Blackhawks Draft Ryan Roobroeck 35th Overall

With the 35th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks have selected Ryan Roobroeck from the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

About Roobroeck

Roobroeck is a very exciting power forward. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 209 pounds, he was considered a potential top-five pick thanks to a 41-goal, 46-assist season in his second season in OHL play in 2024-25.

He didn’t quite reach those numbers in 2025-26, scoring 30 goals and notching 28 assists through 49 games before suffering a lower-body injury that ended his season. As a result, his draft stock fell. However, he still has the shot, the ability to find open space near the net, and the physicality to be a premier power forward.

He has a heavy shot that generates a lot of velocity and natural finishing skills in front of the net. He displays good net front presence as well, and he’s very hard to move off of his post when he gets there. He plays a lot like Jamie Benn, whom he attributes as his role model. Now, he goes to one of Benn’s division rivals.

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

Roobroeck’s time in the OHL has been an interesting one. He’s a player who undoubtedly has an immense amount of skill in his game but tends to never be able to hit that next gear and really dominate. As a late 2007-born player, he has three seasons of OHL experience under his belt heading into the draft, unlike most players in this class, who only have two. He was drafted second overall in the OHL back in 2023, right behind Matthew Schaefer and right before Brady Martin. The expectations for him were incredibly high as the second-overall pick after he dominated at the U16 AAA level with the London Jr. Knights.

In his rookie season, he got the chance to show off his best skills and produced points on a poor Niagara team. He showed off his elite-level shot and his ability to find open space to create offensive chances, recording 51 points in 63 games in his rookie season. His sophomore season was even better as the team around him improved and Roobroeck recorded 87 points in 64 games. Not only was his season with Niagara a huge success, but he also represented Canada at the U18 World Championships, where he helped the team earn a gold medal by recording nine points in seven games.

Expectations for him were monumental heading into his draft season, as many thought he would be a top-10 or possibly even a top-five pick. But past issues have crept back into his game this season; there were times he looked disinterested and disengaged on the ice. He put up a lot of points, but that was because his skill level was miles ahead of his peers. On multiple occasions, Roobroeck floated and did not look engaged. We saw that firsthand at the CHL-USA Top Prospects Challenge, where he did not record a single point despite being looked upon to be a big player for Team CHL. Scouts and executives have taken note of his lazy play, which is why his stock has dropped way down.

How This Affects the Blackhawks’ Plans

The Blackhawks have long needed a wingman for Connor Bedard, someone who can finish the chances he creates. Roobroeck could be that person, while also providing a physical element Bedard wouldn’t be able to.

The Blackhawks prospect pool is slim pickings when it comes to winger talent. Outside of Oliver Moore, Marek Vanacker, Nick Lardis, and Roman Kantserov, they don’t have a ton of talent. They also don’t have a lot of size in their forward prospect core either, so Roobroeck would be a very interesting pairing if he breaks through to the NHL.