Chicago Blackhawks: Top 10 Prospects Entering 2018
The Chicago Blackhawks missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade this past season. With a pipeline able to add depth and blue line help, the Blackhawks could be able to use their prospect pool to rebuild quickly.
The Chicago Blackhawks prospect pool is one able to add depth in the immediate term and blue line help in the future. Is that enough to help them rebuild after missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years? Maybe, maybe not.
It might take more than adding more depth offensively to pull out of the plummet. It might take an immediate defensive force being added to the team to help fix the defensive problems.
The Blackhawks pipeline has more than the following ten prospects as well. In addition to the names that will be mentioned, the Blackhawks also have Anthony Louis, Tyler Sikura, and Luke Johnson in the pipeline.
These prospects are ranked on three factors – ceiling, NHL readiness, and the chance that the player becomes a consistent member of the Chicago Blackhawks. Let’s start with the goaltenders.
Goaltenders
1. Collin Delia [24 years old]
Stats:
Rockford Ice Hogs (AHL) – 28 games played, 2.72 goals against average, .900 save percentage (10 playoff games played, 2.34 GAA, .924 SV%).
Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) – 10 gp, 4.12 GAA, .887 SV%. Indy Fuel, ECHL; 2 gp, 3.96 GAA, .889 SV%.
Collin Delia had a rough season. He played ten games in the ECHL, being iced out of the AHL because of too many goaltenders. He played 28 games in the AHL due to injuries and didn’t do so well, even for a rookie season.
Next, Delia went up to the NHL, again because of injuries, and was clearly not ready. An accountant looked better than him, coming in in relief after Delia himself went down.
it’s looking more and more like Delia will eventually have one of the two jobs for the Chicago Blackhawks.
But when he finally was able to play consistently, he looked excellent. Delia played 10 playoff games for the Rockford Ice Hogs, including one of the longest postseason games in AHL history, and had 2.34 goals against average and .924 save percentage. He was tied for seventh in playoff SV% and was 10th in GAA.
In the regular season, Delia was 29th in GAA and tied for 42nd in save percentage. Perhaps with a more steady schedule next season, and a full year in the AHL, Delia could be much better. After all, he more than proved himself in the playoffs. If he can make an impact with Anton Forsberg next season in the AHL, it’s looking more and more like Delia will eventually have one of the two jobs for the Chicago Blackhawks.
2. Alexis Gravel [18 years old]
Stats:
Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) – 39 gp, 3.38 GAA, .890 SV% (8 pgp, 2.70 GAA, .917 SV%).
Alexis Gravel is the most recent Chicago Blackhawks draftee at goaltender and was one of the consensus top goaltenders in the draft. His style of goaltending is very similar to Corey Crawford‘s, in that he relies on positioning. Gravel is good at keeping himself in front of the puck at all times instead of relying on overly flashy athletic saves. He is also very similar to Crawford in size, standing 6-foot-3 and able to keep pucks out of the top shelf.
He’s far away from being an NHL regular, but if he gets the access he needs to better goaltending coaches, he could become an excellent goaltender for the Blackhawks in the future.
Gravel was 26th in save percentage of goaltenders with more than 10 games, was 23rd in GAA, 11th in playoff save percentage, third with more than one series, and was 13th in GAA (fifth in more than one series). In other words, even in a shortened season, he stood out. He’s also had very similar numbers last season and is looking to have the same consistency that Crawford brings.
Replacing Crawford is going to be incredibly hard for the Blackhawks. But with Gravel’s ceiling being a very similar goaltender, replacing him with a younger version of himself won’t be too hard. He’s far away from being an NHL regular, but if he gets the access he needs to better goaltending coaches, he could become an excellent goaltender for the Blackhawks in the future.
10. Carl Dahlstrom, D [23 years old]
Stats:
Chicago Blackhawks – 11 games played, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points.
Rockford Ice Hogs (AHL) – 64 gp, 3 g, 25 a, 28 p (13 playoff games played, 3 g, 6 a, 9 p). 1 power play goal (3 assists), 98 shots on goal, .44 points per game [2 playoff power play goals (1 A), 26 SOG, .69 playoff points per game].
Carl Dahlstrom is a two-way defensive presence, someone who can stop plays at one end and get the puck going the other way. He was an AHL All-Star Game selectee this season and did quite well in the playoffs, which shows what he could still be.
Still, at 23, it’s likely his potential is not as high as other players on this list. Dahlstrom projects to be a bottom-pairing caliber defenseman, albeit a very solid one.
A dangerous offensive blueline is why the Rockford Ice Hogs got as far as they did in the AHL playoffs (reaching the Conference Finals) and Dahlstrom was a major part of that.
