Normally we’d be checking on Blackhawks prospects across all CHL/USHL leagues, but the kids are only in the OHL this season (for now, anyway).
Forwards
Nick Lardis, Brantford Bulldogs
Stats: 20 points (14 G, 6 A), 6 PIM, 80 SOG in 16 games
Lardis picked up right where he left off last year: scoring goals at a furious pace as the top right wing for the Brantford Bulldogs. He currently has 14 goals in 16 games, good for the fifth best goals-per-game rate in the OHL, which puts him on a near 60-goal pace over the course of a 68-game season. This is up slightly from the 52-goal pace he was on last season. Lardis’ shot is still absolutely lethal basically anywhere on the ice.
One area Lardis needed to work on from last year was diversifying his shot locations, especially taking more shot in high-
danger areas close to the net. Because of how accurate and deceptive his shooting is, he tends to shoot from farther out with ease. However, adding in more net-front type of goals, Lardis will only score even more. And so far, he’s also got a couple of goals where he’s been willing to go into the paint.
Here’s he is driving to the net:
Additionally, Lardis has also six assists, which may not seem like a lot, but is also slightly ahead of where he finished last year in terms of assists. Playmaking is not really his area of expertise, but he’s got a straight-forward passing style and strong on-ice awareness that could translate into more points, given the right linemates. Just right now, he’s the best goal scorer on his team, so he’s generally shooting more than passing.
He’s also not afraid to take the hit to make the play:
And that’s not to say Lardis can’t make some amazing passes: the highlight of his playmaking so far is this wicked backhander through traffic, an example of how good his on-ice vision can be.
The assists bring his point total to 20 on the season so far, a 1.25 point-per-game rate and just outside the top-25 players in the OHL. Not a bad start to the season.
Martin Misiak, Erie Otters
Stats: 12 points (7 G, 5 A), 4 PIM, 35 SOG in 14 games
Although Misiak isn’t enjoying the start Lardis is, he’s been solid and is performing at just under a point-per-game pace. He’s also a little ahead of where he was last year in terms of goal production: last season he managed 23 goals, but he’s currently on pace to beat that number by 10. His shot isn’t necessarily high quality, but he has an above average arsenal of shot types he’s likes to use, making him plenty dangerous with the puck.
However, no shot is is more deadly from him than a one-timer, especially when he’s able step into the shot, throwing his 201-pound body behind his stick and letting them rip.
Being good at a one-timer isn’t all about power, though — it’s about timing and finding the open space:
Misiak has been able to find the soft areas even on non-one-timers as well:
Outside of his shooting, his passing has been fine but not great so far, with many of his assists being secondary.
Misiak continues to be well-rounded, too, as he’s an above average defender. He’s an aggressive puck hound, loves hunting attackers in the neutral zone to break up plays, and uses his proficient skating and large frame to backcheck hard.
There’s a lot to like about Misiak’s overall game, but his production is still pretty modest. Last year, there was some hope Misiak could potentially follow a Bryan Bickell type of development path, considering the two had similar point-per-game rates in their first-season post draft (0.78 for Misiak, 0.77 for Bickell). However, Misiak will need to pick up the pace to keep up with Bickell’s timeline: he managed 1.30 points rate in this D+2 year while Misiak has only improved to a 0.86 rate.
Of note, Misiak has mostly been playing second-line center, though he did get moved up to the top line at points earlier in the season to play both center and wing.
Alex Pharand, Sudbury Wolves
Stats: 12 points (4 G, 8 A), 6 PIM, 40 SOG in 16 games
Unlike the prospects mentioned above, Pharand isn’t much of a goal scorer: he has a decent shot, but it isn’t really special, and he tends to get his points more from hard work than skilled hands. He’s a big-bodied forward at 6-2 and 202 pounds, and his skating is above average, so he’s able to make room through physicality.
Here’s an example of him using his strong skating and heavy body to power through two opposing players:
He also likes to crash the net often, and a little over half of his 11 goals from last year were in close like this rebound goal from this season:
Pharand tends to get more points from assists than goals, and his skating abiility often plays a major role in those as well. On this primary assist while shorthanded, his zone entry is near perfect and causes the opposing players to back up, creating enough space for the trailer to get into a great position to score:
Although his hands aren’t elite, Pharand will occasionally make a spectacular play, like with this no-look backhand assist:
It’s unlikely that Pharand will ever be a high-scoring forward, but his high energy and defensively responsible style of play can often lend itself to carving out a nice role in the NHL. So far this season, he’s played predominantly second-line center while getting the most minutes on the Wolves’ penalty kill.
