Blackhawks Player Grades: Ethan Del Mastro

Ethan Del Mastro split time between the AHL and NHL during the 2024-25 season. The 22-year-old saw 24 games of action, most of that coming in the second half of the season. That said, he played 47 games in the AHL, compiling nine points (all assists). In his 24 games of NHL action, the offense increased, with two goals and four assists. Del Mastro added 40 hits and 21 blocks, and became a stabilizing presence alongside players like Connor Murphy. 

Del Mastro is a former AHL All-Star and was a fourth-round pick back in 2021. The left-handed defenseman will surely get an opportunity to settle in and become a part of the blue line. With the number of left-handed shot defensemen, some of them could be used in trades, but Del Mastro feels like a unique name who can find a home on the team for years to come. 

Player Grades

Steve Kwiatkowski's Grade: B-

I'm very optimistic about EDM. He only has six points in his 26 NHL games. But it's his reads in the offensive zone that have me very interested. He had the best expected goals share (48%) for all defensemen on the Blackhawks.

Tony Marchese's Grade: B

Del Mastro only appeared in 24 games for the Blackhawks this season, but was pretty impressive in his stint with the NHL club finding the back of the net twice, and averaging around 18 minutes a night. The Hawks have plenty of talented defensive prospects in the pipeline and Del Mastro is one of them. It will be intriguing to see where he fits in long term given the plethora of available options.

Ron Luce's Grade: A

Perhaps I'm the only one who appreciates good defense around here, but Ethan Del Mastro was brilliant last season. Per underlying metrics, every defensive partner with Del Mastro improved over any other player they played with last season. He's quiet, stable, takes the right route, and is the exact stay-at-home defenseman the Hawks will need on their blue line. He's a second- or third-pairing guy, but that's beautiful for a former fourth-round pick. He was awesome and deserves an A for his efforts.

What's On Tap Next?

Ethan Del Mastro will be competing with other young names on the blue line for time in 2025-26. Still young, Del Mastro could return to the Rockford IceHogs and continue developing while possibly seeing time this season. Best case scenario, he becomes a staple on the blue line as soon as this coming season. 

Tell us if you agree with our grades! What would you give Ethan Del Mastro? Let us know at @FourFeathersPod on X and Instagram!