With that being said, here is a quick look at how the top prospects are performing in their respective leagues.

Lukas Reichel

The Rockford IceHog netted a hat trick on Nov. 7 against the Manitoba Moose and continues to impress in the early season in the AHL. The German-born forward has produced six goals and nine points in 10 games. As a 19-year-old learning the professional game on this side of the pond, there should be no rush in his development. With Stan Bowman gone, he will likely play big minutes against men in the AHL and see a “cup of coffee” toward the end of the Blackhawks’ season.

Evan Barratt

The 22-year-old center has found his way into seven games for the IceHogs this season, netting one goal and two assists. The Bristol, Pennsylvania, native brings an energy to his game that a bottom line in the NHL would like to see. Barratt’s overall skills will not “wow” anyone, but he could be a call-up over Reese Johnson moving forward this season for the Blackhawks.

Colton Dach

The 18-year-old brother of Blackhawks’ forward Kirby Dach has produced since being moved to the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League. Dach is pacing the Rockets at a point per game and has six goals in 11 games. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he should be able to find some space for himself and continue to use his shooting skills to impress in the WHL.

Josiah Slavin

Slavin continues to impress in Rockford this season and has been a wild-card favorite of this author since watching him skate in the USHL for the Chicago Steel. The Erie, Colorado, native and younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes standout blue liner Jaccob Slavin has three goals and four assists for the IceHogs and continues to show he can use his 6-foot-3 frame to his advantage all over the ice. Slavin should be a call-up this season or next if the 22-year-old continues to show he can be effective in all areas of the ice.

Nolan Allan

With no first-round pick last season because of the Seth Jones trade, Bowman reached for the 18-year-old stay-at-home defenseman has been a steady rock this season for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. Allan is not expected to find himself on the scoresheet much, but needs to continue to hone is skills in the defensive end as a suffocating defenseman that is difficult to play against.

Nicolas Beaudin

The shine is starting to wear off on the defenseman, as Beaudin has struggled in six games in Rockford this season and looked over-matched in his time playing against NHL-caliber players. The former first-round pick in 2018 needs to show he can play defense against the best in the world and not just rely on his offensive talents he showed at a young age. Fans should not be surprised if he gets passed up on the next call-up to the NHL.

Ian Mitchell

Much like Beaudin, Mitchell needs to continue to show he can play against the top players in the world. In eight games in Rockford, Mitchell is a -5 and continues to look indecisive on his reads and plays defensively. In the NHL for 42 games already, one would hope that former bench boss Jeremy Colliton was not developing the the 174-pound defenseman, but the shine is wearing off on Mitchell, too.

Drew Commesso

The Norwell, Massachusetts, native is off to a 4–5–1 start for the Terriers of Boston University. The 6-foot-2 goaltender has taken the brunt off the struggles of the team early on with his 3.17 goals against average and .891 save percentage. The 19-year-old has time to turn the early season struggles around and help his team make a push in the Hockey East.

The post Chicago Blackhawks November prospect report appeared first on The Rink.

In addition, on Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks signed 2018 seventh-round pick and Colorado College standout Josiah Slavin to an entry-level contract. Slavin has reported to Rockford and will join the Hogs for the remainder of the season.

Tomkins stands out

On Saturday, the Hogs rode Tomkins and his 42 saves to victory. The Hogs tied the game 7:25 into the third period, as Matej Chalupa tallied his fourth goal of the season, with assists going to Evan Barratt and Dylan McLaughlin. In overtime, McLaughlin would end the contest 2:14 into the extra session, scoring on a 2-on-1 rush.

Hog: Goalie Matt Tomkins has 71 saves over our last two games and made a career-high 42 stops in our 2-1 OT win at Grand Rapids on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/SQD5f3HLhw

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) March 15, 2021

On Tuesday, Tomkins was at his best again, this time registering a career-high 46 saves in a repeat 2–1 overtime performance. McLaughlin was also a difference maker again, with his second overtime winner in as many games. He also added an assist on Gabriel Gagne’s first goal of the season in the second period. McLaughlin tallied 19 seconds into overtime to cap off four points in two games against the Griffins.

For Tomkins, this could not come at a better time for him or for the IceHogs. With an active and unpredictable goalie situation in Rockford this season, for Tomkins to prove himself at this stage of his career is essential. This is the best the 10-year pro has looked to date, and for him to establish himself as a reliable option could prove vital for the Hogs if they want to stay alive in the AHL’s Central Division. Currently 5–8–1 and fifth in the division, the odds are not in the team’s favor, but as the sport goes, a hot goalie can make a difference.

Josiah Slavin

Photograph courtesy of Jeff Osborn / The Rink

The Hawks’ signing of Slavin may seem somewhat insignificant to the average hockey fan, but it may turn out to mean a lot more than that. Slavin, the younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, projects as a bottom-six forward, and, with his two-year entry-level deal, could eventually have an opportunity depending on what the Blackhawks decide to do with their grinding forwards. After this season, it is hard to imagine the Hawks continuing with restricted-free-agent-to-be Lucas Wallmark, who has been disappointing thus far. That leaves room for a defensive-minded winger to ultimately compete for a roster spot. Slavin brings that sandpaper element that that is much needed in an NHL lineup.

Slavin’s defensive responsibility, character and work ethic are the most important intangibles to his game. Slavin’s former assistant coach at Colorado College, Leon Hayward, echoed those sentiments.

“From a hockey perspective, the kid has a lot of detail in his game already,” Hayward told The Rink. “He has a pro stick from the defensive side of the puck.”

Hayward went on to comment on Slavin’s commitment and approach to the game.

“Any skills he’s deficient in, he’ll work his way to get better at,” Hayward said. “His work ethic is elite. He’s all dialed in. He’s already a pro.”

As the Hawks have shown thus far with their youth movement and surprise season, the attributes that Slavin possesses can only be seen as a positive. It will be exciting to follow his growth in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

The post Rockford IceHogs: Tomkins brilliant, Josiah Slavin signs entry-level contract appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks are finally coming out of their transition phase where the investments they have made from a couple of poor seasons are finally beginning to pay dividends. Premier prospects such as Nicolas Beaudin, Adam Boqvist and Ian Mitchell are just a few players who have been in the system that are on the fringe of professional hockey careers. Beaudin and Boqvist will be traveling between Rockford and Chicago as they begin their careers with the Hawks, while Mitchell will be playing his junior year with the Denver Pioneers. Mitchell could join the Blackhawks once his season is done in college.

With that being said, let’s start catching up on this year’s Blackhawks NCAA prospects.

Evan Barratt will play at Penn State this season. (Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

Evan Barratt, Forward — Penn State University (32 games played, 16 goals, 27 assists)

Barratt was one of the top-performing Blackhawks college prospects last season when he broke out for 43 points. Centering Liam Folks and Alex Limoges, the trio combined for 57 goals and 78 assists and all finished in the top 20 in scoring among NCAA skaters. This season, that same line will look to continue to pick up where they left off last season. Barratt not only brings a plethora of scoring ability, but he also plays with an edge. His versatility adds depth to a high-flying Penn State group that is ready to build on their success as a program.

Unfortunately for Blackhawks fans, Barratt did not participate in on-ice drills at prospect camp over the summer because he was recovering from a hip surgery, but he is planning to be ready for Penn State’s series against Sacred Heart.

Barratt got a taste of success in last year’s World Junior Championship and in the 2018 Frozen Four tournament. It would be great to see Penn State get to the Frozen Four this year in Detroit. Barratt has already shown he can put the points up; it would be great to see he and Penn State shine on the big stage.

Evan Barratt is 100 percent, Gadowsky said. Said there's been a visible difference in his skating.

— David Eckert (@davideckert98) October 1, 2019

Josh Ess will be a key part of Wisconsin’s blue line in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of the University of Wisconsin)

Josh Ess, Defenseman — University of Wisconsin (37 games played, five goals, eight assists)

The Wisconsin Badgers have had a couple of down years, but they are looking to change that trend this season. With the addition of top prospects Cole Caufield and Alex Turcotte, Wisconsin could have the offensive firepower to push them to the top of the Big Ten conference. In the preseason rankings, USCHO.com has the Badgers ranked 16th in the country behind Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State.