Jack Pridham, West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL) / Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Stats: 20 points (11 G, 9 A), 31 PIM, 49 SOG in 44 games
Technically, Pridham hasn’t played a game in the OHL yet, but we’re keeping this simple and grouping him in here since he made the move to join the Kitchener Rangers on Monday. The 2024 third-rounder spent 12 games in the British Columbia Hockey League with the West Kelowna Warriors primarily to protect his NCAA eligibility. But since the NCAA made a landmark decision to allow CHL players into their league last week, there’s been a lot of players on the move — like Pridham. He is committed to Boston University, planning to join them for the 2025-26 season.
While in the BCHL, he wracked up up 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in that span, which is solid if not extraordinary for a lower junior league. He missed four games with a minor, unknown injury. Pridham plays a simple but effective game that will hopefully translate well to the OHL, as Daniel Gee — a frequent contributor to EP Rinkside — summarizes below.
While Pridham lacks standout offensive skills, he’s been able to find ways to contribute so far in his career thanks to the smart way he plays and some opportunistic scoring ability.
Much like Pharand, Pridham is quite adept defensively, using his skating to be a menace to opposing players. His hard-working, pugnacious style has even turned some defensive situations into offensive opportunities this season.
Pridham’s swap to the OHL will be an interesting one to watch: when with the Warriors in the BCHL, Pridham was playing on the top line, but he likely won’t get the same placement with the Rangers. Most likely, he will be slotted into a lower-line role with Kitchener while getting penalty kill time to best make use of his power forward, checking capabilities.
AJ Spellacy, Windsor Spitfires
Stats: 13 points (5 G, 8 A), 19 PIM, 44 SOG in 15 games
Outside of Lardis, Spellacy is arguably the most exciting Blackhawks prospect in the OHL this season. he’s not lighting the world on fire with his offense yet — though a 0.87 points-per-game rate in his first season after his draft is very decent — but it’s the way he plays and the obvious potential for growth that is enticing. Another power forward player in the making, Spellacy has a perfect combination of size (6-foot-3, 204 pounds), high effort, and excellent skating to make some highlight-reel plays so far this season.
Like on this goal below, he outmuscles his opponents, manages to keep possession, and get a good shot off. This earned him No. 1 Play of the Week last week in the OHL.
Spellacy’s ability to keep the puck by using his body and agile skating is very consistent throughout his games so far this season. Here is an example of him protecting the puck while spinning to keep the play in the zone to pick up a secondary assist on the eventual goal:
Spin moves might become his signature because he does it quite a lot, including on this high-danger goal:
One of the knocks on Spellacy in his draft season was him needing to learn to make smart plays and read the ice better, and he’s been making progress in those areas. An example of this is this smart chip-in to start the play and then find the open ice in the slot to finish with a goal:
Like some of the players above, Spellacy has played both wing and center this season, though more often as the Spitfires’ second-line right wing. The coaches likely want to see if a big-bodied, solidly defensive player like Spellacy could be a decent pivot, but he’s been more dynamic when on wing and that projects to be his position in higher leagues as well.
Marek Vanacker, Brantford Bulldogs
Stats: n/a
Vanacker hasn’t played a game yet for the Bulldogs — he’s still recovering from his June shoulder surgery — but the team is hoping he’ll be in the Brantford lineup by early December.
Defensemen
Ty Henry, Erie Otters
Stats: 8 points (1 G, 7 A), 31 PIM, 22 SOG in 15 games
The 2024 sixth-rounder is having a solid start to his D+1 season: the physical, smooth skating blue-liner is producing at a nearly 0.5 points-per-game rate, a nice improvement over his 0.27 rate from last season. And that’s a bit surprising since he’s really a defense-first defender. He seems to have found another gear in using his already NHL-calibre skating, his 6-foot-4 frame and his physicality to help contribute more offensively.
As a result, Henry has been much more willing to jump into an offensive play, whether that’s on the rush or just crashing the net looking for rebounds.
Still, defensively is where Henry typically shines. He’s got a great foundation of positioning, gap control, and is especially proficient along the broad to win puck battles. Again, the near elite skating is useful winning puck races, retrievals, and allows for his to recover well when making a mistake. Henry is still very raw and his decision making with the puck is sometimes questionable, but the tools are appealing for this project player.
Henry has been leading the Otters’ second-pairing and on their penalty kill, earning the third most minutes among defenders.