Rockford IceHogs def. Chicago Wolves, 2-1 (SO)

The IceHogs came into Wednesday night’s contest with a slim one-point lead over the Texas Stars for fourth-place in the Central Division. In the AHL, the top four teams in each Division make the Calder Cup Playoffs, so the race in the Central Division has come down to two spots: a race between the top three teams for first-place and a race between the other five teams for fourth-place. Rockford “leads” the fourth-place race currently and the win over Chicago helped keep their one-point lead alive for another night.

Rockford IceHogs forward Victor Ejdsell celebrates a goal against the Chicago Wolves. Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

The IceHogs and Wolves were scoreless through the first period, but it took just under four minutes in the second period for Victor Ejdsell to breakthrough and get the game’s first goal. Alexandre Fortin put a shot on net that deflected off a Wolves defender and Ejdsell was able to re-direct it on net and get by Oscar Dansk. The goal was Ejdsell’s 10th of the season and gave the IceHogs a 1-0 lead.

Rockford IceHogs forward Jordan Schroeder celebrates with his teammates after scoring a shootout goal against the Chicago Wolves. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

The lead would last almost to the end of the period, but with just under two minutes to go in the middle frame, the Wolves were able to get a breakaway chance on a Rockford powerplay and Cage Quinney found the back of the net. Quinney’s 17th of the season tied the game at 1-1 heading into the third period.

Neither team was able to break the 1-1 tie in the third period, thanks to some stellar goaltending on both ends of the ice from Delia and Dansk. The game would head to overtime, and while Rockford had at least three chances in the extra frame to put the game away, including a Henri Jokiharju shot off the post and a failed Dennis Gilbert breakaway chance, they would come up empty and the game would head to the shootout.

In the shootout, the Wolves and IceHogs were both shut down in the first and second rounds with Dansk and Delia making two saves a piece. It wasn’t until Jordan Schroeder‘s turn in the top of the third round that a breakthrough was made as he beat Dansk with a patient backhand move. It was down to Delia against T.J. Tynan with the game on the line and Delia was able to make a five-hole save to seal the win for Rockford.

Mood:
COLLIN DELIA VICTORY STRUT#IceHogs top #Wolves in the shootout!#RFDvsCHI #AHL#HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/M5SmCK8HNs

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) March 21, 2019

Delia celebrated with a McMahon/McGregor style strut and it was well-deserved after his 32-save performance against the Wolves. With the win, the IceHogs are riding a four-game win streak and keep hold of the fourth spot in the Central Division. Delia improved his record to 10-6-4 with a league-leading (min. 20 GP) 0.932 save-percentage and a 2.26 GAA which ranks second in the AHL (again, min. 20 GP).

It a hotly contested, playoff-like rivalry game against the Wolves, the IceHogs were able to kill all six powerplays against them, but as 0-for-5 on their own powerplay. Rockford ranks eighth in the league on the penalty-kill with an 82.6% kill-rate.

Calder Cup Playoff Race

With the shootout win over the Wolves, the IceHogs kept hold of the fourth spot in the Central Division with 72 points this season. The Texas Stars defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday night, but remain one point behind Rockford in fifth-place.

1. Chicago Wolves (64 GP) – 37-19-8, 82 pts
2. Grand Rapids Griffins (64 GP) – 35-19-10, 80 pts
3. Iowa Wild (65 GP) – 34-19-12, 80 pts
4. Rockford IceHogs (65 GP) – 31-24-10, 72 pts
5. Texas Stars (66 GP) – 32-27-7, 71 pts
6. Manitoba Moose (64 GP) – 31-27-6, 68 pts
7. Milwaukee Admirals (65 GP) – 26-24-15, 67 pts
8. San Antonio Rampage (65 GP) – 27-31-7, 61 pts

Rockford’s final 11 games this season will all be against Central Division opponents, including three straight games against the Milwaukee Admirals coming up in their next three games.