Entering his junior year, Josh Ess will play a big role on the Badgers’ blue line as an upperclassmen with experience in Tony Granato’s system. The Big Ten is not an easy conference to come out of, especially when you are playing heavy teams like Notre Dame and Ohio State, and, not to mention, speedy teams like Penn State can hurt you in other ways.

Ess was not exactly a standout at prospect camp, but that is also really not his game. He did make some good, hard tape-to-tape passes out of his end and his positioning looked a bit more polished than some of the younger guys. He is more of a team guy that is doing a great job if he can eat minutes responsibly and keep the puck out of the net. Look for Ess to have success in those departments this year.

Wisconsin’s Josh Ess#Blackhawks #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/CYFxO5Gaev

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

Parker Foo will return to Union College for 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of The Athletic)

Parker Foo, Forward — Union College (35 games played, five goals, 10 assists)

Union had a fantastic season, finishing 20–13–6, but was defeated by the Cornell Big Red in the ECAC conference tournament quarterfinals. The Dutchmen will be returning three of their five players who had double-digit goals last season and look to build on their success from 2018–19.

Foo has a lot of speed and quickness to the puck and hopefully he will get more quality minutes at Union entering his junior year. The Blackhawks’ fifth-round pick of 2017 adds some depth to the prospect pool, but he needs to develop a bit more in college. The ECAC should provide some tough competition and hopefully Foo gets some power play time to show he can produce at a high level.

Ian Mitchell will captain the Pioneers in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of Denver University)

Ian Mitchell, Defenseman — Denver University (39 games played, six goals, 21 assists)

Of all the NCAA prospects in the Blackhawks system, Mitchell is probably the most developed at this point. After two seasons with Denver, Mitchell has embraced the “Pioneer Way” and become the team’s new captain. This should not come as a surprise given Mitchell’s work ethic. Over the summer, many Blackhawks fans were hoping that he would leave college and sign a pro deal, but Mitchell decided to not rush his development. Once upon a time, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews told the team the same thing and he worked out to be pretty good.

The Pioneers are coming off their third Frozen Four appearance in four years and this year should not have any different expectations. Denver will start the season as one of the nation’s top teams in one of the hardest divisions in college hockey, the NCHC.

Mitchell brought a lot of raw skill his first couple seasons, but it is pretty clear he wants to take his game to the next level. At prospect camp, Mitchell told Adam Burish in an interview that he is setting the bar high for himself this season. He first wants to win a NCAA championship, but he is also wanting to show he is one of the best players in college hockey with a nomination for the Hobey Baker Award. Do not be shocked if you see Mitchell in a Blackhawks uniform later this season.

Ian Mitchell has been named captain for the 2019-20 season. Tyson McLellan and Michael Davies will serve as alternates https://t.co/uISAMwrO2r | #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/sZ59tvq0SR

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) May 17, 2019

Ryan Shea will return to Northeastern to captain the Huskies in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of hockeyjournal.com)

Ryan Shea, Defenseman — Northeastern University (39 games played, three goals, 13 assists)

Through his first three years in college hockey, Ryan Shea has probably been the most stable defenseman for the Northeastern Huskies. He is not the flashiest player on the ice, but he gets his job done. With a career-high plus-minus rating of plus-23 last season, Shea has proven he can play in all situations and can make the right play when called upon. Those are both reasons why Shea’s teammates voted him team captain for the 2019–20 season. Northeastern is set to be a threat again in the Hockey East Conference, but competition will be elevated, as Boston College and Boston University have retooled after down seasons.

We’ve had some great leaders at Northeastern over the years, and we expect to add more names to the list.

Your 2019-20 #HowlinHuskies captains:

C: Ryan Shea
A: Matt Filipe
A: John Picking
A: Zach Solow pic.twitter.com/cTpwUrCWs3

— Northeastern Men’s Hockey (@GoNUmhockey) April 18, 2019

Josiah Slavin heads to Colorado College after spending three seasons in the USHL. (Photograph courtesy of Colorado College)

Josiah Slavin, Forward — Colorado College (USHL:  59 games played, 24 goals, 23 assists)

One of the most exciting college prospects this year is 2018 seventh-round selection Josiah Slavin.  At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Slavin skates pretty well and has a natural touch for playmaking. We saw him score a hat trick for Team Red at prospect camp this summer, where he stood out among his peers.

Slavin will begin his NCAA career in Colorado Springs playing for the Colorado College Tigers. As one of the younger teams in the NCHC, the Tigers are on the rise with several talented freshmen coming in. Head coach Mike Haviland will most likely love using Slavin for big minutes, including power play time. College hockey analyst Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald has the Tigers ranked 17th in the country, noting they could be a surprise team out of the NCHC this year.

Michal Teply sends a 100-foot feed to Josiah Slavin for the regulation game winner with 6.9 seconds left on the clock. #Blackhawks prospects wrapping with a shootout now just for fun. pic.twitter.com/1LbkSL9vxX

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) July 19, 2019

Alex Vlasic will join Boston University for 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

Alex Vlasic, Defenseman — Boston University (27 games played, two goals, 13 assists)

For the first time in a few years, the Blackhawks finally selected a defenseman with some size when they took Vlasic 43rd overall in the 2019 draft. The Wilmette, Illinois, native spent his junior career with the U.S. National Team Development Program playing alongside Cole Caufield, Jack Hughes, Alex Turcotte, Trevor Zegras and other top US-born prospects.

Vlasic brings a lot to the table besides his size. He has great reach and seems to love jumping into the play despite being a bigger defenseman. Boston University has developed some pretty good defensemen over the years and hopefully they can turn things around after a couple bad seasons.

Alex Vlasic has been showing off his speed with his size (6'6) at #Blackhawks development camp: https://t.co/38QWcVMcsK pic.twitter.com/yUksZ0CPlf

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) July 19, 2019

Photo courtesy of goterriers.com

Jake Wise, Forward — Boston University (12 games played, zero goals, two assists)

Although injuries kept Wise out most of the season last year, he is still seen as one of the Blackhawks’ top prospects. But, with Kirby Dach and Evan Barratt now rising to the top of the system, Wise has some ground to make up. The Terriers lost a few players to the NHL, so hopefully Wise is given some opportunities to shine somewhere in the top nine.

The last young playmaking center the Blackhawks developed was North Dakota’s Nick Schmaltz, who did not end up working out in Chicago. Schmaltz had great patience with the puck and featured excellent vision. Schmaltz did produce more than 50 points in his second season, but he struggled mightily in the face off circle. If Wise, who is similar in size, wants a shot at an NHL roster, he will have to show he can play a two-way game, as the top-six center slots will likely be filled by Jonathan Toews and Dylan Strome for the foreseeable future.

Boston’s Jake Wise #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/5Zv8dC7Mp0

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

The post Get to know your 2019–20 Blackhawks NCAA prospects appeared first on The Rink.

Parts of the series

Introduction

Tiers one and two

Tier three

Tier four

Tier five

Tier six

Complete tier listings with our panel’s original average tier ratings (* represents a unanimous rating from the panel)

Tier one

Adam Boqvist (1*)
Kirby Dach (1*)

Tier two

Ian Mitchell (1.833)
Nicolas Beaudin (2.333)

Tier three

Alex Vlasic (2.833)
Alex Nylander (3)
Dominik Kubalik (3.167)
Philipp Kurashev (3.167)
Chad Krys (3.333)
Jake Wise (3.5)
Alexis Gravel (4)

Tier four

Evan Barratt (3.5)
MacKenzie Entwistle (3.667)
Aleksi Saarela (3.833)
Josiah Slavin (3.833)
Dennis Gilbert (4)
Matthew Highmore (4)
Kevin Lankinen (4)
Niklas Nordgren (4)
John Quenneville (4*)
Michal Teply (4)
Lucas Carlsson (4.167)
Tim Soderlund (4.167)
Alexandre Fortin (4.333)

Tier five

Brandon Hagel (4.333)
Antti Saarela (4.333)
Dominic Basse (4.5)
Artur Kayumov (4.5)
Josh Ess (4.667)
Jakub Galvas (4.833)
Mikael Hakkarainen (4.833)
Reese Johnson (4.833)
Cole Moberg (4.833)
Andrei Altybarmakyan (5.167)
Ivan Nalimov (5.167)
Joni Tuulola (5.167)

Tier six

Mathias From (5.333)
Roope Laavainen (5.333)
Ryan Shea (5.333)
Parker Foo (5.5)
Jake Ryczek (5.5)
Nathan Noel (5.667)
Graham Knott (5.833)

Note: Our panel discovered at a later date Jack Ramsey had been omitted from the series and agreed Ramsey falls into tier six.

