Blackhawks prospect Marek Vanacker staying 'level-headed' while racking up goals in OHL

The Blackhawks like how their large pool of forward prospects contains many different types of players. And in Marek Vanacker, they have a grinder with top-six upside — a somewhat unique combination.

Vanacker, 19, is an aggressive winger who hunts the puck and wins battles doggedly, both on the forecheck and in the offensive zone. But he also has plenty of skill, and he's an efficient finisher in dirty areas.

Compared to current Hawks, he might profile most similarly to Tyler Bertuzzi. Once he reaches the NHL, he could be a complementary linemate for someone like Connor Bedard, Roman Kantserov or Nick Lardis (his former teammate).

For now, though, Vanacker is thriving in his fourth Ontario Hockey League season. He leads the league with 29 goals in 33 games — four goals ahead of another Hawks prospect, Jack Pridham, who's tied for second. And his Brantford team owns the league's best record at 28-7-5.

"[I'm] finding open areas, getting in soft spots, shooting the puck a lot more and being more tenacious around the net," Vanacker said Tuesday. "A big focus this summer was scoring and my touch around the net."

Vanacker's goal-scoring pace isn't too far off Lardis' absurd rate last season with Brantford, but the way they accumulate goals is considerably different.

Lardis, a natural sniper, had to consciously push himself to get closer to the net (to score in NHL-style ways). For Vanacker, that's how he has always done it.

"[I'm doing] a variety of different things around the net," he added. "[I'm] not just trying the same thing over and over, but mixing it up in different holes and pockets I can slip through."

The biggest difference for Vanacker this season might actually be mental.

When the Hawks drafted him 27th overall in 2024, he had recently undergone shoulder surgery, and he missed the first third of last season recovering from that. Even once he returned, though, his numbers weren't as good as the season before, and he finished the season with 24 goals in 45 games.

Now, he's not only healthier and stronger physically but also more mature.

"Coming back halfway through the year, I had a lot to catch up on," he said. "I wanted to catch players and be a top player on my team, but I think I jumped into it too fast. I was putting pressure on myself that didn't need to be there. I had an expectation for myself that maybe wasn't reality.

"This year, after having a big offseason and [building up] the confidence I had going into this year, I was a lot more level-headed and wanted to earn everything I was getting."

He also benefited from tasting the pace of NHL play during Hawks training camp in September. He was the last cut from Canada's roster for the world junior championships in December, but he didn't let that disappointment fluster him.

Hawks assistant general manager Mark Eaton, who oversees the organization's prospect pool, has observed the difference.

"[Marek is] in a far better place this year psychologically," Eaton said last month. "Young players put a lot of pressure on themselves the year after their draft year if they’re a first-rounder. I think he spent a lot of last season trying to live up to that. ... Him starting to play better obviously helps the psychology, and vice versa. But either way, it’s been great for him."

Vanacker will turn pro after this season — his entry-level contract has already been signed — and should be well-prepared mentally for the adversity that lies ahead.

"As guys progress through their pro careers, you’re going to have ups and downs, and he’ll be able to draw from his experience...[on] the opposite ends of the spectrum," Eaton added. "[He'll remember] how he felt, what brought him down last year and what’s been driving him this year."