Roster Updates

Late Wednesday night, the IceHogs made an addition to their roster by signing 2014 Blackhawks draft pick Fredrik Olofsson. Drafted in the fourth round by Chicago in 2014, Olofsson played the last four seasons at Nebraska-Omaha, skating in 137 games and tallying 95 points (35 G, 60 A) in his NCAA career. Olofsson set a career-high in points with 34 as a Senior this year.

Blackhawks forward prospect Fredrik Olofsson of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. (Courtesy: Omaha Athletics)

Olofsson also has spent time playing for Team Sweden in his junior ranks, skating with Sweden in the 2016 World Junior Championships and tallying three points in seven games. He joins the IceHogs on a PTO deal and could factor into the Rockford lineup as the Calder Cup Playoff push continues.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday as they open a three-game set against the Milwaukee Admirals that will stretch over six days until Wednesday, March 27. On Friday, the IceHogs travel North to Milwaukee for a 7pm CT puck drop at the Panther Arena. Following Friday night’s contest, the IceHogs turn around and host the Admirals for a 6pm CT puck drop at the BMO Harris Bank Center. Finally, on Wednesday March 27, the IceHogs again host the Admirals for a 7pm CT puck drop in Rockford. This season, Rockford holds a 4-2-1 record over Milwaukee with all four IceHogs wins decided by one goal.

The post IceHogs, Delia Stop Wolves In Shootout Win appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs Getting Healthy

As the IceHogs prepare to go into their final 17 games of the season, 16 of them will be against Central Division foes. With just four points separating fourth-place from eighth-place in the Central, every point and every player counts. Rockford faced the same kind of pressure last season, moving from sixth-place into fourth-place and sealing a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs in the second-half of the season. A big part of that late-season surge was forward Matthew Highmore.

Highmore has been out of action since mid-November with a shoulder injury and surgery, but has returned to the ice in the last few weeks. IceHogs head coach Derek King mentioned earlier this month that Highmore was progressing on schedule and if all goes to plan, should be available to return to the lineup by the end of March. Highmore had seven points through eight games to begin the season. Last year he ranked second in scoring with 43 points and set the IceHogs AHL franchise rookie goal-scoring record with  24 goals last season.

Matthew Highmore of the Rockford IceHogs. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

Another IceHogs staple from the 2017-18 season that is set to return to health this weekend is forward Tyler Sikura. While his production has not been on the same level it was during the 2017-18 season, Sikura still provides a bit of veteran experience and a net-front presence that the IceHogs could use. This season, Sikura has 14 points in 33 games, but has missed the last two months with an upper-body injury. Rockford head coach Derek King will have Sikura back in the lineup as the IceHogs travel to Manitoba for back-to-back weekend games against the Moose.

Tyler Sikura of the Rockford IceHogs. (Courtesy: Todd Reicher)

The returns of both Sikura and Highmore should provide the IceHogs with some offensive pop. Rockford ranks at the bottom of the league in goals-scoring, but has seen a recent increase with the production of Henri Jokiharju, Peter Holland and Jordan Schroeder coming through in the last handful of games.

The good thing about the AHL season this time of year is that not only will teams be able to rely on their own players to try to pull them through the final stretch of the season, they also can field a number of fresh faces as the NCAA and Junior Hockey seasons come to a close in the middle/back-end of March.

College Boys Making The Jump

While the IceHogs are benefiting from players returning to health from their own roster, it doesn’t rule out players ready to make the jump from the NCAA ranks to the Pro game. Players in recent years like Anthony Louis and Luc Snuggerud have made the transition after their final year of College Hockey and have made impacts right away. For more on NCAA players who could make the jump this Spring, I turn it over to The-Rink NCAA Lead Writer, Aaron Goldschmidt.

Fredrik Olofsson (Omaha-Nebraska: 32 GP, 10 G, 21 A)

Of all the players that could be ready for professional hockey this spring, Fredrik Olofsson probably fits the bill the most. After four years of college hockey at Omaha in the NCHC, one of the NCAA’s toughest conferences, the Blackhawks 2014 4th round selection has evolved his game in several different ways.