The post RECAP: The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers appeared first on The Rink.

Our series continues today with tier four, defined as a prospect seen as a bottom-six or extra forward, third-pairing or extra defenseman or fringe goalie.

As explained in the introduction piece, each eligible prospect in the system was rated by our staff panel before ultimately being debated to agree on a tier. Each prospect’s original rating average is listed in parentheses after their name, along with a brief synopsis of why they fell in the tier they did.

Players are listed in order of original rating average, with any ties being sorted alphabetically by last name.

Evan Barratt (3.5)

The 2017 third-round pick was one of the players our panel had the hardest time coming to a consensus on. Some felt Barratt is capable of converting his offensive firepower at the collegiate level to the professional ranks for a middle-six role, while some felt he will be nothing more than a serviceable depth piece in the NHL. Either way, Barratt brings a combination of skill and sandpaper the Blackhawks could use in their lineup down the road. The Bristol, Pennsylvania, native will return to Penn State in 2019–20, where he ignited for 43 points in 32 games last season.

Evan Barratt will return to Penn State for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Penn State Athletics)

MacKenzie Entwistle (3.667)

Since being acquired in the infamous trade that saw Marian Hossa’s contract dealt to Arizona, Entwistle has established himself as one of the Blackhawks’ most solidified prospects in terms of their future role. The 2017 third-round pick of the Coyotes has embraced the idea of being a bottom-six player at the NHL level and has adjusted his game to suit that role. After winning back-to-back OHL championships on the Hamilton Bulldogs and Guelph Storm and enjoying a breakout showing at the World Junior Championships, Entwistle will turn pro in 2019–20 to join what will likely be a youthful Rockford IceHogs lineup.

Guelph Storm forward MacKenzie Entwistle (left) battles for a puck at the Memorial Cup. (Photograph courtesy of Vincent Ethier / CHL Images)

Aleksi Saarela (3.833)

Saarela joins the Blackhawk organization this season after spending the last two in Carolina’s system. Originally a 2015 third-round pick of the New York Rangers, Saarela was part of the trade that saw Eric Staal leave the Hurricanes at the 2016 trade deadline. Since then, Saarela has spent the majority of his time playing for the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL, where he and his team won the Calder Cup last season. Saarela’s big shot helped him score 30 goals in 2018–19, but he likely will not reach a level like that in the NHL. If Saarela wants to have a lengthy NHL career, it will likely need to be in a depth role. Saarela will be given a chance to crack Chicago’s opening night lineup, but is more likely to start the season in Rockford to adjust to the Blackhawks’ system.

Aleksi Saarela joins the Blackhawks organization for 2019–20 after winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers. (Photograph courtesy of Patrick Gorski / Icon Sportswire

Josiah Slavin (3.833)

Slavin was another polarizing player among our panel members. With votes as high as tier two, he clearly is a player who has quickly grabbed the attention of some panelists despite being a seventh-round pick in 2018. Slavin’s rise in the USHL over the last two seasons and showings at the Blackhawks’ development camps have led some to feel he has the tools needed to be a legitimate contributor at the NHL level, playing a simple, but effective, pro-style game. Slavin, who is the younger brother of Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin, possesses a strong work ethic and displays leadership on and off the ice, which have helped his development thus far. The Erie, Colorado, native will head to play at Colorado College, where he will likely spend at least two years before turning pro. While he still has some developing to do, Slavin could very well turn out to be a diamond in the rough and have a successful NHL career, whether as a middle-six player or a depth option.

Josiah Slavin heads to Colorado College after splitting the 2018–19 season between Lincoln and Chicago in the USHL. (Photograph courtesy of Brad Repplinger)

Dennis Gilbert (4)

Gilbert is a perfect representation of a few players who our panel feels can be a solid NHL player, just likely not in a Blackhawk sweater. The Notre Dame product provides the physicality Chicago’s blue line pipeline lacks, but very well might not have a clear path to NHL ice time with all of the other young defensemen in the system who have higher upsides. Drafted in the third round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Gilbert turned pro in 2018–19 after three seasons with the Fighting Irish. The Buffalo, New York, native played in 63 games for Rockford, where he racked up 14 points, to go along with one game for the Blackhawks. Our panel was in full agreement Gilbert has the tools to be a reliable and rugged stay-at-home defenseman in the NHL, but most felt that would be elsewhere.

Dennis Gilbert tallied 14 points for the Rockford IceHogs in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Matthew Highmore (4)

Highmore is a bit of an interesting player in the group because of his circumstances. Most of our panel feels he has the tools needed to be an everyday bottom-six center in the NHL. However, injuries have hampered Highmore thus far in his career, washing out the majority of his 2018–19 season. The undrafted free agent signing played in 13 games for the Blackhawks in 2017–18, but managed just 12 games in 2018–19, all with Rockford. Despite his injury issues, Highmore has proven to be an effective scorer at the AHL level, posting 52 points in 76 games over two seasons with the IceHogs. Hopes are 2019–20 can be a fresh start for Highmore, but he will need to earn a spot in Chicago, as there is a slew of other players who could very well beat him out for depth roster spots.

Matthew Highmore enters 2019–20 looking to rebound from his injury-shortened 2018–19 campaign. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Kevin Lankinen (4)

The undrafted free agent signing came over to play in North America for the first time in 2018–19, splitting time with Indy in the ECHL and Rockford in the AHL. While he posted decent numbers with the IceHogs (2.50 goals against average and a .910 save percentage in 19 games), Lankinen took the world by storm for his native Finland in the World Championships, backstopping the Finns to the gold medal with sparkling numbers of a 1.50 goals against average and a .942 save percentage. His efforts quickly caught the attention of many in the Blackhawks’ fanbase, but he needs to show that ability on a consistent basis for an extended period of time for our panel to place him in a higher tier. Lankinen is expected to return to Rockford for 2019–20, where he will get a chance to show if he is truly the lights-out goaltender he was at the World Championships or if his heroics were just a flash in the pan.

The 2019–20 season will give Kevin Lankinen an opportunity to show if his heroic performance at the 2019 World Championships was his true self or just a flash in the pan. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Niklas Nordgren (4)

The 2018 third-round pick of the Blackhawks is an intriguing prospect because of his ability to score. However, his size is a bit of a question mark, as is his skating, which will definitely need to be improved if he wants to translate his production to the game’s highest level. Unlike the majority of prospects in the system, Nordgren has been limited in his participation in prospect camp over the past two summers, as he was injured early in the 2018 camp before being an off-ice participant in 2019. Nordgren has split time between HIFK’s main Liiga men’s team and the organization’s U20 team over the last two seasons. The Helsinki native tallied 26 points in 28 games between the two teams in 2018–19 and will return to HIFK for 2019–20. Nordgren’s development will be worth keeping an eye on, as he could become a scoring threat in the NHL if he pans out.

Niklas Nordgren combined for 26 points in 28 games in the HIFK organization in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of AOP)

John Quenneville (4)

The cousin of longtime Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, John was one of three prospects to receive an identical rating from each member of our panel. Acquired earlier this summer in exchange for John Hayden, Quenneville will enter camp looking to earn a full-time job in the NHL for the first time. The 2014 first-round pick of New Jersey played in 33 games for the Devils in his time with the organization, spending the majority of that time playing for the Albany Devils in the AHL. After racking up 39 points in 37 AHL games last season, Quenneville appears ready to take the next step, but might have a hard time grabbing a roster spot in Chicago. Regardless, Quenneville should be able to be a decent depth piece at the NHL level in the future.

