The Blackhawks are heading into the 2026 Prospect Showcase with a group that has plenty of eyes on it, and a few names stand out immediately.
Chicago announced its roster earlier in the week for the event at Blackhawks Ice Arena in Chicago, where the club will hold three practices, two morning skates and two games against St. Louis Blues prospects. Not every top prospect is in the mix, but the group is still strong enough to make this a real test.
Among the players on the roster, these five bring the most intrigue for different reasons.
Sacha Boisvert is one of the biggest names in the building. The forward was taken 18th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, so the expectations that come with that kind of selection are baked in.
After wrapping up his NCAA career, he signed with Chicago at the end of last season and got into a handful of games. He didn’t appear in every game after the signing, but the upside is obvious, and he enters this showcase as one of the prospects worth tracking most closely.
Marek Vanacker arrives with a similar first-round pedigree. Chicago selected him 27th overall in that same 2024 draft, and he’s another forward the organization is hoping can eventually fit into one of its four lines, unless he ends up being used in a trade. Against the Blues prospects, Vanacker is expected to make his presence felt on one of the top two lines.
Ryan Roobroeck is a little different from the rest of the group because he is the only player here who isn’t signed. He was taken 35th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, and unless he becomes uncuttable in camp and the preseason, he’ll be headed back to Major Junior hockey in 2026-27 with the Guelph Storm of the OHL. Of Chicago’s 2026 draftees, he figures to draw the most attention at this event, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Blackhawks deploy him compared to some of the older forwards.
AJ Spellacy may not have the flashiest toolbox in the bunch, but he makes a strong case as the most NHL-ready. He plays with edge, keeps his motor running, and brings a style that fits neatly beside more skilled linemates.
He’s the kind of winger who can win puck battles, throw his weight around, and work the front of the net. That tenacity gives him a chance to score goals at every level, and he also has the kind of clutch presence that shows up when the pressure rises.
In goal, Adam Gajan is the name to watch. Spencer Knight is the organization’s No. 1 goalie, Arvid Soderblom is set to back him up for another year, and Drew Commesso is still waiting in the wings.
Even so, Chicago can always use more depth in net, and Gajan is part of that picture going forward. He was one of the NCAA’s top goalies over the last few years and also made Team Slovakia’s roster for the Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, where he ended up as the third stringer.
His pro path is expected to begin in the AHL, which is the usual route for most goalies. If he sees Blackhawks action this season, it would likely take multiple injuries, though that seems more like a concern for next year or later.
Among the non-skating prospects in Chicago’s group, he’s the best of the bunch. Jason Schaubel, the other goalie on the roster, is expected to share net duties with him in the games after helping the Kitchener Rangers to a Memorial Cup victory earlier this year.
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