The Chicago Blackhawks have a great system of players that they've drafted and developed, and plenty are showing up this season. Three players are at the World Juniors, but others are impressing this season in the leagues they are in.
Unfortunately, not all of them will make the NHL or turn out to be as good as they're showing right now, but the more that the Blackhawks have, the better the chance in turning out impactful NHL players.
At this point in the season, there are five notable prospects that will be highlighted.
We can't start without looking at Anton Frondell first. Drafted third overall in 2025, he didn't jump right into the NHL, but rather gained even more experience before coming to North America. He leads the SHL in goals among U23 players. At 18 years old, he has 10 goals and 15 points in 26 games. He is representing Sweden at the World Juniors.
Vaclav Nestrasil is another one of the Blackhawks' prospects at the World Juniors, playing for Czechia. He is in the NCAA playing at the University of Massachusetts and has 10 goals and 20 points in 18 games as an 18-year-old. The 2025 first-round pick is third in points among NCAA freshmen.
Next up is the highly touted Russian roman Kantserov, who is in the KHL and could be joining the Blackhawks as soon as the end of the season. The 21-year-old has 24 goals and 41 points in 34 games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He leads the KHL in goals and is tied for second in points, which is very impressive for his age.
Marek Vanacker, another former first-round pick, but from 2024, is dominating in the OHL in his final season before graduating to the pro level. He leads the OHL in goals with 26 and also has 41 points in 28 games. He seems to be following the path of Nick Lardis, who has already found himself on the Blackhawks in his first year pro.
The final notable prospect to mention here is Nathan Behm. He was drafted in the third round in 2025, but is exceeding expectations already as he's second in the WHL in points. Behm has 17 goals and 46 points in 32 games and only looks to get better as he has another year in the WHL next season as well.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game day coverage, player features, and more.