John Quenneville joins the Blackhawks organization after being acquired from New Jersey this summer. (Photograph courtesy of Ed Mulholland / USA TODAY Sports

Michal Teply (4)

Teply will be another intriguing prospect to keep an eye on as his career progresses. Selected in the fourth round this June by the Blackhawks, the noted playmaker will come to North America to join the Winnipeg Ice for 2019–20 after being chosen fourth overall by the Ice in the CHL Import Draft. The Czech Republic product posted 21 points in various Czech leagues in 2018–19 before racking up six points in four playoff games for the Bili Tygri Liberec U19 team. Teply has been a mainstay on the Czech Republic’s international teams growing up, representing his country in various tournaments in each of the past three seasons. The big-bodied winger will need to work on his skating and adjust to the North American game, but, if he can do those things, seems like he can be a depth contributor in the NHL.

Michal Teply will head to North America for 2019–20 to play for the Winnipeg Ice. (Photograph courtesy of the IIHF)

Lucas Carlsson (4.167)

The 2016 fourth-rounder made the transition to North America in 2018–19, playing 69 games with Rockford and tallying 33 points, after a lengthy career in the Brynas organization in Sweden. While generally known to be an offensive defenseman, Carlsson is capable of holding his own in his own end. Of course, being part of an impressive blue line pipeline in the Chicago system, Carlsson might have a hard time cracking the Blackhawks’ lineup in the future. Multiple members of our panel believe he has the tools needed to be a regular depth defenseman in the NHL, but would likely only be able to realize that potential in a different organization. As one panelist noted, Carlsson feels a bit like Ville Pokka in the sense he might be too good for the AHL but never be able to make it in the NHL given the situation he is in. The Swede is expected to return to a stacked blue line in Rockford in 2019–20.

Lucas Carlsson posted 33 points for Rockford in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Tim Soderlund (4.167)

Soderlund’s skill set lends itself to a bottom-six role, which is likely what he would need to be in order to have an NHL career. While Soderlund has looked good at both ends in his time playing in Sweden’s SHL over the last three seasons, he has not stood out much at Chicago’s prospect camps since being selected in the fourth round in 2017, though that is not an end-all, be-all setting. Soderlund will join Rockford for 2019–20, where he will get his first taste of the North American game. Sometimes compared to fellow Swede Viktor Arvidsson, Blackhawks fans should be cautiously optimistic about Soderlund’s future. If he can translate his game to North America, he should have a chance to establish himself as a reliable depth player capable of chipping in offensively from time to time.

After spending his whole career in Sweden, Tim Soderlund will come to North America for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Ola Westerberg / Bildbyrån)

Alexandre Fortin (4.333)

Once the “golden boy” of the Blackhawks’ prospect camps, Fortin has a well-known story that has led him to the professional ranks. Unfortunately for Fortin, it sometimes seems like he just is not getting the opportunity he needs to establish himself at the NHL level. After struggling with injuries in his first professional season in 2017–18, the undrafted free agent signing split time between Chicago and Rockford in 2018–19, posting consistent numbers at both levels. Fortin tallied three goals and three assists in 24 games for the Blackhawks and doubled his totals in 47 games with the IceHogs. Fortin has speed to burn, but the rest of his game will need to catch up to his feet in order to put it all together. Though there is still time for Fortin to earn himself a regular NHL job, he might be passed over for other options as time progresses. Fortin is another player who may be better off starting fresh in another organization to get the most out of his career moving forward.

Alexandre Fortin will look to grab a full-time roster spot in Chicago in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Stay tuned as The-Rink progresses up the ladder in its Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

The post The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers, part three appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink’s Blackhawks writer and Rockford expert, Mario Tirabassi, was out to catch all the action and report on the latest happenings in camp. Please check out all the pieces from this week, including special daily one-on-one features with MacKenzie Entwistle, Chad Krys and Josiah Slavin.

Please take some time to enjoy our in-depth coverage:

Day 1 (with one-on-one featuring Chad Krys)
Kirby Dach settling into new city and organization
Day 2 (with one-on-one featuring Josiah Slavin)
Blackhawks trade Artem Anisimov to Ottawa for Zack Smith
Alex Vlasic not planning to rush his development
Stan Bowman, Jeremy Colliton address Blackhawks camp on day three
Nicolas Beaudin becoming well-rounded ahead of pro debut season
Day 4 (with one-on-one featuring MacKenzie Entwistle)
Blackhawks development camp wraps up with futures game

Please enjoy this highlight reel set up by Blackhawks defenseman Adam Boqvist, captured by The-Rink’s Aaron Goldschmidt:

.@BoqvistAdam #Blackhawks @BarDown @GoLondonKnights pic.twitter.com/lJffmwpDU2

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) July 19, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The post Full wrap-up of the 2019 Chicago Blackhawks development camp (links) appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks development camp: Day two takeaways

Day two opened with the highlight group of Team A taking the ice first. Alexis Gravel, a 2018 sixth round pick for the Blackhawks was in net for Team A after missing yesterday’s session. Gravel had a breakout season last year with the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL, helping the Mooseheads to an appearance in the QMJHL Finals and the Memorial Cup Final, which was held in Halifax. Gravel is the most senior of the goalies in camp this week as far as Blackhawks development camp appearances with two. He will return to Halifax this season for what looks to be his final year of junior hockey.

Deliberate side to side movement as well as returning upright from low saves. Good drill to get the hips and legs warm. https://t.co/bGuzcDI4FG

— Puckin Hostile (@PuckinHostile.bsky.social) (@PuckinHostile) July 16, 2019

Off the ice, the Blackhawks made a long-anticipated trade during the first session, trading Artem Anisimov to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Zack Smith. The move is not a huge upgrade on paper as far as production and usage goes, but will save the Blackhawks $1.3 million in cap space for the next two seasons.

“He’s a versatile player,” said Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman on acquiring Smith. “He’s played wing and center, which we like. He plays with an edge. He has some years in the past where he has scored a lot. The thing we like about him is his versatility.”

Bowman added that he believes that Smith brings a competitiveness and edge that the Blackhawks lacked last season. Smith has played 612 NHL games in his career, all with the Senators.

Getting back to the action on the ice at development camp, missing from Team A’s workout was Jake Wise, who skated in a non-contact sweater the day prior. Instead, Wise skated with Team B for day two. Forwards Kirby Dach, Philipp Kurashev and Alexander Nylander were again standouts during the session. Dach showed more of his agile skating ability for a player of his frame, which is a promising sign early on in his development. Kurashev and Nylander’s speed and accuracy with the puck were on display for the second day in a row, as was Brandon Hagel’s. The depth of the forward group in the prospect system was lacking heading into this summer, and so far, through the draft, trades and offseason development, looks to have become one of the strengths of the farm system for Chicago.

A skating and shooting drill#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/sFUPulNgKg

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

Defensemen Nicolas Beaudin, Adam Boqvist and Alex Vlasic again were focal points of the early session. Vlasic’s ability to skate well for his size, much like with Dach, was on display and should bode well for a player who hopes to be on the trajectory of a pre-2016 Brent Seabrook type of player. Chad Krys put on a decent shooting display that get a number of “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd at the Fifth Third Ice Arena as well.

Alex Vlasic blueline drill#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/klTvYzyWpS

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

Following the first session, Ian Mitchell met with Blackhawks media and was again asked about his plans as it pertained to playing for Denver University this year. He reiterated his intentions to return to school for his junior season and then sign with the Blackhawks once the Pioneers’ season is finished.

Ian Mitchell after Day 2 of development camp reiterates his intentions to return to Denver for his Junior season and sign with the #Blackhawks following the conclusion of his #NCAA year

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

Beaudin and Vlasic also spoke with the media following day two of camp. Both spoke on their abilities to get by the initial jitters of coming into camp for the first time. Beaudin, in his second development camp, says he feels that his game has progressed from being an offensive-style defenseman to a more complete, two-way player on the blueline. He added that his best strength is his skating, but that he can always work on being quicker.

Speaking of skating, Vlasic spoke about his abilities to play at the top-tier pace. For a 6-foot-6 defenseman in an ever-quickening game, he knows that his skating is going to be something he will always have to work on. Vlasic also stated that he plans on heading to Boston University for at least two years and then will figure out his direction from there.

