Blackhawks Draft Profiles: Václav Nestrašil

We started our series of Blackhawks Draft Profiles by looking at six options for the third overall pick in this month’s NHL Entry Draft. The Blackhawks also have the 25th overall pick, acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2023 trade for Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty. General manager Kyle Davidson has been aggressive on draft night before, so there is no guarantee that this pick will be made. Václav Nestrašil’s name has come up recently as a player the Blackhawks are looking at for the 25^th pick.

Tale of the Tape

Date of Birth: April 6, 2007
Place of Birth: Praha, Czechia
Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 187 pounds
2024-25 Team: Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

Player Profile

It is easy to see why the Blackhawks are considering taking Nestrašil with their second first-round pick. It might be a little early to take him at 25, but you can take bigger swings with later picks when you have the third overall pick. We saw Davidson do this when “reaching” for Sam Rinzel in 2022 after drafting Kevin Korchinski and Frank Nazar.

Nestrašil has the size that the Blackhawks’ prospect pool is lacking. He will be a force to be reckoned with when he fills out his 6-foot-5 frame. He rose up the draft rankings by playing a physical and smart two-way game. He scored 19 goals and 42 points in 61 USHL regular-season games. Nestrašil ramped up his game in the postseason, putting up seven goals and 13 points in 14 playoff games.

Tall, lanky players often struggle with skating early in their careers. That is not the case for Nestrašil, as he is a smooth skater. He uses his long strides to accelerate quickly in transition. He has the foundation to become a powerful and explosive skater as he continues to develop.

Nestrašil never takes a game off. He brings the same high-energy style to every shift. He constantly pursues the puck and looks to dish out a big hit. His long reach allows him to force turnovers with ease. With the puck, he is an elite-level playmaker with a wide array of passes in his arsenal. He can move well through traffic and has a team-first mentality.

What Experts are Saying

“Nestrašil is a big-bodied power forward who brings some upside as a playmaker. In the offensive zone, he really impressed me with his smart passing, setting up several quality chances in dangerous areas. As a shooter, he did not stand out, but his passing ability and hockey IQ were noticeable. Away from the puck, he caused havoc for opponents, using his physicality on the forecheck to force miscues.” – Kyle Pereira, FCHockey

“Nestrašil is a raw, but intriguing 6-5 prospect out of Czechia, playing his first full year in the USHL. A fluid skater with slick puck skills, he plays with an edge but needs to add weight. His hockey sense is a question mark, but at NCAA UMass, Nestrašil will have time to develop physically and refine his game.” – Dobber Prospects

“He has to improve his pace, but there is so much to like about Nestrašil, who won the Clark Cup with the Muskegon Lumberjacks this year. He’s close to 6-foot-6, is gaining strength, and will only get stronger at UMass next season. He has outstanding skill for a player of his size and protects well. As he continues to build strength, he should be able to drive the net even better and become a bigger handful for opposing defensemen. I like his upside as a potential middle-six scoring winger.” – Chris Peters, FloHockey

Blackhawks Fit

Can you imagine a large, skilled winger getting the puck off the wall, then using elite playmaking skills to get the puck to players like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar? That is Nestrašil’s ceiling. He has a long way to go, but it’s worth the chance with the 25^th pick. He’s committed to playing at UMass, so he’ll get the time on the ice and in the weight room to take strides towards the NHL.

Video Room

Additional Draft Profiles

Caleb Desnoyers
Jack Nesbitt
Cullen Potter
Daniil Prokhorov
Malcolm Spence
Milton Gastrin
Will Horcoff