5 Things We Learned From the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase

2. AJ Spellacy is a Sparkplug

Am I biased on this take? Yes. Yes, I am; however, it is not without reason. Spellacy was noticeable in both games and left his fingerprint (and fists) on the ice. In fact, the Hawks blew a 3rd period lead after Aj was taken out for precautionary measures. Spellacy is continuing the development as an Andrew Shaw phenotype. Coming up on a big D+2 in juniors, Aj left a great impression on the Blackhawks brass and will likely play in pre-season.

3. Arytom Levshunov Needs More Time

Perhaps the most controversial pick in recent Blackhawks Showcase history, Levshunov encountered the same issues he faced last year and at Michigan State. Inconsistency. The Belarusian native showed flashes of excellent play but followed it up with bad bites, horrible positioning, and poor reads. Levshunov has the talent to make appearances this season, but the Kurvers showed that he will need to marinate in the minors for at least this year. 

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Mar 18, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov (55) skates on the ice during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at United Center. Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

4. The Clock Hasn’t Hit Midnight for Martin Misiak Yet. 

Going into this weekend, not a lot of people probably thought or cared about Martin Misiak’s performance. The former Eerie Otter has been written off by a lot of fans and media before the showcase, but it showed there could still be something there. Big 68 was noticeable, especially in game 1, for being able to showcase his aggressive forecheck and 2-way game. This season in Rockford will truly show if he is just another face, or perhaps someone that can be seen as a late bloomer from the Blackhawks Showcase. 

Sep 28 Martin Misiak skates at the United Center vs St Louis in a Preseason Game. Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

5. Oliver Moore Stills Shines in Top 6 

Oliver Moore was drafted as someone to step in with Top Six potential. However, over the last two seasons with Minnesota and USA Moore’s defensive game was so advanced that he was relegated to a third-line role. This weekend, Ollie finally had a chance to show his true potential playing line one minutes against the Blues. The Blackhawks Showcase highlighted his speed and natural instinct for the game, which not only showed in his Overtime game-winning goal, but also got him a break in game two as well. With more chances to show Kyle Davidson and Co. what he can do in pre-season, Moore gave solace to Blackhawks fans that he can still be an impact player in the future plans of this roster.  

Oliver Moore dives for puck vs St Louis Blues in Tom Kurvers Showcase, September 13, 2025

The Cowboy Round-Up

Both games showed promise for the Blackhawks’ top prospects. Players, specifically Nick Lardis, who was snakebitten all weekend, thrived in the prospect games. Many of these players, like Lardis and Ryan Greene, will play for the Blackhawks in the preseason. My biggest surprise was Nathan Behm, who looked like a steal from the 3rd round of this year’s draft. Overall, the showcase was a great appetizer for the entree that is the Pre-Season and the dessert that is meaningful hockey.