5 Players For Blackhawks To Watch From NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary List

The Chicago Blackhawks, despite being a resurgent team so far this year, are almost certainly going to use a first-round draft pick to add another impact player in 2026. Whether that is in the top three again remains to be seen. 

NHL Central Scouting has released its Preliminary Players To Watch List. Featured are a couple of hundred players who are hoping to be selected by a team at the 2026 NHL Draft.

The players on this list are ranked by their likelihood of being drafted. Players with an A are projected first-round picks, players with a B are second or third round, C ratings indicate a potential 4th or 5th round talent, and W is for anything after.

There is also an LV (limited viewing) designation for those who have been out with an injury and still need more evaluation. 

When it comes to Chicago's first-round pick, there are a lot of young talents that could make an impact in the NHL. It is on Kyle Davidson and his staff to identify which ones can do that in their particular organization. 

At this point, it is all but guaranteed that Gavin McKenna of Penn State and Keaton Verhoeff of North Dakota will be the first two picks. They each have an A-rating, as expected. There is a lot of hockey to be played in 2025-26 still, but no one doubts where these two will be selected. It is beyond them that teams need to prepare for. 

There are still 25 other players who also have that A-rating. Of those players, not including McKenna or Verhoeff, these are the five that the Blackhawks scouting staff must keep an eye on going forward: 

Ivar Stenberg - Frolunda HC - LW

At the 2025 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks went the route of a Swedish prospect with the third overall pick. Anton Frondell is a great player who has been productive in the SHL so far this season. Ivar Stenberg, another Swedish star, is a great player to keep an eye on as well. He is a left winger who plays for Frolunda HC. 

Although Stenberg's playmaking has been outweighing his goal scoring on the stat sheet so far this year, his numbers throughout his life have shown that he is just as much of a goal scorer as he is a passer. On the wing, that is exactly the type of player that the Blackhawks could use to pair up with one of their great centers in Connor Bedard or Frank Nazar. 

Tynan Lawrence - Muskegon Lumberjacks - C

Not every center that the Chicago Blackhawks draft is going to be able to play that position in the NHL forever, but it doesn't hurt to have centers who can play on the wing when needed. Tynan Lawrence of the Muskegon Lumberjacks may be a guy who is capable of accepting a role and executing it. 

Lawrence is currently committed to play at Boston University next season, where he will learn from the great Jay Pandolfo, who knows a thing or two about being a depth forward in the NHL.

Learning in the USHL this year will be important for his development. The Blackhawks have a history of acquiring Lumberjack players, and Pat Maroon is part of the organization, which will benefit everyone around him. Going to college after that will be just what he needs at that stage of his career, as the stiffer competition and opportunity to work out a lot will be beneficial for him. 

Chicago must keep an eye on Lawrence, as he has the ceiling of an impactful NHL player. Drafting him into the organization may prove to be a steal one day, especially if BU does well for him on and off the ice. 

Ethan Belchetz - Windsor Spitfires - LW

The Blackhawks have a lot of speedy, pass-first forwards in the organization. A couple of snipers coming in wouldn't be the worst thing. There is a lot of time left before the draft, but Ethan Belchetz of the Windsor Spitfires looks like one of the top goal scorers in his draft. 

So far, through 13 games with the Spitfires, Belchetz has 10 goals. Is he going to have a Nick Lardis-type of year in the OHL? Whether he goes on that kind of a run or not, he's on pace to put the puck in the net more than most.

Blackhawks scouts may want to check in to see if he has the type of goal-scoring presence that will translate to the pros. Inserting a stud like that into the lineup in the coming years would be exactly what the Blackhawks need. 

Ryan Roobroeck - Niagara IceDogs - LW

Ryan Roobroeck saw a magnificent increase in point production from his first year with the Niagara IceDogs to his second. However, he is off to a slow start this year after all of that buildup to him potentially being a top-ten pick in the NHL Draft. 

The Blackhawks must keep an eye on him to see where his production goes from here with a lot more games left to play. By the end of the year, he should be well above a point per game, which is what the Blackhawks would be looking for from a player being drafted with such a high pick. 

Mathis Preston - Spokane Chiefs - RW

The WHL's Spokane Chiefs seem to pump out good NHL players on an annual basis. Mathis Preston is hoping to be the best of them when the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft arrives. Being a top-ten pick is a realistic goal for him. 

The right winger from Canada is off to an impressive start in Spokane with six goals and five assists for 11 points in 12 games played. After having 45 points in 64 games for them last year, Preston is projected to take a massive jump this year. In the high-flying WHL, don't be surprised to see that happen. 

Chicago's scouting staff may like what they see from this young man once he turns on the jets. Again, a forward is the best route taken by Chicago in 2026, unless Verhoeff is on the board for them when they come on stage.

Although a good center is worth taking and you can figure out positions later, adding a great winger would be excellent asset management by the front office. 

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