Chicago Blackhawks 2025 NHL Draft recap: Consistent Swings on Size and Diverse Skillsets Could Pay Dividends
The Chicago Blackhawks wrapped up their third consecutive draft with a top-three selection, stepping up to the plate for eight picks, three of which fell in the first round. In the fallout of the Florida Panthers’ back-to-back championships, the team from the Windy City took swing after swing on size, heft, and snarl.
Only three of the prospects who heard their name called by Kyle Davidson’s front office are listed under six-foot-four. None less than six-foot-one.
Amongst these consistently large profiles, however, are a variety of skillsets, upsides, and risks. With a lot of undersized skill in the organization already, especially at forward, this strategy could pay dividends, surrounding the existing core with complementary toolkits and insulating physicality.
We’ll break down and evaluate every selection of the Blackhawks in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, starting with the two-way goalscorer at third overall.
1st round, 3rd overall: Anton Frondell, C/LW, Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
Our 13th ranked prospect of the 2025 Draft class, Anton Frondell was the subject of many debates amongst our staff this season, but certain elements were unanimously viewed as clear and projectable strengths. The Swedish forward has a howitzer shot – the second best in the draft, accoriding to our Scout’s Poll – and rampant physicality, alongside standout defensive details.
These attributes – minus the shooting skill – and their relation to franchise cornerstone Connor Bedard’s weaknesses, paint a picture as to why the Blackhawks took the swing on Frondell at third overall.
The Aleksander Barkov comparisons, flying around in the past months, are optimistic in our view, however. Despite some similarities in draft position, physical maturity, and defensive impact, we see Frondell’s upside more closely resembling a player in Bo Horvat’s mould: a reliable two-way top-six cornerstone who dominates the bumper position on the man advantage, can play matchup minutes against top competition, but does not find himself as a perennial contender for the Selke Trophy or drive play at an elite level.
Many of our qualms and questions pertaining Frondell’s ultimate upside in the NHL boil down to this, from our Draft Guide:
“The lack of play-driving was one [our primary concerns], as he often left value on the table with his decision-making and inability to make plays in transition. Partly it stems from his skating, which lacks explosiveness and elusiveness, and the fact that he wasn’t as comfortable making plays in motion. While Frondell is capable of clever small-area passing off the cycle and occasionally more advanced plays, we wouldn’t characterize him as a particularly impressive playmaker, either.”
Despite being less bullish than other scouts and outlets on Frondell, we view him as an indisputable NHLer who will play for a very long time. In order to cement a spot as a top-six centre, the Djurgårdens product will need to take strides in his transition play at pace and diversify his offensive skill.
With his processing speed, heavy frame, and potent shooting threat, Frondell could grow into a matchup demon someday, but it’s possible he excels most on the wing, where his board battle ability can shine and his transition workload is eased. As we saw this season against professional competition – overwhelmingly on the wing – with fewer responsibilities to drive play, his goalscoring blossomed.
What may aid Frondell’s chances most, however, is the surrounding skill in the Blackhawks organization. Chicago is in no shortage of young, pacy playdrivers who can both set up his shot and facilitate his transition workload. From Bedard to Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore, the profiles to complement Frondell’s strengths and weaknesses are already breaking into the NHL lineup.
With the right chemistry, Frondell’s physicality, scoring ability, and defensive value could turn him into a versatile top-six piece who elevates his game come playoff time. Perhaps this selection isn’t a swing for the fences, but Frondell’s game will work effectively in the NHL, and Kyle Davidson took his risks later in the first round.
1st round, 25th overall: Václav Nestrašil, RW, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Prior to the 2025 Draft, no Blackhawks prospect sported the toolkit of a high-intensity power forward with the skill, creativity, and defensive details to elevate and insulate elite offensive minds in a top-six capacity.
Enter Václav Nestrašil, our big mid-season riser from the USHL. On Muskegon’s championship run, virtually no forward received as much trust as the imposing Czech in all situations. Whether his team needed a late equalizer, a killed penalty, or a last stand to protect a one goal margin in the dying seconds, Nestrašil was always among the first players sent over the boards.
His production doesn’t paint a full picture of the degree of skill, finesse, and creative flair this player has. He used his surroundings to create advantages impressively. From a nearly successful Michigan attempt – in the playoffs, mind you – to clever use of the boards and back of the net to pass the puck to himself before spinning off his check, Nestrašil’s opportunism and swagger bring real offensive runway.
