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A Bit of Good News? Blackhawks Prospects Gleaming Gold

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Aside from the Chicago Blackhawks losing to the New Jersey Devils 4-2 Friday night, the loss of Connor Bedard and Nick Foligno certainly was a cause for concern. Not much was known postgame, even as head coach Luke Richardson said they would fly home with the team and be looked at by specialists.



So while the Blackhawks were dealing with their fifth straight loss, about 4000 miles away, four of the Blackhawks future were celebrating the United States‘ gold medal victory over Sweden. Oliver Moore, Frank Nazar, Gavin Hayes, and Sam Rinzel are now gold medalists, giving them another slew of prospects winning on the international stage.

WGN’s Joe Brand tweeted this nugget out, too:

Two of those guys are now full time Blackhawks. The other three are knocking on the door. It should sure make fans feel better about the future and what it holds for Chicago.

Especially in light of what has been a brutal run of injuries that have crippled the Blackhawks season.

Do US Blackhawks Prospects Have a Shot in Chicago Next Year?

I’ve answered this one already–Frank Nazar is my odds-on choice to be on the ice in October next year. Yes, he cooled off in the tournament, but he was a major driver in the United States’s success. Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel got stronger as the tournament went on. But Gavin Hayes saw his ice time dwindle, which see it as you will, he slotted in more as a role player.

But with a Blackhawks team that will be infusing talent over the next few seasons that is promoted from within, Ethan Del Mastro and Colton Dach are certainly getting closer. Add in Nazar hypothetically and there’s five (three forwards and two defensemen) that are helping to solve some issues.

Should those nine all find their way to Chicago, what a job by the Blackhawks front office. Of those nine, six were taken by Davidson in his two drafts while Bowman was responsible for three of them.

The breakdown by round?

  • First Round: (6) Bedard (2023 1st overall), Korchinski (2022 7th overall), Nazar (2022 13th overall), Moore (2023 19th overall), Rinzel (2022 25th overall), and Allan (2021 32nd overall)
  • Second Round: (1) Dach (2021 62nd overall)
  • Third Round: (1) Hayes (2022 66th overall)
  • Fourth Round: (2) Del Mastro (2021 105th overall)

One side note- Del Mastro may be a late round gem–he hasn’t missed a step in Rockford.  So yes, the United States prospects take the gold a year after the Canadians do on the world stage.

But it’s looking the Blackhawks may have been the ones who really struck the most gold.