Connor Bedard is in a class of his own, but the Chicago Blackhawks’ rebuild is about much more than one superstar. Bedard is expected to miss the first month of the season at the very least, so Chicago will get an extended look at whether some of their young players can manage heavier responsibilities before their centerpiece returns. Here’s a ranking of the top 10 young Blackhawks core players, based on their long-term potential.
Connor Bedard
It goes without saying that Bedard will lead Chicago to playoff contention and possibly a Stanley Cup championship. Since he signed his five-year extension on July 18, he’s become the franchise leader of this young group who will push for a wild-card berth in 2026-27.
Bedard terrorizes defenses on the power play with the many ways he can beat them (from ‘Chicago Blackhawks are No. 4 in NHL Pipeline Rankings for 2026,’ New York Times, Aug. 18, 2026). With a Calder Trophy under his belt, his offense will be the biggest factor in pushing the rebuild forward.
Long-term projection: Top-line center and power forward on the man advantage.
Frank Nazar
After Bedard, Frank Nazar has the tools to become an integral part of the core and could become part of a new dynamic duo like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in the 2010s. He’s the obvious choice to center the top-line in Bedard’s absence and should be a reliable top-six forward once he returns.
Long-term projection: Top-six center, potential key forward on penalty kill
Nick Lardis
Lardis had 117 points (71 goals, 46 assists) with the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League in 2024-25. Those numbers alone should be enough to give Blackhawks fans reason to be excited. With the right conditioning and consistent ice time, he could become one of the best offensive forwards in Chicago alongside Nazar and Bedard.
Long-term projection: Top-six scoring winger
Roman Kantserov
Kantserov has the potential for a breakout season in Chicago. His high hockey IQ, competitiveness, versatility, and puck-handling skills should bring offensive wonders to the Blackhawks. He signed his entry-level contract on May 21 and could make the opening-night roster out of training camp. Chicago fans should be very excited about seeing him get NHL time this season, if not in the next couple of years.
He’s the team’s top prospect and is expected to make the opening-night roster, coming off a couple great seasons for Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Long-term projection: consistent top-six forward, can be used in multiple situations
Alex Vlasic
A young defenseman who can reliably eat minutes has enormous value, especially on a team that is still building its defensive structure, Chicagoland-native Alex Vlasic has proved that he can be that player and management considers him a core piece of the future.
Vlasic has not only shown that he can provide offensive consistency from the back end, but that he has the potential to become a top shutdown defenseman.
Long-term projection: Dependable top defenseman
Sam Rinzel
Sam Rinzel has the highest probability of dramatically-changing expectations over the next two seasons. The 25th-overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft made his NHL debut in 2024-25, and while in nine games, he averaged roughly 22 minutes of ice time and tallied five assists.
At 6-foot-4, his smooth skating in transition and poise as a defenseman should allow him to quarterback the power play. He showed high-quality play-making skills in his first two years at the University of Minnesota. It’s just a matter of whether a stint with the Blackhawks’ American Hockey League affiliate, Rockford IceHogs, might do him some good before seeing more NHL time.
“At the end of the day, I want to be a two-way defenseman that can play great at both ends of the ice,” Rinzel told BlackhawkUp. “I like to get in the rush. If I can carry the puck, I like to carry the puck. That offensive side. For sure, I’d like to try to improve on that.”
Long-term projection: Middle-lineup player
Oliver Moore
In the time I saw him play at the University of Minnesota alongside Rinzel, it was hard to miss how fast and smooth a skater Oliver Moore is. Not to mention, he has a wicked shot that could become very dangerous in the long run.
Moore is the kind of player who can be incredibly valuable without necessarily putting up a ton of points. His skating and versatility give him a high floor, and he could become an underrated centerpiece of the team’s young core. The question is whether his offense develops enough to push him into a top-six role.
Long-term projection: Middle-lineup player, strong two-way center
Artyom Levshunov
This is where the list gets interesting. Artyom Levshunov has already earned opportunities to establish himself as one of Chicago’s foundational defensemen. His combination of size, skating and puck movement highlights his potential. The issue will be to find consistency.
If everything clicks, Chicago will have their franchise center Bedard leading the offense, while Levshunov anchors the defense for years to come.
Long-term projection: Special-teams specialist
Sacha Boisvert
Sacha Boisvert is more of a projection than others on this list. Drafted 18th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, Boisvert had 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) in 37 games at the University of North Dakota in 2024-25 and 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 26 games at Boston University last season. An early-season shoulder injury caused him to miss time for Boston, and he played briefly through the injury before taking time off.
He’s a heavy shooter and a reliable two-way center with great passing skills on the rush. His offensive potential is there, but he’s further away from establishing a role in the NHL due to his inconsistencies between college and the NHL.
He played seven games in the NHL last season, recording only a couple points including his first NHL goal on April 4. The shoulder injury was likely still a factor even after he signed his entry-level contract.
Long-term projection: Middle-six power forward if developed well
Kevin Korchinski
Kevin Korchinski is the most uncertain player on this list since he is a restricted free agent who has yet to sign a new deal. Chicago traded Alex DeBrincat in July 2022 to get the draft pick that ultimately became Korchinski, selected seventh overall and the first pick by Kyle Davidson after he was named permanent general manager of the Blackhawks.
Despite his struggles at the NHL level since he made his debut in 2023-24, Korchinski showed more confidence at the end of last season. If he does get a contract extension, it’s highly unlikely that he sees as much NHL time as he did in his first year when he played 76 games.
In Bedard’s first season, in the Hawks’ online series Every Shift on YouTube, there was great off-ice chemistry between the two as they both were trying to navigate what it’s like to play in the NHL. Since then, Korchinski has been healthy scratched quite often and when he does play, the tenacity he had in his first season wasn’t there.
Long-term projection: A lot of uncertainty
Chicago will start the season with an average age of 25 years old, just behind the Montreal Canadiens. The future is bright for the Blackhawks and they are set to start their next chapter, so it’s time for fans to get excited to watch these young stars take the ice.
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