2024-25 Midseason grades for Blackhawks prospects: Part I, the NHL novices

4 days ago  /  Second City Hockey  /  Read Time: 10 minutes 23 seconds

With the midway point of the hockey season behind us, now’s a good time to take another look at where Blackhawks prospects currently stand in their development. This week, we’ll be grading some of the bigger names among Blackhawks prospects based on their performance and development, focusing squarely on what’s transpired during this hockey season. These grades are relative to the expectations of the prospect, so a season that could be an A or B for a fourth-round pick could be closer to a C or a D for a first-round pick.



We’ll start with prospects who’ve played spent some or most — or all! — of their season in the NHL. This won’t include Connor Bedard or Alex Vlasic, since those two have graduated from “prospect” status. The names below are presented in alphabetical order







Nolan Allan




Defenseman, drafted in first round (32nd overall) in 2021 NHL Draft



2024-25 season with Blackhawks: 41 GP, 1 G, 7 A, 8 P, 15:12 ATOI, 15 SOG, 16 PIM




Grade: B



Allan’s been a pleasant surprise for the organization this season.



Asked to play up at the NHL from the get-go, Allan hasn’t been just a warm body — he’s been one of the best rookie defenseman in the NHL this season, trailing only behind Canadiens blue-liner Lane Hutson. Compared to the rest of the league, Allan’s season has been relatively unspectacular, but that’s also one of the best things you can ask for out of a rookie defenseman. He’s shown flashes of reliability on the defensive end of the ice, been able to establish zone presence, and has displayed the ability to a lay a body on an opponent when necessary. While he hasn’t been fully consistent, his physicality and total defensive awareness lay a strong blueprint from his his game can flourish.



He’s been generally effective around the ice due to his mobility while displaying the ability to close gaps with his skating and with his body positioning and he’s also been adept at shutting down the defensive zone for entry — even against smaller, more skilled forwards. Despite his young age Allan has seen plenty of time on the PK and has had games where’s been the best defender on the Hawks.



His overall game remains a major work in progress, though. As a whole, Allan’s numbers at 5-on-5 do rank towards the bottom of the league. Part of that is due to how bad the Blackhawks are this season, but part of that is also due to his own inconsistencies: he’ll take shifts off, find himself in the wrong spots, or cough the puck up while attempting to make an offensive play, resulting in a scoring chance the opposite way. His passing remains relatively safe but lacks the creativity and dynamism from more offensively gifted blue-liners. He can also struggle against pressure, even when he is a reliable D partner skating alongside him, resulting in Allan turning the puck over when he’s expected to make quicker decisions or more dynamic reads.



If Allan can refine his ability to move the puck with confidence while establishing more consistency, he has the physical tools and flashes of skill to become a full-time NHL defenseman, even if it comes with a limited offensive ceiling. In our eyes, Allan would be best suited focusing on becoming a shut-down defender who can eat minutes in big situations, including the penalty kill.



Nolan Allan with the celly after his first NHL goal 🥹 pic.twitter.com/sx1t9xUN5n— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 20, 2024



Louis Crevier




Defenseman, drafted in the seventh round (188th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft



2024-25 season with the Icehogs: 11 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 12 SOG, 4 PIM



2024-25 season with Blackhawks: 23 GP, 3 G, 1 A, 4 P, 17:48 ATOI, 23 SOG, 10 PIM




Grade: B+



Crevier’s point production may not be particularly impressive but, for the sake of this evaluation, keep in mind that he’s more of a defensive defenseman, a job which he’s excelled at during this season. Utilizing his standout 6-8 frame, Crevier’s used that size and physicality to clear the defensive zone, limit shots against, and win battles on the boards consistently. He’s never afraid to engage physically, and focuses on being a disruptor more than anything else. He’ll step up when needed, he’ll stop passes using his long stick, and he isn’t afraid to stay back in coverage to stop the rush. While Crevier played relatively unremarkably in Rockford — essentially playing the same as he had in previous seasons — he stepped up to the challenge of playing in the NHL. He consistently stepped in front of shots, took and delivered hits to shield his teammates, and acted in accordance with what you’d expect from a shutdown player.



