Chicago Blackhawks emphasize speed and compete on Day 2
The Chicago Blackhawks selected forwards John Mustard, AJ Spellacy, Jack Pridham, and Joel Svensson as well as defenseman Ty Henry on Day 2
The Chicago Blackhawks certainly have a type, high speed, high compete level, and high character. Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson made that abundantly clear two years ago and has stayed true to his word.
“We’re looking for up-tempo speed players that play high-motor hockey, high compete,” said Davidson. “As people you want players that are driven, that want to improve, that understand what they need to work on or are willing to work on it.”
All five of the players that the Hawks selected fit that description to a tee. The Hawks selected four forwards on day two, John Mustard, AJ Spellacy, Jack Pridham and Joel Svensson as well as defenseman Ty Henry.
Chicago dogs with only (John) Mustard
The Blackhawks traded their 34th and 50th picks yesterday in order to draft Marek Vanacker with the 27th pick. Because of that they had to wait until the third-round at 67th overall to pick, yet they still got their guy, John Mustard, anyways.
Mustard, had an unexpectedly great season in the USHL for the Waterloo Black Hawks. En route to winning USHL Rookie of Year, he was able to pot 29 goals (led team), add 27 assists (fourth), and finish second on his team in points (56). Additionally, he had a very strong performance at the 2024 All-American Game where he scored the game-winning goal.
The 18-year-old’s standout attribute is his elite skating ability. He is able to zoom up-and-down the ice with ease, win races to the puck, and leave opposing defenders in the dust. He also has a quick-release that can surprise goalies (as evidenced by his 29 goals) and combined with his speed it makes him a real threat off the rush.
“He leads with speed,” said Director of Scouting Mike Doneghey. “He had almost 30 goals in the USHL, which we think is a hard league to score in and he was able to do it.”
The good news for the Blackhawks and Mustard is that he is extremely raw and is a young Birthday for this draft. He likely projects to be a bottom-six scoring winger at the NHL level.
AJ Spellacy the Athlete
With their second pick in the third-round, 72nd overall, the Hawks opted to go with a pure athlete in AJ Spellacy. Before deciding to pursue hockey full-time, Spellacy, was a dual-sport athlete in high school. He played both hockey and football, and for the latter he received five Division I offers (including Iowa State and Illinois State). Ultimately, he stuck with hockey and that seems like the wise choice.
His athletic profile was on full display at the NHL Scouting Combine in early June where he ranked first in the Wingate test (peak power), second in the horizontal jump, fourth in the agility testing, seventh in the pull-up test, and ninth in both the vertical and no-arm jump.
Statistically it was not the greatest season for Spellacy, as he only mustered 21 goals and 17 assists in 67 games. It was not all his fault though as the Windsor Spitfires are a rebuilding team. The good news is that he improved as the year went on and he finished the last 30 games with 14 goals and 10 assists.
The first thing that is noticeable about the 18-year-old is unsurprisingly his skating. He is arguably the fastest skater in this draft class and a flat out burner. Much like Mustard, he uses his speed to create off the rush, but also uses it to beat opposing players to loose pucks. His physicality and motor are above-average as well. He is not afraid to fight for pucks, engage in battles, and finish checks. There is some untapped offensive potential here too.
“He's a freak of an athlete,” said Doneghey. “Awesome skater, competitive. In Windsor, not a great team, he was on the penalty kill there, first guy over the boards. He got a lot of his opportunity for offense through speed. Competitive kid, plays with some bite.”
Spellacy is very raw, but that also gives him a ton of runway to improve. His likely role in the NHL is as a bottom-six forward, but there is a chance he becomes a middle-sixer.
Jack Pridham pick analysis
The Blackhawks again decided to trade up with the Carolina Hurricanes, this time for the 92nd overall pick. With that pick they elected to take another raw and athletic forward in Jack Pridham.
In the BCHL for the West Kelowna Warriors, he was nearly a point-per-game player scoring 23 goals and 26 assists in 54 games. Although it wasn’t nearly the offensive output some were expecting, it wasn’t awful either. Pridham was even better in the playoffs scoring above a point-per-game with eight goals and three assists in 10 games.
Similarly to the two forwards picked before him, the Canadian winger is heralded for his skating ability. Not only is he extremely fast and explosive but he also possesses outstanding edge work and excellent mechanics. His motor also runs at all times as he competes and plays a strong 200-foot game.
“Another guy who's on a little bit of a long road,” Doneghey stated. “He can skate, kill penalties. We really like that he's going to Boston University because of their strength program and their coaches.”
Pridham is another unrefined player, mostly because of the competition he has played against, but he has a lot of time to develop as he won’t be going to college until 2025/26. The most likely outcome for the 18-year-old is that he becomes a bottom-six forward in the NHL.
Joel Svensson & Ty Henry evaluations
With their last two picks the Hawks took, what a surprise, two more athletes. Joel Svensson was the 138th pick while Ty Henry was taken with the 163rd pick. Svensson split season between three levels of Swedish hockey, including the SHL, but found the most success at the Under-20 level where he scored 24 goals and 33 points in 25 games. He also had an outstanding playoffs for Kristianstads IK of the HockeyEttan (Sweden’s third division) where he totaled four goals and nine points in 12 games. Henry on the other hand barely produced for the Erie Otters only recording seven assists in 54 games.
Doneghey said about Svensson, “Fits our traits. His skating. Another right shot. Really good character assessments coming back from his current coaches.”
He also said that Henry, “can skate, he's more athlete right now than hockey player but we've got time to develop him."
Both players, more so Henry than Svensson, are extremely raw and will take time to develop. At this moment in time they project as NHL depth at best, but that could change over the next few years.
ICYMI
Chicago Blackhawks 1st Round Analysis
If I were Kyle Davidson Part 1
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Didn’t know that Mustard won the USHL Rookie of the Year.