Blackhawks Prospects
Blackhawks Prospects Rankings & Reviews: 35-31
Now that the NHL Entry Draft has come and gone, it’s time to take a look at the Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect pool. I’m not the biggest fan of rankings, so take these with a grain of salt. There is very little difference between being the 40th-ranked prospect and the 30th. I’ve determined the order of this list based on what I think each player’s NHL ceiling is. The prospects have been split up into groups of five, so think of those as tiers, where the order could be interchangeable. Everyone has a different standard for what they consider a prospect. For me, it’s any player in the system who hasn’t cemented an NHL roster spot yet, regardless of games played.
We’ll revisit this list after the World Junior Championship in January, and then again next summer. Today, we’re moving on to prospects 35-31:
35. Joel Svensson, F – 20, 6-foot-1, 194 pounds
Joel Svensson is another long shot to make the NHL, but he possesses the necessary tools to make it to North America. The Blackhawks have his signing rights until June 1, 2028, so there is plenty of time for him to take strides. The 2024 fifth-round pick is touted as being a two-way center with a great shot. His two most outstanding attributes are his skating and awareness, which is why he caught the eye of the Blackhawks’ scouting staff.
After scoring 24 goals at the U20 level in his draft year, his production dropped the following season. In 48 HockeyAllsvenskan games with Tingsryds AF and Kalmar HC, he scored only two goals and had eight points. Svensson did have a goal in four SHL games for Växjö Lakers HC. He was one of the veterans on Sweden’s World Junior Championship team, scoring a goal and five points in four tournament games.
34. Ashton Cumby, D – 19, 6-foot-5, 216 pounds
The Blackhawks wanted to get bigger and meaner at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and Ashton Cumby checks both of those boxes. He is a large and physical defenseman whose overall game continues to improve in the Western Hockey League. After six assists in 90 games with the Winnipeg Ice/Wenatchee Wild, he was traded to the Seattle Thunderbirds in the middle of the 2023-24 season. When you look up Cumby highlights, you find dangles or goals, mostly just fights.
However, Cumby added some offense to his overall game last season. He set career highs with the Thunderbirds in games played (68), goals (2), assists (11), and points (13). He started the season on the third pairing, but eventually worked his way to the second pairing by playing a reliable defensive game and occasionally contributing in the offensive zone. It will be interesting to see where Cumby plays this season. WHL teams are only allowed three 20-year-old players, and he hits the big 2-0 on July 19.
33. Ty Henry, D – 18, 6-foot-5, 209 pounds
Ty Henry is another large defensive prospect who is still a long way from contending for a spot on a professional roster. He already has NHL-level skating ability, and he uses it to close gaps in the defensive zone and win races to loose pucks. He uses his size to excel in battles along the boards, and his long reach helps to bail him out when he’s out of position.
Henry added a little bit of offense to his game during his second full OHL season with the Erie Otters. He scored his first career goal during the regular season, and the one above came during the playoffs. He won’t be on the ice for many offensive shifts, as defense is his first objective. He’s an intriguing prospect because, despite the need for offensive blueliners in today’s game, you still need reliable stay-at-home defenders to succeed.
32. Riku Tohila, F – 21, 6-foot-8, 207 pounds
Riku Tohila was the final pick of Kyle Davidson’s first draft in 2022, taken in the seventh round (199th overall). While it’s fun to imagine what a player of his size can do down the middle, the chances of him ever playing in Chicago are pretty slim. He scored 18 goals in Finland’s top U20 league after being drafted, but has not rekindled that scoring touch in the two seasons since. He has played in 59 Liiga games over the past two seasons for JYP, scoring two goals and accumulating four points. Tohila was at development camp earlier this month, but the clock is running. He was a long-term project when he was taken, but his signing rights expire next June. He will need a massive season in Finland to stay in the organization beyond this year.
31. Jiri Felcman, F – 20, 6-foot-4, 198 pounds
If I had to pick one of the prospects from this group to earn an entry-level contract, it’s Jiri Felcman. He took part in training camp last fall and played during the preseason. After his season in Switzerland concluded, he signed an amateur tryout contract (ATO) with the Rockford IceHogs and spent some time practicing with the team. The 2023 third-round pick (93rd overall) brings a lot of what the Blackhawks are missing. He’s a physical forward who excels in front of the net and is a penalty-kill specialist.
Felcman spent most of last season in Switzerland’s National League, appearing in 34 games for SCL Tigers. He scored a goal and added eight assists while dealing with fluctuating playing time. Some nights, he played for over 13 minutes, while on others, he played for less than 10. These are the trials of a young player in Europe. He’s expected to play in the NL again next season. The Blackhawks have until June 1, 2027, to sign Felcman, allowing them to continue developing him at their own pace.
Blackhawks Prospects Rankings & Reviews
40-36: Kanarsky, Peltonen, Mast, Holmes, & Kuzmin
30-26: Sumpf, Harding, Behm, Ludwinski, Hayes
25-21: Thompson, Gajan, Misiak, Crevier, Slaggert
20-16: Pridham, Mustard, Savoie, Spellacy, Allan
15-11: West, Nestrasil, Dach, Vanacker, Del Mastro
10-6: Commesso, Greene, Kantserov, Moore, Boisvert
5-1: Lardis, Korchinski, Rinzel, Frondell, Levshunov
