The Chicago Blackhawks prospect pool gets a lot of love in Scott Wheeler's updated Top 100 rankings

The current version of the Chicago Blackhawks are terrible. That does not mean the future is not bright.

That is what happens when you have Connor Bedard. However, he is not the only reason to be hopeful better days are coming.

The Blackhawks also have a highly regarded prospect pool.

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler's updated Top 100 drafted NHL prospect list shows that. The Blackhawks have seven players on that list including the No. 3 overall prospect in defenseman Artyom Levshunov.

Although, Hawks fans will notice Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov is No. 1 and that was a player many diehards wanted the Blackhawks to take with the No. 2 overall pick. The Hawks went with the defensive prospect in Levshunov and those two will now be tied in Hawks fans' minds until they both debut in the NHL and time will tell if general manager Kyle Davidson made the right choice.

However, the Blackhawks did try to trade back into the draft's top 5 after the Anaheim Ducks surprised everyone by taking Beckett Sennecke instead of Demidov. Davidson made an offer to the Columbus Blue Jackets to get the No. 4 pick but was rebuffed.

Having seven prospects in his top 100 also reflects Wheeler's respect for the Blackhawks' prospect pool overall.

He ranked the Hawks' farm system as the NHL's fourth-best last month (a subscription is required to access content linked).

Joining Levshunov in Wheeler's top 100 is forward Frank Nazar who checks in at No. 27 and defenseman Kevin Korchniski is right behind Nazar.

Then defenseman Sam Rinzel is ranked 54th, and his Minnesota Golden Gophers teammate, forward Oliver Moore, is ranked 64th. The Hawks' other first-round pick last year, forward Sacha Boisvert, is ranked 79th.

Finally, forward Nick Lardis checks in as the 94th-ranked prospect.

Lardis has been tearing up the OHL with his goal-scoring. Nazar will likely graduate from prospect status soon as he has been playing well since he earned a call-up in December. It is unlikely he will go back to Rockford.

Rinzel and Boisvert are finalists for the Hobey Baker Award with the great college seasons they are having. Moore just won another World Junior title with Team USA.

Korchinski is refining his game in the AHL after playing well during his nine-game audition with the Hawks last season where it made more sense to keep him in the NHL rather than send him back to the juniors since he was not eligible to play for Rockford last season.

He had some nights where he held his own last season, but it was clear he needed time to be in the AHL.

Korchinski does have two goals and 17 assists for the IceHogs this season. He also was the MVP of the AHL All-Star Classic.

Since the Hawks passed on Demidov with the No. 2 overall pick, Levshunov's development will always be the focus of most diehard Blackhawks fans. Demidov could have been the ideal running mate for Bedard, but Levshunov could also be the Hawks' next great team version of Duncan Keith or Brent Seabrook.

Levshunov has four goals and 12 assists so far in his first professional season for Rockford. He did get a very brief call up this season, but it was just to practice with the team.