NHL Prospect Pool Overview '26-27: Chicago Blackhawks Give Young Core Immediate Help

It's been a bit of a confusing off-season for the Chicago Blackhawks so far.

They traded the No. 4 pick in a package for Bowen Byram and signed him to a massive contract while franchise cornerstone Connor Bedard remains unsigned. Make it make sense.

There is plenty of work to do, but thankfully for the Blackhawks, they have a number of really interesting prospects on the way.

2026 NHL Draft Class

Round 2, 34th overall - Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)

Round 2, 35th overall - Ryan Roobroeck, LW/C, Niagara (OHL)

Round 3, 66th overall - Samu Alalauri, D, Pelicans Jr. (Fin.)

Round 7, 194th overall - Alexander Ivanov, D, Kazan (Rus.2)

Round 7, 200th overall - William Sorbrand, C, Timra Jr. (Swe.)

Without the fourth overall pick, the draft started in the second round for Chicago, where they had a couple of picks even after trading the 45th overall pick to Buffalo.

The Blackhawks still managed to grab two players who were first-round caliber at 34th and 35th overall.

Defenseman Xavier Villeneuve is the most dynamic defender in the draft class. His mobility and puckhandling are elite. The issue scouts have is that he's a 5-foot-11, 164-pound blueliner who has had some defensive lapses. He did show some improved defensive play, using his skating to defend in space. What makes him special is his ability to shimmy and shake offensively, bringing the kind of creative playmaking that very few defenders are capable of. If he hits, Villeneuve could be one of the game's most effective defensemen.

Coming into his draft year, center Ryan Roobroeck was widely viewed as a potential top-15 pick. He was coming off a draft-minus-one season in which he put up 41 goals and 87 points on an OHL team that didn't give him much help. As a 6-foot-4 center, he had scouts drooling over what he could become. His draft year wasn't what he hoped, however, as he dropped to 30 goals and 58 points in 49 games.

Roobroeck is a powerful forward who can shield off defenders and drop his shoulder when necessary. He's got a great shot and nifty mitts around the net. His skating remains the biggest drawback in his game, but if he can become at least a decent skater, he could be a really interesting middle-six option down the line.

The Hawks got solid value on two-way defenseman Samu Alalauri early in the third round. He's a good skater who seems to have solid reads defensively, using his feet to get to where he needs to go to cut off the attack. Alalauri is a heavy defender who can hold his own in battles. When the Finn is on his game, he's a very effective puck-mover and passer. When he's a bit off, he can make some questionable decisions with the puck. There's a solid base to build around, and he could be a potential second- or third-pair defender in the NHL one day.

Chicago didn't draft again until the seventh round, when it took Alexander Ivanov, a Russian defender who played pro hockey all year and held his head above water but did not blow anyone away. He has the skating and defensive processing to allow him to succeed, and he can move the puck well at times. He's an interesting swing in the seventh round.

Finally, Swedish forward William Sorbrand is a very physical player who can absolutely annihilate opponents. He has found some scoring touch around the net, but his offensive game is a bit raw and unrefined. His best attribute is his crash-and-bang mentality. He's a fun, low-upside swing late in the draft.

Strengths

When the Blackhawks took Bedard first in the 2023 NHL draft, they instantly gave themselves a potential No. 1 center for the next decade-plus.

The same year, they took Oliver Moore. The year before, they took Frank Nazar.

Heading into the 2026-27 season, those are their top three centers, and Nazar will be the elder statesman at 22.

Although Bedard, Moore and Nazar aren't prospects anymore, Chicago still has really intriguing potential centers. Even if some of them end up on the wing, they could still use the tools that made them a center prospect.

Frondell is being pencilled in as a left winger, but it wouldn't shock anyone to see him find a role down the middle and move Nazar to the wing. Boisvert could be an excellent complementary player in the bottom six, whether he's centering the fourth line or potentially splitting duties with Moore on the third.

Blackhawks Have No Clear Favorites For 1st-Line Jobs Alongside Connor Bedard

The Chicago Blackhawks do not yet have a clear favorite to play with Connor Bedard on the top line.

Weaknesses

Despite having a few interesting players on the back end, such as Alalauri, Villeneuve, Korchinski and Del Mastro, the Hawks lack high-end quality and depth on the blueline.

They should shift their focus heading into next year's draft and target defenders a bit more at the top of the class.

Hidden Gem: John Mustard, LW

As a sophomore at NCAA Providence, Mustard looked much more comfortable and used his speed more effectively. His shot also became a more important part of his game, as he scored 17 goals in 36 games.

Mustard isn't likely to have a top-six role in the NHL, but he's the kind of bottom-six scorer who brings a solid work ethic and speed, making life difficult for more traditional bottom-six players who don't have the speed or skill to keep up.

Next Man Up: Roman Kantserov, RW

After finally signing his entry-level contract, Kantserov is coming over to North America, where he is expected to step right into the Hawks' lineup.

He was one of the most effective scorers in the KHL last year, putting up 64 points in 63 games to finish ninth in league scoring.

Kansterov is likely to be an immediate option on the power play as a player capable of finding the back of the net and facilitating play. He should ease the burden for Bedard and the Hawks' other young offensive players.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: John Mustard, Marek Vanacker, Gavin Hayes, Joel Svensson

C: Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert, Ryan Roobroeck, Paul Ludwinski, Julius Sumpf, Jiri Felcman

RW: Mason West, Vaclav Nestrasil, Roman Kantserov, AJ Spellacy, Nathan Behm, Martin Misiak

LD: Xavier Villeneuve, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, Ty Henry

RD: Samu Alalauri

G: Drew Commesso, Adam Gajan, Ilya Kanarsky

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 3:44 PM.