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Nick Lardis is one of many promising young prospects for the Chicago Blackhawks. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Blackhawks’ Prospect Nick Lardis Is Dominating the OHL

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Hunter Crowther | Last updated Feb 18, 2025 4:03 PM ET

It’s been a difficult 2024-25 regular season for the Chicago Blackhawks, who going into the 4 Nations Face-Off international break are 17-31-7 with 41 points and a minus-42 goal differential in 55 games, last in the Central Division and the second-worst record in the NHL. When seasons like this happen, fans look for long-term positives that could hint at success down the road. In other words: prospects!

There are a few on both the Blackhawks’ NHL roster and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, that are catching the attention of Chicago fans. One of their 2022 first-round picks in Kevin Korchinski is rounding out his game in the AHL, and fellow 2022 first-rounder Frank Nazar is making a name for himself with the big club. Nolan Allan, their 2021 first-round pick, spent last season with Rockford and is now fighting every night to become a regular NHLer with the Blackhawks.

And yes, Connor Bedard is still a prospect, despite leading the team in points and already showing flashes of an elite NHL center.

But there’s one prospect who is still in junior that’s catching the attention of fans and those who cover the team, and that’s 2023 third-round pick Nick Lardis. Let’s take a look at the 19-year-old winger and his magical season with the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Dominating the OHL

As of Feb. 18, Lardis has a league-leading 57 goals, five ahead of Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa and 19 ahead of Windsor Spitfire Liam Greentree. His 57 goals, combined with 39 assists, give him 96 points, which is second in the league behind Misa’s 108. Those 96 points are nine ahead of teammate Patrick Thomas – despite Lardis missing two games.

On Feb. 16, the Bulldogs defeated the Niagara IceDogs 10-1 , which saw three players record hat tricks for Brantford – Ladris, fellow Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect Marek Vanacker, and Cole Brown, a New Jersey Devils’ prospect.

What made the win even more impressive was it was Lardis’ fifth hat trick of the season. Some players never record a handful in their career, including junior and the professional ranks. But five in one season? That’s unheard of. The following night was just as impressive, with Lardis recording a goal in his 16th consecutive game, along with four assists for a five-point effort.

With the Bulldogs having a record of 34-16-5 with 73 points, first in the OHL’s Eastern Conference, there’s a good chance the club will make a deep playoff run this spring, giving Lardis a chance to showcase his talent to a wider audience.

The 2024-25 season has seen a massive spike in production for Lardis, but the talent was always there for the Oakville, Ont., native. After a trade to the Bulldogs from the Peterborough Petes in 2022-23, he scored 25 goals, adding 21 assists for 46 points in 33 games with his new club. In 2023-24, injuries cut his season to just 37 games, but he still produced, posting 29 goals and 50 points. One season removed from his draft year, the Blackhawks recognized Lardis’ development, signing him to a three-year entry-level deal last April.

Now fully healthy and given every opportunity on the top line and power play, Lardis has become one of junior hockey’s most dominant offensive forces. Speaking with Bleacher Nation’s Tab Bamford, Lardis says going to an NHL training camp helped prepare him for the future.

I was seeing the NHL level — the best league in the world — so it was great. I learned I need to gain more physicality and strength to my game. I think I did a good job showing that in training camp and into the preseason, too.

–Nick Lardis Talks Scoring Record, Development, Mentality, More (Feb. 17, 2025)

Lardis also told Bamford that he’s in regular contact with the Blackhawks organization, with scouts attending most of his games and the team holding regular Zoom calls to go over both on-ice and off-ice routines. He also picked up habits from NHL veterans while at training camp with Chicago.

Picking [the veterans’] brains, all the little details on and off the ice, even off days, too. What they do and to see how long they’ve been there and maintain their success. I think a big thing was the little details off on the ice, even at practice and working out before or after practice, whatever it is, just making sure I’m getting 1 percent better every day.

– Nick Lardis Talks Scoring Record, Development, Mentality, More (Feb. 17, 2025)

Could Lardis Hit 70?

Now on pace for 73 goals, Lardis could become just one of 12 players in OHL history to reach the 70-goal mark, a list which includes Hall of Famers like Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros and Doug Gilmour. To really put it into context, only one OHL player in the 21st century has hit the 70-goal mark: John Tavares, who as a 16-year-old recorded 72 goals in 67 games with the Oshawa Generals in 2006-07.

Nick Lardis of the Hamilton Bulldogs (Photo credit: Tim Cornett/OHL Images)

Lardis already broke the Bulldogs’ single-season goal record, and is on pace to break the single-season points record of 102 held by Arthur Kaliyev, who now plays for the New York Rangers. But goals and points aren’t at the top of Lardis’ mind, as the Brantford winger has never made it past the first round of the OHL Playoffs.

“I believe we can do a lot of damage. We have a playoff team that’s built for the playoffs, I truly believe that,” Lardis told The Hockey News on Feb. 13. “We like being the underdogs. A lot of teams bought at the trade deadline and we didn’t do as much, but the biggest thing for us is playing with lots of confidence and playing with that Bulldogs swagger.”

However many goals Lardis ends up with, one thing is certain: the Blackhawks found a diamond in the rough in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and Lardis could soon be scoring for Chicago in the not-too-distant future.