The Chicago Blackhawks have a lot of good young players in the organization. It all starts and ends with Connor Bedard, the number one pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is the guy the franchise will look to to build a winner around.
You may remember when Connor Bedard dominated the World Junior Championship on his way to a gold medal with Team Canada. He had a lot of hype before that tournament, but his performance there elevated him to “generational prospect” status.
Like Bedard, a few undrafted prospects could be the number one picks in the future. That includes James Hagens (Boston College), the frontrunner for the 2025 NHL Draft, and Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers), who is the likely number one pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Right now the Hawks have the worst record in the NHL, so landing those guys in the next few years seems entirely possible. Adding them to their already strong pipeline would further boost their future. This is another opportunity to scout them in a “best on best” format for potential customers.
Chicago also has a number of drafted prospects participating in this tournament. The majority of the tournament consists of already drafted prospects from around the world. Most NHL teams have between 2 and 5 prospects on a roster.
The most notable Blackhawks prospect heading into this event is Oliver Moore, who currently plays for the University of Minnesota. He is a speedy forward who drives play with his elite skating and tenacious playing style.
Team USA has many superstar-caliber players, such as Hagens and his BC teammates Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers) and Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals). If Moore leads the way in terms of forward depth, this team could be incredible.
Meanwhile, Jiri Felcman will also represent the Blackhawks as a member of Team Czechia. Felcman was selected by the Hawks in the third round (93rd overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Felcman is 19 years old and plays in the Swiss National League. So far this season for the SCL Tigers, he has no goals and seven assists in 20 games played.
The Czech Republic is a team that wants to surprise every year. They have had a lot of success in this tournament recently and they hope to have a little more of that luck this time around.
How does this hockey country compete with countries like Canada and the United States? Well, they play a strong team-oriented game in all three zones. We’ll see if Blackhawks prospect Jiri Felcman can make a significant contribution.
For Hawks fans watching this tournament, there is a lot to keep an eye on. The two potential number one picks, along with the handful of other guys who haven’t been drafted yet, Oliver Moore and Jiri Felcman, are all reasons to join.
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