Which 2025 NHL Draft prospects outside the Top 5 should be on the Chicago Blackhawks' Radar?

Jake O'Brien: Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

Playing in his second season with the Brantford Bulldogs, Jake O'Brien has elevated his game and is on pace to surpass last season's totals by over twenty points.

O'Brien currently has 50 points in 39 games, putting him on pace to score 88 points on the season and further solidifying himself as a first round talent.

The 6-foot-2-inch center brings a strong hockey IQ and awareness that he has weaponized in the OHL this season. His ability to find open areas for himself and his teammates is among some of the best in the draft class.

O'Brien is a player the Blackhawks' scouting staff has surely been aware of since he joined the junior ranks. Brampton is the home of two other Blackhawks' prospects from the previous two drafts, 2023 third-round pick Nick Lardis and 2024 first-rounder Marek Vanacker.

The vision and on-ice intelligence of Jake O'Brien could be a great fit for the Blackhawks as someone who could round out the forward group of the future and be a relied upon player in the NHL one day.