Blackhawks prospect breakdown: John Mustard learning to finish, dominate at college level

It’s safe to assume not everyone who is playing for the Chicago Blackhawks in the coming years is going to be a first-round pick. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson understood the quality of draft picks was vital to his rebuild plan, but quantity was also going to matter. In all likelihood, he was going to have some misses to go along with some hits. He needed to hit big on some of his first-rounders, but he also had enough second- and third-rounders that there was a chance he’d find the players he needed in those rounds. The Blackhawks are already starting to see it pay off. Ryan Greene, a second-round pick, and Nick Lardis, a third-rounder, are establishing themselves in the NHL. Roman Kantserov, a second-rounder, led the KHL in goals this season. More of those players are coming, too. The Blackhawks took three forwards in the third round of the 2024 draft: John Mustard at No. 67, A.J. Spellacy at 72 and Jack Pridham at 92. None are absolutes, but all three are shaping up to have a chance at the NHL. Spellacy, who already signed an entry-level contract, opened eyes with his play in training camp two seasons ago. Pridham finished second in the OHL in goals this season. As for Mustard, he finished his freshman season at Providence on a high note and has followed that up with an even better season as a sophomore. He produced 16 goals, 12 assists and a team-best 28 points for Providence, which was among the nation’s top 10 teams this season and will begin play in the NCAA tournament this week. Like Spellacy and Pridham, the 19-year-old Mustard looks like he at least deserves a contract and an opportunity to see where his development goes in the coming years. With his elite speed, size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) and offensive game, Mustard has the tools to potentially break through. Your production has gone up this season. Providence coach Nate Leaman thought it had to do with your finishing. What do you attribute that to? Yeah, I think I did a lot of work in the summer. I think that definitely helps. But also just playing with guys that are really distributing the puck, giving me the puck in good areas. So I think that’s something that really helped me out this year. Also, just like, once you see a couple go in at the start of the year, it kind of gives you confidence that you know you can beat goalies. Anything you did specifically this offseason to work on that? I shot on Alex Lyon, a very good NHL goalie right now. He’s a lot better than some of the college goalies, so that’s helped a lot. What did you learn from shooting on him? Really just changing angles a lot. Like on straight shots, it’s pretty hard to beat him clean. So you’re really going to have to change the angle and do things differently if you want to score. Did you know him before, or is this with a group you practice with? I’ve known him for a couple of years now. I haven’t shot on him much in the years prior, but this last past summer I shot him a lot. Can you notice a difference playing college as a sophomore compared to last season? Yeah, I think having last year under my belt really helped. Like last year, especially the start of the year, it was pretty tough. Everything’s a little faster, a little stronger. So I think just getting over that hump and kind of being able to slow the game down and make plays at a higher pace. Your shot total has gone up this season. Have you been more aggressive? I think that’s part of my game. I also think it helps the team system out, too. I think our brand of hockey’s kind of getting the puck to the net and driving that. That’s how we generate a lot of our offense. So I think it kind of helps with that being my brand of hockey, and it helps the team out. Where do you feel like the next step in your game is? I think just sticking with it. I think I’ve had a couple ups and downs here, especially (since) I was hurt for a bit, so that definitely played a factor. But I think just being more consistent, like trying to be that dominant player every game, not just some games. Mustard’s speed and skill are on full display on this goal. This may have been Mustard’s most impressive goal of the season. “I think his shot has always been really a threat,” Leaman said. “I think adjusting to the higher-level goaltender, what to look for, how to open the goalies up and then having more deception on his shot. I think those are all things that he’s done a good job of growing with.” What others are saying about Mustard Providence coach Nate Leaman: “I think (the next step) for him, continuing to grow, rounding out his game, like getting on the penalty kill, getting a little better at the 200-foot game. I think it’s something with his speed and his size, you can get him to impact the game in more ways than just scoring, … I think he took steps in being a dominant player this year. I’d like to see him come back and be a first-team All-Star and really take that step that most juniors do where they leave school really confident in their game.” Blackhawks assistant general manager of player development Mark Eaton: “For me, the biggest thing I’ve seen from him is he’s always wanted to be a difference-maker and he’s wanted to dominate games, and I think sometimes last year, young guys coming into college hockey, the first year they have a misconception that they can do it all and do it all themselves and I think John went through phases of that last year. Whereas this year, he’s learned, he has been able to dominate games, but it hasn’t been through solo effort. He’s learned much more to pick his spots and how to use his speed more effectively through the neutral zone to gain entry into the offensive zone with possession, when’s the time to carry it deep and do it yourself, and when’s the time to dish it off and skate to open ice. To me, I think that’s the biggest improvement I’ve seen in his game, is the give-and-go game and using the speed and the carrying ability more effectively this year, which has given him more opportunities to have those scoring chances in better areas.” Mustard scored in 16 of his 36 games this season. He scored in seven games as a freshman. “He and I have talked about all season long, is that we’re a better team if he’s getting six shots a night because one of those will go in,” Leaman said. “I think what’s probably holding him back from the multiple-goal games is we’ve struggled on the power play. We’ve tried him in the hole, we’ve tried him coming downhill, now we have him on flank. I’m just trying to use a shot the best we can on the power play.” Where does Mustard fit into the rebuild? Mustard has a player profile similar to a few of the Blackhawks prospects coming in. It’ll be interesting to see which players separate themselves. Mustard has the speed and skating that could fit onto an aggressive forechecking fourth line. But if he can maintain his offense as he moves up over the next few years, his ceiling might be higher. He probably fits in on the left wing, too. When might Mustard join the Blackhawks? There’s a chance Mustard signs with the Blackhawks after his collegiate season. Mustard has shown them enough in his two years at Providence, but they’ll likely leave it up to him where he plays next season. “Honestly, I just want to see how the rest of the season plays out because I think that’s going to factor into it a lot, like how we do in the playoffs,” he said. “Kind of taking it one step at a time.”