Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Chicago Blackhawks’ new prospects and how they fit into the farm system.

2023 Draft Grade: A+

Chicago added a lot of talent this weekend. The headliner is Connor Bedard for obvious reasons — he’s a potential star you can rebuild around. But Oliver Moore could be a top-six forward one day. Adam Gajan is a very talented goalie, and several of the forwards they added after Gajan have chances to play. Chicago added a lot of skill, only taking one defenseman in 11 picks. This draft should be a big part of the turnaround in Chicago.

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Draft Class

1. Connor Bedard, C, REGINA (WHL)

July 17, 2005 | 5′ 10″ | 185 pounds

Tier: Bubble generational player and elite NHL player

Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: Elite
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Elite

Player comparable: David Pastrnak

Background: Bedard was the clear best player in the WHL this season. He had one of the best individual performances ever in a single world junior, being named MVP of the tournament. He was a top player for Canada’s U18 and U20 teams during his 16-year-old season, too, while scoring 100 points in the WHL that same season. He was one of the best players at the 2021 U18 World Championship as a 15-year-old.

Analysis: Bedard is a potential franchise-changing No. 1 prospect. His skill and shot are legit game-breaking attributes. His ability to beat defenders one-on-one is among the best I’ve ever seen by a 17-year-old, and the pace at which he displays that elite skill is going to allow him to execute those types of skilled plays in the NHL. Bedard is a highly imaginative puckhandler and a very creative passer. That, combined with the fact his wrist shot is a top-tier NHL weapon from anywhere in the offensive zone, makes him a projected nightmare for NHL coaches to stop on the power play. The only downside to his game is his frame, which has some scouts wondering if he gets pushed off to the wing in the NHL. He isn’t a pushover though, as he plays hard and has a physical edge in his game. Given his success as a junior center, his strong skating and his high compete level, I think whoever drafts him will have to try him down the middle and move to the wing if it doesn’t work. If he is a wing, he could still have a potential Patrick Kane/Nikita Kucherov type of impact on a franchise.

Thoughts on the pick: Bedard provides Chicago with the hardest part of a rebuild in the NHL, a potential superstar. They have a lot of work left to do to become a contender still, but they may have just acquired the most important piece to becoming one again if Bedard hits. He’s a dynamic, game-breaking forward. Bedard is a player with electric puck skills and goal-scoring ability. He’s also a fast, competitive, physical player. The only knock on him is his barely 5-foot-10 frame, and it raises minor questions on when the time comes when Chicago is ready to contend again, about whether he will be at center or the wing. This is an exciting moment for Chicago fans and the organization.

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19. Oliver Moore, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)

January 22, 2005 | 5′ 11″ | 195 pounds

Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: High-end
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Player comparable: Jean-Gabriel Pageau

Background: Moore was often the second-line center for the U.S. NTDP this season. He ran Team USA’s second power-play unit and is their top penalty killer. He is committed to the University of Minnesota.

Analysis: Moore is the best skater in the draft. He has very good speed and his edgework is NHL-elite caliber. He evades pressure so well and is able to go from a stop to a fast gear very quickly. He has very good hands to go with those feet and projects to get a ton of controlled zone entries in the NHL. I don’t think his pure offensive touch as a scorer or playmaker will ever dazzle, and he’ll be more of a secondary scorer on an NHL line. Moore lacks size, and isn’t overly physical, but he’s a worker. He gets to the net, comes back hard on defense and coaches trust him in tough situations. He has a ton of NHL projectability and looks like a potential good top six forward, whether at center or the wing.

Thoughts on the pick: Oliver Moore is the best skater in the draft and has very good skill and compete to go with his skating. He’s not the biggest, so maybe he has to be a wing in the NHL, but his skating is so good that I think he has a chance to be a top two line center. Chicago needs a lot of talent still to surround Bedard; Moore is talent. Ideally they’d get a top young forward with size at some point, but they are just at the beginning of this process.

35. Adam Gajan, G, CHIPPEWA (NAHL)

May 6, 2004 | 6′ 3″ | 180 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average

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Background: Gajan is a second-year eligible prospect. He came over from Slovakia to play in Chippewa of the NAHL. He was a late add to Slovakia’s world junior team where he promptly took over the starter role. He led Slovakia to an upset over Team USA, nearly beat Canada in the quarterfinals, and was named best goalie in the tournament. He played a few games in the USHL for Green Bay where his performance was up and down. He is committed to Minnesota-Duluth.

Analysis: Gajan has clear NHL athleticism. He has an explosive lower half with the power to make the toughest lateral saves at higher levels. He’s an aggressive goalie, sometimes to a fault as he can take himself out of position too much, but at times it works well. I do think he generally reads the play and anticipates the play well, but he will need to control his slides and aggression against better players. There’s a lot of development work left still, but Gajan has a lot of pro potential.

