Many junior-level hockey teams are nearing the playoffs, while some NCAA teams are battling through their respective conference tournaments and hoping to qualify for the NCAA Frozen Four tournament, which will start in late March. This makes it a perfect time to review the regular-season accomplishments of the Chicago Blackhawks‘ college and junior-level hockey prospects.
The Blackhawks prospect development is at a critical stage for the franchise as the organization has worked for the past few years to complete the transition to the rebuilding process. They now have drafted — and will draft in the future — players they expect to join Connor Bedard in the coming years in the hopes of competing for a Stanley Cup title once again.
Gavin Hayes
From a statistical standpoint, Hayes has had one of the better years of all the NCAA and junior-level prospects, currently sitting at 76 points in 54 games. The Blackhawks’ third-round pick in 2022 has been busy: After winning a gold medal at the World Juniors with Team USA, he was traded to the Soo Greyhounds from the Flint Firebirds in exchange for Connor Clattenburg, Alex Kostov, and four draft selections.
Hayes picked up his 200th Ontario Hockey League point in a March 13 game against Flint and is only four goals away from 100 in 182 OHL games. He has found tremendous success with teammate John Beck and has made significant improvements in his skating skills and his ability to play away from the puck.
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It was good to see him recover from a less-than-ideal World Juniors performance. Hayes was usually the 13th forward for Team USA and only picked up two assists while racking up 25 penalty minutes in the tournament. Hopefully, the learning experience will serve him well in the future. Hayes has signed his entry-level contract and may start next season in the American Hockey League for the Rockford IceHogs.
Big Ten Prospects
Frank Nazar and the Michigan Wolverines beat fellow prospects Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore of the Minnesota Golden Gophers 2-1 on March 16 to advance to the Big Ten Championship game. As the Blackhawks’ 13th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Nazar is playing in his second season for the Wolverines. After an outstanding World Juniors, he continues to demonstrate his exceptional playmaking ability at the NCAA level. He currently has 34 points in 34 games for Michigan.
One of the bigger questions to be answered is whether Nazar will find himself in a Blackhawk’s sweater when Michigan is finished with its season.
Despite the loss, Moore and Rinzel are expected to see more action as it is likely that the sixth-ranked Golden Gophers will be selected for the NCAA Frozen Four tournament. Moore finished the regular season with nine goals and 32 points in 34 games, tied for second on the team. Rinzel had one goal and a team-leading 25 assists. At Minnesota and with Team USA, Moore has showcased his world-class skating ability and consistency of presence on the ice. Rinzel has shown that he is a fluid skater with an active stick; his eager approach to playing offense and defense keeps him involved in all three zones.
Landon Slaggert
On March 10, the team agreed to terms with forward Landon Slaggert on a two-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2024-25 season. He has appeared in four games with the Blackhawks but has yet to hit the scoresheet. Slaggert has appeared in 36 games for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 2023-24 campaign, posting career highs in goals (20) and points (31). His 20 goals is tied for 12th among all NCAA players and paced all Fighting Irish skaters. He also led the team in points, while his 11 assists ranked seventh on the club. With Notre Dame’s season over, this was a prime opportunity to give the 21-year-old a taste of professional hockey.
Paul Ludwinski
The team’s second-round pick in the 2022 draft was recently named the Kingston Frontenacs Performer of the Week, coming off impressive three goals and three assists in their previous three games (March 15-17). The three goals were part of a hat trick scored against the North Bay Battalion. The reliable two-way player caught fire after being cut from Canada’s World Junior team, scoring 21 points in 14 games after rejoining the Frontenacs.
Nick Lardis
Lardis has been out of action since January with an upper-body injury, but the Blackhawks’ 2023 third-round selection does have 50 points in the 37 games for the Brantford Bulldogs. The Blackhawks may have found a gem in the third round, as Lardis has demonstrated elite-level skating and shooting skills. His skating is so good that some have speculated he would win a fastest skater competition if CHL held such a contest.
