NEWSLETTER
Welcome to December, Blackhawks fans! It’s the final month of the calendar year but it’s the middle of the season for many of the Blackhawks’ prospects in junior and college. We’re keeping tabs on how they’re all doing and it’s an exciting time to be looking at the pipeline for Chicago. I’ve said it before, but this is the deepest and most skilled collection of prospects I can remember in two decades of covering the team.
When we updated our prospect rankings at the start of November, Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, Lukas Reichel, Alex Vlasic, Wyatt Kaiser, and goaltender Arvid Söderblom were graduated off the list because they’re full-time NHL players. At this time, I’m going to also remove Isaak Phillips from the list because he’s earned an NHL spot — whether he gets to stay in the league once Jarred Tinordi returns or not, he’s ready and deserves it. I also had to take both Dominic James and Samuel Savoie out of the rankings because of their season-ending injuries.
With that being said, let’s get into the new rankings for December.
1. Frank Nazar, C, Michigan (Big Ten)
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 180
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 1st round (No. 13) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Montreal in K. Dach trade)
2023-24 Stats: 16 games, 7 goals, 10 assists, 51 shots on goal, 58% FO
If you were hoping to see Nazar fully back from his injury issues last year, we’re getting it and it’s beautiful. Between Oct. 28 and Nov. 24, Nazar went on an eight-game point streak that saw him drop four goals and nine assists. I expect him to play a prominent role for the US at the World Juniors at the end of December and continue showing flashes of brilliance for Michigan. His faceoff work has been exceptional this season as well; he’s among the national leaders in that regard. Nazar might be headed for a contract when the Wolverines’ season comes to a close — and I’m here for it.
2. Oliver Moore, C/LW, Minnesota (Big Ten)
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 194
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 1st round (No. 19 overall) — 2023 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from TB in the Brandon Hagel trade)
2023-24 Stats: 14 games, 2 goals, 8 assists, 35 shots on goal
Moore has been flipping between wing and center seemingly weekly for the Gophers and has been good in both spots. As a true freshman this season, there have been some ups and downs but his speed is clearly dangerous every night. He’s still learning, but he’s doing it in a strong program. If he went back to Minnesota for a sophomore year I wouldn’t be surprised or mad. I also expect him to be on the USA roster for the World Juniors.
3. Gavin Hayes, RW, Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 178
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 66) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Montreal in K. Dach trade)
SIGNED
2023-24 Stats: 22 games, 17 goals, 12 assists, 73 shots on goal
After topping 40 goals last year, Hayes is back to his scoring ways with Flint this season. He has good size, plays a solid, 200-foot game and is a right wing — something the Blackhawks don’t have a lot of in the system right now. He’s already signed to an entry-level contract so his scoring touch will make the move to the professional ranks next season. If you’re looking for a legit finisher in the system, Hayes is your guy. The OHL is a tough league and he might be the first back-to-back 40-goal scorer in the system since Alex DeBrincat.
4. Ryan Greene, C, Boston University (Hockey East)
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 185
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 57) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Minnesota in MA Fleury trade)
2023-24 Stats: 14 games, 6 goals, 8 assists, 32 shots on net
Greene has been skating as the second-line center for BU behind Macklin Celebrini, the likely No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. He’s under 50 percent at the dot thus far but he’s been hot lately; Greene recently had a six-game point streak during which he scored four goals with five assists. A sophomore this season, he might be another college prospect who the Blackhawks try to sign when his season ends to get him into the professional ranks.
5. Drew Commesso, G, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 180
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 46) — 2020 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Vegas in M. Subban trade)
SIGNED
2023-24 Stats: 8 games, 5-2-1, .917 save percentage, 1 shutout
Commesso has been as good as we had hoped to start his professional career. Goaltenders take time to develop, so fans begging for him to come up and save the NHL club are premature in that ask. But he looks like he’s the goods thus far, and that’s a good thing for the future of the franchise.
