The Chicago Blackhawks will open training camp later this week, which is awesome! For the last few months, we’ve only been able to pour over scouting reports, training clips on social media and read prospect rankings from other outlets.
With the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in the rearview mirror and with our eyes on some young guys joining the NHL team at Fifth Third Arena, it’s time for us to update our own rankings of the top 20 players in the Blackhawks’ pipeline.
All of the same players I graduated from the end of the regular season are still out of this list. But there’s been some movement based on what I’ve seen in the last week on the ice in Chicago and Minnesota and some comments from analysts who ranks prospects and pipelines. Let’s get into it!
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images1. Sam Rinzel, RHD
6-4, 195Shoots: RightAcquired: 1st round (No. 25) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Toronto in Mrazek trade)SIGNED
Rinzel was a raw lottery ticket in the USHL when the Blackhawks drafted him three years ago. He’s worked his way into becoming one of the more intriguing blue line prospects in the entire NHL. Rinzel appears set to start the season as the Blackhawks’ top-pair right-handed defenseman, pairing with Alex Vlasic for the next… decade? He’s got a special toolkit with marvelous skating ability, terrific puck handling and poise for his age. He’s been able to add weight without compromising his performance on the ice as well.
2. Anton Frondell, C/W
6-2, 204Shoots: LeftAcquired: 1st round (No. 3) — 2025 NHL DraftSIGNED
The Blackhawks’ last two high draft picks — Frondell and Levshunov — are young players who already have mature bodies and play stronger games than their age would usually make possible. Frondell is a tank with a wicked release. He’s been compared to Sasha Barkov in Florida, which would be a tremendous addition to the Blackhawks’ NHL roster eventually. He signed his ELC already but is back in Sweden this year.
3. Artyom Levshunov, RHD
6-2, 208Shoots: RightAcquired: 1st round (No. 2 overall) — 2024 NHL DraftSIGNED
Right-handed defensemen who can skate, handle the puck and play physically are golden tickets in the NHL, and the Blackhawks appear to have two in Rinzel and Levshunov. He got off to a late start last year because of a foot injury that eliminated his training camp. Once he got up to speed, he was good enough in Rockford to earn a call-up to the NHL. He looked good, but young and raw while with the Blackhawks. He’s still only 19, and has a lot of learning to do. But the tools could be special here.
4. Oliver Moore, C/LW
5-11, 188Shoots: LeftAcquired: 1st round (No. 19 overall) — 2023 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Tampa in the B. Hagel trade)SIGNED
Moore brings legitimately elite speed to the ice. He was used in a number of roles both at Minnesota and by USA Hockey at back-to-back gold medal-winning World Junior Championships. He’s defensively responsible and can play center or on the wing, which is nice versatility with the number of potential centers in the Blackhawks’ pipeline. The question is going to be if Moore can finish at the professional level(s). He scored a pretty goal to start his preseason at the prospect showcase.
5. Nick Lardis, RW
6-0, 165Shoots: LeftAcquired: 3rd round (No. 67) — 2023 NHL DraftSIGNED
We’re all going to see if his prolific scoring at the OHL level translates to the professional ranks this year. Lardis had a historic season for Brantford last year, becoming the first player in the league to reach the 70-goal mark since John Tavares. He’s bigger and stronger than he was a year ago, and he showed well at the prospect showcase in Minnesota.
6. Kevin Korchinski, LHD
6-1, 185Shoots: LeftAcquired: 1st round (No. 7) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Ottawa in A. DeBrincat trade)SIGNED
Korchinski is still regarded as a really good prospect by most analysts outside of Chicago, and we all need to remember he’s still only 21 years old. He’s a terrific skater with good offensive instincts. The question for him in the Blackhawks organization moving forward will be how he fits with Rinzel and Levshunov appearing to be locks on the right side of the top two defensive pairs and quarterbacking the top two power play units in the NHL.
7. Sacha Boisvert, C
6-2, 180Shoots: LeftAcquired: 1st round (No. 18) — 2024 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Islanders in pick swap)
After earning NCHC Rookie of the Year honors at North Dakota, Boisvert is taking his talents to Boston University this coming season. He’s a big body in the middle who most project as a strong middle-six center. He scored 18 goals in 37 games for UND last season, but didn’t take many faceoffs as a true freshman. Boisvert could slide right into the top role that was vacated at BU when the Blackhawks signed Ryan Greene. And he might join Greene in the pro ranks when his sophomore campaign ends.
8. Marek Vanacker, LW
6-1, 174Shoots: LeftAcquired: 1st round (No. 27) — 2024 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Carolina in pick swap)SIGNED
Vanacker plays a strong game on the ice and can drive offense with good speed. He got a late start to his post-draft season because of a shoulder injury from the previous season but still contributed 24 goals in 45 regular-season games for Brantford in the OHL last year. He’s already signed his ELC. This is a big season for him to take a more prominent role in the offense for the Bulldogs with Lardis turning pro.
9. AJ Spellacy, C/W
6-2, 195Shoots: RightAcquired: 3rd round (No. 72) — 2024 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Ottawa in DeBrincat trade)SIGNED
Spellacy grabbed our attention during the prospect showcase and training camp/preseason last year, and has re-affirmed the interest this fall as the prospect practices took place. He’s a heat-seeking missile on the ice with a defensive back’s body. Whether he’s a center or wing eventually is up in the air, but he plays a pro-style game already. I’m sure we’d all like to see the offensive numbers go up, but he’s a power forward who’s a nightmare to play against with great wheels.
