Soon-to-be former Chicago Blackhawks prospect Jack Pridham is a Memorial Cup champion. He won it with his Kitchener Rangers teammates over the Everett Silvertips with their 6-2 victory in the Memorial Cup Final.
In the win, Pridham had one goal and one assist. From the beginning of the season through to the very end, he has been a driver offensively.
Winning the Memorial Cup is one of the highest honors a developing player can achieve with his team. Pridham and Kitchener will remember this win forever.
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Now that the season is over for Pridham, there is a bit of a storyline surrounding his hockey future. If he doesn’t commit to the NCAA, presumably Boston University, by Monday, June 1st, or sign and entry level deal with Chicago, he will re-enter the draft.
He is almost certainly not signing his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks before the night of his Memorial Cup win is over, and it is unlikely that he re-commits to BU before the night is over either.
The Blackhawks selected Pridham with a third-round pick (92nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft. This is a moderately big loss for the Blackhawks, who have seen Pridham develop well since selecting him.
Pridham’s ceiling projects to be a solid middle-six forward who can score goals in bunches. Playing with a playmaking center will serve him well once he makes the transition to pro. Sadly for the Blackhawks, it is likely not going to be in Chicago.
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Landon DuPont
Landon DuPont, a defenseman on Everett, may have lost the Memorial Cup Championship, but being a runner-up in this tournament is never something to hang your head over.
DuPont was granted Exceptional Status by Hockey Canada so he could have an early start to his career in Major Junior, and his six points in the Memorial Cup are the most a player with that status has ever had.
He is projected to be the first overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, which shouldn’t be considered out of the question for the Chicago Blackhawks.
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