What are the Blackhawks getting in hockey’s top prospect, Anton Frondell?
It’s the dawn of a new era.
Connor Bedard can’t do everything himself in Chicago. Even after missing 13 games, Bedard is, by far, the highest-scoring forward for the Blackhawks this season. But the Hawks are set to miss the playoffs yet again, sitting 30th in the NHL and 29th in goals scored.
At some point, Bedard is going to need someone else to pick up the slack. Enter: Anton Frondell, the best prospect in hockey.
The Blackhawks officially recalled the 2025 third overall pick on Tuesday, setting him up to make his NHL debut as early as tonight against the New York Islanders. The 18-year-old just finished his first full season in the top Swedish league, registering 20 goals and 28 points in 43 games with Djurgårdens IF. Only 2026 NHL Draft prospect Ivar Stenberg produced more in the SHL as a U-19 player this season.
Blackhawks recall prospect Anton Frondell ahead of NHL debut dailyfaceoff.com/news/chicago-b…
Frondell was one of the most NHL-ready prospects a year ago. That’s not always a slam dunk when it comes to top prospects – some teams just want to be patient with their top stars. But with Frondell, it made sense. He was productive in his draft year, playing in the second-tier pro league and often dominating his own age group. Frondell recently helped Sweden win gold at the World Juniors, scoring five goals and eight points en route to top forward honors. It wasn’t an explosive offensive effort by any means. But if you watched Sweden closely, you knew he dominated shifts in a way very few other forwards managed to do.
“It’s so much fun (playing with Frondell),” Islanders prospect Victor Eklund told reporters at the World Juniors. “He uses his body a lot. I saw he smoked a guy into the boards, so that pumps me up a lot. With us, it’s give-and-take. I know where he’s at every time I’m on the ice.”
Frondell is as confident as they come. When he doesn’t have the puck, he’s routinely scanning for ways to get himself into scoring position. Frondell does an excellent job of getting himself into scoring lanes, especially on the right side. He’s fine as a playmaker, but you’d much rather have him firing shots on net. Still, the dual-threat nature of his game is explosive.
As a two-way force, few players can change the course of play better than Frondell. He’s so physically mature already, and that’s only going to improve as he gets older and more refined. Frondell plays a heavy power forward game, and while he’s not massive, he’s built like a tank. He’s fearless, always looking to do what it takes to win the puck.
Early in his draft season, scouts were concerned Frondell didn’t have what it took to be a legit playdriver. He’s better at that now, but don’t expect that to be his game. Instead, he’s much more of a finisher – he has one of the best one-shot releases you’ll find. His one-timer? Absolutely deadly. There might not be a prospect with a more lethal shot right now, besides maybe Islanders draft pick Cole Eiserman. That’s going to be extremely important on the power play – the idea of Bedard finding Eiserman with the man advantage is going to decimate opponents.
As for improvements, Frondell is a better skater than he was a year ago. There were points where he lost what felt like easy foot races at the U-18 World Championship last spring, but he definitely upped the top speed this year. He’s also better side to side and doesn’t need to just rely on his big frame to beat opponents. There have also been a handful of games this season where he just floats a bit too much for a scout’s liking. Fortunately, he’s still young and developing. That’s not likely to be an issue for long.
Frondell has all the makings of a high-impact top-six center. He loves scoring, and he has the size Hawks fans wish Bedard possessed. Frondell is always looking to win puck battles and make life miserable for his opponents, whether he has possession or not. Most of his important traits – skating, puck skills, shot, and hockey sense – are average at worst, and high-end (for his age) at best. Frondell is the type of player you rely on late in games when you need a game-breaking moment.
The NHL is a big step up from the SHL. But few leagues prepare you for the show as the SHL does. It’s still early, but Frondell should be the front-runner to win the Calder Trophy as top rookie in 2026-27. The Hawks will still be in a rebuild next year, so expect growing pains. The Blackhawks have shown a willingness to send their top guys back to Rockford for extra development. Frondell’s pro experience should allow him to skip that route, but it’s not the end of the world if it happens. But if you’re the Blackhawks, get him into the top-six immediately. Let him play to his strengths, make mistakes, learn from them, and become the star you know he can become.
If you’re a Hawks fan right now, you’re on cloud nine. Welcome to the future. The Anton Frondell era is upon us – and it’s going to be damn euphoric.
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