In just about every conversation we’ve had here about the Chicago Blackhawks over the past few years, the theme of the prospect pool has been that the cupboards are full of talent, and there isn’t much room for more additions. That’s a blessing for the Blackhawks, who are hoping that most of those prospects graduate to the NHL over the next few years and that they can build their roster internally.
But that blessing can also be a curse in some ways. At this point in the nearly-completed rebuild, the Blackhawks are so stocked with pipeline talent that there isn’t room for every player in the system. We saw that last spring when center Dominic James declined to sign with Chicago in favor of free agency. Now, it might be happening again.
Scott Powers of the Athletic reported Thursday that the OHL’s second-leading goal scorer, Jack Pridham, has to decide by Monday where he wants to spend his future. If he doesn’t sign an entry-level contract or commit to a college this weekend, the Blackhawks will lose his rights and he would become eligible for this summer’s draft.
The Blackhawks originally selected Pridham in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft, and he’s since blossomed into a real superstar prospect. In 65 games with the Kitchener Rangers this past regular season, he picked up 46 goals and 90 points, then added six points in three games in the Memorial Cup. His total goals scored were second only to Marek Vanacker, another highly touted Blackhawks prospect. A speedy, forceful attacker, he was consistently ranked inside Chicago’s top 15 prospects among the likes of AJ Spellacy and Mason West, and figured to fit somewhere into the NHL lineup maybe two years from now, likely in the middle six offensively.
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Losing Pridham for nothing at this point would be disappointing, as he seems to fit the Blackhawks’ mold pretty well. But the reality is that Chicago doesn’t have room for every prospect they’ve drafted, and his right within the CBA is to look elsewhere for more playing time.
While the Blackhawks are obviously hoping to keep Pridham in the system beyond this weekend, the good news if he’s leaving is what that says about the future of the organization. Pridham probably has a better feel on how things are panning out than almost anyone in the general public, and if he doesn’t think he’ll be able to scratch out a roster spot on the Blackhawks in a few years, that means the team is on the right track, at the very least.
