Top 25 Chicago Blackhawks Prospects: Aidan Thompson slots in at #23
The double overager has impressed in his short time with the organization and that's enough for him to be ranked this high
Aidan Thompson
Position: C/W
Age: 20
Physical Attributes: 5’11”, 181-pounds, left-handed
Acquired: 2022 NHL Draft (third round, pick #90)
Expected 2022/23 Team: University of Denver (NCAA)
2021/22 Stats: 82 points (24G, 58A), 52 PIMs, 178 SOG, 13.48 SH%, +12.74 5v5 GF% Rel, and 20.60 eTOI/GP in 57 USHL GP
Contract Status: Unsigned, Blackhawks hold rights until August 15th, 2026
Aidan Thompson comes in at #23 on my Top 25 Blackhawks prospects list. The 20-year-old forward played for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL during the 2021/22 campaign where he amassed 82 points (24G, 58A). That was good enough for fourth amongst all USHL players, and third amongst USHL forwards. To say that he had a great year would be an understatement.
His production compares similarly to current Boston Bruins forward Craig Smith. In his Draft+2 year, Smith put up 28 goals and 48 assists in 54 games (1.41 points-per-game) before being selected 98th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2009. As mentioned earlier, Thompson scored 24 goals and 58 assists in 57 games (1.44 points-per-game) before being selected 90th overall by the Blackhawks.
Thompson is a speedy, pesky and skilled forward. The 20-year-old is very fast and often uses it to his advantage. It makes him a very effective player off the rush and when backchecking. He’s not afraid to engage in puck battles either.
His skill shouldn’t be ignored either as he’s also a great facilitator and he can make plays. Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention his versatility as he played all situations for the Lincoln Stars this past season, and he can play all three forward positions.
The main question marks with Thompson include his age and just genuine uncertainty. He’s already 20-years-old which means he has less time to develop and his numbers were likely inflated because of his age. He also wasn’t known that much before this past season. It will be interesting to see if he’s a late bloomer.
What Others Are Saying:
“They must feel they could find inefficiency in the re-entry guys… because they drafted double overager Aidan Thompson, who was one of the USHL’s most prolific forwards last season. I wonder if they could have picked (Thompson) a round or two later than they did in the third, so I like that pick less than the player (Thompson’s a complete player who is off to Denver and I’m planning to track him closely).”
“Aidan had been through two drafts, going to (University of) Denver. Coaches in the league think he was the fastest skater in the league. Had a ton of points this year, might have been a top five scorer in the USHL. We really like that he’s going to Denver, he’s going to get a lot of opportunity there and they do a great job of developing players.”
- Mike Doneghey, Blackhawks Dir. of Amateur Scouting
“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.”
- Rocky Russo, Lincoln Stars Head Coach (via The Athletic)
What’s Next for Thompson?
Thompson will be playing for the University of Denver this season where more than likely he’ll play a middle-six role. The hope is that he’ll continue to develop in college while also helping Denver compete for a National Championship. It’s worth noting that he recently suffered a knee injury (at Team USA’s World Junior Camp) that will keep him out for roughly three weeks.
My Thoughts
I am very interested to see how Aidan Thompson transitions from the USHL to the NCAA this season. It is a pretty big step, but given his abilities (speed, tenacity and skill), and what he showed at both the Blackhawks’ Rookie Camp and at the USA’s World Juniors Camp I think he can succeed at the collegiate level. He’ll likely spend the next two-to-three years in College before making the jump to the NHL.
NHL ETA & Potential: 2024/25, Bottom-six forward with PK1 upside
Note: Recently signed forward prospect, Cole Guttman will not be included on this edition of my Blackhawks prospect list, but will be eligible for the midseason edition.
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