We’re now almost one month into the hockey seasons across the continent. College hockey is in full swing, junior hockey is rolling and the AHL is into it’s regular schedule. For the Chicago Blackhawks, watching prospects at every level is something we’ve been doing consistently over the past few years as the organization embarks on a rebuild.
The good news is Blackhawks prospects at every level are off to really good starts. There are some nice surprises in the NCAA and OHL ranks that have impacted the stock of certain players. The best news is the Blackhawks’ pipeline is almost fully healthy as we get closer to November. So let’s update our rankings.
Note 1: I’m making a swap among the players eligible for our rankings this time around. Wyatt Kaiser is an every-night NHL defenseman now, so he’s graduating. Kevin Korchinski is playing in Rockford to start the season, so he is now on the list.
Note 2: While I am excluding Kaiser from the rankings, I am still including Nolan Allan even though he has been on the NHL roster the entire regular season thus far.
1. Artyom Levshunov, RHD
6-2, 208
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 1st round (No. 2) — 2024 NHL Draft
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 2 games, 1 assist, 5 shots on goal
The Blackhawks’ top pick in the 2024 NHL Draft is finally healthy and on the ice with Rockford. He picked up an assist in his first career professional game. There’s still development that needs to happen with him, but every indication is that his ceiling is extremely high. I’m excited to see how his season progresses now that he’s playing.
2. Kevin Korchinski, LHD
6-1, 185
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 1st round (No. 7) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Ottawa in A. DeBrincat trade)
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points, 8 shots on goal
The Blackhawks made the decision to give Korchinski more development work out of the bright lights of the NHL this season, and he’s skating very well for Rockford to start the new season. The perceived step back to the AHL is something I think most parties would have loved to have available last year.
3. Frank Nazar, C
5-9, 175
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 1st round (No. 13) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Montreal in K. Dach trade)
SIGNED
2024-25 Teams: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points, 13 shots on goal
Nazar didn’t win an NHL spot in training camp but he’s taken the assignment in Rockford and run with it early in the season. He’s playing on both special teams — he already has a short-handed goal — and is making dynamic plays as the top-line center for the IceHogs.
4. Oliver Moore, C/LW
5-11, 194
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 1st round (No. 19 overall) — 2023 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from TB in the Brandon Hagel trade)
2024-25 Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA — Big Ten)
2024-25 Stats: 6 games, 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points, 13 shots on goal
Moore has bounced around the lineup early this season for Minnesota. The point production might not be where some would want/expect it to be, but he’s been asked to be a third-line center at times and a top-line center in other moments.
5. Sam Rinzel, RHD
6-5, 180
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 1st round (No. 25) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Toronto in Mrazek trade)
2024-25 Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA — Big Ten)
2024-25 Stats: 6 games, 4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points 16 shots on net
Rinzel is off to a blistering start this season, creating offense and getting his own shot. To be at nine points thru six games as a top-pair defenseman is fabulous. He has also been credited with three blocked shots. Rinzel was drafted as a wild card with a lot of potential and it certainly appears he’s starting to find his game on both ends of the rink.
6. Ethan Del Mastro, LHD
6-4, 210
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 4th round (No. 105) — 2021 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Vancouver in M. Bowey trade)
SIGNED
2024-25 Teams: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 2 assists, 3 shots on goal
Del Mastro got a taste of the NHL last year and had a solid training camp. He’s one of the talented defensemen in Rockford to watch this season. He doesn’t play the fast, offensive game that Korchinski, Levshunov or even Rinzel does; he’s more of a bulldozer on the back end. But he has a good shot and is capable of impacting the game with his size.
7. Nick Lardis, RW
5-11, 165
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 67) — 2023 NHL Draft
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Brantford (OHL)
2024-25 Stats: 10 games, 11 goals, 3 assists, 58 shots on goal, 1 game-winning goal
Entering this week, Lardis’ 11 goals was tied for third in the OHL. Ten of his goals have come at even strength, which is even more important and impressive. He isn’t the biggest player but he showed better in training camp this year. He’s put on some muscle and the goals are pouring in for Lardis right now. Look out when the Blackhawks’ other Bulldog joins the Brantford lineup.
8. Colton Dach, C/W
6-4, 198
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 62) — 2021 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Vegas in pick swap)
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 2 goals, 1 assist, 15 shots on net
Dach is the biggest physical presence in the pipeline that’s close to the NHL at this point. He’s minus-five to start the AHL season, which isn’t ideal. But he’s been the power forward they’re hoping he can be at the next level. He was close to getting an NHL shot last year before a concussion sidetracked his season.