His competitiveness stands out on every shift and while he remains raw with several inconsistencies, his development trajectory had me arguing for his value inside our top-20 in our final ranking meeting. He still needs to fill out his frame and continue to embrace a power game – something he was only instructed to lean into by his coaches in the past year due to a late growth spurt. Nestrašil’s skating could use more stride consistency and power, as well, but the elements to grow into a Alexei Protas style of player have been on display all year long, gaining significant steam in the postseason.
An excellent value selection at 25th, in our eyes, and a player perfectly suited to compete for a role in Chicago’s top-six someday. Even if Nestrašil’s skill doesn’t carry him quite that far, his fallback game built on physicality, details, and reliable engagement fits perfectly in a bottom-six NHL role.
1st round, 29th overall: Mason West, RW, Edina High (USHS-MN)
One of the biggest wild cards heading into the final weeks before the draft, Mason West had NHL teams, fans, and NCAA recruiters on the edge of their seats as he deliberated committing to hockey or football. The star quarterback at Edina High saw college offers in both sports, following a 37-touchdown to four-interception campaign in his junior season.
By the time draft day rolled around, however, the doubts around whether West would even pursue hockey were extinguished, following his voiced decision to pursue hockey and, shortly thereafter, commitment to joining the Michigan State Spartans for the 2026-27 season.
But what makes West such an alluring prospect and potential NHL unicorn that Kyle Davidson proclaimed upon selecting the smooth-skating giant: “I wanted to trade back into the first round to take a grand-slam hack. I’m swinging for the fences.”
With standout agility and fluidity, few players at this size can match West’s ease of movement on the ice. He increasingly flashed the handling skill to dissect defences as he grew comfortable with the USHL pace of play in his late-season cup of coffee, blending his hands and feet impressively. Most notably, however, the quarterback’s peripheral vision, pace of decision-making, and deceptive eyes and hips translated seamlessly from the turf to the ice.
He’s a long-term project, however. Though blessed with an imposing frame, like a quarterback he has yet to lean into his physicality or develop contact habits. Upright in battles and unsure of where to place his weight, mechanical refinement is paramount to a power projection against pros.
Michigan State is an excellent program to refine these aspects, but there’s an uphill climb here. West’s desire to get engaged and work hard every shift will help his chances, and as Davidson said, this is a grand-slam swing. His focus and energy has been split between two sports for his entire development. Following the completion of his football career this Fall – his goal is to add a football state championship to his hockey one – Mason West will finally channel everything into hockey. His development will, in all likelihood, accelerate as a result.
He will be a fascinating player to track in the coming seasons, and the Blackhawks’ risk could pay dividends.
3rd round, 66th overall: Nathan Behm, RW/LW, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
Any lack of right-shot wingers the Blackhawks had in their system a few weeks ago is thing of the past, as they swung on dynamic skill and scoring upside for a third consecutive selection. Nathan Behm was a true triple-threat attacker this season, with deft hands, flashy playmaking, and a versatile arsenal of shot releases, capable of beating goaltenders from mid-range, even from tight angles and awkward positions.
From our draft guide:
“Nathan Behm had one of the best draft seasons in Western Canada. The dynamic forward assembled a highlight reel that rivals many top-end first-round picks. At even strength, he outscored many higher overall producers on a per 60 basis, including Gracyn Sawchyn, Brayden Yager, Clarke Caswell, and Lynden Lakovic, according to InStat Hockey. With reach, handling skill, and a knack for pulling pucks through traffic, Behm slices through opponents in spectacular fashion. He taps pucks through defender’s triangles off his backhand, just outside of their reach, and leans into their space to complete the slot cut.”
A faller on draft day, our 36th ranked player in the class wasn’t always an easy watch, with certain defensive zone inconsistencies and subpar skating. Still, the skill could lead to a top-nine scoring role in the NHL, so long as he can raise his pace of execution and double down on his ever-imporving physicality.
4th round, 98th overall: Julius Sumpf, C, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Julius Sumpf – the first of three re-entry prospects selected by the Blackhawks – played a key role on a dominant Moncton Wildcats team, led by Utah Mammoth fourth overall selection Caleb Desnoyers. In his third year of eligibility and second in the QMJHL, Sumpf came into his own: driving play, unleashing heavy shots with regularity, and playing a physical brand of defensive hockey.
“Overall, his habits and reads are what feed his game ָ much more than his tools. Still a high-likelihood support piece at the pro level, with defensive ability, energy and physicality at the core of what makes him useful,” wrote QMJHL regional and crossover scout Hadi Kalakeche in a March game report.
