Report: Blackhawks in Jeopardy of Losing Forward Prospect’s Rights
· Yahoo Sports
In just over 48 hours, Chicago Blackhawks 2024 third-round pick (No. 92 overall) Jack Pridham and the Kitchener Rangers (OHL) will play in the Memorial Cup Championship Game, taking on the winner of the semifinal matchup between the Everett Silvertips (WHL) and Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL).
As it turns out, the following day will hold much significance for Pridham, too. According to a report from Scott Powers of The Athletic on Thursday, an upcoming decision from the 20-year-old forward will determine whether or not the Blackhawks are still in possession of his draft rights.
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Powers claims that if Pridham commits to a college program before the upcoming Jun. 1 deadline (next Monday), the Blackhawks would retain his rights for two more years. However, should Pridham opt not to go sign with an NCAA program, he would be eligible to re-enter the NHL Draft this summer.
Going back to Pridham’s post-draft year in 2024-25, he originally started the season in the BCHL with the West Kelowna Warriors and was committed to Boston University for the following year. But once the NCAA allowed CHL players to attend college, Pridham immediately departed the BCHL and joined Kitchener in the Ontario Hockey League for the second half of the season. After finding loads of success with the Rangers, Pridham de-committed from BU to remain in the OHL for a second year in a row. That decision paid off nicely for him, as he was the league’s second-leading goal scorer during the regular season and won the OHL Championship.
Now, before going into panic mode about potentially losing Pridham, who’s also been dominant thus far at the Memorial Cup, there’s still another option for him and the Blackhawks. Before Jun. 1, Chicago can sign Pridham to an entry-level contract and have him turn professional. Given how sharp he’s looked at the junior level this year, he appears to be ready for the transition to pro hockey. That also could be appealing to Pridham, depending on what he feels is the next best step for his development.
There’s also the harsher possibility that Pridham, much like 2022 sixth-round pick Dominic James, feels his best chance of receiving a legitimate NHL opportunity as soon as possible is with another franchise, given the Blackhawks’ remarkably deep prospect pool. Should that be the case, Pridham could enter the 2026 Draft and take a chance at finding a better spot for himself. After all, he assuredly would get selected higher than 92nd overall, given the magnificent season he’s coming off.
Pridham, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound winger who plays with exceptional pace, would be a brutal loss for the Blackhawks this offseason. The team is in desperate need of more competent offensive pieces in its middle-six forward group moving forward, particularly on the wing. Pridham has shown promising signs of possibly becoming that type of player since getting drafted by Chicago in the third round two summers ago.
With the clock ticking for Pridham to make a decision, there will likely be a significant update on this matter over the weekend. It will be interesting to see if anything gets announced before he and Kitchener play in the Memorial Cup Championship on Sunday.
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