Aidan Thompson
When Aidan Thompson was drafted back in 2022, he was an over-ager who would be entering his freshman year of college at the age of 20 years old.
Known for his leadership qualities, strong skating and playmaking ability, Thompson proved himself to be a solid contributor at the collegiate level his first two years.
Now in his junior season, Thompson has 22 points in 14 games which puts him second-overall in the NCAA scoring race only behind his teammate Jack Devine.
Playing on a very strong University of Denver roster, Thompson has been a contributing member of one of the best programs in college hockey and now wears an "A" on his jersey as a part of the leadership group.
Since he will be 23 years old in February, Thompson will likely sign with the Blackhawks after this season so he can start playing professional hockey. Given the season he is having, Thompson could earn himself some NHL games in the near future.
Colton Dach
For the past couple of seasons, Colton Dach has been a player who has undeniable skill and has been able to score at just about every level he's played at, the issue was whether he could stay healthy.
So far this season, Dach has been playing healthy and has become one of the top scorers for the Rockford IceHogs. With 15 points in 18 games, Dach is playing with much more consistency than he did, when healthy, last season.
Dach's scoring has always been known, but him being able to stay healthy and find more consistent play is what has made him exceed his expectations this season. Both of those were his biggest hurdles last year.
With the offensive woes the Blackhawks have been going through, many have wanted to see how Dach would look in a power-forward role in the NHL.
As of right now, it does not look like Dach will get a chance to truly secure an NHL roster-spot until next season. Luckily, if he keeps up his current play, he should be more than ready to make that jump.