Steven Ellis / X10. Nathan Behm, RW
6-2, 192Shoots: RightAcquired: 3rd round (No. 66) — 2025 NHL Draft
Behm has been really impressive during the prospect practices and games, and has the body to be a power forward some day (compare his size to Spellacy’s). He’s showed some offensive creativity and strength against other prospects and professionals. Behm scored 31 goals in 59 regular-season games for Kamloops in the WHL last year; he’ll return there this season and has committed to Arizona State for the 2026-27 season. I wonder if he might be an option for the Blackhawks to sign at some point and stash in Rockford next year, however, when NHL teams are allowed to have one 19-year-old in the AHL.
Note: the pick the Blackhawks used to draft Behm was originally their own. They traded it to Carolina in 2024 to move up and pick Jack Pridham, but got it back from the Canes in the blockbuster Mikko Rantanen trade.11. Ryan Greene, C
6-1, 174Shoots: RightAcquired: 2nd round (No. 57) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Minnesota in MA Fleury trade)SIGNED
Greene was a co-captain at Boston University last year and performed well. He’s good at the dot, plays a responsible game and skated very well. He projects as a third-line center with some offensive upside, though he creates more than he scores. Greene signed his ELC after his junior campaign at BU and will play his first full professional season this coming year.
12. Roman Kantserov, RW
5-9, 176Shoots: LeftAcquired: 2nd round (No. 44) — 2023 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Ottawa in Zaitsev trade)
Kantserov is a tantalizing prospect who is centering a top line in the KHL right now in spite of his size and age (he turns 21 on Saturday). There’s exciting skill in his game and speed for days. The questions are when he’ll come over to North America and what position he ultimately plays on this continent. If he can play in the NHL at his size, the ceiling might be very high here.
13. Jack Pridham, RW
6-1, 176Shoots: RightAcquired: 3rd round (No. 92) — 2024 NHL Draft
Pridham took advantage of the NCAA changing their rules to allow CHL players to play college hockey last year, and Pridham immediately jumped to join the Kitchener Rangers as a Boston University commit. The season went well enough for him in junior that he backed out of that college commitment and is staying in the OHL this year. He has decent size, an interesting offensive game and is another excellent skater. His father works in the front office for the Maple Leafs, so he’s getting unique advice on his career journey. I like his upside a great deal.
14. Drew Commesso, G
6-2, 180Acquired: 2nd round (No. 46) — 2020 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Vegas in M. Subban trade)SIGNED
Commesso has been developing very well in Rockford and got a taste of the NHL last year. The question here is how his future will play out with the organization with Spencer Knight signing a three-year extension this past weekend and Arvid Söderblom having a two-year deal in hand. He’s a solid pro prospect and there’s no rush for him to get to the NHL.
15. Mason West, C
6-6, 218Shoots: RightAcquired: 1st round (No. 29) — 2025 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Carolina in pick swap)
He’s big, and he’s currently playing quarterback for his high school in Minnesota. When his gridiron career ends, he’ll go back to the USHL before taking his game to Michigan State for the 2026-27 season. You can’t teach his size, and the upside of a player who played as well as he did in the USHL while not being fully committed to hockey makes him a fascinating prospect to watch into the coming years. There’s no rush here, which is good for all involved parties.
16. Václav Nestrašil, RW
6-6, 185Shoots: RightAcquired: 1st round (No. 25) — 2025 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Toronto in McCabe trade)
Nestrašil will play in the tough Hockey East conference this year. His experience in North America is fairly brief to date, which makes him another fascinating lottery ticket for the Blackhawks. More terrific size and he can skate. He admitted he didn’t play a physical game before he made the move to the USHL last year, so he’s just learning how to use his big frame to his advantage. He’ll learn a lot at UMass.
17. Samuel Savoie, LW
5-10, 189Shoots: LeftAcquired: 3rd round (No. 81) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Vegas in pick swap)SIGNED
Savoie has been living in the Andrew Shaw comp world for a couple years, and was entertaining last year in Rockford. He might be high on the list of potential call-ups from Rockford this year as a bottom-line energy guy if/when the opportunity presents itself.
18. Aidan Thompson, C/LW
5-11, 180Shoots: LeftAcquired: 3rd round (No. 90) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Calgary in Zadorov trade)SIGNED
Everything I wrote about Savoie is true here as well. Thompson played center at the University of Denver for two years and then transitioned to a top-line wing role at DU last year. His offense took off as a junior, and he signed with the Blackhawks. He’s slightly older, but he’s also a mature first-year pro who will be a pain in the ass to play against in Rockford.
19. John Mustard, C/W
6-1, 185Shoots: LeftAcquired: 3rd round (No. 67) — 2024 NHL Draft
Mustard has a similar profile to a lot of the Blackhawks: great skater, good hands, nice offensive ability, well-rounded game. He had a nice freshman year at Providence and will look to take it to another level this year with some talented additions to the Friars’ roster.
20. Taige Harding, LHD
6-6, 235Shoots: LeftAcquired: 3rd round (No. 91) — 2021 NHL Draft
Harding was Mustard’s teammate at Providence last year but makes the jump to the pro ranks this year. He’s enormous; his size looks more like an NFL tight end than a defenseman in the AHL. He showed quite well in the prospect showcase and was a better skater against other professional players than I anticipated. He’s a little older than the others in the pipeline and the Blackhawks are stacked on the left side but he’s an interesting one to watch this year. He could have a big role (pun intended) with the IceHogs.
Honorable Mention
Stanislav Berezhnoy, GMartin Mišiak, C/WAdam Gajan, GGavin Hayes, WJulius Sumpf, CJoel Svensson, RWIlya Kanarsky, G
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