6. Nolan Allan, LHD, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 193
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 1st round (No. 32) — 2021 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Columbus in S. Jones trade)
SIGNED
2023-24 Stats: 16 games, 2 assists
The next two prospects on our list have spent a lot of time together in Rockford — on the ice and as roommates. Allan has played a fair amount of his off-side early this season as the organization evaluates if he can play the right side at the next level, and he’s held his own. He’s a physical, shut-down defender playing a top-four role in his first professional season. The Blackhawks are going to have a youth movement on the back end before the forwards join them, and Allan will be one of the next wave to hit the NHL.
7. Ethan Del Mastro, LHD, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 210
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 4th round (No. 105) — 2021 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Vancouver in M. Bowey trade)
SIGNED
2023-24 Stats: 16 games, 1 goal, 8 assists, 1 game-winning goal
With Allan, Del Mastro appears to be one of the next foundation pieces on the back end for the Blackhawks. He’s a road grader who hits with intent, but he’s shown more offense than we probably anticipated in his first professional season. He skates well for a player his size; if the Blackhawks can work with him on that the way Alex Vlasic improved in the past year with the IceHogs, they’ll have a guy in Del Mastro. I’m a big fan.
8. Colton Dach, W, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 62) — 2021 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Vegas in pick swap)
SIGNED
2023-24 Stats: 11 games, 5 goals, 5 assists, 23 shots on goal
After the start of his season was delayed because of injury, Dach has been a beast for the IceHogs. I love that he’s putting more than two shots on goal per game thus far, but more than that he’s been able to play a power forward role in his first professional season. The Blackhawks don’t have room for him in the NHL right now and probably won’t most of this season, but he’s getting the appropriate time to develop that his brother was never afforded by the organization. And that should pay dividends long-term.
9. Nick Lardis, RW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 168
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 67) — 2023 NHL Draft
2023-24 Stats: 22 games, 16 goals, 8 assists, 101 shots on net
Yes, you read that correctly: he’s put 101 shots on net in 22 games. And, with Hayes, he’s on pace to get around the 40-goal mark. I can’t remember the last time the Blackhawks had two drafted prospects score 40 in the same junior season. Lardis showed well in the preseason and prospect showcase games. He has some physical development to do; he’s a teenager. But there’s no denying he’s a sniper with little remorse. Lardis is also a good skater.
10. Martin Misiak, C, Erie Otters (OHL)
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 200
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 55) — 2023 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from CBJ in S. Jones trade)
2023-24 Stats: 23 games, 10 goals, 10 assists, 73 shots on net, 51% FO
Here’s where things start to get interesting for me projecting things forward for the Blackhawks. Nazar, Moore, Greene and Misiak are all viable center prospects who could play that position at the professional levels. While Nazar and Moore might be more physically ready to make the jump to the pro ranks, Misiak and Moore are terrific prospects as well. Misiak is doing a great job at the dot in the OHL this season as well. He’s struggled to score lately after I made the mistake of writing about him being on a heater, but the production has been good.
11. Landon Slaggert, LW, Notre Dame (Big Ten)
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 191
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 79) — 2020 NHL Draft
2023-24 Stats: 12 games, 9 goals, 4 assists, 29 shots on goal, 11 blocked shots
I appreciate that Slaggert went back to Notre Dame for his senior season even though the Blackhawks tried to sign him this past summer. It’s paying off for him big time; he’s scoring in bunches and looks like the player who wore an A for the US at the World Juniors. I hope the Blackhawks can get him signed when Notre Dame’s season ends and get him into the pro game because he’s ready and could be a really good bottom-six contributor soon.
12. Paul Ludwinski, C, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 190
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 39) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from OTT in DeBrincat trade)
SIGNED
2023-24 Stats: 20 games, 10 goals, 14 assists, 58 shots on net, 49.6% FO, 2 short-handed goals
The hottest prospect in the system with a big up arrow, Ludwinski — like Dach and Slaggert — is finally healthy and he’s showing why the Blackhawks made him a second-round pick in 2022. During his 13-game point streak — the longest in the OHL before it ended on Wednesday — he posted 11 assists and 9 goals. He’s been adequate at the dot and is a playmaker with good vision and terrific speed. He’s another forward asset that’s going to make the Blackhawks a fast team in the future. He’s already signed to Rockford might be where he finishes this season.