He tied for 33rd in regular season defensive scoring, 22nd in assists, but became more dangerous in the playoffs. In the postseason, Dahlstrom was fourth in assists, fifth in scoring, and tied for third in goal scoring and tenth in points-per-game.
A dangerous offensive blueline is why the Rockford Ice Hogs got as far as they did in the AHL playoffs (reaching the Conference Finals) and Dahlstrom was a major part of that.
Still, Dahlstrom wasn’t the best offensive blueliner on the Ice Hogs and didn’t get much of any power play time (getting just four points) and his bigger frame (6’4″, 231 pounds) likely means he’ll be a battle winner and defensive force in Joel Quenneville‘s system, should he play more than the 11 games he got this season with the Chicago Blackhawks.
9. Dominik Kahun, C/LW [23 years old]
Stats:
EHC Munchen (DEL) – 42 gp, 12 g, 29 a, 41 p (regular season). 17 gp, 4 g, 10 a, 14 p (postseason).
Dominik Kahun was arguably a top 10 player in the DEL this season. He was tied for eighth in points per game in the regular season, finishing 14th in scoring and seventh in assists, and was even more dangerous in the playoffs.
However, Kahun could be a significant player on the third line in the future
He finished tied for sixth in playoff scoring, sixth in assists, and was tied for 29th in points per game (though amongst players with more than one series, he was eighth).
Kahun’s place with the Chicago Blackhawks this season has yet to be determined. He’s one of the players who could benefit most from an excellent training camp, but with a crowded roster (Jonathan Toews, Nick Schmaltz, Artem Anisimov, and Marcus Kruger down the middle, Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad, Alex DeBrincat, and either John Hayden or Dylan Sikura in the top six), he’ll likely top out as a bottom-six forward, at least this season.
Kahun was dangerous enough to earn a chance in North America this season, however, and likely has a future with the Blackhawks. He suffers from an unknown ceiling (it’s hard to gauge how European skaters will do on North American ice) and NHL readiness being a year away. However, Kahun could be a significant player on the third line in the future.
8. Niklas Nordgren, RW [18 years old]
Stats:
HIFK (Liiga) – 15 gp, 0 g, 3 a, 3 p.
HIFK U20 (Jr. A SM-Liiga) – 28 gp, 13 g, 29 a, 42 p. (10 pgp, 6 g, 4 a, 10 p).
HIFK U18 (Jr. B SM-sarja) – 5 pgp, 6g, 7a, 13p.
Niklas Nordgren was a third-round pick, mainly because of his size. He’s just 5’9″, playing in a European league without a lot of scouting access, and didn’t do as well in the top league where he got games.
To be fair, a lot of excellent players in their first year do better in the Swedish and Finnish junior league than the top professional one. Everything Nordgren did this season, outside of the games in the Finnish Liiga, was impressive.
Nordgren has an excellent ability to finish plays, getting to the high-danger areas to score, despite his size.
In the Jr. A SM-liiga, Nordgren was 19th in scoring, tied for 60th in goals and ninth in assists, and was second in points per game. He was first among players with more than 10 games played.
Nordgren has an excellent ability to finish plays, getting to the high-danger areas to score, despite his size. He is also an excellent playmaker, which showed through this season.
Nordgren, who turned 18 in May, also helped Finland win the U18 World Junior Championships, was a top three player on that team and was an All-Star in that tournament. He was assigned to the Jr. B SM-sarja just for the playoffs, helping that team win the championship. He also helped his main team win bronze in the Jr. A SM-liiga.
7. Jake Wise, C [18 years old]
Stats:
USNTDP Juniors (USHL) – 18 gp, 9 g, 19 a, 28 p. 2 PPG (6 A), 1 SHG, 3 GWG, 39 SOG, 1.56 pts/g.
US National U18 Team (USDP) – 38 gp, 11 g, 32 a, 43 p. 2 PPG, 1 SHG, 3 GWG, 63 SOG, 1.13 pts/g.
Jake Wise looked like a first-round pick. He was in elite company this season, up with the likes of Oliver Wahlstrom, Jack Hughes, and Joel Farabee in both the USHL and USDP. Wise was third in points per game in the USHL (behind just Wahlstrom and Hughes) and was fourth in points per game in the USDP (under 18 division, more than two games played).
Wise is hands down the best center in the Blackhawks’ pipeline in terms of ceiling and has the potential to be a top-six center in a few years.
Wise was seventh in scoring in the USDP U18 division and was better than a point-per-game. So why was he drafted so low?
His skating is an issue, and he didn’t score as many goals as teams would like to see (to be fair, he was playing with Wahlstrom, who did most of the shooting). Wise also missed part of the season due to an injury, which in part dropped his stock from a once very highly hyped position.
