's difficult to contain him because he can still handle and protect the puck when he's driving play forward in his top gear. These tools also help him excel as a penalty killer who can clear his zone and then push for shorthanded opportunities in the other direction. He might not quite have enough vision, creativity, or pure skill to be a major offensive threat at the NHL level, but if he eventually reaches his ceiling he'll be one of the best middle six wingers in the sport.
9. Nick Lardis
Lardis was a late riser for the 2023 draft and was on such a steep upward trajectory down that stretch, so it's a real shame that his 2023-24 season was sliced in half due to injury. Regardless, he still looked great when he was in the lineup, and then led his team in playoff scoring, albeit in a six-game losing effort in the opening round. He is a blazingly fast skater who is always dangerous on the rush, both on breakaways and in odd-man situations, with quick hands that can open up goalies in different ways. He's also a lethal finisher from the circles when he gets clean shooting looks. His offensive game might never quite be well-rounded enough to become a top six mainstay for an NHL team, but if not, he still has a great shot at becoming a speedy middle six option.
10. Ryan Greene
Greene is a rock-solid, no-frills center who plays an impressively complete game. What he might lack in flash and excitement he more than makes up for with reliability and versatility, the kind of forward that a coach never feels nervous about sending over the boards. Think about the specific type of heavy, strong value that players like Charlie Coyle, Andrew Copp, and J.T. Compher provide, and that will give you a rough idea of what the Blackhawks are hoping to have on their hands one day with Greene once he reaches his peak. While he didn't get as much fanfare as teammates Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson, he was also an essential piece of the Boston University squad that made the Frozen Four this spring, and he'll have an even bigger role on the team next season because Celebrini will undoubtedly be in the NHL.
11. Adam Gajan
Goaltenders are more difficult to analyze compared to skaters, and Gajan exemplifies this more than most. He was simply stellar at the past two World Juniors, but far less consistent and reliable in the USHL, despite the stakes being much lower. The good news is that the Slovakian import still has untapped potential, with ideal size and a great blend of quickness, reflexes, and flexibility. He's heading to college next and will have plenty of time to refine things.
12. Nolan Allan
It’s undeniable that the sport of hockey is getting faster and more purely skilled. However, there will always still be an element of physicality, and that’s where Allan comes in. He’s strong and he’s sturdy, and he’s more than happy to focus on the nitty gritty parts of the job, though his game is more about blocking shots, box-outs, and board-pins, as opposed to dropping the gloves or chasing bone-rattling hits.
13. Colton Dach
It must be frustrating to be Dach lately, as COVID forced him to miss most of his draft year and then injuries limited his ice time for the past two seasons. At least he was able to be part of a gold medal-winning Canadian roster at the World Juniors and the 2023 WHL champion Seattle Thunderbirds, both of which provided beneficial experience. His brand of big-body, puck-possession hockey is working for him in the AHL, when he’s been healthy enough to showcase it.
14. Roman Kantserov
Kantserov’s first full season in the KHL was an eventful one, dressing for all of his team’s playoff games and playing on top lines as they won the league championship. And he did all of that while playing through an injury that required summer surgery. For his efforts he was also a finalist for the KHL’s rookie of the year. He sees the ice well and has a killer instinct when the puck hits his stick.
15. Gavin Hayes
Hayes clearly relished his change of scenery going from the struggling Firebirds to the sturdier Greyhounds, exploding in the playoffs. That big leap forward followed a good track record of steady incremental progress before it. He displays respectable amounts of both power and skill, and he doesn't skip out on his defensive duties. There is stiff competition among forwards within Chicago's prospect pipeline, but Hayes is smart and versatile enough that he should be able to plug into their roster somewhere.