Jack Pridham Faces June 1st Decision With Blackhawks Rights at Stake
jack pridham has a June 1st decision in front of him, and it could decide whether the Chicago Blackhawks keep his rights. He can commit to college, sign his entry-level deal, or go back into the draft after helping Kitchener reach the Memorial Cup Final.
Jack Pridham And Chicago
Chicago selected Pridham 92nd overall in 2024, and the clock on his next move is already set. If he commits to college before June 1st, the Blackhawks retain his rights for another two years. If he decides not to attend college, he re-enters the draft.
That leaves one player with three paths and one team with a narrow window to keep control of a prospect it drafted last year. Pridham could also sign his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks, which would take the decision out of the college route entirely.
Kitchener Rangers Run
Pridham’s leverage comes from what he just did in Kitchener. He played for the Rangers during the regular season, helped them win an OHL championship, and was part of the group that pushed them into the Memorial Cup Final.
The Rangers were scheduled to play the championship game on Sunday, against the winner of Friday’s semifinal between the Everett Silvertips and the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. That stage only sharpened the attention around where Pridham goes next, especially after he chose last summer to return to Kitchener instead of going to Boston University.
Mike McKenzie On Options
Kitchener general manager Mike McKenzie said he was not fully sure how Pridham’s path will look beyond next season. “I am not totally sure what his plans are beyond next year,” McKenzie said. “I know there are a lot of options.”
McKenzie also sketched the kind of player Kitchener believes it has. “I think he can be one of those guys who is a middle-six forward,” he said. “A speedy middle six winger who could score, can play on a power play unit, that type of player. A fast scoring winger is the best way to put it.”
For Chicago, the practical outcome is simple: college by June 1st keeps the Blackhawks in the picture for two more years, while a different choice could send him back into the draft pool. After a spring that ended with Kitchener in the title round, Pridham is now playing for his next address as much as his next season.
