Frondell, Nestrasil, and West: Breaking Down the Blackhawks’ 2025 First-Round Picks

The 2025 NHL Draft wrapped up following an underwhelming presentation due to its decentralized nature. What could have finished in under two hours was drawn out to a four-hour ordeal. The rumors and rumblings of something big happening never materialized. Business as usual. The New York Islanders selected Matthew Schaeffer with the first pick, and the San Jose Sharks, as expected, took Michael Misa. 

So, how did the Chicago Blackhawks do in the first round?  

Anton Frondell - 3rd Overall

As expected, the Chicago Blackhawks drafted Anton Frondell with the third overall pick. Frondell has excellent two-way talent and is a sizeable forward at 6' 1" and 204 lbs. The 18-year-old also has one of the best shots in the class. 

Frondell projects to be a top-six center at his ceiling, with some scouts comparing him to Aleksander Barkov. There is some doubt whether he can be a center in the NHL, as he has played on the wing in Sweden's top professional league. But the fact that he was playing against grown men as a 17-year-old cannot be overstated. 

If Frondell does play wing (which he probably will on this Hawks team), he'll complement either Connor Bedard or Frank Nazar. He could also center a third line, much like Anton Lundell of the Florida Panthers. A savvy third-line center is still a desirable role. 

Vaclav Nestrasil - 25th Overall

The Chicago Blackhawks received the Maple Leafs' first-round pick as part of the Jake McCabe trade. The Hawks held onto what could have been a trade chip, but other teams weren't as interested in futures because of the shallow draft class. The Hawks ended up taking Vaclav Nestrasil with the 25th pick. 

Vaclav Nestrasil played with the USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks and scored 18 goals and 40 points in 57 games. Nestrasil is a 6' 5" and 187 lb winger. The kid is massive and uses his size as a punishing, physical player. Beyond his physical play, Nestrasil is an excellent playmaker, using his reach to grab pucks off the wall and make excellent passes to his teammates. 

Weaknesses include holding onto the puck for too long and making errant reads. Elite Prospects called him one of the bigger projects in this draft class, but projects his ceiling as an incredible second-line power forward. Next season, Nestrasil will play for the University of Massachusetts next year.

Mason West - 29th Overall

Kyle Davidson traded with the Carolina Hurricanes for the second consecutive year during the draft. Both of the Blackhawks' second-round picks and a fifth-round pick in 2027 were sent to Carolina for the 29th pick. Clearly, Davidson had his eyes on someone he wanted. 

Mason West is a bigger project than Nestrasil, but with a lot of upside. At 6' 6" and 208 lbs, West is one of the largest forwards of the draft. He has fluid skating mechanics and excellent reach. He scored 27 goals and 49 points in 31 games with one of the nation's best high school hockey programs at Edina High in Minnesota. 

The downside to West is that he tends to shoot low-quality shots from the perimeter and needs to round out a lot of habits. Despite being one of the largest forwards in the draft, West struggled with physicality and puck battles. 

Mason West is committed to playing hockey for Michigan State in the 2026-27 season. He's returning to high school in the fall to play one more season of football. The quarterback has received offers from D1 programs, but has made it clear that he intends to stick with hockey. 

What's On Tap Next?

Considering this year's draft class, Kyle Davidson did alright. No trade ever transpired to launch the Hawks in a position to take Michael Misa, but they still got a solid forward in Anton Frondell. The addition of a third first-round pick was a nice surprise. Davidson is taking a gamble on Mason West, but with the amount of draft picks that Davidson has accumulated, it's low-risk, high-reward.