Blackhawks forward prospect Fredrik Olofsson of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. (Courtesy: Omaha Athletics)

After scoring 27 goals in the USHL with the Chicago Steel in 2015, Olofsson made his way to college hockey and would eventually change his position from wing to center. He’s always been a play-making forward, but he’s really rounded out his game during his time at Omaha. Having his best season of his college career, Olofsson has 31 points in 30 games (10G, 21A) this season. He’s been a big threat on Omaha’s powerplay and has also shown improvement in his puck control and physicality. Olofsson has always seen the ice well and had great patience with the puck which makes him a great candidate to sign pro after this season.

Ryan Shea (Northeastern: 33 GP, 3 G, 10 A, +17)

Ryan Shea, the Blackhawks 2015 4th round pick, is having a solid junior season with the Northeastern Huskies. Following his sophomore year where he racked up 17 points playing with top forwards Dylan Sikura, Adam Gaudette, and Nolan Stevens, it was unsure whether Shea would have the same offensive output with those players signing pro but Shea has remained consistent. With three goals and nine assists in 31 games this season, Shea is on pace to to as good as he was last year, including having a plus/minus over +15.

Blackhawks defensive prospect Ryan Shea of Northeastern Univeristy. (Courtesy: Northeastern Athletics)

Reporting on the Blackhawks prospects last year, I spoke with a Huskies blog often about Dylan Sikura who was the talk of the NCAA at the time. The writer for that blog would always ask me to keep my eye on Ryan Shea, especially at Blackhawks prospect camp. Although I believe Shea will return for his senior season, he could have a chance to contribute one day for the Blackhawks who have few “defensive-defenseman” in their system.

Beau Starrett (Cornell: 29 GP, 6 G, 5 A)

Beau Starrett is a player that the Blackhawks really could use, but he’s yet to light it up in college. Playing in his 4th year at Cornell, Starrett has never scored more than 14 points in a season despite looking relatively good in prospect camps. He has a large frame and can skate pretty well for a big man, but there isn’t one thing he does particularly well.

Blackhawks forward prospect Beau Starrett of Cornell University. (Courtesy: Thomas Labarbera)

A comparison may be someone like Graham Knott, although Knott was thought to have a much higher ceiling. The Blackhawks may give Starrett a shot at a pro deal since he was a third round pick, but it’s difficult to tell how effective he could be right away.

Liam Coughlin (Vermont: 29 GP, 6 G, 11 A)

Liam Coughlin could be a wildcard for the Blackhawks. The 2014 5th round pick has shown glimpses of serious talent, but he’s a streaky scorer. There is a lot of compete to Coughlin although it doesn’t show in his numbers. Many forwards have issues adjusting to pro hockey since many junior or college guys play top six situations for their teams, then have to step into 3rd or 4th line roles in the pros.

Blackhawks forward prospect Liam Coughlin of the University of Vermont. (Courtesy: Vermont Athletics)

I think this may be an advantage for Coughlin, taking some pressure off and letting him have some fun grinding. Coughlin can skate and also isn’t small at 6’3 200 lbs. I’d roll the dice on him to add some depth at the forward position.

Jack Ramsey (Minnesota: 35 GP, 3 G, 1 A)

Jack Ramsey is a senior at Minnesota and could give the Blackhawks something to think about at the end of this season. He won’t wow you with his points, but this is a heart-and-soul type player. Ramsey brings leadership, effort, and grit to the table, something the Hawks will never have enough of. Ramsey reminds me a lot of Andrew Desjardins. He won’t go nuts on the score-sheet, but he’s a smart hockey player that puts you in good position to score.

Blackhawks forward prospect Jack Ramsey of the University of Minnesota. (Courtesy: Minnesota Athletics)

There aren’t enough chip and chase players in the Hawks system who are willing to win pucks in corners and battle below the goal line. Ramsey can be a nice add especially in Colliton’s system.