Daily one-on-one: Josiah Slavin

Following the conclusion of day two of Blackhawks development camp, we were able to catch up with Blackhawks prospect Josiah Slavin. A seventh round pick for Chicago in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Slavin is headed for Colorado College this fall after completing three seasons in the USHL with the Lincoln Stars and Chicago Steel.

On the difference between his first camp last year and being prepared for his second camp:

“It’s a different mindset this year compared to last year. I’m mentally prepared for it this time, so it feels good to be out skating with the guys again.”

Is the biggest difference from last year just knowing what to expect?

“Yeah, last year I had no idea what to expect going into it. I knew it was going to be hard but I didn’t know how hard it would be. So, going into camp and knowing what to expect makes it more enjoyable and easier to just have fun out there.”

On going through a trade last year from Lincoln to “Chicago”:

“I came downtown once, visited the area and did some shopping, but Geneva is not really Chicago. It’s a little bit away; it’s quite different. But, being in Chicago was awesome and being with the Steel trying to win the Clark Cup was a great experience.”

Slavin and Olson (red) vs Ess and Saarela (white) #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/B11dooQgjJ

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

On being named captain in Lincoln and maturing as a player:

“At the junior level, you are just beginning to develop your leadership skills and develop as a leader. So being named captain was awesome and I definitely grew a lot as a player and as a person. It was challenging at times, but it also had its perks.”

On moving on to Colorado College next season:

“I’m just going to try to go out and do my thing and work hard. I know it’s going to be harder than the USHL. It’s a big jump, but I’m going to do what I can and control what I can and work hard.”

Older brother Jaccob Slavin (Carolina) also played for the Steel and attended Colorado College, what advice has he given you through your career?

“He’s been through it all. He’s been giving me pointers here and there and helping me focus on the right things, making sure I’m doing the right things off the ice.”

On the Blackhawks’ expectations for him in camp:

“They’re always giving us direction and pointers about what we are doing out there: What we’re doing well, what we need to work on. So, it’s always good to have them there to help us throughout camp.”

On what he is specifically working on to improve this summer:

“I’m not the prettiest skater, so I always need to work on that. You can never have too perfect of a stride, so just focusing on that. I have speed, but I just need to keep working on the prettiness of it.”

More tomorrow on The-Rink!

The post Chicago Blackhawks development camp: Day two takeaways appeared first on The Rink.

Each year, it seems that more NHL prospects are choosing college hockey as their route to the pros.  It is not just because the level of competition has increased, but it gives players the opportunity to thrive as student athletes and to be around kids their age in an educational environment. This year, Blackhawks prospect Josiah Slavin will be heading to Colorado Springs, Colorado, for his freshman year playing for the Colorado College Tigers. Led by former Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland, the Tigers play in one of the toughest conferences in college hockey, as the NCHC has been home to the last four NCAA national champions.

Slavin has some history with Colorado College. His big brother, Jaccob, attended CC from 2013–2014 and now plays for the Carolina Hurricanes. Although he will not be playing with his brother, Josiah will not be going to college alone. He will be joined by fellow Chicago Steel alum Casey Staum. Staum is a 2016 Montreal Canadiens fifth round draft pick and played in the USHL for three seasons.

Last season after Slavin was drafted, he made a strong impression with the Blackhawks staff at development camp. His size and skill, although somewhat raw, complemented his compete level nicely. He won pucks in the corners and created chances for his teammates a lot of the times out of nothing. Slavin also looked very strong on the puck. It is not often that late-round draft picks are talked about, but he did get Joel Quenneville’s attention on the first day.

As Slavin enters his first year in the NCHC, he could really thrive under Haviland. The Tigers play a simple, downhill game that is so persistent that you can never count them out until that third buzzer. Haviland preaches that a simple game with hard work will reward you with success. The Tigers won a lot of games despite several injuries to key players last season, and as they continue bringing in their recruits under Haviland, they will continue to round out their depth. Slavin will play a big role in their improvement.

Four times a year, Slavin will run into a familiar face in Ian Mitchell, a junior at the University of Denver who is now captain of the Pioneers. Slavin and Mitchell will have participated in two development camps after this July and will now be a part of a bitter rivalry in the Battle for the Gold Pan between CC and DU. The games tend to be competitive and very hard-hitting no matter where the teams are in the standings.

Something to watch for next season is how much opportunity Haviland gives his young guys. After losing seniors Mason Berg, Trey Bradley and Westin Michaud, the Tigers lost a lot of production and top-six players. CC will be leaning on a couple sophomores in Ben Copeland and Grant Cruikshank and to step up and help senior Nick Halloran put points on the board. Slavin could be a big help on the powerplay if he can get to dirty areas and use his size to his advantage. If he can stay healthy and implement his leadership skills in a very team-first system, Slavin could be an immediate-impact type player for the Tigers.

The post Blackhawks’ Josiah Slavin set to debut with Colorado College this fall appeared first on The Rink.

Early in the first period, Steel forward Robert Mastrosimone went hard into the end boards and struggled to get to his feet. Mastrosimone would attempt another shift before being sent off to the dressing room for the remainder of the contest. The projected first or second round draft pick was a huge loss to the Steel’s game plan.

Sioux Falls scored first when forward Anthony Romano beat Steel goaltender Justin Robbins with his first goal of the playoffs. The power play goal was assisted by forwards Austen Swankler and Ethan Phillips.

Although outshooting the Stampede in the first period 11–4, the Steel entered the first intermission trailing 1–0.

The second period saw the Stampede extend their lead to 3–0 when right wing Blake Bride and center Sam Stevens both found the back of the net. The Stampede outshot the Steel 9–5 in the second period.

Early in the third period, Steel forward Josiah Slavin shortened the Stampede lead 3–1. The goal, assisted by forwards Nick Abruzzese and Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, was the Blackhawks prospect’s fourth goal of the playoffs.

With just under six minutes left in the game, Chicago head coach Greg Moore pulled Robbins in hopes of cutting into the Sioux Falls lead, but goals by Stampede forward Jared Westcott and defenseman Ryan Johnson would seal the deal for Sioux Falls.

Chicago finished the game outshooting Sioux Falls 21–17, but the Stampede would take the Clark Cup Final with the 5–1 victory.

The post Chicago Steel swept by Sioux Falls in Clark Cup Final appeared first on The Rink.

The Chicago Steel fell behind 2–0 early with two power play goals from Chicago Blackhawks forward prospect Mikael Hakkarainen but fought back for a 5–4 overtime victory. The Steel received the game-tying goal from forward Josiah Slavin, another Blackhawks prospect, with 2.9 seconds left in regulation before forward Nick Abruzzese scored the game winner in overtime.

Hakkarainen’s two late-first-period goals finished off a sluggish start by the Steel. Chicago was outshot in the first period 17–8 and only killed off one of the three penalties taken in the frame. Steel goaltender Justin Robbins made several key saves throughout the period, otherwise, the score could have really gotten away from Chicago.

Back back from HAKK @muskegonjacks lead 2-0 #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/vETVq3dfhI

— USHL (@USHL) April 27, 2019

Steel forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine scored his second goal of the playoffs, shortening the Muskegon lead to 2–1, taking a nice pass from defenseman Matteo Pietroniro before beating Lumberjacks netminder Brandon Bussi.

Another power play goal by Muskegon extended the Lumberjacks lead back to two goals before Slavin scored his first of two goals on the evening to cut the Muskegon lead back to one goal.

Muskegon scored early in the third period when forward Bobby Lynch scored his second goal of the postseason.

Only 12 seconds later, Abruzzese scored his fourth goal of the playoffs with a goal assisted by Pietroniro.

Pietroniro with a perfect two-line pass to Abruzzese @chicagosteel quick to respond #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/naLesy4FmK

— USHL (@USHL) April 28, 2019

The game-tying power play goal, with under three seconds left in the game, gave Slavin his second goal of the game, on the power play, assisted by Pietroniro and Fontaine.

