Nick Lardis is tearing up the OHL.
Detroit Red Wings v Chicago Blackhawks | Michael Reaves/GettyImages
Yesterday, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis notched four goals to lead the Brantford Bulldogs to a win over the Sudbury Wolves in OHL play.
Lardis’ statement game brought him to 48 goals in just 47 games this season, and he now has eight more goals than the closest player, Michael Misa (who may join him as a Hawks prospect shortly).
Nick Lardis (CHI) with four goals and 10 shots through two periods for Brantford, bringing him to 48 goals in 47 games.
The leading scorer in the CHL and one of the most underrated prospects in hockey. Lethal on the power play with that one-timer, too. pic.twitter.com/VKTkgWVFnK
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) February 2, 2025
The 2023 third-rounder is on pace for 67 goals and 113 points this season. A Hawks OHL prospect hasn’t matched that kind of production since Alex DeBrincat posted 65 goals and 127 points in his final season with the Eerie Otters.
This career season is no fluke, either. In his previous two seasons, Lardis potted 66 goals in 106 games, good for a 0.62 goals-per-game rate. Lardis is a bonafide sniper and his game is ascending. More importantly, he is exactly what the Hawks need right now.
With just three players on pace to eclipse the 20-goal mark this season, the Hawks need more goal-scorers in their lineup in a bad way.
Ideally, the Hawks will sign a marquee free agent this summer, but one player alone will not solve their goal-scoring woes. Frank Nazar, Landon Slaggert, and Colton Dach have all had their bright spots thus far, but none project to be consistent 30-goal scorers.
We don’t know how Lardis’ scoring will translate to the NHL-level, but right now he has the statistical profile of an elite scorer.
That is why he should at least get a nine-game stint with the Blackhawks at the beginning of next season. Why not toss him on Bedard’s or Nazar’s wing and see what he can do? He just might end up sticking around for the entire season.