9. Ryan Greene, C
6-1, 185
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 57) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Minnesota in MA Fleury trade)
2024-25 Team: Boston University (Hockey East)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 3 goals, 2 assists, 11 shots on goal, 5 blocked shots
The Blackhawks would have liked to have signed Greene this past summer, but he wanted one more chance to bring a national championship to BU. He’s one of their co-captains this season and is off to a strong start. He’s winning 53.4 percent of his faceoffs and blocking shots as well. I expect he’ll sign as soon as BU’s season comes to a close.
10. Sacha Boisvert, C
6-2, 180
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 1st round (No. 18) — 2024 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Islanders in pick swap)
2024-25 Team: North Dakota (NCHC)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 1 goal, 3 assists, 1 blocked shot
The Blackhawks’ second pick in the first round of the 2024 draft, Boisvert moves up to the college ranks and has been able to produce early in his career. He’s usually been the second-line center for North Dakota, which is a good spot for a true freshman on a ranked team.
11. Marek Vanacker, LW
6-0, 178
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 1st round (No. 27) — 2024 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Carolina in pick swap)
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Brantford (OHL)
Vanacker had shoulder surgery this summer and probably won’t be able to join the Brantford lineup until December. He’s already signed his entry-level contract and the organization is very high on his future.
12. Landon Slaggert, LW
6-0, 180
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 79) — 2020 NHL Draft
SIGNED
2024-25 Teams: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 2 assists, 5 shots on goal
Slaggert showed well in the NHL last year and had a good training camp. Frankly, if the Blackhawks didn’t have 13 forwards ahead of him on NHL deals he could have been in the NHL to start this season. He’s working on his game and, like Nazar, getting run in every situation for the IceHogs. He’s already signed an extension with the Blackhawks to stick around for a couple more years, showing the organization believes in him.
13. Gavin Hayes, RW
6-1, 177
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 66) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Montreal in K. Dach trade)
SIGNED
2024-25 Teams: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 1 goal, 1 assist, 8 shots on net
Hayes got his first professional goal out of the way early this season. He’s been a scorer at every level he’s played so it will be interesting to see how that translates to the pro ranks.
14. AJ Spellacy, C
6-2, 195
Shoots: Right
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 72) — 2024 NHL Draft* (pick acq. from Ottawa in DeBrincat trade)
2024-25 Team: Windsor (OHL)
2024-25 Stats: 9 games, 4 goals, 5 assists, 33 shots on goal, 1 game-winning goal
Spellacy was the talk of training camp and he’s off to a solid start with Windsor. He’s winning 50.4 percent of his faceoffs to start the year and has two power play goals. His size at center makes him even more intriguing as the Blackhawks look to the next wave of prospects.
15. Roman Kantserov, RW
5-10, 176
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 44) — 2023 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from OTT in Zaitsev trade)
2024-25 Team: Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)
2024-25 Stats: 2 games, 1 goal, 1 assist
Kantersov got a late start to the season after summer surgery but he’s back on the ice. He scored his first goal over this past weekend. His offensive ability is intriguing, even if he isn’t the biggest player. The issue is Kantserov is signed in Russia until after the 2025-26 season.
16. Nolan Allan, LHD
6-2, 195
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 1st round (No. 32) — 2021 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Columbus in S. Jones trade)
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
2024-25 Stats: 6 games, 2 assists, 4 hits, 3 blocked shots, 13:05 ATOI
I’m leaving Allan in my prospect rankings because he’s still developing, he just happens to be doing it at the NHL level. He hasn’t seen a lot of ice time early in his career and has had predictable ups and downs during games, but the fact that he’s the guy who’s on the NHL roster right now speaks volumes about how the NHL sees his trajectory. He’s been solid to start his NHL career.
17. Dominic James, C
6-0, 190
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 6th round (No. 173) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Columbus in S. Jones trade)
2024-25 Team: Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)
2024-25 Stats: 7 games, 6 goals, 4 assists, 2 game-winning goals, 7 blocked shots
James was the top faceoff guy for the US at the World Juniors a couple years ago and he has decent size so I was disappointed that he lost almost all of last season to injury. He’s the captain of the Bulldogs this season and he’s been fantastic. His projection was always a bottom-six defensive center and his seven blocked shots in as many games shows he’s still doing that. But six goals in seven games is a nice hello! stat from the start. He’s also winning 62.7 percent of his faceoffs.