44. Roman Kantserov, RW, MAGNITOGORSK JR. (RUSSIA-JR.)

September 20, 2004 | 5′ 9″ | 176 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Background: Kantserov has been a highly-productive junior player in Russia for the last two seasons and was one of the better forwards in the MHL this season.

Analysis: Kantserov is undersized at 5-foot-9, but has a lot of other traits that make you think he will score as a pro. Most important is the way he skates and plays with pace. Kantserov can generate a lot of controlled entries and make plays in transition. Kantserov has very good puck skills, showing great small-area skill and the ability to improvise with the puck. He can move the puck well while also being a shot threat from the circles. His size is a concern though, and while he competes fine and killed penalties in the MHL I don’t know if he’s so competitive that it will get him over the hump as a smaller forward to be a regular in the NHL. I think he can get some games though.

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55. Martin Misiak, RW, YOUNGSTOWN (USHL)

September 30, 2004 | 6′ 2″ | 200 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average

Background: Misiak played the first half of the season in Slovakia before leaving for Youngstown. He was a late addition to the Slovakia world juniors team, and also played for them at the summer world juniors in 2022. He played wing in Slovakia and with the national team but was a center for Youngstown.

Analysis: Misiak is an NHL-caliber athlete. He’s 6-foot-2 and he skates well. His stride is powerful and efficient. He showed he could consistently push the pace versus men. The issue is how much does he offer outside his skating? I see some skill and offense but I don’t think his puck game and playmaking stand out. He’s just OK off the puck as well with some physicality but he’s not a great two-way forward. There’s a lot to work with, he should play games, but what he becomes as a pro is uncertain.

67. Nick Lardis, LW, HAMILTON (OHL)

July 8, 2005 | 5′ 11″ | 168 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Background: Lardis got off to a slow start this season with Peterborough, but following a trade to Hamilton mid season his scoring took off, with 25 goals and 46 points in 33 games with Hamilton. He was invited to Canada’s U18 team in the spring, but struggled and saw his ice time dwindle as the tournament progressed. He was the sixth overall pick in his OHL Draft.

Analysis: Lardis’ skating and skill are both assets for the pro game and he has some scoring touch. He will be able to transition pucks up ice at higher levels. His shot is his best weapon as he’s a threat to score from the dots. He can make some plays but I wouldn’t call him overly cerebral. Lardis is an undersized winger, though, with average compete and I’m not sure he’s so talented enough to overcome those issues, but has a chance because of his goal-scoring touch.

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93. Jiri Felcman, C, LANGNAU JR. (SWISS-JR.)

April 17, 2005 | 6′ 4″ | 198 pounds

Analysis: Jiri Felcman’s athletic profile is intriguing as a big center who can skate, but I didn’t see much skill or hockey sense when I watched him this season.

99. Alex Pharand, C, SUDBURY (OHL)

January 5, 2005 | 6′ 2″ | 205 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average

Background: Pharand was a solid player for Sudbury this season even if his production didn’t take off as expected. He was traded last season from Hamilton to Sudbury. He was the 14th pick in his OHL Draft. Pharand made Canada’s U18 team in the spring in a bottom-six/PK role.

Analysis: Pharand is a big forward who can skate well, which is immediately interesting as a pro prospect. That he shows good puck skills and some finishing touch adds to the intrigue. The pure offense in his game isn’t amazing. In particular I don’t see him make that many plays or be a true driver of chances for his team. He competes well enough, has some physicality and can be a solid penalty killer. The athletic tools combined with some two-way ability and skill gives him a chance to make it.

131. Marcel Marcel, LW, GATINEAU (QMJHL)

October 31, 2003 | 6′ 4″ | 242 pounds

Analysis: Marcel is a big, competitive winger. He has OK enough skill and he is good around the net, but I didn’t see much hockey sense or speed in my viewings.

167. Milton Oscarson, C, OREBRO (SWEDEN)

February 18, 2003 | 6′ 6″ | 216 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: Poor
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Background: Milton Oscarson played a limited-minutes role on a good SHL team in Orebro. He made Sweden’s world juniors team where he played limited even strength with power-play time. He scored four goals and six points in 13 SHL playoff games this season. Oscarson is a third-year eligible.

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Analysis: Oscarson’s biggest strength is, well, his size. He’s a 6-foot-6 center. Because of that frame Oscarson excels at the net front. He’s so tough to move, and gets a lot of sticks on pucks to create offense around the net. He’s reasonably physical, works hard, can kill penalties and embraces his role as a big man. The natural puck skills are just OK but he can make some plays with the puck. Oscarson’s skating is quite worrisome. He has a slow, clunky stride that will be massively tested in the NHL.

195. Janne Peltonen, LHD, KARPAT JR. (FINLAND-JR.)

March 22, 2005 | 6′ 3″ | 174 pounds

Analysis: Peltonen is a big defenseman who skates quite well for his size and projects to be a solid defender against men. The issue in his game is a complete lack of offense and skill. If he moves pucks OK, he could be a good pro, but that’s currently an “if.”

(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)