NEWSLETTER
Now that we’re into the 2024 calendar year, let’s take stock of the Blackhawks’ collection of prospects and how they’re performing. Six of the players discussed below took part in the World Junior Championship since we last updated our rankings at the start of December; I waited until the dust settled from the WJC to re-rank the prospects.
As a reminder, Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, Lukas Reichel, Alex Vlasic, Wyatt Kaiser, Isaak Phillips and Arvid Söderblom have been graduated off the list because they’ve been NHL players. Though Kaiser is in Rockford right now, I’m still keeping him graduated. I’m also keeping both Dominic James and Samuel Savoie out of the rankings because of their season-ending injuries.
The Blackhawks have some really good talent coming. Even without the players named above, this is one of the better groups in the entire NHL. Let’s get into a new, updated top 20.
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: 18 games, 8 goals, 10 assists, 57 shots on goal, 56.6% FO
Nazar showed very well with the United States at the World Juniors, recording eight primary assists in the first four games of the tournament. His speed and skill are fully back from his hip issue that derailed his freshman season at Michigan and he has the look of a top-six forward at the next level.
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: 20 games, 2 goals, 14 assists, 46 shots on goal
Moore spent most of his time at the World Juniors playing the wing, and has done that at Minnesota this year as well while also getting run at center. He didn’t put up the same numbers as Nazar at the WJC but did show very well. He might be a guy who spends two years in college before signing, but his freshman year has been solid for the Gophers.
3. 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: 31 games, 4 goals, 13 assists, 1 game-winning goal
Del Mastro is back near the top of our list and at the top of my rankings of defense prospects in the Blackhawks’ system. He is still a big, punishing defenseman who hits hard. But his offense has likely surpassed expectations in his first professional season. He was named an AHL All-Star which is tremendous.
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: 18 games, 7 goals, 11 assists, 44 shots on net
Greene plays with speed and has some nice offensive ability as well. He’s been the second-line center this year at BU behind the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Macklin Celebrini, and has climbed back to being a point-per-game player after a slow start. He has better size than some other center prospects in the system and might eventually be a middle-six pivot for the Hawks. I would like to see him sign after his sophomore year and start his professional career.
5. Nick Lardis, RW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 168
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 67) — 2023 NHL Draft
2023-24 Stats: 36 games, 29 goals, 18 assists, 169 shots on net, 3 game-winning goals
Lardis is among the OHL leaders in goals and shots on net and has really taken off in his post-draft season. If Blackhawks fans are looking for a scorer to compliment some of their other playmaking forwards, Lardis’ name comes to the top of the list right now. He’ll continue to grow physically and on the ice and has an exciting future in the organization.
6. Gavin Hayes, RW, Soo Greyhounds (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: 27 games, 19 goals, 17 assists, 87 shots on goal, 4 game-winning goals
Hayes was traded before he got back to Flint after the World Junior Championship, so make sure to adjust your stat and social media watching accordingly. He was buried during the knockout stage at the WJC after taking a bad penalty and played a mostly supporting role on a very good, deep team that had a lot of returning stars. His production remains solid and his skating has improved. We’ll see how his stats look as he gets settled with the Greyhounds.
7. 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: 31 games, 1 goal, 6 assists
Allan remains a very good, shutdown defenseman and has had a solid first professional season with the IceHogs. Eventually, the additions of Del Mastro and Allan to an already young, exciting group of defensemen in Chicago is going to make the back end a strength for the Blackhawks. He has also worked on the right side this season in Rockford.
8. 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: 31 games, 14 goals, 24 assists, 83 shots on net, 51.1% FO, 2 short-handed goals
Ludwinski has been on fire in the OHL since our last rankings, almost doubling his assist total and putting plenty of shots on net while improving his faceoffs by nearly two percent for the season over the past month. He didn’t make Canada’s WJC roster but his stock with the Blackhawks is improving. He’s a good skater.
9. 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: 22 games, 13 goals, 5 assists, 57 shots on goal, 15 blocked shots
Slaggert wanted to go back to school to play with his younger brother and get healthy. That bet on himself has proved to be a winner; he’s having a terrific season. He’s a senior, however, to he’ll have to sign when the Irish campaign comes to a close. I’m not terribly worried about that; he was at a Blackhawks’ game with his family during Christmas break. I’d like to see him in the bottom six to close this season in Chicago.