Chad Krys (Boston: 25 GP, 7 G, 9 A, -8)

The Blackhawks 2016 2nd round pick Chad Krys has had a down year for his standards in his junior season at Boston University. He’s missed some time due to injury and hasn’t returned to his pace from last season where he scored 27 points in 36 games. Krys does a great job leading the breakout for BU and has the offensive ability to take over a game. He can be lethal on the powerplay and often finds scoring lanes from the left point. Although it will be a gamble for him, I think Krys returns to BU for his senior season.

Blackhawks defensive prospect Chad Krys of Boston University. (Courtesy: Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)

There is no rush for him to get to the pros and he will get more opportunities next season to get his stock back up. People often talk about Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, and Nicolas Beaudin, but Krys should be in that same conversation. His skill set rivals his fellow prospects and maybe one more season to mature his game could be what’s needed.

Juniors On Their Way Up?

It could end up being a packed house for the IceHogs if any of the NCAA prospects make the jump, but in the Junior ranks, the Blackhawks organization has a number of players who are at the age where a jump to the Pro game is the next step. For a look at those players in the North American Junior ranks, I’ll turn it over to The-Rink Juniors Feature Writer, Ron Luce.

Courtesy of NHL.com / Chicago Blackhawks

Brandon Hagel (Red Deer, WHL: 61 GP, 38 G, 54 A)

Brandon Hagel was signed in October by the Blackhawks. He was originally a draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2016.

Hagel brings a big frame (6’1”) and scoring touch to the IceHogs assuming he joins the club for a playoff push. The big winger can certainly bring some scoring touch to the offense-lacking IceHogs. As of March 7th, Hagel is tied for fifth in WHL scoring, with 92 points (38 G, 54 A) in only 61 games.

Assuming Hagel can carryover some of his offensive success in the WHL to the AHL, Hagel could be a welcomed addition. With Matthew Highmore being injured nearly the whole season, the IceHogs have lacked a game breaker at forward. Hagel certainly has provided hope as being that type of player.

Hagel has been very successful on a Red Deer team that will likely miss the playoffs. He would arguably be the biggest addition to the IceHogs as they look to have another playoff run similar to last season.

Mikael Hakkarainen (Muskegon, USHL: 35 GP, 17 G, 28 A)

Mikael Hakkarainen has had quite a unique season for the Muskegon Lumberjacks. It began with Hakkarainen leaving Providence College where he was set to play at the NCAA level, to return to the USHL club he played for last season. In his return, Hakkarainen has been nothing short of spectacular, as he sits fourth on the Lumberjacks in scoring, despite playing almost 15 fewer games than his teammates.

Muskegon Lumberjacks forward Mikael Hakkarainen. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

Haakarainen, despite missing as much time as he did, is also still in the top-20 in USHL league scoring with 45 points (17 G, 28 A). The 6’0” 193lb center can add great skill for the IceHogs down the stretch. Since Haakarainen left Providence, he is able to go to the pros, which is the logical next step in his development if the Blackhawks are committed to him long-term. It makes a lot of sense for Haakarainen to join the IceHogs and gauge where he is in his development playing against men. The young Finn has made easy work of the teenage USHL competition he’s faced.

Haakarainen would provide play-making ability to the IceHogs. He has good size and can make plays in tight areas. He has been in numerous USHL highlight videos this year with his perfect passes and big goals for the Lumberjacks. Like Hagel, Hakkarainen is likely to join the IceHogs given his history and ability to play pro.

Josiah Slavin (Chicago, USHL: 45 GP, 17 G, 20 A)

Younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, Josiah Slavin has had a very strong season in the USHL. The Colorado College commit started the season with the Lincoln Stars, tallying 27 points in 32 games (10 G, 17 A). As the Stars began selling players off, the Chicago Steel acquired the Blackhawks prospect and he has 10 points in 13 games since being acquired by Chicago (3 G, 7 A).

