2025-26 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Chicago Blackhawks’ Top 10
Welcome back.
It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.
The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.
Today, we’re checking out the Chicago Blackhawks.
It’s been a while since the Blackhawks haven’t had one of the best pipelines in hockey. But that’s what happens when you miss the playoffs seven out of eight years.
The Hawks have a young prospect pool, with many of their young talents still early in their development. I’ve loved their past two NHL Drafts, with a handful of their picks just missing out on this list. I wouldn’t be surprised if around 14-15 prospects currently in the system became NHLers at some point (but not all with Chicago, obviously).
Only one prospect from last year’s breakdown – Frank Nazar – was promoted to full-time NHL duty in 2024-25. He became an instant threat for the Hawks, and we might have another four to five players from this year’s list who could join him in the Windy City this season.
The Blackhawks still have their work cut out for them if they’re going to start trending in the right direction. Maybe they’ll wait to see if they can land Gavin McKenna, Keaton Verhoeff or Ivar Stenberg next summer before taking things more seriously. Regardless, they’ve got an exciting young crop, and it’s only a matter of time until they start progressing up the standings.
Biggest Strength
The Blackhawks have plenty of size to go around on the back end. Both Sam Rinzel and Ethan Del Mastro are 6-foot-4, while Artyom Levshunov is a beefy 6-foot-2. All three project to be NHLers this season, although that might be a bit too many rookies on the back end. There’s also Kevin Korchinski, who is on the smaller side at 6-foot-1, but can hold his own physically. He’s not listed as a prospect because he already has close to 100 games of NHL experience, but he’ll be in the hunt for a full-time roster spot, as well.
Biggest Weakness
Sticking on the topic of size, the Hawks don’t have many big forwards with top-six upside. The team’s top two youngsters – Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar – stand at just 5-foot-10. Oliver Moore is 5-foot-11, and Nick Lardis and Roman Kantserov are also both on the smaller side, too. All these players are exceptionally skilled, but it’s hard to think they’ll go too heavy on the smaller forwards in the NHL. Luckily, they drafted big in both Vaclav Nestrasil and Mason West, and Colton Dach could be an NHLer this year, too. But how many of those guys will be top-six NHLers?
Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Kyle Davidson
Dir. Amateur Scouting: Mike Doneghey
Manager of Scouting/Player Development: Hudson Chodos
AHL Affiliate: Rockford IceHogs
ECHL Affiliate: Indy Fuel
TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. Sam Rinzel, RHD, 21 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Acquired: Drafted 25th overall, first round in 2022
After an outstanding year in college, Rinzel turned pro and played more than 20 minutes in every single one of his nine NHL outings. It’s not entirely surprising, though, given how dangerous he was in college this year. The 6-foot-4 defender has obvious size, but he also had 32 points in 40 games. The fact that he had 10 goals while playing all situations and dealing with tough matchups for Minnesota is remarkable. Defensively, Rinzel is smart, and he’s much better with the puck than scouts gave him credit for ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft. Rinzel should have little issue developing into a solid NHL defenseman very, very quickly, and might even be on the top pairing to start the season.
2. Artyom Levshunov, RHD, 19 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Acquired: Drafted second overall, first round in 2024
We know Rinzel is ready for full-time NHL duty – but what about Levshunov? There has been plenty of change already in Levshunov’s young career, having played for five teams since 2022. And at each step, the 6-foot-2 defender hasn’t looked out of place. He had 22 points in 52 games in Rockford and another six assists in 18 games with the Blackhawks. Levshunov started the year on the sidelines with an injury, but took very little time adjusting to the pro game. I think Levshunov has more high-end upside than Rinzel, but with both looking to crack the Hawks full-time this year, I like where Rinzel’s game is more right now. Levshunov, though, is going to be an absolute star – maybe sooner rather than later.
3. Anton Frondell, C, 18 (Djurgardens, SHL)
Acquired: Drafted third overall, first round in 2025
The Hawks wanted some size up front, and they picked up the best power forward in the 2025 NHL Draft class. At 6-foot-1 and more than 200 pounds, Frondell plays with a ton of muscle, knocking over anyone who gets in his way. That makes him especially useful when battling for possession along the boards, but he also has one of the hardest, deadliest shots of anyone in the draft. When Frondell doesn’t have the puck, he does an excellent job of getting himself into scoring lanes, especially on the right side. Frondell plans to return to Djurgardens in Sweden, but there are more than a few people who think he could crack the NHL roster immediately. Like anyone, I’d rather they be patient, especially since there’s a considerable speed and skill adjustment from the Allsvenskan to the SHL.
4. Oliver Moore, C/LW, 20 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Acquired: Drafted 19th overall, first round in 2023
Moore is the speediest prospect in Chicago’s system, and he uses that to generate offense. During his sophomore campaign with the Golden Gophers, Moore matched his offensive output from his rookie season with 33 points. He then excelled in his nine-game stint with the Hawks, registering four assists. Moore won’t be a play driver in the NHL, but he’s a great two-way player who’ll burn you with his speed and work ethic. Few players want to win a shift more than Moore, and that was extremely evident in his short time in the NHL. I wonder if he’ll start the year in Rockford, but I’d put him higher in the depth chart than some of the veterans who might fill out the middle six at the United Center.
