The Chicago Blackhawks have several promising prospects excelling in the minor leagues. As injuries and tough situations arise in the team’s roster, they will need to rely on some younger players this season. Here are a few Blackhawks prospects who could be called up to Chicago.
Three prospects likely to see action in the NHL this season are Frank Nazar, Colton Dach, and Artyom Levshunov. Nazar is expected to make his way to Chicago eventually. Although he didn’t stand out in the preseason and was assigned to Rockford to start the year, he has already scored three goals and provided four assists in seven games, reflecting a point-per-game rate for the 20-year-old. Taken in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Nazar seems like the logical choice for a call-up provided he maintains his performance in Rockford. If the Blackhawks struggle to fill a second line center position, Nazar could be a strong candidate for promotion in the coming months, enhancing the team’s depth.
The potential forward lines with Nazar could look like this:
– Kurashev – Bedard – Teravainen
– Hall – Nazar – Bertuzzi
– Mikheyev – Dickinson – Foligno
– Donato – Reichel – Smith
Colton Dach is another player likely to make his NHL debut this season. Drafted 62nd overall in 2021, he has been working diligently to secure a spot on the Hawks’ roster. Despite a number of young players being called up last year, Dach didn’t get the chance and also failed to make the team out of training camp this year. However, he has accumulated six points, including three goals, in his first seven games with the IceHogs, making him a promising option for Kyle Davidson if injuries occur. He could potentially excel in a bottom-six role in Chicago, and I would prefer to see him paired with Dickinson and Mikheyev.
Recently, the Blackhawks activated Artyom Levshunov and assigned him to Rockford to regain his form after recovering from a right foot injury. Drafted second overall this summer, Levshunov likely would have cracked the NHL roster had it not been for his injury, making him another candidate to join Chicago this season. While the Blackhawks’ defense is currently crowded, there is no urgency to rush Levshunov to the NHL. Nevertheless, fans should look forward to his NHL debut this season.
