Why Blackhawks are about to lose Jack Pridham, who could then re-enter NHL Draft

Why Blackhawks are about to lose Jack Pridham, who could then re-enter NHL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

>The Chicago Blackhawks drafted Jack Pridham in the third round, No. 92 overall, of the 2024 NHL Draft.

>He's on the verge of being back in the draft, though, to be selected by another team -- if he doesn't make a key decision first.

>That would be a nightmare outcome for Chicago, which snagged Pridham when he was playing in the BCHL for the West Leowna Warriors.

>He has since played two seasons for the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL. This year, he had 46 goals and 44 assists in 65 games for a total of 90 points.

>The 20-year old right wing is 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds with a righty shot, and he's got serious potential.

>The Blackhawks seemed to get it right with their draft pick, but they might not end up with Pridham.

>MORE: Mitch Marner is making the Maple Leafs miserable

Why are the Blackhawks going to lose Jack Pridham?Pridham still hasn't signed an entry-level contract or committed to a college program.

>If he doesn't by Monday (June 1), the Blackhawks will lose their rights to Pridham, according to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.

>"Which, considering the mass of other forward prospects in the Hawks’ system, he’s probably unlikely to do," Pope writes.

>Pridham was previously committed to Boston University, but he decommitted last year and instead returned to the OHL to play for Kitchener again.

>The rules then dictate Pridham would no longer be a Blackhawks prospect and that he could be drafted again.

>It's not clear exactly what Pridham's reasoning for this would be, but most simply you'd think he is chasing some other destination than Chicago.

>The Blackhawks could still close a deal, but they're running out of time.

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