OVERTIME WINNER
Abruzzese wasn't taking any chances this time… It's good @chicagosteel lead the series 1⃣-0⃣ #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/k4clHpav7t

— USHL (@USHL) April 28, 2019

Chicago took a 1–0 series lead when Abruzzese scored the overtime game-winner, assisted by forward Robert Mastrosimone and defenseman Luke Reid.

Muskegon outshot Chicago 40–34 for the game, while Robbins stopped 36 shots for the victory.

Muskegon 3, Chicago 2

The Lumberjacks wasted no time when forward Jagger Joshua scored 19 seconds into the opening frame. The goal, assisted by forward Ryan Savage and defenseman Declan Carlile.

The early Lumberjacks goal did not put Chicago on their heals, as Mastrosimone buried his fourth goal of the season, assisted by Fontaine and Slavin.

Hakkarainen took back the lead at the 13:01 mark in the first period with his fourth goal of the playoffs and third of the series.

Muskegon would extend their lead to 3–1 when forward Jack Williams scored his second goal of the playoffs. The goal was the only goal of the second period.

Fontaine put Chicago on the board early in the third period, with his third goal of the season, on the power play goal assisted by Abruzzese and Slavin.

Gunnarwolfe Fontaine sends one howlin' past Bussi for the PPG! @chicagosteel #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/26un4x5pUN

— USHL (@USHL) April 28, 2019

Chicago continued to push the pressure on Muskegon to tie the game during the rest of the period but the Steel could not solve Bussi for the game-tying goal.

Muskegon outshot Chicago 31–26 for the game.

The series returns to Fox Valley Ice Arena for Game 3 on Friday, May 3 for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop. Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday, May 4 at 7:05 p.m. at Fox Valley Ice Arena. With the series tied 1–1, Chicago looks to take advantage of the home-ice advantage they took back from Muskegon.

The post Chicago wins series opener in Muskegon, series tied 1–1 appeared first on The Rink.

The Chicago Steel kept up with their opponents chasing them for second place in the Eastern Conference beating the Waterloo Black Hawks 3–1. Steel goaltender Reilly Herbst stopped 36 shots to lead Chicago in Waterloo, Iowa.

The evenly matched game remained tied at 0–0 halfway through the second period. Herbst and Waterloo goaltender Jared Moe both made a few spectacular saves early on in the game. Moe, a Winnipeg Jets sixth-round draft pick in 2018, would be the first to break when forward Josiah Slavin beat Black Hawks defenseman Hank Sorensen to the outside and slipped a shot five-hole for the 1–0 Chicago lead.

Ok Josiah Slavin, we get it, you've got skillz. @chicagosteel #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/QWkdGUnlY2

— USHL (@USHL) April 6, 2019

The first goal, at the 16:36 mark of the second period, would be followed up less than a minute later when forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine buried his 20^th goal of the season. The goal, assisted by forward Adam Robbins, extended the Chicago lead to 2–0 as both teams went into the second intermission.

Defenseman Owen Power opened up the scoring in the third period, on the power play, beating Moe for his 10th goal of the season. Assisted by forward Mathieu De St. Phalle and Robbins, extended the Steel lead to 3–0.

Waterloo forward Ryan Drkulec beat Herbst at the 8:07 mark of the third period to cut the Steel lead to 3–1, but that would be the only goal for Waterloo. With the victory, Chicago extended their lead over Cedar Rapids and Youngstown to three points heading into their Saturday night matchup with the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Dubuque 5, Chicago 0

On Saturday, Dubuque Fighting Saints goaltender Matthew Thiessen stopped a team record 44 saves in shutting out the Steel 5–0 in Dubuque, Iowa. The Vancouver Canucks draft pick stood on his head all night, stopping 31 shots through two period before whitewashing the Steel on 13 shots in the third period.

Fighting Saints forward Matias Maccelli, a potential 2019 NHL draft prospect, scored twice to reach the 30 goal mark this season. Dubuque also received goals from defenseman Chris Lipe, forward Bram Scheerer and forward Dylan Jackson.

Chicago returns to home ice on Friday, April 12 for Fan Appreciation Night for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop. The Steel then finish up the regular season in Muskegon, April 13, for a 7:15 p.m. start. Chicago clings to a one-point lead for the second-place spot in the Eastern Conference, which comes with a first-round bye.

Click here to see the Eastern Conference Playoff Race information.

The post The Steel Deal: Chicago splits weekend, big weekend ahead in playoff race appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff “Gatekeeper” Osborn and John “Double J” Jaeckel are joined by The-Rink Junior / Chicago Steel writer Ray Napientek to talk about the Blackhawks and the Steel.

• We have a new review (thanks Mark from Algonquin)
• The Blackhawks are basically eliminated “officially” from the postseason
• Chad Krys and Jack Ramsey enter the organization
• More talk about what the team needs to do this summer
• What is going on with the Chicago Steel?
• Stan Bowman talk, Dylan Sikura talk
• We answer some listener and reader questions

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, Please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The Rinkcast is brought to you by the Overtime Podcast Network

The post The Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 49 – Steel Deal appeared first on The Rink.

The Gamblers opened the scoring on their home ice, at the 4:09 mark of the first period, when forward Nicholas Zabaneh scored his 11^th goal of the season. Forwards Gleb Murtazin and Luke Mylymok assisted on the goal. As it turned out, this was the only puck to slip past Robbins the rest of the evening.

Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect Slavin tied the score at 1–1, netting his 18^th goal of the season. The goal, assisted by forward Adam Robbins and defenseman Luke Reid, was the first of back-to-back goals by Slavin.

At the 17:09 mark of the first period, Slavin scored on the power play, when defenseman Matteo Pietroniro shoveled a pass over to forward Robert Mastrosimone, who fired a shot on Gambler goaltender Ryan Ullan. The rebound from Ullan found Slavin at the side of the net, who buried his shot for the 2–1 lead.

Midway through the second period, De St. Phalle scored his 9th goal of the season. The University of Wisconsin commit finished a 2-on-1 with forward Christian Sarlo, and snuck a backhand past a sprawling Ullan. The goal was De St. Phalle’s sixth point (2 goals, 4 assists) in the past six games.

Classic @ChicagoSteel goal
These guys must practice this or something…#WhosNext pic.twitter.com/ZOsOZRISCs

— USHL (@USHL) March 20, 2019

With the 3–1 lead, Chicago did not take their foot off the pedal, outshooting the Gamblers 13–2 in the third period, and 39 – 20 for the game. Even though Chicago could not find the back of the net in the second half of the game, the Steel’s savvy play and hard work in their defensive end was outstanding.

With the victory, Chicago finds themselves back in sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The victory also secured their third straight Clark Cup playoff appearance, which begins April 15.

Chicago returns to Green Bay for another matchup on Friday night for a 7:05 p.m. contest. On Sunday, Chicago skates on home ice for the “Daddy Daughter Princess” celebration for a 3:05 p.m. puck drop against the Lincoln Stars.

The post The Steel Deal: Steel Clinch Playoff Berth, Slavin Scores Twice 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.

“Christmas time last year (2017) he (Slavin) was really on nobody’s draft radar,” Hardy stated “and I talked to the Lincoln Stars’ General Manager and planted the seed, that if the situation presented itself, I would be interested in obtaining him.”

That opportunity came on January 22 this season, as the Steel traded for Slavin in a multi-player deal. Since joining the Steel, Slavin has eleven points (4 goals, 7 assists) while adding a big body in front on the power play, a scoring threat and overall 200-foot effort.

“He really added to our culture we have here in Chicago,” said Hardy, “It’s been a perfect fit. As a player, he’s really smart and can really score. His maturity and appetite to be better every single day is outstanding. He’s a really great person”

The Colorado College commitment has played 153 USHL games over the past three seasons, accumulating 90 points (43 goals, 47 asssits) and looks to help guide the Steel this season on a long playoff run.

Around the scouting circles, Slavin has the work ethic and determination to be good at the next level. His glaring need for the NHL would be his skating ability. Hardy has seen first-hand the extra time Slavin has put into his skating skills and would not be shocked to see Slavin in a Chicago Blackhawks’ uniform in the future.

“He’s the type of player that goes from unknown to the NHL, he’s that good,” stated Hardy.

