When the Chicago Blackhawks make their first appearance at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase on Saturday night, all eyes will be on former first-round picks Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, and Oliver Moore. Rightfully so. Marek Vanacker is another prospect on the roster who was a first-round selection, and his two-year OHL teammate, Nick Lardis, is coming off a 71-goal season with the Brantford Bulldogs. They’ll garner a lot of attention, too.
But the Blackhawks’ prospect pool is likely the deepest in the league, as GM Kyle Davidson has done a marvelous job of stockpiling NHL-caliber talent in recent years. That means there’s plenty of quality prospects littered throughout the team’s 23-player roster heading to Minnesota.
Here are four sleeper prospects that are worth keeping an eye on this weekend.
Jack Pridham (F) — 2024 3rd-Round Pick
Pridham has had an interesting path to his first appearance at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase. Originally committed to Boston University for the fall of 2025, Pridham began the 2024-25 season in the BCHL with West Kelowna, as his NCAA ties made him ineligible to play in the CHL. However, an OHL rule change last winter led to him signing with the Kitchener Rangers, who still owned his rights after drafting him back in 2021.
Drafting Pridham despite his NCAA commitment turned out to be a wise decision for Kitchener, as Pridham joined the team in November and immediately made an impact in the top six. Pridham finished the season with 54 points (27G, 27A), good for third-most on the team despite playing in only 48 games.
Pridham was expected to jump to college hockey for his freshman season, but he ultimately decided to remain with the Rangers for one more year. A curious choice, as he would have faced an uptick in competition and gained experience playing against older, more mature players. But Pridham also knows precisely what his role is with Kitchener, and it would have been difficult for a freshman to receive consistent ice time on one of the top teams in the country.
During Thursday’s scrimmage at rookie camp, Pridham played right wing on a line with Aidan Thompson and Ryan Greene. That might end up being the Blackhawks’ second line this weekend in Minnesota. Both Thompson and Greene have now turned professional, so that would be a great opportunity for Pridham to show the franchise that he can already play at their level.
With a smooth skating ability, decent size, and a well-rounded offensive makeup, Pridham has the chance to play NHL games with the Blackhawks. He’ll likely turn pro at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Nathan Behm (F) — 2025 3rd-Round Pick
Behm is coming off a strong second full season in the WHL, as he tallied 66 points (31G, 35A) in 59 games with the Kamloops Blazers. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound winger has a stout size and skill combination, and it will be fun to see him get his first action in a Blackhawks sweater this weekend.
One of only three members of the 2025 draft class on the roster, Behm skated on a line with A.J. Spellacy and Martin Misiak during Thursday’s scrimmage. All three players are at least 6-foot-2 and have larger frames, so this likely serves as the team’s checking/third line during the Showcase. Behm is probably the most skilled player of the three, but he’s also the youngest. This will be a great experience for him.
Behm is set to return to Kamloops for the 2025-26 season, where he’ll be a key piece of the team. His 31 goals and 66 points were both good for second on the Blazers last year, where he only played in 59 of the team’s 68 games. Behm could be in store for a massive season in the WHL.
Taige Harding (D) — 2021 3rd-Round Pick
Somehow, the mammoth 6-foot-7, 238-pound defenseman feels like somewhat of a forgotten man in the Blackhawks’ pipeline, as he wasn’t drafted by current GM Kyle Davidson and has spent the past four seasons developing at Providence. Frankly, we just haven’t seen a lot of Harding since he’s been drafted because of his time in college hockey.
Harding only accrued 40 points (8G, 32A) in 123 NCAA games with the Friars, but he will never be known for his offensive contributions. Instead, the big left-handed blueliner is best described as a stay-at-home defenseman who uses his size and long reach to his advantage. However, Harding did record three assists in his first eight AHL games with the IceHogs after joining them once his senior season with Providence concluded. That was a pleasant surprise.
Even though he’s still just 23 years old, Harding is clearly behind other depth defensemen in the organization like Ethan Del Mastro, Nolan Allan, and Louis Crevier. This is an important weekend for him to prove his worth, and he’s likely to be paired with either Sam Rinzel or Artyom Levshunov for the Showcase. No pressure, Taige!
Harding is finally making the full-time leap to the professional scene, and he’s expected to begin the 2025-26 season in the AHL with Rockford.
Stanislav Berezhnoy (G) — Undrafted FA Signing
Berezhnoy, 22, was signed by the Blackhawks this summer after a couple of splendid seasons in Russia’s VHL. The 6-foot-4, 209-pound goaltender has amassed an impressive 2.77 goals-against average, .918 save percentage, and three shutouts in 54 VHL games over the last three years.
This weekend provides the first glimpse at Berezhnoy since he signed a two-year, entry-level contract in July. Considering that Owen Flores, currently on an AHL deal with the IceHogs, is the only other goaltender on the roster, Berezhnoy will be the top priority in net over the weekend.
Berezhnoy will likely be utilized as Drew Commesso’s backup in Rockford to begin the 2025-26 season. While Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, and Commesso are clearly ahead of him in the pecking order, Berezhnoy is an intriguing young goalie himself. He’s had a tremendous start to his professional career and won’t turn 23 until next June.
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