The Blackhawks picked up another forward with their second pick from the second day of the 2025 NHL Draft, adding German center Julius Sumpf in the fourth round (No. 98 overall).
our first pick of the fourth round‼️ pic.twitter.com/qXrLcAOi1K
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 28, 2025
Sumpf is a bit older for a just-drafted prospect, having turned 20 in January. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward has played with the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats for the last two seasons, tallying 65 points (26 G, 39 A) in 58 regular season games during the 2024-25 season. He was also productive in the playoffs, adding 16 points (10 G, 6 A) in 19 postseason games. On the international stage, Sumpf has played for Germany twice at the World Juniors, notching three points (1 G, 2 A) in five games during the 2024 World Juniors and increasing his production to seven points (2 G, 5 A) in five games during the most recent version of the tournament.
The Elite Prospects player page on Sumpf detailed a player who’s more cerebral in his attack on the offensive side of the game:
Julius Sumpf controls the game at a high level. Understanding spacing principles and manipulation, he constantly attacks gaps in the opposition coverage and times those drives with teammates’ plays. He then catches passes in movement and shifts it to space, using give-and-goes, hand-outs, and changes of lanes off the rush to force the opposition to adjust and break their formation. He reads defenders’ feet, makes plays counter to them, veils his intention, and consistently connects with teammates.
Should he make it to the NHL, Sumpf may have an inside track towards a Lady Byng trophy given his sportsmanlike behavior in the QMJHL:
2024-25 #CHLAwards nominees: Sportsman of the Year
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 12, 2025
• Berkly Catton (@spokanechiefs)
• Ilya Protas (@SpitsHockey)
• Julius Sumpf (@monctonwildcats)
📰 https://t.co/qFyEFu9cy0 pic.twitter.com/em7oBNx7aU