Welcome back.

It’s time to kick off Daily Faceoff’s second 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. Skaters over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re looking at the Chicago Blackhawks.

Any team that can graduate multiple top prospects in the same year – namely, Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinski – and still come out boasting one of the pipelines in the NHL clearly knows what they’re doing.

The Blackhawks have managed to maintain one of the best prospect pools in the league as their rebuild continues. Drafting early has had its advantages, obviously, but so has acquiring multiple first-round picks and trying to bank on upside. The Hawks have one of the most dynamic and speedy farm systems of any team in the league, and even if just four or five become impact NHLers, that’ll be huge.

Chicago’s top three prospects – Artyom Levshunov, Oliver Moore and Frank Nazar – are in their own category. I believe highly in all three and think they’ll be impact players for years to come. The next three were really close, though, and you can make an argument for any one of Sam Rinzel, Sacha Boisvert and Ethan Del Mastro for the No. 4 spot.

But there was so much competition for No. 10, who I gave to Marek Vanacker because I think his versatility is intriguing. Ryan Greene, Colton Dach, Wyatt Kaiser and Gavin Hayes were all damn close, in my opinion, but I gave it a younger player coming off a big year and boasting excellent upside.

Again, you can argue your case for any of them, but that also just shows you how deep this group is. Depending on what you value in a prospect or what you consider to be the most important, there are so many good options in this system. Whether it’s as a top-six threat or a depth piece – and you need a healthy mix of both – GM Kyle Davidson has assembled a group with so much potential.

Biggest Strengths

This is a team truly working with depth at every position. They’ve got centers, they’ve got wingers, they’ve got two goaltenders with realistic NHL potential. Very few teams are as rounded as this, and that’s after graduating a number of players last season, too. That’s what happens when you’ve been out of the playoff hunt for as long as the Blackhawks have, and it feels like they’re finally starting to make moves to get this team out of the basement sooner rather than later. I’m excited for the days when they’re not overspending on veterans and can actually get high-quality options, but for now, the future looks bright. And the fact that so many of these players will be key contributors to the IceHogs next season is truly exciting.

Biggest Weakness

I like Levshunov, who I do think has a big career ahead of him. And Sam Rinzel and Ethan Del Mastro are both fine options, too. But I also know some scouts aren’t sure Levshunov is the blueliner you build a back end around – maybe a No. 2, if you rate blueliners like that. What about Alex Vlasic or Kevin Korchinski? I’m leaning no to either of them, too, even though they’re both fine young defensemen who will be a big part of the team’s top four for many years to come. I want to see them add someone who can really take control and be the difference-maker for this team. Right now, they’ve got a decent base, and this might even just be nit-picky, but we’ll see.

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. Artyom Levshunov, LHD, 18 (Rockford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted second overall, first round in 2024

Levshunov is Chicago’s No. 1 defenseman of the future, someone they believed in enough to take him second overall last month in Vegas. He has everything scouts want in a high-end defender – size, mobility and puck-moving skills, just to name a few quality traits. He led the Spartans in scoring after putting up one of the most impressive Draft+1 seasons by a defenseman in recent USHL history the year prior. And he’s got an incredible personality, too. After bouncing around between Belarus, the USHL and NCAA over the past three seasons, Levshunov is set for full-time pro duty this year, either with Rockford or Chicago. He should spent the bulk of the year with the IceHogs, but I also expect him to get some duty in the NHL, too. He’s pro-ready.

2. Oliver Moore, C/LW, 19 (University of Minnesota, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 19th overall, first round in 2023

I can’t wait for the 10-year retrospective when we look back and wonder how the Hawks landed Moore with the 19th pick in 2023. He was the fastest player in the draft class, and someone many who followed the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in 2022-23 thought was underrated, in a sense. Moore is more than just a quick skater, though: he’s one of the hardest-working forwards you’ll find, and he’s extremely versatile. He has a good shot, but he filled more of a playmaker role as a freshman with the Golden Gophers this past season. Moore’s game is all about being toolsy, and if he doesn’t make it as a top-six forward, he has a realistic chance of being one of the best bottom-six forwards in the NHL. I fully believe he’s going to be a big part of the Blackhawks moving forward.

3. Frank Nazar, C/RW, 20 (Rockford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 13th overall, first round in 2022

What an opening statement. After completing his first full season with the University of Michigan – a point-per-game effort through 41 outings – Nazar scored a score in his NHL debut on April 14. He played three games with the Hawks, including 17:12 against the Los Angeles Kings during the final game of the regular season. It was an exciting year for the forward, who also led the Americans to gold with eight assists at the World Junior Championship. Nazar needed that after missing most of the 2022-23 season with an injury, and now he’s ready to take his talents to Rockford in 2024-25. I expect Nazar to be a top-six NHLer with a bit of bite to his game, showing that his 5-foot-9 frame won’t be an issue.

