5 dynamic forward prospects for Blackhawks fans to know before the 2024 NHL Draft

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The Chicago Blackhawks could be the most entertaining team to watch in the 2024 NHL Draft, thanks to the number of draft picks the organization accumulated. They will have two first-rounders, a trio of selections in the second round, and another two in the third, so even with all the needs this franchise has, one draft will make a significant impact.

Left wing is a huge need, but when you’re in the Blackhawks position, taking the best available is the smartest route to success. Therefore, the five forwards mentioned in the following slides aren’t exclusively left wingers, but players whom general manager Kyle Davidson can take with his second pick in the first round.

Yes, the second first-round pick, since you will see a ton of coverage regarding some of the top prospects like Macklin Celebrini, Ivan Demidov, and others slated to go in the top 20. You won’t even see studs like Cole Eiserman, Cayden Lindstrom, or Berkly Catton on this list, although you can argue the latter could freefall on draft day, thanks to his lack of size.

Blackhawks have lots of talent to choose from at forward in 2024 NHL Draft

There are too many ideal cases to outline for the Blackhawks as the 2024 draft nears, but most fans would love to see something like Macklin Celebrini and Berkly Catton, Ivan Demidov, and Catton, or either one of the top two forward talents paired with a freefalling prospect deemed worthy of a top 10 selection.

But if that doesn’t happen and if the draft goes in a way similar to what Tankathon’s current mock looks like, avoid getting too bent out of shape. There are five forward prospects - three centers and two wingers - fans should get to know and look forward to having in their system should Kyle Davidson draft them.

Cole Beaudoin, C/Barrie

Cole Beaudoin just celebrated his 18th birthday, and you can celebrate his ideal size for the NHL game more than anything else, as he clocks in at 6’2, 201 lbs. Like many prospects projected to go later in the first round, Beaudoin isn’t a point-per-game scorer just yet, but he still amassed a respectable 62 and 24 goals in 67 contests with the Barrie Colts.

This was a major improvement from what we saw from him last season when he contributed just 20 points and eight goals in 63 regular season games. There should be little doubt that heading into next season, Beaudoin will exceed the point-per-game barrier and become one of the OHL’s premier players.

The production and overall development will come, but leadership skills are something Beaudoin appears to be ahead of the curve in. He may have played in just his second season with the Colts, but Beaudoin is already an alternate captain for the team, and that ‘A’ could evolve into a ‘C’ either next season, or the year after.

Despite his solid but unspectacular production when compared to some of the 2024 draft’s top prospects, we don’t need to hold it too much against Beaudoin. He spent the previous two seasons under the age of 18. By the time he’s 20, Beaudoin should be more than ready for the pro (AHL) ranks.

Nikita Artamonov, LW/Nizhny Novgorod

A versatile winger with a decent 5’11, 187 lbs frame, Nikita Artamonov is also one of the older prospects heading into the draft. A solid season for the MHL’s Chaika Nizhny Novgorod in 2022-23 saw him finish with 29 points and 11 goals in 41 contests, plus an additional 10 points and two goals in 17 postseason games.

His performance was good enough for him to earn a chance with the KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod this past season, where he again played well, accumulating 23 points and seven goals in 54 contests. He also saw significant time in the MHL during the postseason, snagging six goals and 10 points in 11 games.

Although listed as a left winger on Elite Prospects, Tanakthon’s rankings have him slated as someone who could also play right wing. This would give the Blackhawks a versatile winger, but they could also fill that need exclusively for left wing here as well.

Since he’s slated to land somewhere between Rounds 1 and 2, Artamonov would likely end up in the Blackhawks system if his stock rose by draft day or if Chicago used their second-round pick on him. Either way, Artamonov will eventually come to North America with more than enough experience playing professional hockey, but he will need to get used to the North American game.

Linus Eriksson, C/Djurgardens

Many of these first-to-second-round prospects display decent size, and Linus Eriksson is no different, standing at 6’0, 185 lbs. Opinions regarding where he should fall vary, with Tankathon listing him at No. 73 while Corey Pronman of The Athletic has him slated at No. 24. So there is still a lot of mystery regarding where Eriksson will land on draft day, depending on where Kyle Davidson has him ranked on his board.

If you look at numbers only, Eriksson may not impress you, thanks to the 21 points and five goals he put up at the J20 Nationell level, which would align more with a No. 73-ranked prospect if we’re going by Tankathon’s take. But it’s also important to remember that Djurgardens was a good team, and that can sometimes mean fewer scoring opportunities if they’re spreading the puck around often.

He was also good enough for a stint with the big club in HockeyAllsvenskan, where he put up 11 points and three goals in 29 games before scoring another four in 12 postseason matchups.

In a worst-case scenario, Eriksson is someone the Blackhawks draft in the early-to-middle rounds should he freefall. But if the 18-year-old increases his stock, there is a good chance he hears his name called in the back-end of the first round.

Julius Miettinen, C/Everett

Listed as a center in Pronman’s rankings and at Tankathon, Elite Prospects also Julius Miettinen as a winger. That said, he will likely factor in as a center before anything else, and one with an imposing 6’3, 207 lbs build, which should be enticing if you’re looking for players who boast ideal size.

As with Linus Eriksson, Julius Miettinen isn’t ranked as highly as some of the other better forwards listed in this slideshow, but Pronman has him at 26th overall with comparisons to Eetu Luostarinen. He played in Finland’s U20 SM-sarja until 2022-23 before arriving in North America to join the Everett Silvertips of the WHL.

His first year in the WHL looked promising as Miettinen put up 31 goals and 67 points in 66 games before scoring an additional two goals and four points in nine postseason outings. There is no question Miettinen will be a pick for two-to-three seasons down the line, more likely two if his game continues to develop.

While the Blackhawks certainly want to build around Connor Bedard with strong, top-six potential talent, depth will also come to the forefront. Luckily for the Hawks, depth is what Miettinen would bring once he’s NHL-ready. He may not evolve into a top-six forward, but he will deepen any lineup he’s on, and it might just be Chicago’s.

Emil Hemming, RW/TPS

Ranked 27th at Tankathon, Emil Hemming was an alternate captain for his U20 SM-sarja club, TPS. He saw time in just 24 regular season and postseason games, putting up 28 points and 16 goals, but the 17-year-old saw an additional 40 regular season matchups in Liiga.

This has given him ample ice time at Finland’s top level, and although he contributed just 11 points and seven goals, Hemming will gain even more experience when he’s presumably in Liiga for all of next season. Like Miettinen, Hemming also displays outstanding size at 6’2, 194 lbs, and his alternate captain status in U20 SM-sarja also implies leadership, which is a bonus.

Like many prospects on this list, Hemming is someone Kyle Davidson could take with his second pick in the first round. But there is also a chance he drops to the second round, in which Davidson could draft him there, which could ultimately land him with three first-round talents in what will be the top 35.

Regardless if the pick is Hemming during the final weekend in June, one of the other forwards listed, or a player not mentioned, there is a good chance Davidson cashes in big. And a high-potential pick like Hemming would create a buzz regardless of what Davidson does with his first (and possibly second) pick.

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(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects)

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