Top 25 Chicago Blackhawks Prospects: Aidan Thompson in at #25
After an impressive first collegiate season, Aidan Thompson slots in at #25
Aidan Thompson
Position: C
Age: 21
Physical Attributes: 5’11”, 175-pounds, left-handed
Acquired: 2022 NHL Draft (third round, pick #90)
Expected 2023/24 Team: University of Denver (NCAA)
2022/23 Stats: 32 points (10G, 22A), Four PIMs, 77 SOG, and a 12.99 SH% in 32 NCAA GP
Contract Status: Unsigned, Blackhawks hold rights until August 15th, 2026
This marks the second straight year that Aidan Thompson has made my top 25, and it’s arguably more impressive this time around. Last year he slotted in at #23 but it’s important to note that the Blackhawks system has gotten a lot better over the past year. He has done nothing but excel since being drafted.
The 21-year-old had an outstanding freshman year for the University of Denver, despite dealing with a knee injury early on. He mainly played in the middle-six and put up 10 goals and 22 assists. His point-per-game totals were good enough for second on Denver and T-12th amongst all college freshmen. Pretty impressive stuff for a third-round pick.
On top of his stats, Thompson also has some intriguing abilities. He plays with a lot of speed down the middle of the ice and can create problems for opposing defensemen with his quick movements. Combine that with his pesky and hard to play against attitude, and you have yourself a very projectable NHL player.
He does have some offensive flair as well. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention his playmaking ability, puck-handling skill, and just how he sees the ice. He’s able to manipulate defensemen because of all three and that can make him a dangerous player in the offensive zone.
While there are a lot of positives with the 21-year-old, there are some concerns too. The main one is his age, as he’ll be turning 22 in February. You have to wonder if that’s one of the reasons why he has dominated the past two years. He’s also undersized for a center and has dealt with injury problems. Finally, while he does have intriguing offensive tools none of them are high-end at this point.
What Others Are Saying:
“Thompson is another speedy center in the pipeline. He’s shifty and skilled with the puck and utilizes his speed to close down on opponents quickly. He also won 50.7 percent of his faceoffs. He is on the smaller side as a center, so that could be a question mark going forward. The Blackhawks will have to decide how quickly they want him to move on from college.”
“One might have thought that [Thompson] was just another overage player dominating due to his experience and physical maturity. Then he immediately translated his production to college. He continues to look like a late-bloomer and may end up a savvy pick by the Blackhawks if he continues to show the same playmaking talents. Off the rush, by slowing down and cutting alongside the width of the ice, he drags defenders away from teammates and frees space to drop them the puck. He operates the same way in the offensive zone; he orchestrates passing plays with a combination of fakes, quick dangles, and by hunting space at the top of the slot. His skill level is definitely higher than one would expect out of a player drafted as a 20-year-old in the USHL.”
“Skating is probably one of his top three assets. He’s able to separate. He’s able to get to top speed very quickly and make plays in in traffic at high speed. So I think that he fits the mold of what they’re trying to build there now. Aidan was a very talented player, we knew that, but his ability to facilitate, to generate offense from situations that you wouldn’t expect it to come from, his passing ability on the power play was special. He was a very important penalty killer for us, a key guy to take faceoffs in all situations.”
What’s Next for Thompson?
Aidan Thompson is expected to be a top-six center for the University of Denver this season. He should get first unit power play time and penalty kill time as well. If he has another good season and continues to progress, expect the Blackhawks to sign him after his collegiate season ends.
My Thoughts
I was really impressed with Aidan Thompson’s freshman year. I wasn’t expecting him to be a point-per-game collegiate player out of the gates. He has just smashed every expectation so far, and I think he’ll have another massive season at Denver. I expect him to sign after this season.
His speed, peskiness, and hockey sense are all impressive and give him a real chance at becoming an NHLer. To me he projects as a bottom-six forward who can play on the penalty kill. If all goes well, he could be in the NHL as soon as his sophomore year ends.
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