Still, he is hands down the best center in the Blackhawks’ pipeline in terms of ceiling and has the potential to be a top-six center in a few years. While Schmaltz and Toews will have something to say about that, having a center like Wise able to step into the lineup eventually is not a bad thing.
He’s a few years away from NHL readiness and he’ll need to work on some things in the NCAA (he’s headed to Boston University), including using his shot more and fixing his skating. If he addresses those areas, he’ll be excellent.
6. Matthew Highmore, C/W [22 years old]
Stats:
Rockford Ice Hogs (AHL) – 64 gp, 24 g, 19 a, 43 p (13 pgp, 2 g, 7 a, 9 p). 8 PPG (2 A), 1 SHG (2 A), 3 GWG, 159 SOG, .67 pts/g [1 PPG (1 A), 1 GWG, 29 SOG, .69 pts/g].
Chicago Blackhawks – 13 gp, 2 g, 0 a, 2 p.
Matthew Highmore was one of the very best players in the AHL this season for the Chicago Blackhawks and looked excellent whenever he was on the ice. He had 24 goals in 64 games and scored nine points in 13 playoff games. Highmore also won a playoff game for the Rockford Ice Hogs and did excellently in terms of rookie scoring.
Matthew Highmore was one of the very best players in the AHL this season for the Chicago Blackhawks and looked excellent whenever he was on the ice.
He was eighth amongst rookies with more than five games played in the postseason in terms of points per game. Highmore was fourth in rookie goal scoring in the regular season, tied for 12th in points per game (greater than 10 games) and in rookie scoring.
This is all despite the fact that he went undrafted, which means his game may not have translated as well. Yet he’s done quite well and looks to do better in the future.
Highmore also did somewhat well in his NHL taste, getting two goals in 13 games. Highmore averaged third-line minutes, had a fairly even zone start percentage (actually tipped towards the defensive zone), and still had a 51.6 percent CorsiFor percentage (3 percent relative).
That indicates bright things for Highmore in the future and while he likely tops out as a third-line scorer, it’s not like the Blackhawks couldn’t use that depth he brings.
5. Dylan Sikura, RW [23 years old]
Stats:
Northeastern University (NCAA) – 35 gp, 22 g, 32 a, 54 p. 14 PPG, 1 SHG, 4 GWG.
Chicago Blackhawks – 5 gp, 0 g, 3 a, 3 p.
Dylan Sikura is the best forward prospect the Chicago Blackhawks have in terms of NHL readiness and was one of the best players in the NCAA last season. He was third in scoring, second in points per game, and tied for sixth in assists.
A large portion of Sikura’s 22 goals with Northeastern came on the power play, though he didn’t get much time there for the Blackhawks last season. He is more of a playmaker than goal scorer, but he does have a scoring touch.
Sikura is also an excellent skater, one that adds speed to the Blackhawks, something they were generally missing last season. He was also a clutch scorer, getting four game-winning goals, and that bodes well for his performance in upcoming playoff series.
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Sikura had three assists in five NHL games last season, carrying a large offensive zone start percentage (64.3%). That indicates more to come, especially because he could see a bump in time to playing on the first line with Saad and Toews this season, or he could lock down a third-line role and play consistently.
This season, a middle-six role could suit him perfectly, and give him time to adapt and grow. His ceiling is lower than the next four players, and there are players behind him on this list with higher ceilings. But he’s NHL ready and bound to play consistently with the Chicago Blackhawks.
4. Ian Mitchell, D [19 years old]
Stats:
University of Denver, NCAA – 41 gp, 2 g, 28 a, 30 p.
Ian Mitchell has top-four defenseman potential for the Chicago Blackhawks and would be a power-play quarterback for a team with a lot of offensive blueliners in the pipeline. He’s got the lowest ceiling of their top four defensive prospects, but that’s still quite high.
He’s going to be spending another season (at least) with the University of Denver before joining the Rockford Ice Hogs and making his professional debut and transition.
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Still, in his freshman season, Mitchell was tied for 12th in defensive scoring, 26th in points per game, and fourth in assists of any defenseman in the NCAA. He is not an excellent goal scorer (just two goals this season, a career high of eight in the AJHL), but he more than makes up for it in assists and playmaking. If that’s what he excels at, and he develops a good defensive game, he can be an excellent pairing for someone like the next two defensemen on the list.
Mitchell made the NCHC (University of Denver’s division) Rookie Team and helped lead the University of Denver to the NCHC Championship. Mitchell was also on the All-Tournament team. He really does have elite potential, especially if he’s able to grow as a player in the next two years. He’s one of the best second-round picks for the Chicago Blackhawks in years and could really become something.