His tools, and shooting skill, specifically, are likely sufficient for the NHL level, but he will cement a role with energetic checking and system buy-in. Sumpf’s board game and ability to come out on top of battles will need to continue growing for an NHL outcome.
While there were perhaps more exciting players on the board with additional on-puck dynamism, the talent drop-off came earlier than usual in the 2025 draft. Landing a player with a reasonable chance of making the big leagues, who is off to Providence College next season and could play professional minutes within a year or two is a solid bet in this range of the draft. Sumpf could fill a bottom-six checking role in Chicago within three or four years with strong development
4th round, 107th overall: Parker Holmes, LW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Chicago’s most emblematic selection of their “draft big” strategy, Parker Holmes has a long way to go in terms of skill refinement, but brings a heavy-hitting six-foot-four and 223-pound frame. An OHL rookie this season, Holmes appeared in 21 games, logging a single goal while averaging eight minutes of ice time per game. While checking intensity, range, and heft form the basis of his profile, Holmes sports a heavy release.
Here’s how Director of North American Scouting Mitch Brown broke down Holmes’ single tally of the season and the areas of his game still needing work:
“He caught the puck, quickly handled it and fired a jumping inside-leg shot with minimal windup and a ton of power[...] Improving his skill – placement of passes, in-motion handling – and off-puck routes to catch more pucks in motion could open more offence for him. He has the energy, but there's a lot of work to do defensively [which features] late, reactionary overcommits.”
For a big man, Holmes is quite a mobile player. He keeps pace with opponents and can generate decent straight line speed. His edges need refining, but as Holmes is along-term project, he will have ample time to tinker on mechanics, especially with close guidance from the Blackhawks’ development staff.
If all goes to plan, Holmes could contend for a fourth line spot in five or six years, offering intensity, physicality, and a heavy release. The upside isn’t the biggest, but Holmes most definitely is.
6th round, 162nd overall: Ashton Cumby, LD, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Dipping straight back into the pool of overagers and physical menaces, Kyle Davidson and his scouting staff swung on a mean six-foot-five left-shot defenceman. Ashton Cumby – who turns 20 in under two weeks – threw his 216-pounds of weight around game after game, which – alongside errant stick habits – led to 102 regular-season penalty minutes.
Paramount to an NHL projection will be Cumby’s progression as a skater. As currently constructed, he’s able to protect the middle lane against the rush, but is easily beaten wide, lacks recovery speed, and his lack of agility is routinely exploited. Gaining more depth in his strides could elevate his two-step explosiveness – key in closing down his gaps aggressively.
Cumby plays the mean style of game that may have reminded the Blackhawks brass of Niko Mikkola’s impact and role on the Panthers’ championship runs, but his road to the NHL is a particularly long one. With significant steps in discipline, stick habits, skating, and first pass upon retrievals, the looming defenceman could fill a third pairing role at some point past the 2030-31 season.
7th round, 194th overall: Ilya Kanarsky, G, AKM Tula (MHL)
The final player selected in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2025 draft class, Ilya Kanarsky, is a big 20-year-old netminder who dominated the Russian junior ranks this season – his third consecutive year with excellent numbers at this level.
In his first full campaign, on a struggling Tula Region side, Kanarsky logged a .919 SV% in spite of a dismal 4-19-0 record. In his D+1 this increased to a .931% with a full-time move to Tula’s top MHL lineup, before capping off his junior career this season, stopping just under 94% of the shots he faced, good for fourth league-wide among goaltenders with over 20 starts.
Kanarsky’s junior numbers have been excellent. He adds to these results an athletic lower body capable of explosive lateral transitions and sound positioning when squaring to the puck. At six-foot-three and 194-pounds, the Russian netminder takes up ample space in net and will face his biggest test in years next season as he leaves the MHL.
With a focus on controlling his movements – Kanarsky has a tendency of overextending his lateral pushes, taking himself out of position – and composure in multi-variable rush chances, he could contend for an NHL role with a handful of years of refinement against stronger competition than he’s faced these previous season.
Ilya Kanarsky may be a full two years older, but his performances this season closely rivalled those of Pyotr Andreyanov. Considering that one went in the 7th round and the other was the 20th overall selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets, this is a sensible swing on tools, size, and shot-stopping numbers. No player selected this late on Day Two of the draft is a sure-thing, but hedging one’s bets on a mobile Russian netminder with excellent stats to back him up makes a lot of sense.