Former Blackhawks’ head coach Joel Quenneville was also impressed with Slavin at the Blackahwks’ 2018 development camp, “The kid that might have impressed me the most was Josiah Slavin. He looks like he could be a player.”

For now, you can see Slavin and his Chicago Steel teammates, as they host the Dubuque Fighting Saints, this Saturday March 2 at Fox Valley Arena in Geneva, IL , for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop. For future games, click HERE for the Chicago Steel schedule.

Slavin scoring on February 1 this season for the Chicago Steel

Josiah Slavin is on with his new team!@ChicagoSteel #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/y6KnIdIX5a

— USHL (@USHL) February 2, 2019

Slavin at the Chicago Blackhawks Development Camp in July 2018 from the Rinks very own Eric Andrews

Josiah Slavin has a good first step. pic.twitter.com/4lDhRx3UZD

— Eric Andrews (@WALaxer19) July 17, 2018

The post From Unknown to Chicago, Slavin Making A Name For Himself appeared first on The Rink.

Slavin, a 6’3″ 190 lbs. (primarily) left-wing, is a 2018 7th round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Entry Draft. He is also is the younger brother of former Steel and current Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin.  He has served at the Lincoln captain and is second on the team in scoring with 28 points (10G,18A) in 32 games.  During this summer’s Blackhawks development camp he turned quite a few heads, but is committed to Colorado College for next season.

Carrick, a 6’1′ 183 lbs Orland Park native, is the younger brother of another NHLer in defenseman Connor Carrick.  He has two goals in ten games this season for the Stars, and is committed to Penn State next season.

Lincoln will also receive the Steel’s 2019 Phase 2 2nd, 3rd, and 9th Round picks as well as a conditional 2020 Phase 1 3rd Round pick as well as future considerations. Chicago also receives Lincoln’s 2019 Phase 2 4th round pick as part of the trade.

The Steel return to the Fox Valley Ice Arena for a pair of weekend games against the defending Clark Cup Champion Fargo Force on Saturday, Jan. 26 and Sunday, Jan. 27. Saturday is Game of Thrones Night, celebrating the matchup between the last two Clark Cup Champions. It’s also a Raising Cane’s Kids Day with a $10 deal for kids that includes a Red Zone ticket, Steel drawstring backpack and free Raising Cane’s kids combo card. Sunday is a Steel Family Pack game on Trains, Trains, Trains day presented by Wausau Homes North Aurora. The Steel Family Pack includes four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and four chuck-a-pucks starting at just $48. The Steel Family Pack must be purchased in advance.

Tickets for all Steel home games are on sale now starting at just $10 and stadium seating on the glass is available for just $20. Parking is always free. The Steel offer discounted tickets for groups.

For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.

The post Steel Trade For Blackhawks Prospect Slavin, Orland Park Native Carrick appeared first on The Rink.

Team Canada’s camp opened with three Blackhawks prospects. Hamilton forward Mackenzie Entwistle, Drummondville defenseman Nicolas Beaudin and college defenseman Ian Mitchell all were selected to the original camp roster. Entwistle and Mitchell have both made Team Canada, but Beaudin was sent home during cuts.

Beaudin made quite the case of himself going into Team Canada’s camp, considering he has been incredible for Drummondville to this point. He has 25 points (5 goals, 20 assists) in 21 games for the Voltigeurs. Nonetheless, Beaudin will have some time off until the QMJHL resumes play on Friday, December 28th.

As for Entwistle, it’s safe to say the knee injury to London Knights forward Alex Formenton surely helped him make the team. However, Entwistle brings a versatile, big bodied forward to Team Canada to aid in their quest for World Junior gold. He has 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 29 games for Hamilton. The young forward also brings on ice leadership as captain of his OHL club.

Other key prospects who will likely be representing their countries at the World Juniors, which begin December 26th, include Adam Boqvist (Sweden) and Philipp Kurashev (Switzerland). Both have been sensational for their junior clubs and deserve to be representing their respective home countries.

PROSPECT ROUNDUP:

Despite a quiet week due to the World Juniors camps, a few Blackhawks prospects excelled for their respective clubs. Noteworthy performances came via Jake Ryczek once again, Alexis Gravel and Josiah Slavin.

Ryczek came off his hottest streak of the season entering play last week and over the weekend. In three games against Cape Breton, Moncton and Charlottetown, all at home, Ryczek registered one goal and one assist. Ryczek now has 19 points in 30 games this season for the Halifax Mooseheads. Halifax, along with the rest of the CHL, will be off until December 28th. The Mooseheads will head to Charlottetown on that day to resume their season.

Gravel has been arguably the most important player thus far for the Mooseheads. Over the three games mentioned above, Gravel went 2-0-1 while shutting-out the Moncton Wildcats, stopping all 33 shots faced. In the win over Charlottetown, Gravel stopped 30 of 32 shots faced. The young goaltender has a season record of 18-6-1 with 2 shutouts. He owns a 2.55 GAA and a .918 save percentage. It’s safe to say Gravel is a big reason for the amount of success the Mooseheads have had this season.

What a save by Blackhawks prospect Alexis Gravel.https://t.co/Gx0khyDS4u#QMJHL #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/5zW8ZdP8FG

— Eliteprospects (@eliteprospects) December 13, 2018

Slavin has cooled a bit recently for the Lincoln Stars. For the season, Slavin has 20 points in 22 games. Over the past weekend of USHL action, Slavin recorded one goal and one assist in three games against Tri-City, Waterloo and Des Moines on December 13th, 14th and 15th, respectively. The USHL is now on the same break as the CHL, so teams will not return to action until December 28th. Slavin and the Stars will visit Tri-City at that time to resume their campaign.

INJURY UPDATE:

Mikael Hakkarainen has not played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL since December 2nd. Rumors from those who closely follow the Lumberjacks say he has not played after taking a puck to the chin and has been held out for precautionary purposes. Look for the Finnish forward to hopefully return to action after the Christmas holiday break and continue his excellent campaign. The young Fin has 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists) in only 14 games to this point. It’s safe to say he has outplayed the USHL level.

Keep yourself in the loop during the World Juniors with The-Rink! Follow myself on Twitter @rnldluce, as well as @lateinthegoldie, for Blackhawks junior and college prospects highlights and information during the tournament.

The post Blackhawks Prospect Roundup: All is Quiet…Too Quiet appeared first on The Rink.

Surprise name of the week is Jake Ryczek. The Halifax Mooseheads defenseman registered six points over a three game stretch, after recording only two points in all of the month of November. Notable showings also came from Brandon Hagel, Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin.

JAKE RYCZEK – HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS – 2 GOALS, 4 ASSISTS

After the former 7th round pick’s average start for the Mooseheads, he became a stratch during the early games of December for Halifax. Most Blackhawks fans probably do not even know who Ryczek is, but he had the best three game stretch of his season over the weekend.

Ryczek began his strong weekend off against the Saint John Sea Dogs with one goal and one assist in a 10-2 win for Halifax. The next day against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, Ryczek registered one goal and two assists in a 6-0 win for the Mooseheads. The three point outing was by far the best game for Ryczek to this point during the campaign. To finish the weekend, Ryczek recorded one assist for his sixth point in a 2-1 win over the Charlottetown Islanders to complete the weekend sweep for the Mooseheads.

The guy we call Ryzer had our 3rd goal of the night #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/rE7hWcNdfi

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) December 7, 2018

Ryczek was an important part of the Mooseheads’ success over the weekend. Three straight wins in three days helped bring Halifax within one point of the Maritimes division lead. If Ryczek continues to play this way, he could propel himself into a contract with the Blackhawks next season and some time down with the Rockford IceHogs. This won’t be an easy task for the 2016 7th round pick, as Rockford has a very crowded blue line. Not to mention the numerous talented defensemen on the way in Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell and Nicolas Beaudin. Keep an eye on Ryczek to see if he continues his hot streak going into this week’s games. 

BRANDON HAGEL – RED DEER REBELS – 3 GOALS, 2 ASSISTS

After an outstanding prior week for Hagel, the young winger registered another five points in only two games over the weekend. In the Rebels’ 4-3 shootout win over the Regina Pats, Hagel scored one goal. The goal opened the games scoring late in the first period.