3. Nicolas Beaudin, D [18 years old]
Stats:
Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) – 68 gp, 12 g, 57 a, 69 p (10 pgp, 3 g, 8 a, 11 p). 5 PPG (28 A), 1 SHG (1 A), 3 GWG, 151 SOG, 1.01 pts/g [1 PPG (2 A), 30 SOG, 1.10 pts/g].
Nicolas Beaudin was one of the best defensemen in the QMJHL this season, even at the young age of just 18 (17 at the start of the season). He was tied for second in scoring, eighth in goal scoring, first in assists, and was sixth in points per game amongst all QMJHL defensemen.
In the playoffs, Beaudin was tied for third in goal scoring, eighth in assists, and was second in points per game (first with more than one series). He got a Second Team All-Star for his efforts.
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Beaudin is 5-foot-11, so the hope is that he grows a few inches. But even at his stature, he’s an assertive defensive presence who seeks to cut off the play early and get the puck quickly back up the ice.
He’s an excellent skater, one of the best in the first round in 2018, and he uses that both offensively and defensively. That skating is what allows Beaudin to be in the passing lanes defensively and then to create passing lanes in the other zone.
While he’s likely a few more years away from the NHL, so is the other defenseman the Chicago Blackhawks drafted in the first round this year. That doesn’t mean Beaudin’s ceiling is any lower. He’s got top-three potential, and only top three potential because he’s got two guys ahead of him in Chicago’s pipeline.
In a less defensively-oriented prospect pool, Beaudin could be seen as an eventual top-pairing guy. The Chicago Blackhawks will just have to settle for an excellent two-way defenseman who still plays around 20 minutes.
2. Adam Boqvist, D [18 years old]
Stats:
Brynas IF J20 (SuperElit) – 25 gp, 14 g, 10 a, 24 p (3 pgp, 3 g, 2 a, 5 p).
Brynas IF (SHL) – 15 gp, 0 g, 1 a, 1 p (3 pgp, 0 g, 0 a, 0 p).
Adam Boqvist is better known as the eighth overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft. He also holds the distinction of the first top 10 pick of the Stan Bowman era. Bowman has not had a home run first-round pick in his tenure as Chicago Blackhawks general manager, likely because he hasn’t had a top 10 pick.
So naturally, his first is a defenseman who is three years away from being an NHL regular. That’s just one year after drafting two other solid defensive prospects, including the one ahead of Boqvist on this list.
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That’s not to criticize Boqvist, who has drawn comparisons from many to elite, multiple Norris winner Erik Karlsson. Boqvist deserved to be a top 10 pick this season, and very well might have been Stan Bowman’s best first-round pick of his career.
He was tied for 42nd in goal scoring in the Swedish SuperElit (2nd amongst all defensemen), came in second in defensive points per game (first with multiple games played), and tied for ninth in scoring for defensemen. In the playoffs, Boqvist was first in points per game and tied for fourth in scoring.
Boqvist even got 15 games in at the highest level in Sweden, even while not being productive (just one assist). He has an incredibly high ceiling – true number one defenseman, potentially one of the best offensive defensemen in the league – and a very good likelihood of becoming a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s an excellent goal scorer already, and skates incredibly well. It’s his NHL readiness that drops him to number two.
1. Henri Jokiharju, D [19 years old]
Stats:
Portland Winterhawks (WHL) – 63 gp, 12 g, 59 a, 71 p (12 pgp, 3 g, 5 a, 8 p). 6 PPG (26 A), 1 GWG, 211 SOG, 1.13 pts/g [1 PPG (1 A), 43 SOG, .67 pts/g].
Boqvist and Henri Jokiharju have very similar ceilings. Both are believed to be future first pairing defensemen for the Chicago Blackhawks, though the former may be the number one guy and Jokiharju the number two.
They’ll still play very similar minutes and will likely both get opportunities on both special teams units. Both are also, at this point in time, shoo-ins to play for the Chicago Blackhawks at some point in the future.
The main difference thus becomes, who is more NHL ready. Jokiharju has Boqvist beat in this category and thus becomes the Blackhawks’ number one prospect (at least right now). He might be playing in the NHL as soon as next year, with the Chicago Blackhawks blue line continuing to look unimpressive and the need for more talent. It’s not known what role Jokiharju would have (likely third pairing, possibly being sheltered by Brent Seabrook), but the belief is that he could be in the NHL this season.
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He did quite well in the WHL these past two seasons and before that was a difference maker in the Finnish Jr. A SM-liiga. He was tied for third in defensive scoring in the WHL, 15th in goals by a defenseman, second in blue line assists, and was fifth in points per game. He was tied for 20th in points per game in the playoffs. Jokiharju is excellent and could be a difference maker this season.