If there’s one consistent mark against Crevier, it’s for his propensity to give the puck away. He’s not billed as a playmaker, of course, but he still needs to be more than a liability with the puck on his stick, which is something that came up at times when he tried setting up plays, breaking the puck out from his own end or simply trying to do to much with the puck because it’s not a natural part of his game. Establishing confidence with the puck, learning where to pass it or when to appropriately dump it off will be critical in establishing his long-term spot in the league, and he’s flashed in all of those areas at different times this season. At one point, his defensive metrics were better than Alex Vlasic’s numbers from his breakout 2023-24 season. There’s a shutdown defenseman who can be relied on in big moments hiding behind that inconsistency — one who could still be unearthed in the next few seasons if the Blackhawks continue working on his development.



Keep in mind, though, that Crevier was a seventh-round pick who’s already skated in more NHL games than anyone else taken from that same round in 2020.



WELCOME TO THE NHL, LOUIS CREVIER 🥳 pic.twitter.com/tO7hQTxsnN— Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) November 28, 2024



Colton Dach




Center/Left Wing, drafted in the second round (62nd overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft



2024-25 season with Icehogs: 32 GP, 12 G, 14 A, 26 P, 80 SOG, 21 PIM



2024-25 season with Blackhawks: 13 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 P, 11:35 ATOI, 19 SOG, 4 PIM




Grade: B



Dach’s game has only elevated this season. He’s not going to win a scoring trophy any time soon, but he continues to round out his skills in a way that allows him to impact the game on the ice. In Rockford, he’s been most effective as a complimentary scorer with a strong nose for the net who used his size and strength to his advantage, setting up openings for passes, or drawing defenders wide. That strength is the biggest advantage to his game, allowing him to shield the puck effectively and battle in the dirty areas both around the boards and in front of the net. It’s not just his offense, either: there’s been substantial growth in his two-way play. He’s been far more reliable in defensive situations and even has started to put in effort on the backcheck or in transition. While his skating still isn’t elite, he’s made strides in his agility and first-step quickness, helping him stay more engaged on neutral ice.



Dach still needs to get better when it comes to his decision making and innate hockey IQ. He’ll often pass up the better option for a selfish play, or otherwise try to be too fancy with the puck, resulting in a turnover. His hands aren’t particularly special and while he does have excellent body control, he finds himself stripped of the puck often, especially in the defensive zones. There’s still plenty of growth to be found with Dach, even if he may not have the tools of some other players with higher projected ceilings. There are still shades of a disruptor here, or a complimentary bottom-six talent. He’s not showing enough offensive growth at this age to project a future in the top-six and his defensive play isn’t quite strong enough to be a true shut-down player who can match up against the opponent’s top scoring threats. Like Crevier above, though, there still seems to be a legitimate NHL player within Dach, one who’ll need to produce more at his current age to prove worthy of a long-term shot in the big leagues.



1:51 of Colton Dach this season 🎥You could say the true "power forward" has been lost in today's NHL, but Dach is ready to change that…Speed, physicality, finesse, scoring touch and hockey IQ https://t.co/27iCPoWNcq pic.twitter.com/PctJgKMV7G— Dana Grey (@DanaGrey0) January 2, 2025



Wyatt Kaiser




Defenseman, drafted in the third round (81st overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft



2024-25 season with Icehogs: 11 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 P, 18 SOG, 2 PIM



2024-25 season with Blackhawks: 35 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 P, 17:39 ATOI, 43 SOG, 14 PIM




Grade: C-



Kaiser’s development seems to have been somewhat affected by the emergence of top-10 picks Artyom Levshunov and Kevin Korchinski in the Blackhawks system. He’s playing less impactful ice time than in prior seasons, and has been asked to do far less while playing in Rockford. Without being too negative on Kaiser’s profile, he’s failed to make much of an impact this year at any level because of those diminished roles. In the NHL, Kaiser had his moments as a defensive liability and hasn’t shown any dramatic improvement from his prior stints. There are far higher flashes, but you want more from a player this far out in their draft. That’s on both ends of the ice, too, as his point-production rate on offense has declined while his advanced offensive metrics have taken a step back as well. He hasn’t necessarily been bad at either level, but he also hasn’t improved a bunch, which is a concern for a player who was drafted five years ago now.