13. Adam Gajan, G, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 180
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 35) — 2023 NHL Draft
2023-24 Stats: 16 games, 11-4-1, .911 save percentage
Gajan, who is committed to Minnesota-Duluth next year, has faced more shots (542) and played more minutes (959) than any goaltender in the USHL this season. He has good size but, again, goaltenders take time to develop. He’s a few years behind Commesso but looks like a good one thus far.
14. Roman Kantserov, RW, Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 176
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 44) — 2023 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from OTT in Zaitsev trade)
2023-24 Stats: 30 games, 4 goals, 3 assists
Kantserov is a skilled wing who is playing at the top level in the KHL as a teenager. The big question with both Kantserov and Safonov is if/when they come over. There’s a lot of skill here to like; he’s a good scorer with strong instincts. But the timetable is the big question.
15. Ilya Safonov, C, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 205
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 6th round (No. 172) — 2021 NHL Draft
2023-24 Stats: 36 games, 8 goals, 4 assists
Safonov is signed through the 2024-25 season, which isn’t ideal. He has terrific size to be a middle-six center at some point and is already 22 (he turns 23 in May). If the Blackhawks can convince him to come over in 2025, he’ll be in his mid-20s already and expectations will be that he can make an immediate impact in the NHL.
16. Ryder Rolston, W, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 185
Acquired: via trade from Colorado for Carl Soderberg (2021)
Shoots: Right
SIGNED
2023-24 Stats: 13 games, 4 goals, 1 assist
Rolson showed very well during the preseason; the Blackhawks coaches and front office believe his speed game will translate better at the pro level than it did at Notre Dame. He’s off to a nice start in his first professional season with Rockford.
17. Aidan Thompson, C, Denver (NCHC)
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 180
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 90) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Calgary in Zadorov trade)
2023-24 Stats: 14 games, 2 goals, 8 assists, 29 shots on goal, 53% FO
Thompson has slumped a bit in the box scores this season after he was a point-per-game player for DU as a freshman last year. He’s been solid in the faceoff circle and got back on the board this past weekend. He isn’t lacking for chances, so hopefully the scoring will come back soon.
18. Taige Harding, LHD, Providence (Hockey East)
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 235
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 91) — 2021 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Carolina in pick swap)
2023-24 Stats: 15 games, 1 goal, 3 assists, 18 blocked shots
Look at his size and you’ll understand why there’s appeal in Harding, who’s another heavy hitter who plays the defensive end well. He’s been a solid contributor for Providence this season.
19. Sam Rinzel, RHD, Minnesota (Big Ten)
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 180
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 1st round (No. 25) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Toronto in Mrazek trade)
2023-24 Stats: 14 games, 9 assists, 34 shots on goal, 14 blocked shots
Rinzel can skate and has really good offensive instincts. But watching him at Minnesota, he has a lot of development needed on the defensive end of the rink — and we knew that when the Blackhawks drafted him in the first round last year. He’s a project who will probably spend 3-4 years in college. But you don’t find many RHD with his size and skating ability, so patience is a good thing. And the Hawks have plenty of defensemen coming before they need him to join the professional ranks.
20. Filip Roos, LHD, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 190
Shoots: Left
Acquired: signed as European free agent
2023-24 Stats: 14 games, 1 goal, 3 assists
Roos was called-up briefly this season but didn’t play with the Blackhawks. He scored one goal with three assists in 17 NHL games last year. He was Kyle Davidson’s first European free agent signing and has had the option to return to Sweden both years when he was assigned to the AHL but has chosen to stay here and work on his game. He turns 25 in January and has good size, so he might be a player other teams have interest in before the trade deadline.
Honorable Mention
Connor Kelley, D
Marcel Marcel, F
Alex Pharand, F
Jaxson Stauber, G
Antti Saarela, F
Jalen Luypen, F
Jiri Felcman, F
Victor Stjernborg, F
Milton Oscarson, C