Photo by: Jeff Osborn/The-Rink

With Slavin’s impending commitment to Colorado College and the NCAA, it’s uncertain if he will join the IceHogs. If he is allowed to join the IceHogs on an amateur tryout contract (ATO), he could possibly provide some nice depth for the IceHogs. He isn’t as prolific a scorer as Hagel or Hakkarainen, but he still brings a lot of skill to his team. Slavin’s size is comparable to that of Hakkarainen, so he has solid size to compete at the AHL level.

However, I believe it is safe to assume that Slavin will not join the IceHogs and prepare for his fall season at Colorado College, where Aaron Goldschmidt will happily cover the Colorado native.

Philipp Kurashev (Quebec, QMJHL: 55 GP, 27 G, 34 A)

Philipp Kurashev really jumped onto the prospect scene when he had an incredible World Juniors tournament for Team Switzerland. The 20-year old center has been sensational this season, pacing the Remparts in team scoring. Early in the season, Kurashev was a top scorer in the QMJHL. However, Kurashev has fallen off a bit of late, but nonetheless is still having a great year.

Quebec Remparts forward Philipp Kurashev. Courtesy: Quebec Remparts)

Kurashev paces the Remparts in scoring with 61 points in 55 games (27 G, 34 A). The next closest scorer on the team has played eight more games and has 15 fewer points than Kurashev. It’s no surprise the team hasn’t had as good of a season as they may have hoped, since Kurashev is the only player with more than 20 goals on the roster.

The Remparts could always make a run in the QMJHL tournament and prevent Kurashev from joining the IceHogs. Given his age, Kurashev will likely play with Rockford next season, so it would be intriguing to see what he can do in the AHL. He hasn’t dominated the juniors like Hagel has, so it’s uncertain if the over-ager will produce at the pro level. If the young Swiss forward performs like he did in the World Juniors tournament, he could become a nice top-9 forward in the NHL down the road.

Two players that are not described above are Jake Ryczek and Reese Johnson. Ryczek is a former seventh round pick, and has been in the QMJHL since being drafted. He is currently playing on the third defensive pairing for the Halifax Mooseheads. One would hope a player like him, if going to make an impact, would make more of an impact for his junior team when he is 21 years old.

Reese Johnson is certainly a candidate to join the IceHogs late in the year with WHL teammate Brandon Hagel. Since Johnson is a new signing, we did not include a report on his prospects of joining the IceHogs, although it is likely given his age and situation. Johnson is the Captain in Red Deer and has second in scoring with 45 points in 62 games this season.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Saturday and Sunday as they take on the Manitoba Moose in a weekend double-header in Manitoba. After a week off, the IceHogs take on the Moose in back-to-back weekend games in Manitoba on March 9 and 10. Saturday’s puck drop is set for 6pm CT, while Sunday’s puck drop is set for 2pm CT at Bell MTS Place. Rockford holds a 1-0-1 record against the Moose this season.

The post IceHogs Late-Season Reinforcements On Their Way? appeared first on The Rink.

Once the NCAA season officially kicks off this fall, we will get back to posting weekly roundups on our blog and on twitter recapping production and progress from all the Hawks’ NCAA players.  But right now, we wanted to rank the top five players at the collegiate level.  There is a good mix of lower and upperclassmen playing in several conferences of college hockey this year so it should be a blast.

Let’s get started.

Chicago Blackhawks’ Top Five NCAA Prospects

5.  Jake Wise – Forward, Boston University

I didn’t plan on having Wise crack this list, but his prospect camp performance and upside made it a tough decision.  Drafted this year in the third round, Wise is coming off a couple seasons playing in the US National Development program.  He will be attending Boston University this fall, joining a hockey program that has been dominant in years past.

Wise’s numbers show he’s a play-making center and he put that on display this summer at prospect camp.  His speed and hands were the topic of conversation over the summer earning him a reputation of potentially being the Blackhawks’ “steal of the draft.”  Wise will be spending his weekends playing tough opponents such as the Northeastern Huskies and the Boston College Eagles, but hopefully fellow Blackhawks prospect and junior at BU Chad Krys can help him ease into the transition.  Wise will also be surrounded by a great forward group featuring Bobo Carpenter, Shane Bowers, and Patrick Harper.

