If there has been one theme in the past year or two for the Blackhawks, it’s been that the team has been hitting on many of its draft picks, flipping the NHL roster upside down with homegrown talent. Several members of recent draft classes have turned into every-night NHL players, with Oliver Moore, Colton Dach, and Ryan Greene being the most recent to make their mark at the game’s top level.
But while the past few classes have produced a handful of future stars, Chicago’s most exciting prospect may still be waiting in the wings. After being drafted in 2023 and putting together a decent few seasons in Russia, 21-year-old Roman Kantserov has exploded onto the scene this season, putting up 14 goals and 22 points in 22 games already this year. He’s certainly playing a notch above his competition:
The Blackhawks, and Chicago as a whole, has been watching Kantserov’s progress closely. It can be hard to keep tabs on Russian players sometimes, with their updated height and weight often being questionable, but the forward has been putting together enough highlight-reel plays that we’re able to watch him a bit easier.
This week, Kantserov gave RG Media’s Sergey Demidov an idea of the timeline in which he might leave the KHL for North America.
“I’ll make that decision next year. Right now, I’m focused on helping Metallurg. We have a great team and great opportunities here. But of course, if the chance comes, I’d really like to test myself over there.”
- Roman Kantserov
Kantserov’s contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk expires on May 31, 2026, so it would be hard to imagine him joining the Blackhawks in the 2025-26 season. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in Chicago next fall and potentially make it out of training camp with the team. With four forwards hitting UFA status next summer, it’s a perfect opportunity for him to slot into the roster–not that he’ll need a perfect opportunity if he can keep playing like he is currently. The Blackhawks seem to be waiting for him, Kantserov told Demidov:
“They know I’m in the last year of my contract, and I can feel they’re showing more interest now. We have calls roughly every 10 games, go over clips, and discuss areas to improve. Still, the systems in our leagues are very different, so we mostly talk about individual skills.”
- Roman Kantserov
While it’s tough to tell how Kantserov’s career will pan out, the fact that he’s playing at this level against tough KHL competition is a pretty great sign. After being picked 44th overall by Chicago in 2023, assuming he turns into a strong NHL piece, he’ll represent another hit in the draft in the Kyle Davidson regime.
