Blackhawks Prospect Check-In: Nick Lardis Leads the Way in the OHL

With another week before the Chicago Blackhawks return to game action, this is a good time to catch everybody up on how the prospect pool is doing. Today, we’ll start in the Canadian Hockey League to see how the junior players’ seasons are going. The Blackhawks don’t have any prospects in the Western Hockey League (WHL) or Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), so we’ll focus on the seven recent draft picks playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Nick Lardis – Brantford Bulldogs (2023, Rd 3)

Starting at the top of the OHL goals list feels like a logical choice. Nick Lardis has been scorching goaltenders in Ontario all season. He leads the league with 55 goals through 51 games and, at the time of writing this, has a 14-game goal streak. The next closest player is Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit, who could be added to the mix with the Blackhawks’ top pick in June.

Lardis is an elite skater, which helps him get into those great scoring positions every night. He can beat you with a variety of different shots. He’s got a great wrist shot but also uses his one-timer quite often. He still has time to add some size and strength to his 5-foot-11 frame, which he will need to excel at the professional level.

Marek Vanacker – Brantford Bulldogs (2024, Rd 1)

Marek Vanacker was the third of three first-round picks for the Blackhawks last year after Artyom Levshunov and Sacha Boisvert. The start of his season was delayed until late November due to offseason shoulder surgery. He’s been nearly a point-per-game player since then, with 17 goals and 28 points in 30 games. Vanacker’s production has increased as the season progressed, as he has 10 goals and 13 points in his last nine games.

The future vision of the Blackhawks is one of a fast team that gets in hard on the forecheck. Vanacker fits that vision perfectly. He’s a strong skating winger who can beat defenders off the rush and has very good hands. He’s not the biggest forward on the ice at 6-foot-1, but he doesn’t shy away from contact. He is willing to backcheck, wins 50/50 battles, and gets to the front of the net.

A.J. Spellacy – Windsor Spitfires (2024, Rd 3)

Blackhawks fans fell in love with A.J. Spellacy during training camp last fall. He never looked out of place on the practice ice or when he got into the lineup during the exhibition schedule. He’s carried that over into a very good junior season. He has 13 goals and 28 points in 49 games and is just three assists shy of setting a new career high. The Blackhawks rewarded Spellacy with his entry-level contract last month.

Spellacy is a long-term project due to his late commitment to hockey after a stellar high school football career. He has the size and the speed to be a modern-day power forward. He’s aggressive on the forecheck, forces turnovers, and delivers plenty of hits. If he makes the NHL, he will be a fan favorite in Chicago.

Jack Pridham – Kitchener Rangers (2024, Rd 3)

Taken 20 picks after Spellacy, Jack Pridham is enjoying his first taste of OHL hockey. He started his season in the BCHL, but after the rules between the CHL and NCAA changed, he came to Kitchener. Since his arrival, he’s scored 17 goals and 37 points in 35 games. The 6-foot-1 winger is committed to play at Boston University next season.

Pridham is another north-south skater with a high-end motor. He is a menace in the neutral zone, causing turnovers with ease. Are you starting to see a trend here? It remains to be seen if his offensive skills can translate to the professional level, but he projects to be a bottom-six checker who can add a few goals, too.

Alex Pharand – Sudbury Wolves (2023, Rd 4)

For those who want more size up front, Alex Pharand is your guy. At 6-foot-3 and 192 pounds, he’s been playing both down in the middle and on the wing. He’s having a career season in his final year in the OHL. In 49 games, he has 16 goals and 50 points. He’s set career highs in assists and points and is three goals shy of setting another high mark.

Pharand plays a simple, straightforward game. He brings energy with a physical backcheck and an aggressive forecheck. He’s a sound defensive player who always seems to be in the correct position. His high hockey IQ puts him in the right spots in the offensive zone. He turned 20 in January, so he is eligible to play in the AHL next season if he signs his entry-level contract first.

Martin Misiak – Erie Otters (2023, Rd2)

Martin Misiak showed last season why he was worth a second-round pick, and he’s on pace to have an even better season in Erie this year. He has 16 goals and 40 points in 43 games, seven points shy of tying his career-high from a year ago. Misiak got into a game with the Rockford IceHogs at the end of last season and could do that again this year, depending on how far Erie gets in the playoffs.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Misiak is another hard forechecker who forces his opponents into making turnovers. He creates room for his teammates by going to the net and taking away the defenders. He is a solid 200-foot player, putting just as much energy into his defense. After all, the Slovakia native grew up watching Blackhawks legend Marian Hossa. Misiak has already inked his entry-level contract, so you can expect to see him in Rockford next season.

Ty Henry – Erie Otters (2024, Rd 6)

We’ll stay in Erie for our final OHL prospect and only defenseman. Every sixth-round pick is a long shot to make the NHL. What made Henry appealing was his 6-foot-4 frame and NHL-caliber skating skills. In 48 games for the Otters, he has a goal and 17 points. His 16 assists are the most he’s had in a season at any level. The young blueliner even had his own bobblehead night in January!