The Chicago Blackhawks completed their 2026 development camp earlier this month at the Blackhawks Ice Center. The team’s future participated in on-ice drills, and some experienced Chicago for the first time.
General manager Kyle Davidson’s 2025 and 2026 draft selections have their next steps figured out, whether it’s college or a junior league. The prospects who were drafted in 2023 and 2024 are hoping to join the Hawks a bit sooner.
Here’s a look at five of those draftees.
Sacha Boisvert (2024, No. 18)
The 20-year-old center was the only player at development camp who played for the Hawks last season. The “veteran” appreciated those seven games, in which he scored his first NHL goal.
“Definitely helps me with confidence and everything, but also seeing the pros’ lifestyle they live,” Boisvert said. “It changed my mentality on everything and gives me some momentum moving forward this summer.”
He likely felt a size differential in the NHL — he said he has bulked up to about 205 pounds since the end of last season. That’s a whopping number considering his 190-pound weigh-in at the start of the season.
“I’m at a pretty good spot if the season started tomorrow, but we’re halfway there (through summer), so it’s going to be a big push at the end here,” Boisvert said. “I’m happy with where I am right now, but at the same time not satisfied — (I’m) wanting to get better every day.”
Boisvert played his second college season at Boston University — his first was at North Dakota — before joining the Hawks. He had 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 26 games with the Terriers.
“It was a big year, a lot of adversity, but adversity’s part of life,” Boisvert said. “I’m happy with the year I had, happy with the people I met, happy with the work I put in and ended up playing a couple of games with Chicago. I couldn’t have asked for a better year.”
Adam Gajan (2023, No. 35)
The goaltender from Poprad, Slovakia, didn’t start for his home country in the 2026 Winter Olympics, but the experience of being in Milan, Italy, was plenty. He’s only 22, so there’s time to man the Olympic crease come 2030 and beyond.
“It was one of my goals before the season to make it (to the Olympics),” Gajan said. “I didn’t get to play, but the atmosphere is very different (from) playing world juniors or a world championship.”
Gajan spent the 2025-26 season with the University of Minnesota Duluth. He posted a 19-13-1 record, a .908 save percentage and a 2.25 goals-against average.
“I could’ve been to college even a year earlier, (but) that would’ve been pretty early for me,” Gajan said. “It was hard for me but I got a lot of opportunities to play.”
With Arvid Söderblom and Drew Commesso slated to back up Spencer Knight, Gajan will spend 2026-27 in Rockford. He started one game for the IceHogs last season, saving 36 of 39 shots.
Marek Vanacker (2024, No. 27)
Vanacker participated in development camp for a third year. Whether it’s at the United Center or the IceHogs’ BMO Arena, the Delhi, Ontario, native will try his hand at professional hockey this winter.
“That’s what this summer is for — getting ready for the next step, which is the NHL,” Vanacker said. “Everything I do every week, I’m going to be pushing myself to be better.”
The high-scoring wing spent his last four seasons with the OHL’s Hamilton/Brantford Bulldogs. He amassed 222 points (111 goals, 111 assists) in 228 regular-season games and added 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists) in 38 playoff games.
He has a chance to take a similar path as current Hawks forward Nick Lardis. The 21-year-old Lardis began last season at Rockford after a 117-point season in Brantford, then was called up to the NHL midseason.
“I talked to him a little bit and he was just telling me to go out there and play your game how you know you’ve been playing,” Vanacker said. “That’s the goal, to try and make the Blackhawks, but if not and I end up going to Rockford, it’s just the beginning and you do what (Lardis) did — play my game and hopefully get a call-up.”
Vanacker, 20, uses his 6-foot-1, 187-pound frame to bully the opposition and create scoring chances with minimal space around him. It’s how he increased his output to 47 goals in 2025-26 — the most in the OHL — from 24 the previous season and 36 in 2023-24.
“(The best part of my game is) being a big power forward,” Vanacker said. “Using my 200-foot game, my ability to score and make plays (and) being tenacious on the ice.
“I had a good summer putting in a big offseason and continuing to work on my craft and my game, it came together for the season. (Brantford) had a good team as well, so it came together very nicely.”
John Mustard (2024, No. 67)
As a college player, it helps to have a familiar face around when adjusting to change. For Mustard, those next steps are to play for the Hawks, just like his roommate and fellow prospect Julius Sumpf.
“We have a lot in common. It’s really nice to have a guy that you play with during the year,” Mustard said. “It’s a good thing to lean back on and talk about how the team’s going to be and everything like that.”
Mustard, 19, will play a third season for Providence College in 2026-27. He had 29 points (17 goals, 12 assists) last season — 10 goals and nine points more than in his freshman season.
“I definitely took a big jump in my development,” Mustard said. “I’m going back for another year, so I feel like there’s more to come for me. I’m excited to take that next step.”
The left wing always has been a speedster, and his finishing is beginning to take shape. Another season at Providence will allow him to pair his aggressiveness with his speed.
“(I’m) trying to dominate the game more consistently,” Mustard said. “There were flashes where I was playing my best hockey, but it wasn’t all throughout the year.
“Coming as a freshman, we had a pretty good team, so it was tough to get the confidence up. Once I got a year of college under my belt, I gained a lot of my confidence and learned what my strengths were as a player.”
AJ Spellacy (2024, No. 72)
The 20-year-old forward out of Westlake, Ohio, participated in his third development camp with the Hawks. In each one, he has arrived as a better player.
“I feel like I just keep improving (and) learning new things,” Spellacy said. “Every time I come here, I leave feeling better than when I came in.
“A pretty good season for myself last year. I was able to improve on my strengths and weaknesses, and I think I’m ready to take the jump and see where that takes me.”
He spent the last four seasons with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires and was an alternate captain for the last two. He totaled 124 points (59 goals, 65 assists) in 227 regular-season games and added 11 points in 18 playoff games.
Spellacy skated for Team USA in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, scoring a goal with three assists. He also posted a 23.69 mph top speed — a number that would’ve been the second-fastest on the Hawks last season.
It’s unusual speed given his 6-3, 205-pound build. Other parts of his game are starting to grow. Without the puck, he can catch up to opponents to create takeaways and set up ensuing breakaways.
Spellacy was a large part of the Spitfires penalty kill — an area the Hawks ranked second in the NHL. He could make an immediate impact on the Hawks roster once all aspects of his game come together.
“People don’t really expect me to create offense all the time, but I think that’s something I can continue to improve on,” Spellacy said. “With my speed, I can create a lot of offense, but when I’m not, that defense style and playing hard, that’s where my game really takes off.”
Spellacy is expected to be assigned to Rockford to begin the 2026-27 season.