4.  Fredrik Olofsson – Forward, University of Nebraska-Omaha

Although Olofsson’s numbers don’t blow you out of the water, he was one of the most polished players that I got to see play last year.  Qualities like speed and size stick out immediately to the naked eye of a spectator, but hockey sense is blaring to those who watch a lot of hockey.  Olofsson showed a lot of maturity and poise last season, and could be on the verge of a breakout season.

The Broomfield Colorado-native could have signed pro but decided to go back to college for his senior year.  The Mavericks will be much improved from last season when they went 17-17-2, and they could turn the tide on other powerhouses in the NCHC like Minnesota-Duluth and the University of Denver.  Now that he is more familiar playing the center position, this season is huge for Olofsson to prove he’s worthy of a pro contract, and the Hawks could really use a player like Freddy.

3.  Evan Barratt – Forward, Penn State University

Evan Barratt may be one of the most exciting Blackhawks prospects to watch this season.  Adding 18 points in 32 games, Barratt had a solid season for a freshman and really started to thrive in the Nittany Lion’s system towards the end of the season.  His frame and size resemble a former Blackhawk that show an intriguing comparison;  Dave Bolland.  Bolland was an absolute pain in the rear to play against but he also had great skill.  Not to mention his goals were as scrappy as they come.  If Barratt can continue to score and be scrappy, he may find his niche to get his ticket to Chicago someday.

Penn State and their run-and-gun style of play should take a huge step this season and Barratt could be at the forefront of that.  The Big Ten is set to be a difficult conference again this fall, but don’t look past what kind of noise Penn State could make.  If Barratt can find his was past the 30-35 point mark with some extra ice time this season, he could really show some serious positive strides.

2.  Chad Krys – Defenseman, Boston University

The is no doubt defenseman Chad Krys has skill, but the question is where he fits into the Blackhawks future plans on the blue line.  In a system that was once dried up of defensive prospects, it now may rank in the top ten NHL-wide.  Krys has the competition of several prospects at the AHL level above him, and top draft picks below him in the junior ranks.  Of course all he will say is that he needs to focus on himself, but we all know his season will have to do the talking for him.

The Blackhawks want to see more physicality and ability to retrieve pucks and exit cleanly from Krys.  It’s no secret he can skate better than most that he’s on the ice with, but this season will be a focus on his ability to keep pucks out of the net.  The next year or two will most likely have a few prospects on the move to make roster spots and Krys will have to do his best to show he’s worth the wait.

1.  Ian Mitchell – Defenseman, The University of Denver

Defenseman Ian Mitchell is becoming one of the most decorated Blackhawks prospects when it comes to his hockey resume.  Last season, he was one of the nation’s top defenseman and made the all-freshman team for the NCHC conference.  The Denver Pioneers were just one win away from another Frozen Four appearance but they fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes.  Mitchell finished the season with two goals and 28 assists.

This summer, Mitchell has been training hard for the 2018-19 season and his work is showing.  He impressed at Blackhawks prospect camp this summer and then played in the World Juniors showcase for Team Canada in Kamloops British Columbia alongside 2018 1st round pick Nicolas Beadin.  There is a very strong possibility Mitchell could sign with the Blackhawks after his sophomore season, but it’s safe to say his development is right on track.

The post Ranking the Chicago Blackhawks’ Top Five NCAA Prospects appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks continue to bolster their roster depth with the additions of Northeastern forward Dylan Sikura and Denver defenseman Blake Hillman.  Both players signed two-year entry-level contracts and will most likely see time in the final games of the Blackhawks season.  We have already seen top prospect and newcomer Victor Ejdsell called up to the Blackhawks and have noticed good things so far.  This theme of testing young players at the pro level is new for the Blackhawks, but needed to happen eventually.