Defensively, Kaiser has shown decent ability to focus on positioning and generalized zone defense. He’s not overtly physical and often focuses on boxing out lanes rather than attempting to re-establish possession. He’s had a hard time controlling larger, stronger forwards because of it, and can be prone to larger scale defensive lapses when he recovers the puck and hasn’t decided on the appropriate offensive strategy to move the puck up the ice. We believe his general hockey IQ is relatively strong, in the sense of his general knowledge of where he should be and what needs to be done, but results just aren’t coming yet. He’s competitive, he’ll battle when opportunities present themselves, and he’ll try to establish poise, but there are just clear limitations to his game that are unlikely to improve at this point in his career. If Kaiser wants to have a shot at making it in the NHL long-term — especially given the Blackhawks current defensive pipeline — he will need to be more assertive with his decision making, play a stronger, more physical game and improve his playmaking ability through crisp passing and rapid puck movement. There’s definitely room for that growth due to Kaiser’s strong defensive profile, but there need to be more flashes. Kaiser will never impact the scoresheet on a high level, but he can still be a puck distributor, if rapid changes begin to happen sooner than later.



Wyatt Kaiser's first NHL goal 👏 pic.twitter.com/S9W6Qc1GmF— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 5, 2025



Frank Nazar




Center/Right Wing, drafted in the first round (13th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft



2024-25 season with Icehogs: 21 GP, 11 G, 14 A, 24 P, 60 SOG, 8 PIM



2024-25 season with Blackhawks: 26 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 10 P, 17:39 ATOI, 43 SOG, 14 PIM




Grade: A-



Looking like a lock for a future top-six role in the NHL, Nazar’s upside exploded this season. He destroyed the AHL, being not only as one of the league’s top point-producers during his time there but also as a responsible player on both ends of the ice. Nazar re-discovered his second gear from the middle of the 2023-2024 season and was even stronger than expected. His speed, skill and hockey IQ have made him a one-man wrecking crew, able to control the tempo of the game in both the AHL and NHL.



After a promotion to the NHL in December, Nazar made the jump with relative ease while displaying his elite speed and playmaking skills. It hasn’t been all roses due to Nazar’s hesitancy and defensive play, but his poise with the puck has been exceptional and, for his age and experience, he’s comfortable with taking the puck up the middle when looking for scoring opportunities. Not only is he constantly generating scoring opportunities for himself, but he’s been one of the most noticeable play-drivers on the Blackhawks as of late. While points haven’t yet translated, Nazar’s progression towards using the perimeter, finding gaps to use his explosive skating, and scanning the ice continue to improve with each game.



Even though Nazar’s defensive game hasn’t been superb, he’s been steadily improving, working to get to a point where can be counted on in all scenarios, focusing heavily on trailing in man coverage in the neutral zone, and pushing players off the puck with his lower center of gravity and excellent stickhandling abilities. His ability to read the play and take away the attacking lane, or focus target from opposing teams has continued to make him more and more valuable. Even though still quite young, Nazar’s ceiling appears to be rising with each game and he is becoming one of the most promising prospects in the entire Blackhawks organization. While it’s likely that Nazar ends up as a wing in the NHL, his versatility only adds to his value, and his ability to impact the game on multiple levels. He hasn’t been perfect, but there’s a lot to love.



Bedard ➡️ Nazar ➡️ 🚨 pic.twitter.com/YvXSnp3fXF— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 25, 2025







The prospects featured here are the ones closest to long-term NHL futures in Chicago and, while Nazar’s play has been wildly encouraging, we’d also be lying if we said that we were in love with this prospect pool overall, which is something that’ll come more to light as we continue issuing these grades throughout the week.



There are still an awful lot of projects here, with so many players who certainly have potential but also come with caveats related to their long-term projections. This pool still lacks the top-end talent that other rebuilding teams have in their systems and seems to be more about the quantity of the players in it instead of the quality. And that could be a long-term issue as the team needs quality players to round out it’s top-six forwards and top-four defenseman.



After the 2024 NHL Draft, GM Kyle Davidson spoke glowingly about the players selected in that draft and in years prior:



“It’s very cliche to say we targeted all these guys that we wanted, but it’s very much true… After year one, I thought, ‘OK, we can get all the guys we wanted… And then last year, we got all the guys we wanted. And then this year, I thought, ‘There’s no way it’s going to work out again.’ And it just did.



We’ll see if we’re right. I’m not saying we’ve got this all figured out, but just to set a plan in motion, and then to be able to execute on that plan, when so much of it is out of your control, it’s really exciting.”



The Blackhawks claim they got every prospect they wanted. The pool of players isn’t currently looking so stellar, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t surprises waiting for us. So we’ll have to wait and see Davidson’s vision through in the hopes that their internal belief and development proves to be better than what some of the external discussion around this team’s present and future is suggesting.



We’ll see where we’re at in another few seasons, with some answers possibly coming as a few more prospects hopefully make the NHL leap by the end of this season....

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