18. Drew Commesso, G
6-2, 180
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 46) — 2020 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Vegas in M. Subban trade)
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL), Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
2024-25 Stats (AHL): 2 games 1-1-0, 3.52 GAA, .854 save pct
Commesso got a surprise call-up to start the current Blackhawks road trip because of an illness. He was solid as the No. 1 in Rockford last year and will remain on the top of the depth chart with the IceHogs even when Laurent Brossoit returns and Arvid Söderblom‘s roster spot is also no longer available.
19. Adam Gajan, G
6-3, 180
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 35) — 2023 NHL Draft
2024-25 Team: Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)
2024-25 Stats: 6 games, 3-3-0, 3.19 GAA, .899 save percentage
Gajan has started six of the seven games to start the season for the Bulldogs as a freshman (albeit an over-age freshman). Making the transition from the USHL to NCAA between the pipes isn’t easy, so having a save percentage around .900 this early in his collegiate career is decent. His workload has been impressive thus far.
20. Ilya Safonov, C
6-4, 205
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 6th round (No. 172) — 2021 NHL Draft
2024-25 Team: Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
2024-25 Stats: 17 games, 2 goals, 2 assists
The Blackhawks drafted him three years ago now and are still waiting for him to have a lengthy conversation about coming to North America. His contract expires after this season so we’ll see if a slow start impacts the Blackhawks’ intrigue. He has the best size of any center in the system. He’ll also turn 24 at the end of May.
21. Aidan Thompson, C/LW
5-11, 180
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 90) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Calgary in N. Zadorov trade)
2024-25 Team: University of Denver (NCHC)
2024-25 Stats: 6 games, 4 goals 7 assists, 2 blocked shots
Thompson has primarily been the top-line left wing this season for DU and his offense has absolutely exploded. He’s been part of the power play for the defending champs and has two power play goals already this year. After posting 30 points in 44 games last year, he’s averaging almost two points per game to start this season. Before this season he projected as a potential fourth-line player with good defensive awareness but his offensive outburst is something I’ll be keeping an eye on this season.
22. Isaak Phillips, LHD
6-3, 205
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 5th round (No. 141) — 2020 NHL Draft
SIGNED
2024-25 Teams: Rockford IceHogs (AHL), Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
2024-25 Stats (AHL): 2 games, 0 points, 5 shots on net
Phillips has effectively been the Blackhawks’ eighth defenseman this season, which has led to him bouncing back and forth between Rockford and Chicago a couple times already. That’s limited his stats to start the season. The fact that Nolan Allan has passed him on the depth chart is an indication the organization wants to see more from his game.
23. Samuel Savoie, LW,
5-10, 189
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 81) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from Vegas in pick swap)
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 2 goals, 2 assists, 6 shots on goal
Savoie scored a short-handed goal in Manitoba this past weekend and has been productive early in his pro career. After a nasty leg injury cost him most of last year, he’s bounced back incredibly well. He plays with an edge, so his PIM was something to watch this season. He’s only taken one minor penalty in his first five starts.
24. John Mustard, C
6-1, 185
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 3rd round (No. 67) — 2024 NHL Draft
2024-25 Team: Providence (Hockey East)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 1 goal, 1 assists, 17 shots on goal
Mustard can absolutely fly — something the Blackhawks have consistently targeted in the draft since Kyle Davidson became the general manager. He’s generating plenty of chances as a true freshman at Providence to start his collegiate career and got his first NCAA goal on the board.
25. Paul Ludwinski, C
5-11, 172
Shoots: Left
Acquired: 2nd round (No. 39) — 2022 NHL Draft* (pick acquired from OTT in A. DeBrincat trade)
SIGNED
2024-25 Team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
2024-25 Stats: 5 games, 1 assist, 4 shots on goal
Ludwinski projects as a bottom-six player, and his size makes me wonder if he’s going to eventually be a wing if he can climb to the NHL level. He had a very good training camp as a defensive player and penalty killer. He’s playing that role well early for the IceHogs.
Honorable Mention
Martin Misiak, RW
Milton Oscarson, C
Ryder Rolston, W
Alex Pharand, RW
Louis Crevier, RHD
Cole Guttman, C
Jack Pridham, RW
Joel Svensson, RW
Taige Harding, LHD
Jiri Felcman, C