The 2023 version of Second City Hockey’s Top 25 Under 25 rankings opens with a quartet of players who were included on ballots but did not earn enough voting points to make the 25-man list. The voters for this year’s installment consisted of each of the four SCH writers, who submitted individual ballots.
Martin Misiak
Position: Right wing
Birth date: Sep. 30, 2004 (18)
Acquired via: Second-round pick (55th overall) in 2023 NHL Draft
2022-23 Team: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
2022-23 season stats: 17 points (6 G, 11 A), 26 PIM, in 27 regular season games; 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in 9 playoff games
Size: 6-foot-2, 194 pounds
Contract: Unsigned
Rankings: 24 (Eric), 25 (Dave), Unranked (LBR, Mil)
Last T25U25 ranking: N/A
The first thing to understand here is having a second-round pick who joined the organization two months ago is not as much of an indictment of Misiak’s game as it’s more of a testament to the sudden depth within the Blackhawks’ prospect pipeline.
Misiak was a late arrival to the USHL last season, joining the Youngstown Phantoms for 27 regular-season games after playing 46 games with HC Nove Zamky in his native Slovakia. The USHL postseason was Misiak’s best time of the year, finishing the tournament as the Phantoms’ top-line center while averaging over a point per game with 10 (2 G, 8 A) in 9.
He may not be quite an offensive dynamo, but the combination of Misiak’s skating ability and tenacity for the puck make him a relentless forechecker, which could serve him well in a future bottom-six role at the NHL level. Misiak’s next hockey season will have him remain in Ohio, where he’ll be skating for the OHL’s Erie Otters.
Filip Roos
Position: Defense
Birth date: Jan. 5, 1999 (24)
Acquired via: Undrafted free agent signing
2022-23 Team: Blackhawks (NHL) / IceHogs (AHL)
2022-23 NHL regular season stats: 3 points (1 G, 2 A), 4 PIM, 19 SOG, 5.3 S%, 16:13 ATOI, 44.25 CF%, 48.11 xGF%, 53.44 oZS% in 17 games
2022-23 AHL regular season stats: 11 points (3 G, 8 A), 20 PIM, 58 SOG, 5.2 S%, in 39 games
Size: 6-foot-3, 190 pounds
Contract: One year, $925,000 (entry-level contract)
Rankings: 18 (Eric), Unranked (Dave, LBR, Mil)
Last T25U25 ranking: N/A
Roos had an interesting journey last season, as the unheralded offseason signing broke camp with the Blackhawks and looked … not so bad? Relative to the rest of the roster, that bar was painfully low with last season’s Blackhawks team, but Roos had moments where he seemed like he could make for a bottom-pairing defensemen. That initial shine wore off after Roos played 15 NHL games between October and December before first being sent down to the IceHogs. And that’s where Roos stayed for much of the season’s remainder, coming back up to the NHL for a brief two-game stint in March.
His time with the IceHogs was solid but not necessarily spectacular, which isn’t the worst kind of performance from a defenseman. However, it does present a problem for Roos’ long-term future in Chicago, considering he’ll turn 25 during the next hockey season. With multiple blue-line prospects appearing on this list who are still teenagers, it’s extremely difficult to see a spot for Roos in Chicago unless a substantial leap forward is taken in the upcoming season. He may land a depth role with another NHL team at some point, but it doesn’t seem like that’ll be in Chicago.
Jaxson Stauber
Position: Goaltender
Birth date: April 27, 1999 (24)
Acquired via: Undrafted free agent signing
2022-23 Team: Blackhawks (NHL) / IceHogs (AHL)
2022-23 NHL regular season stats: 5-1 record, .911 SV%, 2.81 GAA in 6 games
2022-23 AHL regular season stats: 6-8 record, .894 SV%, 3.32 GAA in 17 games
Size: 6-foot-3, 174 pounds
Contract: One year, $883,750
Rankings: 25 (Eric), Unranked (Dave, LBR, Mil)
Last T25U25 ranking: N/A
Stauber’s best stretch of the season came at the NHL level, as he won five of six starts there, including a 34-save gem at the Calgary Flames on Jan. 26. Those wins temporarily terrified fans that the Connor Bedard sweepstakes were being lost (a concern no longer!) but also flashed the potential Stauber’s displayed since signing in Chicago last March. His time in Rockford was mostly spent in a platoon with Arvid Soderblom, although Stauber often found himself in the IceHogs net when Soderblom was handling NHL duties because of injury issues that plagued Chicago goalies all season. Soderblom was the clear No. 1 in Rockford, handling all of the playoff games, but Stauber proved to be a reliable backup when called upon.
The upcoming hockey season will present a similar battle for Stauber, who’ll likely be in competition with 2020 second-rounder Drew Commesso for the starting spot with the IceHogs. How that position battle unfolds will likely be a strong indication of the hockey futures for each goalie.
Aidan Thompson
Position: Center
Birth date: Feb. 18, 2002 (21)
Acquired via: Third-round pick (90th overall) in 2022 NHL Draft
2022-23 Team: Denver (NCAA)
2022-23 regular season stats: 32 points (10 G, 22 A), 4 PIM, 73 SOG, 13.7 S% in 32 games
Size: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Contract: Unsigned
Rankings: 20 (LBR), Unranked (Dave, Eric, Mil)
Last T25U25 ranking: N/A
After lighting up the USHL to the tune of 82 points (24 G, 58 A) in 57 games with the Lincoln Stars in 2021-22, Thompson continued his offensive prowess in college, averaging a point per game for the Pioneers as a freshman last winter.
Thompson has been billed as a fast skater with excellent passing ability, combining the vision and IQ to read plays with the hands to find an open teammate in prime scoring situations. His high assist total in the USHL and again in the NCAA offer further credence to that scouting report.
A strong sophomore season at Denver could see Thompson soaring higher on these rankings in the future.