The Chicago Blackhawks drafted a steal of a player in Nick Lardis in the third round of the 2023 draft, and he has become a player they could have only hoped for.
While 25 goals and 46 points in 33 games as a 17-year-old and 29 goals and 50 points in 37 games as an 18-year-old are impressive, Lardis broke out as an OHL star last season when he scored 71 goals and 117 points in 65 games.
Sometimes, junior scoring doesn't transfer over to professional hockey and most make a stop in the AHL first so they can acclimate. Where others have struggled, Lardis has continued to thrive. He is third amongst rookies in the AHL in scoring with five goals and 14 points as a 20-year-old.
Lardis has played 15 games this season, and the only two rookies ahead of him are Quinn Hutson (7 goals, 15 points in 15 games), who is nearly 24 years old, and Matvei Gridin (6 goals, 15 points in 15 games), but he has also played four NHL games.
The Blackhawks are filled with youth at the moment and it makes the most sense to allow Lardis to continue to dominate in the AHL before getting the call. He will likely get a little trial at the end of the season, but until then, he continues to gain confidence and play a lot.
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