Don’t be surprised when these 3 Blackhawks prospects become household names

The Blackhawks completed another season of growth, even if that growth seemed to stagnate at times. Still, the Hawks played a lot, and I mean a lot, of youngsters. That said, there were going to be some ugly moments in the Windy City once management recalled some future stars. 

And three of them jumped out. One particular player was Frank Nazar, who put up 12 goals and 26 points in 53 games. He converted 13.2 of those shots into goals and averaged a decent 15:52 of ice time. His improvement became paramount as the season progressed, and he’s a shoo-in to be with the big club next season. 

But what about those who are next in line? Who’s making the jump, and how might they serve the Hawks in 2025-26?

Artyom Levshunov

It was great to see the Hawks refuse to rush Artyom Levshunov on NHL ice. And while he wasn’t outstanding, Levshunov showed us that he could keep pace while on the big club with a little more fine-tuning. So, heading into next season, look for him to solidify his spot with the Hawks, where he’ll enjoy a long, successful career. 

This season, he played 18 games with the Hawks, failing to log a goal but he had six assists, good for 0.33 points per game. He saw over 20 minutes of average total ice time and held his own despite finishing the year with an ugly minus-13 and 26 giveaways. But hey, there were going to be growing pains. 

Levshunov showed off his physical play, with 19 hits, and he got in front of 20 would-be shots on goal. The effort was there, and as the game slows down for him in what will be his first full season in the Windy City, look for an even greater output and fewer errors. 

Colton Dach

Colton Dach is going to evolve into a complete player, and I get Zack Bolduc vibes when I look at his numbers. He played in just 25 games for the Blackhawks this past season, scoring twice and registering seven points. But wow, did he make his presence felt on the lower lines, or what?

Through 12:08 of average total ice time, Dach broke even on faceoffs and stole the puck 13 times. But his 86 hits jumped out, showing us that he can land body check after body check without tiring. And given his imposing frame, expect that same, hard-nosed play even when he transforms into more of a points producer next season. 

Dach should evolve into a middle-six player in 2025-26 at some point, and when he does, expect a half-point per game from the youngster. If he gives the Hawks that, plus more reliability when called on to win faceoffs, they’re going to have a good player halfway down their lineup. 

Kevin Korchinski

I hesitated to call Kevin Korchinski a ‘prospect,’ since he appeared in 76 games in 2023-24, logging 15 points, five goals, and a minus-39. But as that season wore on, he wasn’t quite ready for the big time, so he spent most of this past season playing for the Rockford IceHogs. 

Still, Korchinski got in his fair share of games, though he ended the season with just two points and a goal through those 16 contests, with a minus-5. He blocked 14 shots and wasn’t a physical presence. So, if his productivity didn’t improve, why is Korchinski on this list? 

For one, the Hawks are bound to get better next season, and playing nearly a full season in Rockford will only help his cause. When you add another full summer of training on top of that, he’s coming back in September with a renewed outlook. 

So, expect Korchinski to shock a few fans as he rebounds from what was a lackluster couple of seasons. With Artyom Levshunov likely to move up and make an impact and with Alex Vlasic proving his worth, Korchinski’s ceiling in Chicago will likely come on the middle pairing.