Top 10 Blackhawks Prospects Entering Late Stages Of Off-Season

The Chicago Blackhawks have one of the best farm systems in the National Hockey League. When Kyle Davidson took over as the full-time GM in 2022, it was his goal to rebuild the organization through the draft.

Since then, they have made 11 first-round picks and countless selections in the second round or later. Not every one of them is going to pan out, but a certain percentage of them becoming full-time NHL players is what will make the rebuild successful.

As the off-season enters the later stages, meaning free agency is mostly done, there aren’t many more trades to go, and things will quiet down for a few weeks before camps start to begin, this is a look at the top-10 prospects in Chicago’s system:

1. Anton Frondell, FWD

Anton Frondell played a handful of games for the Chicago Blackhawks down the stretch in 2025-26, but not enough to come off the list as the top prospect in the organization. The former 3rd overall pick is still trying to figure out if he is a center or a wing in the long term, but it’s becoming obvious that he has the potential to be a star two-way performer either way. Frondell has a booming shot to complement his playmaking ability, and he never takes a shift off of doing the right thing when it comes to his defensive responsibilities.

2. Roman Kantserov, FWD

Roman Kantserov is going to play in the NHL this season. There is also a high likelihood that leading the KHL in goals last year earned him a spot in the top six right off the bat. Whether it’s with Connor Bedard or somewhere else, he is expected to be a high-end rookie goal scorer right away. Chicago hopes that Kantserov and Frondell take Calder Trophy votes away from each other.

3. Nick Lardis, FWD

Nick Lardis, like Frondell, played in the NHL last season. He played more than Frondell, but not enough to graduate off this list just yet. He did score at a 20-goal pace as a rookie, however, which suggests he will be a big part of Chicago’s attack. After scoring an OHL-leading 71 goals one year before his rookie pro season, he made a name for himself as a high-end goal-scoring prospect. Now, there is an expectation that he will be a part of the Blackhawks’ core.

4. Xavier Villenueve, D

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Xavier Villenueve in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft. He fell farther than most would have thought, as he entered the event with a first-round grade. The Blackhawks managed to grab him, and now he is one of their top prospects. He may be number one on this list by this time next year, as long as he has a good d+1 year. Villenueve profiles like some of the young small defenseman who are elite playmakers to come before him. Lane Hutson is the obvious comparison, but that is a high bar. For the Blackhawks, they need him to have a big year at Boston University as their number-one point-producing defenseman.

5. Sacha Boisvert, FWD

Sacha Boisvert is a hard prospect to dissect. He was a dominant freshman at the University of North Dakota. Then, he transferred to Boston University because of a coaching change at North Dakota, and injuries/inconsistancies slowed him down. After his season ended, he signed with Chicago and played a handful of games. He scored a goal, made some plays, and had a fight, but it was clear that a lot of work was ahead of him before he would play in the NHL full time. A start in Rockford will be perfect for him. A lot has been made about the weight he’s put on this off-season, which should help him elevate his playstyle.

6. Vaclav Nestrasil, FWD

Vaclav Nestrasil had a great year at UMass with his 31 points in 34 games played. It was an unexpected jump for a freshman coming into a much harder league. Where he really raised his stock, however, was at the 2025-26 World Junior Championships. He was the best player on Team Czechia, and that allowed them to capture a Silver Medal. After another crack at the NCAA season and World Juniors this winter, expect him to sign and play with Chicago at the end of the 2026-27 college season.

7. Marek Vanacker, FWD

Marek Vanacker was one of the OHL’s leading goal scorers this past season, which was important to see after injuries derailed him one year prior. Now, the Blackhawks see him as one of the top goal scorers in their system. It was once thought that he could be a full-time NHL player in 2026-27, but additions to the team block that path for now. He will start with the Rockford IceHogs, which is actually best for his development. If things go well, he will get minutes in the NHL sooner rather than later. When he does get there, think of him as someone who could be the third forward on a line that snipes lots of goals because of the work done by two other playmakers.

8. Drew Commesso, G

Drew Commesso signed a contract extension this off-season. The first year is a two-way deal, which is Arvid Soderblom’s final year on his current contract. If Commesso has a good year, he is in line to become the full-time backup in 2027-28, as that year is a one-way contract. If Soderblom lights the world on fire and Commesso struggles, that will change the plans, but Commesso has proven that becoming a starter in the NHL is a real possibility for him. He just has to work his way up.

9. Mason West, FWD

When the Blackhawks traded up to select Mason West, it was a bit of a risk. He was committed to playing out his senior year of football. He felt that he owed it to his community and teammates to attempt to win the Minnesota State Championship with Edina High School. He did just that. Now, the quarterback and multi-sport state champion is committed to hockey, which he hopes will lead him to the NHL. After finishing the hockey season in the USHL, he is set to play for Michigan State in 2026-27. A good year will skyrocket him up this list.

10. Adam Gajan, G

With Spencer Knight locked in as the starter for a long time ahead, the Blackhawks have Arvid Soderblom and Drew Commesso fighting for the role of permanent backup. Everyone wants to be a starter, but they all have to prove their worth as a backup first. Eventually, if they are great, another organization will make a play to bring them on as a full-timer. Adam Gajan is blocked for now, but his pedigree shows he will be in the mix eventually. He was the third-string for Team Slovakia at the Olympics, which came in the middle of an incredible year he had in college.

Honorable Mentions: AJ Spellacy, Jiri Felcman, John Mustard, Ryan Roobroeck, Julius Sumpf, Nathan Behm, & Gavin Hayes

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