2026-27 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.
Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: 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. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under, have played fewer than 15 games in the past season, or have not spent significant time in the NHL overall over a three-year period.
Today, we’re breaking down the Chicago Blackhawks.
At some point, the Blackhawks will finally get out of the basement and turn things around.
The club promoted three prospects to full-time NHL duty last year: Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov and Oliver Moore. Were there growing pains? Absolutely. Anything to be concerned about? Not really. Despite those three no longer being prospects, the pipeline is still quite impressive, led by 2025 first-rounder Anton Frondell.
Few teams have depth at every position. The Hawks might have just one defender on this list (and some scouts might rank Xavier Villeneuve lower than fifth), but the fact that they’ve churned out some useful options over the past few years is a good sign. We didn’t include Kevin Korchinski in this exercise because of his NHL experience, but we can’t ignore him in Chicago’s system either.
Beyond that? Chicago has quality options with a solid NHL pathway at every position. Even after all the recent big-league promotions, that’s a great spot to be in.
Biggest Strength
The Blackhawks have impressive wing depth. While Frondell started his NHL career on the wing, many scouts still prefer him at center. Roman Kantserov is going to play a big role as a rookie this year, while Nick Lardis is ready for full-time duty, too. Václav Nestrašil is another year or two away from making his NHL debut, but I have no doubt he’ll make it work. The same goes for Marek Vanacker, who is one of the hardest-working goal-scorers in the system. Connor Bedard needs guys to play with, and it seems like the Hawks have plenty of future options in mind.
Biggest Weakness
Without the context of Levshunov and Rinzel becoming NHLers, Chicago’s lack of defensive depth here looks a bit daunting. Regardless, we’ll probably see the Blackhawks continue to add in that department over the next few years. Of the team’s entire prospect system, I like Villeneuve, and I think Samu Alalauri could end up seeing some time in a third-pair situation. Ethan Del Mastro has played 41 career NHL games, but I’m getting the sense he’s more of a call-up option than a legit full-timer. Maybe I’m wrong there, but I was much higher on him two years ago than I am now.
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
Recent Graduates: Sam Rinzel, RHD; Artyom Levshunov, RHD; Oliver Moore, C
TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. Anton Frondell, C/LW, 19 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Acquired: Drafted third overall, first round in 2025
With Connor Bedard out to start the season, could Frondell take on a bit of extra responsibility right out of the gate? It sure feels that way. Frondell was one of the most NHL-ready prospects a year ago. That’s not always a slam dunk when it comes to top prospects – some teams just want to be patient with their top stars. But with Frondell, it made sense. He was productive in his draft year, playing in the second-tier pro league and often dominating his own age group. Frondell recently helped Sweden win gold at the World Juniors, scoring five goals and eight points en route to top forward honors. It wasn’t an explosive offensive effort by any means. But if you watched Sweden closely, you knew he dominated shifts in a way very few other forwards did. I liked some of Frondell’s early NHL action, and I can’t wait to see him become an impact player for the Blackhawks.
2. Roman Kantserov, RW, 21 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Acquired: Drafted 44th overall, second round in 2023
After one of the most impressive seasons by a European-based prospect, Kantserov is ready for the big show. The 21-year-old had 36 goals and 64 points in 63 games this past year, leading the KHL in goals. The 2024 Gagarin Cup champ was downright dangerous every time he hit the ice, and, despite being a smaller forward at 5-foot-9, he’s absolutely fearless. I know the KHL isn’t as strong as it was pre-2022, but Kantserov’s season was the most productive by a U-22 forward in league history. That has to excite Blackhawks fans, and I fully expect him to play a top-six role right out of the gate.
3. Nick Lardis, RW, 21 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Acquired: Drafted 67th overall, third round in 2023
Nobody has ever questioned Lardis’ scoring ability. But what some scouts – and myself – have wondered is whether his subpar skating would translate to the NHL, and whether he’d continue to score at 5-on-5. Well, mission accomplished. He had 18 goals and 32 points in 35 games as an AHL rookie, earning him a spot on the big club. Lardis then registered 10 goals and 15 points in 41 games with the Blackhawks, ensuring he’ll never go back down to Rockford. I’d still like to see him add a bit more speed, but his hockey sense and offensive tendencies have been enough to prove he’s capable of playing a scoring role in the short term. Consider me a big fan.
4. Václav Nestrašil, RW, 19 (UMass, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 25th overall in 2025
What a season it was for Nestrašil. The 6-foot-6 forward leaped up to college this past year and put up 31 points in 34 games with UMass. He also established himself as a legit MVP contender at the World Juniors after helping Czechia take home silver in Minnesota. Away from the puck, I think he does an outstanding job of breaking up plays and winning individual battles. With the puck, his shot is so powerful. Nestrašil continued to work on his speed and skating throughout the year, and I loved the results. I think he’ll have a good chance of cracking the Blackhawks immediately out of college.
