For months, it seemed like the Blackhawks‘ only path to drafting top forward prospect Michael Misa involved trading up for the No. 1 or 2 pick. Now, it seems like Misa might fall into their lap at No. 3.
Rumors have spread this week, leading up to the first round Friday night, that the Sharks are strongly considering picking forward Anton Frondell at No. 2 — assuming the Islanders take defenseman Matthew Schaefer at No. 1 as expected.
The Hawks also now believe the Sharks taking Frondell is a real possibility.
If that happens, Misa — whom most scouts and public prognosticators consider the best forward in the class, with some considering him a full tier above the other forwards (on the same tier as Schaefer) — would still be on the board for the Hawks.
The Hawks have carefully avoided giving away their draft rankings, but it seems extremely likely they would gleefully grab Misa in that scenario.
He led the OHL in scoring this season with 134 points in 65 games for the Saginaw Spirit. It was the most productive OHL season by any under-18 player since 2007, demonstrating the degree to which he utterly dominated the league.
His skating is elite, both in terms of north-south speed and east-west agility — which always appeals to the Hawks. He uses it effectively to beat defenders, make plays and get into dangerous areas.
His hockey IQ is high-end, as well, as he reads situations quickly and accurately and can improvise and be creative on the fly. His shot is very good, albeit not quite elite, and work ethic is strong.
“He’s physical, he engages, he hunts pucks — he does a lot of things that you need a center to do, and on top of that, he’s got this tremendous scoring ability,” FloHockey scouting expert Chris Peters told the Sun-Times in May. “I don’t think he’s as dynamic a scorer as [Connor] Bedard…but there’s definitely a lot to like about his game.”
Misa’s size was previously a weakness, but he grew two inches recently and measured 6-1 and 182 pounds at the combine, which is perfectly adequate. Frondell has a broader frame and more weight already on him (204 pounds), but they’re actually the same height.
Misa mostly played on the wing in 2022-23 and 2023-24 in Saginaw, but he shifted to center in 2024-25 and projects to be a center in the NHL. With Bedard and Frank Nazar in the fold, that’s something the Hawks would have to figure out, but that would be the case with almost every top forward prospect this year (including Frondell).
“Ultimately, I wanted to make that jump back to center,” Misa said at the combine. “It helped my confidence level a lot. I feel a lot more comfortable down the middle, [and I] got a lot more puck touches.”
He believes he’s ready to jump to the NHL next season, but that would realistically be determined by his play in training camp. If anyone from this draft class plays in the NHL next season, it will probably be him.
The Hawks took him out to dinner several times during the season, and he became close with Hawks scout Jim McKellar before meeting the full front office at the combine.
“I love the organization, so we’ll see what happens,” Misa said then.
The Hawks are enamored with Frondell, too, who has an otherworldly shot and whose production in Sweden this season measured just as favorably against historical comparisons as Misa’s.
If the Sharks take Misa, Frondell will likely be the Hawks’ pick, although Caleb Desnoyers can’t be ruled out.
But Misa dropping to No. 3 would represent the best-case scenario for the Hawks. The Hawks and Sharks’ rebuilds will be contrasted for the next decade, and Friday could mark a pivotal moment in their respective trajectories.
