Only One Blackhawks Prospect Remains In NCAA Frozen Four

The 2024 Frozen Four is now through the semifinals. Two games went in an entirely different direction but both had moments that made you love college hockey. 

The first game was an instant classic. The match sent into sudden death overtime featured Boston University and Denver tied at one. In the overtime period, Denver scored to send itself to the National Championship. 

The second game was a complete blowout. Boston College beat Michigan 4-0. Once Will Smith scored to make it 1-0 BC, that felt impossible for Michigan. Later in the game, Will Smith added a second while Cutter Gautier made it 3-0, and Gabe Perreault added a fourth.

Denver will face Boston College in the National Championship game on Saturday night. This will be a great display of NCAA hockey between two incredible teams. 

Aidan Thompson Stands Alone in the Frozen Four

The Chicago Blackhawks entered the tourney with three prospects participating. Now, they are down to one. Frank Nazar of Michigan and Ryan Greene of Boston University were both eliminated. Meanwhile, Aidan Thompson of Denver is headed to the championship. This is going to be an incredible experience for him, his family, and his teammates.

The Blackhawks made Thompson a third-round selection in 2022. That pick was given to them by the Calgary Flames in the Nikita Zadorov trade. As of right now, he is a good young and promising prospect.

As for Nazar and Greene, both of them had tremendous years at their respective schools. A guy like Nazar could potentially be an NHL player next season and the future is bright for Greene as well. There are some big decisions to be made about their eventual pro and collegiate careers in the coming weeks.

All of these Blackhawks prospects playing in the NCAA are important to the organization. They are rebuilding and some of these guys might end up making an impact alongside Connor Bedard someday.

When drafting, it is never a bad idea to go the college hockey route. If a guy is committed to a high-end hockey university at the time of the draft, you can be confident that they are going to be developed well.

Follow Chicago Hockey Now on Facebook and Twitter

Follow Vinnie on Twitter

Follow Nate on Twitter