Blackhawks Lock In Future Core Piece, Officially Sign Third Overall Pick from Sweden

The Chicago Blackhawks have landed Connor Bedard and Artyom Levshunov over the past two years in the lottery, and in 2025, they landed someone that most analysts believe could be a star as well.

That would be Swedish forward Anton Frondell, who was drafted on the back of an 11 goal, 25 point campaign in the top level of Swedish hockey a year ago as he helped lead Djurgardens to the Championship.

Now, he was selected No. 3 overall in the NHL Draft, and wasting no time, the Blackhawks have officially announced on Tuesday that they have signed him to his three-year Entry Level Contract.

The 18-year old stands at 6-foot-1 with immense skill that will almost certainly translate to the next level, and with the Blackhawks already having their top centre in Connor Bedard, the belief is that Frondell could be a long-term answer at 2C as this team looks to continue building around their young core.

Unlike Bedard, it's likely that Frondell won't come to the NHL in his first season after signing his deal as he looks to grow both physically and as a player, but with a good showing in the off-season, there's a chance that anything could happen for the young Swede.

Only time will tell how things play out, but for now, Frondell has quickly become one of the NHL's most intriguing prospects, and with the Blackhawks locking him up quickly, it shows faith that he's going to be a key piece of the organization for years to come.