Welcome to the latest installment of the revived “Future Hawks” prospect series. In this column, we take a look at the Chicago Blackhawks prospects who are standing out and enjoying success, whether they’re playing in Canadian juniors, the American Hockey League (AHL), Europe, Russia, or anywhere around the world.
One of the biggest prospect stories this month happened when the Blackhawks recalled forward Frank Nazar from the Rockford IceHogs on Dec. 13. The 13th overall pick in 2022 had 11 goals and 13 assists in 21 games in the AHL to lead all rookies in scoring before being called up. Nazar has been getting his feet wet skating on the fourth line and did pick up his first career NHL point with an assist against the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 23.
In this edition, we will look at some of the players who are making an impact at the 2025 World Junior Championship, some outstanding players on the Rockford IceHogs, and others making an impact around the world.
Two Prospects at the WJC
The Blackhawks have two players playing in the 2025 WJC as Oliver Moore was selected as a member of Team USA, and Jiri Felcman is with Czechia. Both of them have played well for the squads over the tournament’s group play. Moore is the alternate captain in his second stint on Team USA’s World Junior roster and is skating on the third line. He got 15:08 of ice time and registered two shots on goal and picked up his first point in the tournament with an assist in their victory over Latvia. He picked up two assists in USA’s 7-2 quarterfinal victory over Switzerland. His biggest asset for Team USA is his speed, defending in his own end, and killing penalties.
Felcman is skating on the top line and registered an assist on Czechia’s third goal of a 14-2 drubbing of Kazakhstan. It was his second assist of the tournament for the Blackhawks’ 2023 third-round pick. While not currently considered one of the top prospects, the Hawks are hoping that the 6-foot-4 forward can develop as they could use someone of his size in the bottom six sometime in the future.
Two IceHogs Standouts
After the Blackhawks called up Nazar, many felt that Colton Dach might be the next player to get a shot in a Blackhawks sweater, and that was exactly what they did on Jan. 2. He has scored 23 points in 29 games for the IceHogs as he continues to round out his overall game. Consistency will be the key if he develops into a big 6-foot-4, physical, scoring wing. However, his NHL projection is mixed because he could be a menacing bottom-six forward, but if he can hone his two-way skill set, he can greatly complement the top-six, as he has shown in Rockford.
10 goals on the season for Colton Dach ☑️ https://t.co/ufdqZjBZzC pic.twitter.com/i9DgpIXVdJ
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) December 28, 2024
Artyom Levshunov’s debut season as a professional was delayed due to a right foot injury he suffered over the offseason. But since the defenseman was healthy, he began to produce heavily. Through 25 games, the Belarus native leads all defensemen in the AHL with 72 shots on goal while showcasing his skills as a passer in picking up eight assists. Levshunov was a tough and gritty playmaker when he played collegiately at Michigan State, and he is continuing that trend in Rockford.
Other Prospect News
University of North Dakota freshman Sacha Boisvert was recently named the NCHC Rookie of the Month for December.
He scored a point in all four games during the 4-0-0 month for the Fighting Hawks and ended the 2024 calendar year with points in eight of his last nine games. Boisvert struck for two goals and added three assists for five points over the four games to sit tied for second on the team, third in the league and tied for first among rookies with teammate Mac Swanson for points in December. Boisvert leads the team with eight goals and 17 points heading into the second half of the season, with the point total ranking fifth among all rookies in the nation and tops in the NCHC. His eight goals are also tied for fifth nationally and second in the conference for rookies.
Roman Kantserov, a rapidly developing player for Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), was recently named Best Forward of the Week by the league. The 20-year-old was drafted by the Blackhawks in the second round (44th overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2024-25 season, Kantserov has 13 points on seven goals and six assists through 15 games. Last week, he recorded six points with five goals and an assist in three games, highlighted by a hat trick and game-winning goal in a high-scoring 7-5 victory over Lada. His development in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) makes him an intriguing prospect for the Blackhawks.
Related: Blackhawks Recall Colton Dach, Expected to Make NHL Debut vs. Canadiens
The critical thing to remember about prospects is that development is non-linear. Some players take longer to figure it out than others, and some players never do. As the Blackhawks continue to rebuild, they have acquired many draft picks, which has helped their prospect group grow into one of the highest-ranked and deepest in the NHL. They have been encouraged by the stellar play of their prospects to start the season at the NCAA and junior levels.
