4 rookies who can impact the Blackhawks in 2024-25

The Chicago Blackhawks most likely won’t turn to many rookies in 2024-25, or at least that’s the case regarding full-time players. But it doesn’t mean more than a few of them won’t see the NHL ice as injuries and other situations - like falling out of contention - are part of the overall landscape. 

So, which players could see the call-up this season if the Hawks fall out of contention or if injuries strike their respective position units? And who is the one player who should see the ice full-time regardless of what happens in training camp and in the preseason?

Frank Nazar, F

Frank Nazar played in a few games last season, but it wasn’t enough to fully adjust to the NHL. That said, he’ll begin his pro hockey odyssey in Rockford, and depending on how things go in the AHL and what the Blackhawks will look like down the stretch, we could see him move up to the NHL later in the year. 

Nazar showed us he could dominate at the college level after he put up 17 goals and 41 points at the University of Michigan, and if it translates to the AHL, the prospect of him playing in Chicago in 2024-25 just got sweeter. But if the Blackhawks are in playoff contention, chances are, he will stay in Rockford, barring some type of injury. 

Artyom Levshunov, D

There’s a good chance Artyom Levshunov bypasses the AHL entirely and begins his NHL career in a defensive rotation in which he will have quite a few mentors. He won’t be the player he was at Michigan State early, but as he adjusts to the NHL, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Levshunov compete with Macklin Celebrini for the Calder Trophy in what should be a memorable battle. 

The 2024 second-overall pick, who enjoyed a respectable career in Belarus, didn’t need a lot of time to adjust to the North American style. Knowing this, it foreshadows that he will be just fine as he adjusts to the NHL, even if doing so will take longer. 

Landon Slaggert, F

We saw 16 games worth of Landon Slaggert last season, and he’s someone I’m putting in the same situation as Nazar. Should the Blackhawks fail to compete come March 2025 and Slaggert is proving himself in Rockford, he’ll play for the Blackhawks for a good 20-30 games minimum and make an even greater impact. 

I don’t foresee Slaggert making much of a dent as a scorer, as he’s someone who will spend most of his time on the bottom-six. But if he finds his way back into the Windy City this season, look for him to give you a preview of what to expect when the Hawks eventually start playing playoff hockey. 

Drew Commesso, G

Note to the Chicago Blackhawks: Fans have seen more than enough of Arvid Soderblom, so if an injury strikes either Petr Mrazek or Laurent Brossoit, they need to give Drew Commesso his chance. And he didn’t look bad in his first AHL season, posting a 0.906 save percentage, two shutouts, and a 2.65 GAA, setting the stage for what should be a solid encore here in 2024-25. 

While the ideal situation would be for Mrazek and Brossoit to be the No. 1 and No. 2 goaltenders, respectively, this season, injuries occur, so Commesso not only could, but should, be the one on deck. 

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