4. Sam Rinzel, RHD, 20 (University of Minnesota, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 25th overall, first round in 2022

NHL teams like defensemen with size – they like them even more when they know what to do with the puck. And that’s exactly the case for Rinzel, who put up 28 points in 39 games as a freshman at the University of Minnesota. He’s not much of a shooter, with just two goals throughout the season, but he’s a great puck distributor and plays well in transition. And I, and many, think Rinzel still has even more big-game potential than he has shown as of now. Rinzel does a great job of taking time and space away while displaying some solid mobility. I have some issues with some decision-making, both with and without the puck, in high-pace games, but I think the progress he showed this year is that he should have no issues stepping into the NHL once he’s done with school.

5. Sacha Boisvert, C, 18 (University of North Dakota, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 18th overall, first round in 2024

I wasn’t sure whom the Blackhawks were circling when they traded up two spots to get the 18th pick, but Boisvert felt like a strong fit for them. He has size, plays with power, has an outstanding shot release and was one of the better two-way threats in this draft class. It’s impressive that he managed to put up 36 goals and 68 points in 61 games with Muskegon while still being the team’s best two-way forward. Boisvert has good skill, competitiveness and reads plays as well as anyone his age. I don’t think he’ll be a high-end scorer in the NHL, but 50 points seems like an attainable goal.

6. Ethan Del Mastro, LHD, 21 (Rockford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 105th overall, fourth round in 2021

I enjoyed watching Del Mastro this year, who showed improved offensive chops, especially as a distributor. He always could put points on the board, but Del Mastro is quicker and smarter with the puck, and his 6-foot-4 frame is a plus. He likes to lay the body and can bully players, which you always love to see. Del Mastro got into two NHL games this year and I expect even more next year before pushing for full-time duty sooner rather than later. Del Mastro feels like a guy with enough skill to be put in many different situations in a game and come out on top.

7. Adam Gajan, G, 19 (University of Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 35th overall, second round in 2023

The biggest question surrounding Gajan last year was whether he could live up to the hype of being a second-round pick out of seemingly nowhere. He served as the Green Bay Gamblers’ starter, and while he posted a 23-12-4 record, his surface stats suffered. But another good showing at the World Juniors and the ability to steal wins on a seemingly consistent basis helped keep the hype around him alive. He’s one of the more athletic goaltenders you’ll find in the game, and reads plays exceptionally well. I think Gajan will excel in the NCAA, where he’ll have a chance to keep getting reps and, hopefully, play behind some better defensemen.

8. Drew Commesso, G, 21 (Rockford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 46th overall, second round in 2020

Comesso had a solid first year with Rockford, going 18-16-4 with two shutouts before putting up a few solid performances in the playoffs. His stats were nothing special, but he played better than his stats might suggest with some game-saving performances on an offensively starved IceHogs team. Commesso has proven time after time that he can steal games at any level and it’s only a matter of time until he’s doing that against pros. Right now, I feel like the gap between Commesso and Gajan is really close, but Gajan’s size and pure athleticism gives him the edge right now. Commesso could be an NHLer come 2025-26, though.

9. Nick Lardis, LW, 19 (Brantford, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 67th overall, third round in 2023

Lardis’ regular season with Brantford was limited to just 37 games due to injury, but he made it count with 29 goals and 50 points before putting up another eight in the playoffs. Lardis even made his pro debut, skating in Rockford’s final regular season game against Chicago. Lardis was one of the 2023 NHL Draft’s biggest surprises with how he shot up the scoring charts after his trade from Peterborough, but it still feels like he’s a bit of a boom-bust player. Does he have enough to be an all-around threat if he’s not scoring? I’m not convinced yet, but I hope it works out because he’s a highly entertaining player.

10. Marek Vanacker, LW, 18 (Brantford, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 27th overall, first round in 2024

There’s a lot to like about Vanacker’s game. He’s not great defensively, but he moves so well with the puck and consistently creates quality scoring chances. He was just a depth forward a year ago, but now he’s the one doing so much of the heavy lifting for Brantford. While I’m projecting him as a second-rounder, some teams like him as a top-32 pick. If there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s working until he’s got nothing left in the tank. He’ll start the 2024-25 season on the sidelines dealing with a shoulder injury, but I still expect him to be a high-end energy forward for the Hawks one day.

Other notables: Colton Dach, C (21), Martin Misiak, RW (19), Gavin Hayes, LW (20), Ryan Greene, C (20), John Mustard, C (18), AJ Spellacy, RW (18), Jack Pridham, RW (18), Joel Svensson, RW (19), Jiri Felcman, C (19), Landon Slaggert, LW (22), Paul Ludwinski, C (20), Ryder Rolston, C (22), Jalen Luypen, C (22), Samuel Savoie, LW (20), Alex Pharand, C (19), Roman Kantserov, RW (19), Marcel Marcel, LW (20), Milton Oscarson, C (21), Ilya Safonov, C (23), Dominic James, LW (21), Nils Juntorp, LW (20), Riku Tohila, C (20), Wyatt Kaiser, LHD (21), Nolan Allan, LHD (21), Ty Henry, LHD (17), Isaak Phillips, LHD (22), Taige Harding, LHD (22), Janne Peltonen, LHD (19), Connor Kelley, RHD (22), Dominic Basse, G (23)