Nick Lardis' unreal success for Blackhawks has to be studied

The Chicago Blackhawks drafted Nick Lardis in the third round, number 67 overall (don't you dare) in the 2023 NHL draft. No one thought he would become the depth sniper this team needs after Connor Bedard went down with an injury, but that is exactly what he has become. Lardis makes the Blackhawks' playmakers dangerous, keeping him a concern for the opposition whenever he is on the ice. He, like Bedard, possesses a natural talent for goal scoring, but I never thought he would become the kind of offensive threat that he is now.

A third-round draft pick generally doesn't have a good chance to make the NHL on a consistent basis. According to Dobber Prospects, the odds of playing long-term in the NHL are around 13.7% for a third-rounder, with much lower chances of a third-rounder ending up becoming a gem for the franchise that drafted him. On average, each draft class produces 60 NHLers (the Blackhawks have a projected five from 2023), which makes this even more incredible.

He wasn't always dangerous

Lardis was not always a dangerous, even with his natural talent, he potted only 37 goals in 69 games in 2023. Not exactly indicative of an NHL sniper, however, the Blackhawks noticed his potential and took him in the third round. He scored 29 goals in 37 games the next season, showing improvement, then exploded for 71 goals last season. I expect Lardis to be a consistent 30+ goal scorer for the Blackhawks for years to come.

The intrigue with Lardis is not only his goal-scoring ability, but also his competitiveness and willingness to defend his teammates, even against a much bigger opponent. He plays bigger than he physically is, and that only benefits him overall. The guy just loves hockey and loves to make plays if he's not scoring goals. Notice his goal against the Nashville Predators, how his awareness got him open. Bedard was at the glass, scanning for options, and Lardis made a move towards open ice. He took Bedard's pass and scored on the ensuing play.

Sometimes, young players overthink on the ice, which leads to uncharacteristic mistakes. Lardis tends to stick to the fundamentals and plays instinctively, while thinking about what he wants to do on offense or where he should cover on defense. It is his first season in the NHL, but he seems to be comfortable and continues to take steps forward in his game.

So, despite being a third-rounder and having a 13.7% chance of playing 100 games in the NHL, Lardis has proven that he will make a career out of scoring goals and producing offense. He is one of four offensive dynamos the Blackhawks seem to have from the 2023 draft, including Roman Kantserov, but he is probably the most unexpected.