Overview
- Chicago chose Swedish forward Anton Frondell with the third overall pick after he tallied 25 points in 29 HockeyAllsvenskan games and earned rookie of the year honors
- The Blackhawks secured Czech winger Vaclav Nestrasil at No. 25 using a conditional first-round selection acquired from Toronto in February 2023 following his 42-point season with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Neither prospect will join the NHL roster in 2025-26 as Frondell returns to Djurgårdens IF in Sweden’s SHL and Nestrasil advances to NCAA play at UMass Amherst
- GM Kyle Davidson’s strategy of accumulating high-ceiling prospects supports star Connor Bedard as the team looks to recover from two straight seasons near the bottom of the standings
- Frondell’s point-per-game pace outperformed past top draft picks in their draft years and Nestrasil’s combination of size and scoring upside enhances Chicago’s long-term forward core