Dennis Gilbert

Sikura and Hillman are great additions to the team, but could there be more?  The answer is most likely yes.  One player that comes to mind is Notre Dame’s Dennis Gilbert.  Gilbert is a defensive defenseman for the Fighting Irish who has been a very durable player in his three years in South Bend.  He has played between 37 and 40 games each year for the Irish and has always had a positive plus/minus.

FINAL!
2-1 Notre Dame defeats Providence and advances to the #FrozenFour !
Back-to-back appearances for the Irish #Blackhawks prospect Dennis Gilbert will also make his 2nd appearance in the National Semi-finals#NCAAHockey #CawlidgeHawkey

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) March 25, 2018

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Notre Dame is currently in the Frozen Four and depending on their success, Gilbert may or may not suit up for the Blackhawks this season.  He could also return for his senior season if he feels like he could use more development.  But at this point, his success and experience at the collegiate level would suggest that he is ready for the pros.

Fredrik Olofsson

It was recently reported by Scott Powers of The Athletic that Olofsson will not be turning pro and will return to the University of Nebraska-Omaha for his senior season.  He would’ve been a great addition to the Blackhawks system, but his development at Omaha will also be beneficial.  He recently changed over from wing to center so it’s possible he felt he could use another year to adjust.

Honorable Mentions

A couple of other names that you can throw out there are Cornell’s Beau Starrett, Minnesota’s Jack Ramsey, and even possibly Boston University’s Chad Krys.  But I anticipate all these players return to their collegiate teams next season.  Gilbert is the only prospect I believe is on the bubble when it comes to signing.

This upcoming draft will be very important when it comes to the prospect pool.  With two picks in the first round and a shot at a top three pick, the Blackhawks could really make up some lost ground when it comes to prospects.  Yes they have a couple nice pieces from last year’s draft but those guys aren’t nearly ready for the NHL.  Adding a Dahlin, Svechnikov, or Tkachuk could catapult the Hawks into a faster rebuild than many anticipate.  But even if they select 7th overall as they are currently projected, that player will hopefully impact the team in the near future.

The post Chicago Blackhawks: Could More College Prospects Be Added to the Mix? appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com caught up with Blackhawks prospect Fredrik Olofsson this weekend when his Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks took on the Denver Pioneers

DENVER–  Although it wasn’t the most impressive performance by the Omaha Mavericks this weekend against the Denver Pioneers, forward Fredrik Olofsson still showed the promise of a smart two-way forward.  Before the Denver series, the Chicago Blackhawks prospect tallied five goals and twelve assists in 22 games as a junior at Omaha.  In his last eight games, Olofsson has been a point-per-game player.

Nice feed by @FreddyOlofsson but the play gets broken up #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Zm92jcnzGN

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) January 20, 2018

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A 4th round pick of the ‘Hawks in 2014, Olofsson has played his college hockey in the NCHC which is considered one of the toughest divisions in college hockey.  In 91 career games he has 24 goals and 34 assists.

.@FreddyOlofsson with some nice moves down low and creates a chance for @OmahaHKY #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/d7AA7F5jBT

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) January 20, 2018

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In the series this weekend against Denver, you can tell that Olofsson has refined his game to be much more poised.  He uses his 6-2 frame to protect the puck well, especially below the goal line.  His skating up the middle of the ice shows his great speed, vision, and a knack for making the smart play.  Now that he plays a lot more of the center position, Olofsson has a lot more ice to cover and defensive responsibility.  A positive is that his passing looked pretty good in this series that created some good chances for the Mavericks.

Here is our interview with Fredrik on his series against Denver and his progress so far this year.

#Blackhawks prospect @FreddyOlofsson on a tough series against @DU_Hockey and his progress this season. Just pretend I didn’t hold my phone upside-down ?‍ pic.twitter.com/YJD6COAy8B

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) January 21, 2018

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You can follow Fredrik on Twitter at @FreddyOlofsson

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