5 Chicago Blackhawks prospects in the NCAA or the juniors who have impressed this season

Heading into this season, the Chicago Blackhawks organization is looking for growth.

Whether it be with the Blackhawks themselves in the standings or more importantly their plethora of prospects that they have in the fold.

As we get closer to the new year, there have been several standouts among the players in the Blackhawks system...

Nick Lardis (Brentford Bulldogs OHL)

Nick lardis has been a very pleasant surprise so far this season. The 67th overall pick in the 2023 draft has been on an absolute tear this year in the OHL.

Through 31 games Lardis has 52 points which is 3rd just behind 2 players who are primed to be a top 5 pick next year in Micheal Misa and Porter Martone. Of those 52 points he has 29 goals which is 2nd in the league just one behind Misa who has 30. He has already surpassed his point total from last year in 6 fewer games and is on pace for 63 goals and 113 points.

He is definitely someone to keep an eye on in the coming years to make the jump to turn pro.

Sam Rinzel (University of Minnesota NCAA)

Dominant is the best word to describe how Sam Rinzel has played this season in the NCAA. The former first-round pick is showing exactly why the Blackhawks selected him with the 25th overall pick in the 2022 draft.

He is currently sitting at a point-per-game pace and is tied for the most points among defensemen with eight goals and 12 assists through 20 games.

Using a great offseason and training camp, he has gotten a lot stronger and faster, which has immensely helped his game this year. He has a +11 with 13 blocked shots and leads the way in ice time for Minnesota, who ranks first in the Big 10 and is only giving up about two goals per game.

According to College Hockey News’s College Hockey Individual Point (CHIP) rating which is a system used to track an overall players' value through a season, has Sam Rinzel ranked first for winning the Hobey Baker Trophy which is given to the top collegiate hockey player of the year. 

Sacha Boisvert (University of North Dakota NCAA)

Another player that Hawks fans should be very excited about is Sacha Boisvert. The 18th overall pick from this year's draft has shown why GM Kyle Davidson was so high on him.

Sacha is just under a point-per-game pace with eight goals and 17 points in 19 games, which leads his team in both categories.

Boisvert has already been awarded the NCHC Rookie of the Week 3 times this season. The 6-2 center has all the tools needed to be an elite center in the NHL.

Elite passing, a great shot, and a 200-foot game are exactly what the Blackhawks need. He is already doing all of this as an 18-year-old freshman. Imagine what a few years of development could do for Boisvert. There is a ton of potential in the Québec native.

Aidan Thompson (Denver University NCAA)

A more under-the-radar player who has played well this year is 2022 3rd-round pick Aidan Thompson. The 22-year-old is on a bit of the older side in terms of prospects but has vastly improved from last year.

Through 18 games this season, he has already matched his goal total from last year in 26 fewer games with 11 goals and 24 points.

If he keeps this pace up he will easily crush his previous point totals (2022 32 points, 2023 30 points). Using the same (CHIP) system from College Hockey News, they have him ranked eighth, above players like projected No. 1 overall pick James Hagens and current Denver teammate and Minnesota Wild first-round pick, Zeev Buium.

The path to pro is a bit of an uphill climb for Thompson but if we keep seeing progress like this the late bloomer could battle for a roster spot in a couple of years.

Dominic James (University of Minnesota-Duluth NCAA)

Similar to Aidan Thompson, Dominic James seems to be a late bloomer as well. The 2022 sixth-round pick has had a really solid season thus far.

Through 14 games the Minnesota-Duluth captain leads his team in goals and points with 9 goals and 17 points. After a very underwhelming first two years in College (2021 18 points in 39 games, 2022 28 points in 35 games) the 22-year-old has seen a nice steady uptick in points to be above point per game so far this season.

He’s doing this well even after missing all of the 2023 season with an injury and showcasing himself well in his senior season. It is pretty likely James will sign with the Blackhawks once his season ends and we could see him get some games in Rockford towards the latter half of the season.