5. Xavier Villeneuve, LHD, 18 (Boston University, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 34th overall, second round in 2026
Villeneuve could end up becoming the steal of the 2026 draft. Hip issues prevented him from reaching his full potential this past year, but scouts were already impressed by his talent. The Laval, Que., native had 43 points as a rookie two years ago before exploding for 50 assists and 62 points in his Draft-1 season. Villeneuve then helped Canada win gold at the 2025 U-18 World Championship in Texas, where he finished with eight points despite averaging around 13 minutes a night. He’s small at 5-foot-10 – but what separates Villeneuve from other small blueliners? The way he thinks the game and the way he moves. It’s easy to see some Lane Hutson in him, and I feel like the Hawks were thrilled to get him at No. 34.
6. Sacha Boisvert, C, 20 (Rockford IceHogs, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 18th overall, first round in 2024
Boisvert had a difficult year in college, finishing with just three goals and 17 points in 26 games with Boston University. It was a big step down from the 18 goals and 32 points he had at North Dakota the year before, and it made some question his development path. Boisvert signed his NHL entry-level contract in March and had two points in his final three games, showing greater confidence after getting some big-game action under his belt. The two-way center loves to shoot the puck, and it felt like watching his old self again once he got up to the NHL. I like his hockey sense and general reliability away from the puck, so I’m still a big believer in Boisvert’s future. Hopefully, he can consistently get back on the scoresheet in 2026-27.
7. Marek Vanacker, LW, 20 (Rockford IceHogs, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 27th overall, first round in 2024
The Brantford Bulldogs were one of the top teams in the CHL this past year, and Vanacker – who scored 47 goals and 82 points in 60 games – was a big reason for that. He’s a natural goal-scorer, and scouts hope that will continue once he heads to the AHL this year. Vanacker is a hard-working winger who battles hard for every puck, and he’s very quick, too. The biggest addition to his game over the past year is his ability to get to the slot more effectively while firing shots from close range. I like his ability to play with pace, but he’s capable of slowing things down when needed to make sure the puck ends up where it needs to be. Overall, I can see him being a good support forward.
8. Drew Commesso, G, 23 (Rockford IceHogs, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 46th overall, second round in 2020
Commesso had a solid three-game stretch with the Blackhawks last year, going 2-1-0. He also posted decent numbers in the AHL, despite Rockford missing the playoffs. The Hawks gave Commesso a two-year extension earlier this summer, so they clearly still value him in the system. I think he has what it takes to be an NHL backup, but with Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom under contract, I don’t see that happening this year. Soderblom is a UFA next summer, so they could flip him for an asset or let him walk if they truly believe in Commesso. So it might remain a slow burn, but given that he’ll be 24 at the start of 2026-27, it’s time to get him into NHL action.
9. Mason West, C, 18 (Fargo Force, USHL)
Acquired: Drafted 29th overall, first round in 2025
There might be no better example of a high-risk, high-reward prospect in recent memory. On one hand, the 6-foot-6 freak of nature is a great skater who always finds himself in high-danger situations. On the other hand, he also was a football quarterback who missed a large chunk of the USHL campaign because of it. Now, it’s all about hockey, and it’ll be interesting to see how he develops because is game is so fascinating. The Michigan State University commit is definitely still quite raw, which means he has some catching up to do – his numbers were fine, but nothing special for a first-round pick playing in the USHL. The payoff could be huge here, though, given his unique physical profile and high-end skill.
10. Adam Gajan, G, 22 (Rockford IceHogs, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 35th overall, second round in 2023
Gajan’s stock fell sharply in his first year of college hockey in 2024-25, then rebounded nicely in 2025-26. He was dominant in the first half of the season, and while his numbers ultimately declined in the second half, he still had his fair share of standout performances. The highly athletic goaltender gets praise from scouts for never giving up on a play. The downside is that he can sometimes allow weaker goals from head-on. Still, for a goalie with a nice 6-foot-3 frame, I like how well he gets around his crease. It’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts to the AHL this season after a fairly solid debut to close out the 2025-26 campaign.
Other Prospects: Jiri Felcman, C (21), Paul Ludwinski, C (22), William Sorbrand, C (18), Julius Sumpf, C (21), John Mustard, C (19), Joel Svensson, C (21), Samuel Savoie, LW (22), Gavin Hayes, LW (22), Ryan Roobroeck, LW (18), Parker Holmes, LW (19), AJ Spellacy, RW (20), Martin Misiak, RW (21), Nathan Behm, RW (19), Jake Furlong, LHD (22), Alexander Ivanov, LHD (18), Ty Henry, LHD (19), Janne Peltonen, LHD (21), Samu Alalauri, RHD (18), Ashton Cumby, LHD (20), Ethan Del Mastro, LHD (23), Stanislav Berezhnoy, G (23), Ilya Kanarsky, G (21)
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