10. Adam Gajan, G, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 180
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 35) — 2023 NHL Draft
2023-24 Stats: 20 games, 14-4-1, .911 save percentage, 3.03 goals against average
Gajan was very good for Slovakia in the WJC again, but their tournament ended earlier than they hoped. He’s near the top of the USHL in minutes played between the pipes and has been one of the better goaltenders in that league. He’s committed to Minnesota-Duluth for next year and will continue his development for a couple more years but he’s now the top goaltending prospect in the system in my opinion.
11. 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: 28 games, 13 goals, 13 assists, 85 shots on net, 50.6% FO
Misiak played okay for Slovakia at the World Juniors, and his offensive production slowed down for Erie before he left for Sweden. He’s still nearly a point-per-game player in his first season in the OHL and has good size for a center, which is a plus. I’ll be watching his second half to see how his offense bounces back from the trip to the WJC.
12. Sam Rinzel, RHD, Minnesota (Big Ten)
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 175
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 1st round (No. 25) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Toronto in Mrazek trade)
2023-24 Stats: 20 games, 1 goal, 13 assists, 14 points, 44 shots on goal, 20 blocked shots
Rinzel still needs work on the defensive end of the rink, but we expected that coming into his first collegiate season. He played on the third defensive pair for the US at the WJC and his speed and offensive instincts stood out — but he was pretty good defensively as well. I still think Rinzel needs two more years of college hockey, but the skill package he possesses as a 6-4 RHD is exciting.
13. 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: 28 games, 7 goals, 4 assists, 60 shots on net
Rolston showed very well in training camp with the NHL club and has continued to provide offense with Rockford in his first professional season. He’s missed a few games because of injury, but his size and speed are both elements that could help the NHL roster in the near future.
14. 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: 16 games, 6-8-2, .893 save percentage, 1 shutout
Commesso has come back to Earth a little over the past month. His save percentage has slid under .900 which isn’t ideal, but I have pause in evaluating the goaltenders in Rockford because of the injuries with the Blackhawks and IceHogs making the revolving door constant in Rockford.
15. 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: 23 games, 9 goals, 7 assists, 53 shots on goal
Dach has missed a few games because he’s in concussion protocol, again, which is a concern. When he’s healthy, Dach has started to show the form of a legitimate power forward. And I would love for him to continue down that path. The concerns about this being his third concussion over the past two seasons is very real, however.
16. 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: 20 games, 4 goals, 12 assists, 39 shots on goal
Thompson’s season started slowly but he’s been coming on since the start of December. He has two goals and four assists in his last six games (dating back to the start of December) and is climbing back to closer to being a point-per-game player at DU. He’s an older prospect so I wonder if the Blackhawks will look to get him signed after this season.
17. 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: 17 games, 2 goals, 3 assists, 20 blocked shots, 31 shots on net
Hit the pause button and look at the size of Harding. He’s a big defenseman who skates pretty well and has no second thoughts about shooting the puck. With the Blackhawks seemingly collecting redwoods to play on the back end, he could be a candidate to help Rockford next year. I like him more long-term than Louis Crevier.
18. 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: 38 games, 5 goals, 6 assists
Kantserov is a skilled wing who is playing at the top level in the KHL as a teenager. His numbers are pretty good for a player his size/age. My concern with projecting him long-term is the whole Russian element. I’d like to see him playing in North America sooner than later but he signed a two-year deal to remain in the KHL through at least the 2026-27 season.
19. 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: 47 games, 9 goals, 6 assists
If you’re looking for a big center in the next couple years, he might be a candidate and Safonov might be more intriguing in the near-term than Kantserov because his KHL contract expires after the 2024-25 season. But he turns 23 at the end of May, meaning he would be 24 when he would first be eligible to come over to North America and he would probably need a guarantee of an NHL roster spot to leave the KHL.
20. Dominic Basse, G, St. Cloud State (NCHC)
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 195
Acquired: 6th round (No. 167) — 2019 NHL Draft
2023-24 Stats: 16 games, 10-5-1, .915 save percentage, 3 shutouts
I’m adding Basse to my top 20 for the first time this season because he’s been so good again this season for St. Cloud State. In fact, he’s been one of the better goaltenders in the college ranks and his size makes him intriguing as a potential contract candidate when you consider Petr Mrazek is a UFA and Jaxson Stauber is an RFA after this season. I wonder if his rights might be in play for a trade as well with how he’s playing this season.
Honorable Mention
Alex Pharand, F
Marcel Marcel, F
Antti Saarela, F
Jaxson Stauber, G
Jiri Felcman, F
Victor Stjernborg, F
Jalen Luypen, F
Connor Kelley, D
Milton Oscarson, C