5. Sacha Boisvert, C, 19 (Boston University, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 18th overall, first round in 2024
Boisvert had a strong first college season, tallying 18 goals and 32 points with the University of North Dakota. Now set to transfer to Boston University – a team with more offensive weapons throughout the lineup – we might be able to see Boisvert unlock another element to his game. I feel like he toned down his physical game a bit in college compared to his USHL tenure, but he still showed what he can do as a two-way power forward. Scouts wanted to see him add more muscle last summer, and he’ll continue to do that this off-season before trying to chase a national title. I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns pro after his sophomore season and perhaps challenges for Chicago’s third-line center spot.
6. Marek Vanacker, LW, 19 (Brantford Bulldogs, OHL)
Acquired: Drafted 27th overall, first round in 2024
After starting the season recovering from injury, Vanacker re-joined the club and scored 24 goals and 42 points in 45 games. Not Nick Lardis-level numbers, by any means, but they play much different games. Vanacker is a good skater who loves to keep the puck on his stick and does a great job of rushing the puck into the zone. He’s built tough, hits hard, and can beat you with a quick shot or with a smart, calculated pass. Vanacker’s game is built on being versatile and being able to thrive in any role asked of him. I think he’ll likely top out as a third-liner, but I could see him becoming a jack of all trades. I think Lardis has more high-end potential, but I see Vanacker finding more ways to keep himself in an NHL lineup.
7. Nick Lardis, RW, 20 (Rockford IceHogs, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 67th overall, third round in 2023
Lardis had one of the most unbelievable seasons of any prospect this past year, scoring an insane 71 goals and 117 points in 65 games with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. His shot release is unbelievable, and he was a big reason why the Bulldogs were so dangerous each and every night. Lardis is also a great skater, utilizing his speed and agility to position himself in scoring lanes. The biggest concerns about him, though, is his two-way game and his lack of muscle. He doesn’t engage physically enough, and since he’s only 5-foot-11 (in a pipeline with many of those guys to go around), he could be in a tough spot moving forward. Perhaps he’ll become a valuable trade chip at some point to a team in need of scoring help, but we’ll see how he adjusts to the AHL first.
8. Roman Kantserov, RW, 20 (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL)
Acquired: Drafted 44th overall, second round in 2023
Kantserov finished as the second-highest-scoring player on Metallurg Magnitogorsk this season, and could have easily broken the 50-point barrier had he played a full season. He has so much pure, raw skill, allowing him to pull off some electrifying moves on a consistent basis. It was great seeing him produce as much as he did, and it feels like he has gotten even more confident rushing the puck up the ice by himself. But at 5-foot-9, he lacks the physical elements you’re looking for out of a top prospect. He also plays a bit too much on the perimeter. The Blackhawks already have plenty of smaller forwards, so I do wonder where Kantersov fits in, but I have absolutely loved watching him put up great numbers in the KHL.
9. Ethan Del Mastro, LHD, 22 (Rockford IceHogs, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 105th overall, fourth round in 2021
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Del Mastro split the season between Chicago and Rockford, much like he did this year. He had a much more muted impact offensively this year, focusing more on becoming a shutdown threat. At 6-foot-4, he fits the bill – but he always played with a bit more skill than we’re used to seeing. In Chicago, I liked that he played better the more he played, and his confidence in himself in the defensive zone continued to improve as the season wore on. I expect him to be a bottom-pairing defenseman in the NHL, but one who makes himself difficult to play against.
10. Colton Dach, C, 22 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Acquired: Drafted 62nd overall, second round in 2021
Dach played 25 games with the Blackhawks this season, and he was impressive, for the most part. He played at more than a 50-point pace in the AHL, as well, showing he’s more than just a big body. Standing tall at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Dach does a lot with the puck while still being a threat physically. He is a bit quicker than I remember him a few years ago at the World Juniors, and he’s also more defensively responsible, too. I can see him being a bottom-six forward who can handle shutdown situations deftly, while also showing the ability to put up 25-30 points a year.
The rest: Ryan Greenece, C (21), AJ Spellacy, RW (19), Paul Ludwinski, C (21), Aidan Thompson, C (23), Martin Misiak, RW (20), Gavin Hayes, LW (21), Samuel Savoie, LW (21), Julius Sumpf, C (20), Vaclav Nestrasil, RW (18), Mason West, C (17), Nathan Behm, RW (18), Parker Holmes, RW (18), John Mustard, C (18), Jack Pridham, RW (19), Joel Svensson, C (20), Jiri Felcman, C (20), Dominic James, LW (23), Riku Tohila, C (21), Connor Kelley, RHD (23), Janne Peltonen, LHD (20), Ty Henry, LHD (18), Ashton Cumby, LHD (19), Taige Harding, LHD (23), Ryan Mast, RHD (23), Nolan Allan, LHD (22), Drew Commesso, G (22), Adam Gajan, G (21), Ilya Kanarsky, G (20), Dominic Basse, G (24)
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