The Blackhawks signed left-wing prospect Nick Lardis to a three-year, entry-level contract Wednesday, per a team announcement. The deal carries a cap hit of $897K.
Lardis, 18, was picked up by Chicago last summer, heading to them with the 67th overall pick in the 2023 draft. The Ontario-born winger has been a much-improved talent this season with OHL Brantford, notching 29 goals and 50 points in an injury-plagued campaign that limited him to 37 games.
The speedy sniper is a top-10 talent in a top-10 prospect pool. In The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler’s 2024 rankings, he was the ninth-ranked prospect in the organization. His skating is his biggest threat, both in terms of his straight-line speed and edgework, but he has quite a capable shot as well. He lacks over-the-top size at 5’11” and 165 lbs, somewhat limiting his appeal on draft day last year, but was a solid value selection at the time. Early returns look very promising. Since beginning his major junior career in 2021, he’s amassed 84 goals and 152 points in 169 games for Peterborough and Brantford/Hamilton.
Lardis will likely return to Brantford next season, as he still needs a bit more development time. Making Chicago’s roster out of camp appears unlikely, and he’s too young for assignment to AHL Rockford per the NHL/CHL transfer agreement. If he plays fewer than 10 NHL games next season, his ELC will defer to 2025-26. Given his age, he’s only eligible for a slide once, not twice. In that very likely event, he’d become an RFA upon expiry in 2028.
The kid has a chance to be really good. I’ve only seen him play a couple of times but he’s greased lightning with a quick hard shot. Just needs to put on a few pounds but he’s only 18.
Michigan making it to the final four delayed Nazar coming to the Hawks 2 weeks. But he and maybe Greene also might make it for an end of the season Cup of Coffee with Slaggert. The Hawks solid talent should start showing up regularly from now on.
I have a bad habit of looking at our later picks and forgetting to just see how much they have to bring to our team. I keep saying Reichel needs to be put back at wing. We have PLENTY of possible #2C candidates with Moore, this 2024 Draft, then FA’s. I am very interested because I dont have a list, but a number of young 22-23 yr olds at the end of their ELC’s might want to sign here to play with Bedard, Korchinski, etc. This team has far far more talent than even some of our own fans are aware of. And if KD hadnt said enough, this is my plan, this is what is gonna happen, and we will not change then we wouldnt have replenished all the Prospects Bowman lost, made smart and CAP friendly deals that have us sitting pretty. This team has the foundation to be better than our 2013 0r 2015 Cup teams.