If the Chicago Blackhawks are going to become a contender again, they need their young guys to start ascending. It begins with Connor Bedard, of course, but this also includes a farm system that GM Kyle Davidson has been loading up with young talent for years. They need some of those guys to reach the NHL and become stars. Some of them are already making names for themselves in the minor league circuit. At the top of the list is Nick Lardis, their 3rd round pick from 2023.
It seems he's been putting on a show in the Ontario Hockey League. For the first time in 18 years, Lardis cracked the 70-goal barrier in a season. Only seven other players have done it in the league's history. The last to do it was John Tavares in 2007, the future six-time All-Star. Others include Hall of Famer Doug Gilmour, Hall of Famer Eric Lindros, and All-Star Tony Tanti. That is pretty good company for the Blackhawks prospect to find himself in. One can imagine the organization is thrilled with his progress.
Nick Lardis could be a key solution for the Blackhawks.
Their offense was seventh-worst in the NHL last season with 2.73 Goals For per Game. Lardis' rise is reminiscent of Alex DeBrincat's rise a few years ago. He was a lethal goal scorer in the OHL, nabbing 65 in his final season. That translated to the NHL rather quickly. He helped the team make the playoffs in 2019-2020 and has since become a two-time All-Star. Nick Lardis is actually bigger than he was. His speed, skating ability, and stick-handling were all considered great-to-elite. It was a question of whether he could handle the physical rigors of professional hockey and learn to play some defense. The Blackhawks don't seem to think he's ready yet, but his time is coming. His contract runs through 2026-2027.
