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2021 Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25: Drew Commesso pivots to No. 10

Posted on by Shepard Price

Second City Hockey’s 2021-22 preseason Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25 series ranks the organization’s top 25 players under the age of 25 by Oct. 1, 2021. The rankings are determined by a composite score from all four SCH writers. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production against future projection to rank each player. All four ballots will be released after the series is completed.

Drew Commesso impressed as a freshman for Boston while playing behind a defense that included a potential future Blackhawks teammate. College hockey is arguably the best developmental league in the U.S. and it’s hard to play there as a freshman — especially in net. But Commesso was great with the Terriers.

Maybe that’s not to the level of Spencer Knight, who had a .931 save percentage in his freshman season with Boston College and then a .932 before making the jump to the Panthers. For Commesso’s second-round draft position, though, a .915 freshman year certainly inspires more confidence.

Commesso also has plenty of room to grow, both in terms of expanding his role with Boston but also in terms of expanding how well he played. There’s room to go up from a .915, which would prove he’s capable of furthering his growth and continuing to excel as a goaltending prospect.

If there’s one glaring weakness of the Blackhawks’ pipeline — besides defense — it’s goaltending. Unless Arvid Soderblom is the surprise he may well be, Commesso is the best goaltending prospect the Blackhawks currently have.

Commesso is an important prospect for Chicago moving forward. He earned a promotion up this list during the shortened 2021 season, and he may continue to rise if he’s able to build during the 2021-22 college season. Commesso should finally get a full collegiate season and this will be a chance to prove his NHL future.

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