The next night, Hagel had an outstanding night in the Rebels’ 6-2 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. He scored two goals and added two assists. The outing was Hagel’s third four-point outing of the season. The newest Blackhawks prospect now has 51 points in 29 games after Saturday’s action.

Hagel is carving himself a nice opportunity in the AHL next season with the Rockford IceHogs. If he can produce at the AHL level, he may get an audition at some point next year with the big club. It remains to be seen how well Hagel adapts to playing against men instead of boys (considering he is an over-ager in the WHL), he provides an exciting possibility for “what could be” in the future with the Blackhawks organization.

NICOLAS BEAUDIN – DRUMMONDVILLE VOLTIGEURS – 2 GOALS, 3 ASSISTS

In the three game stretch during the week, Beaudin continued his offensive dominance by registering two goals and three assists in three games. On December 5th and 7th against the Rimouski Océanic and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, respectively, Beaudin registered an assist in each game of the two game split for Drummondville. Despite the quiet two games, he stepped it up against Shawinigan on Sunday, December 9th.

In the commanding 11-1 win for the Voltigeurs, Beaudin scored two goals while also adding an assist. The young defenseman started the Voltigeurs’ scoring against the Shawinigan Cataractes. After being down 1-0 going into the second period, Beaudin scored to begin the second period, igniting a streak of eleven unanswered goals for the Voltigeurs to capture the victory.

Beaudin is continuing to prove he is an excellent talent on the blue line. He has no fear shooting the puck, as he registered seven shots on goal against Shawinigan. The 2018 first round pick is showing flashes of greatness, giving Blackhawks fans hope that the draft pick that was received for Chicago-native Ryan Hartman was put to good use. Beaudin looks to continue his better than point-per-game pace this week.

ADAM BOQVIST – LONDON KNIGHTS – 2 GOALS, 1 ASSIST

In two games over the past weekend, Boqvist continued his red-hot scoring streak, potting two goals and adding an assist. He has been fantastic in the last few weeks with London.

On Friday, December 7th, Boqvist scored his eight goal of the season in a big 8-1 Knights’ win over the Kingston Frontenacs. The next day, Boqvist would add his ninth goal of the campaign, which was the lone tally for London in a 5-1 loss to the Owen Sound Attack. The loss to the Sound ended a 15-game win streak for the Knights. 

Boqvist has been splendid over the last few weeks. Since November 22nd, the Knights defenseman has seven of his nine goals this season. It is safe to say that the young Swede is more comfortable on the North American ice sheet through nearly 25 games. Look for Boqvist to continue to be comfortable and produce at his better than point-per-game clip for the Knights. The Knights currently sit fourth in the CHL power rankings. With notable names Alex Formenton, Evan Bouchard and Boqvist, the Knights will likely make a strong run for the OHL title as well as the Memorial Cup.

Other:

• MacKenzie Entwistle – 2 Goals, 1 Assist
• Philipp Kurashev – Québec Remparts – 1 Goal
• Josiah Slavin – Lincoln Stars – 1 Goal
• Alexis Gravel – Halifax Mooseheads – 2 Wins, 61/64 saves

WORLD JUNIORS WATCH:

Be sure to keep an eye on numerous Blackhawks prospects through the holiday season. There is a good chance, once final World Juniors rosters are finalized, that Adam Boqvist, Nicolas Beaudin, Mackenize Entwistle, Philipp Kurashev and other Blackhawks college prospects will likely be representing their respective countries. Make sure to tune into The-Rink for the best coverage on both CHL and college representatives at the World Juniors.

Keep up with The-Rink for extensive CHL/USHL coverage of Chicago Blackhawks prospects.

The post Blackhawks Prospect Roundup: 12/3 – 12/9 appeared first on The Rink.

Notable prospects Mikael Hakkarainen, Alexis Gravel and Jake Ryczek were not in action over the aforementioned stretch. However, for those Blackhawks prospects who were in action, many of them had fantastic outings for their respective clubs.

Performances worth mentioning come courtesy of Brandon Hagel, Adam Boqvist, Philipp Kurashev and Josiah Slavin. They all registered at least three points over their past few games.

BRANDON HAGEL – RED DEER REBELS – 1 GOAL, 6 ASSISTS

After signing an NHL deal with the Blackhawks a few weeks ago, Hagel had been consistent for Red Deer, registering at least a point in almost every game since inking his contract. However, over the last two games, Hagel was incredibly dominant.

On Friday, November 16th against the Kelowna Rockets, Hagel registered one goal and two assists for the Rebels, as they routed the Rockets 7-0 at home. The points were #31, #32 and #33 on the campaign for Hagel.

Not to outdo himself, but the following day against the Kootenay Ice, Hagel registered four assists in yet another Rebels victory! The Rebels took the game in overtime, with Hagel registering the primary assist on the overtime game-winner, which set up teammate Reese Johnson for the hat trick.

After two incredible performances for the 20-year-old, Hagel has now recorded 37 points in only 20 games in the WHL. Despite being an overager, Hagel’s performances have been incredible thus far. The Rebels return to action on Friday, November 23rd at Kootenay before returning home on Saturday, November 24th to take on Medicine Hat. The Rebels will also play back-to-back games on the 27th and 28th against Prince Albert and Medicine Hat, respectively.

ADAM BOQVIST – LONDON KNIGHTS – 1 GOAL, 2 ASSISTS

Boqvist looks like he has picked up his solid pace that he began the season with before missing time with injury. The London Knights played three games in three days, with Boqvist recording points in two of those three games.

On Friday, November 16th, Boqvist had two secondary assists in a Knights’ victory over the Peterborough Petes. The two points gave Boqvist 13 points through only 15 games played for London this year.

After being left off the scoresheet in a 2-1 shootout victory for the Knights on Saturday, Boqvist scored his second goal of the season in a 6-3 win over the Erie Otters on Sunday, giving the Knights three wins in three days over the weekend. The goal gave Boqvist his 14th point in only his 16th game this season.

GOAL!! ADAM BOQVIST FOOLS MURPHY @BoqvistAdam pic.twitter.com/bADdQHhSDE

— London Knights (@LondonKnights) November 18, 2018

Boqvist and the Knights return to action on November 22nd, American Thanksgiving, against the Mississauga Steelheads in London. London plays the Owen Sound Attack the following day and on Sunday, November 25th they take on the Windsor Spitfires in Windsor.

PHILIPP KURASHEV – QUÉBEC REMPARTS – 1 GOAL, 3 ASSISTS

Kurashev had yet another incredible weekend for Québec. Although held off the scoresheet for the second game of the weekend, Kurashev had a huge impact on the first game.

The Remparts hosted the Shawinigan Cataractes on Friday, November 16th. In the 6-4 Remparts win, Kurashev recorded one goal and three assists. Kurashev’s four points increased his points total to 33 on the season.  

On Sunday, November 18th, the Remparts were defeated by the Rimouski Océanic, 5-1. Kurashev was held off the scoresheet, giving Kurashev 33 points through 24 QMJHL games to date.

Kurashev and the Remparts return to action on Tuesday, November 20th against Moncton. The Remparts will have a few days off before facing Val-d’Or on Friday the 23rd and Blainville-Boisbriand on Sunday the 25th. All three games are in Québec.

JOSIAH SLAVIN – LINCOLN STARS – 2 GOALS, 1 ASSIST

After a solid three point stretch last weekend, Josiah Slavin and the Stars returned to action for two games this past weekend. On Saturday, November 17th, Slavin recorded his second three point outing of the season, scoring two goals and adding an assist. Despite the great effort from Slavin, the Stars fell to the Sioux Falls Stampede 4-3 in overtime.

Slavin was held scoreless in the second game of the weekend on the 18th against the Waterloo Black Hawks. The Stars dropped their second game in a row 6-3.

Slavin and the Stars will have an opportunity to turn things around on Wednesday, November 21st against the Tri-City Storm. The Stars also have games on Friday, November 23rd and Saturday, November 24th against the Des Moines Buccaneers in Des Moines and against Tri-City again at home.

OTHER:

• Mackenzie Entwistle – Hamilton Bulldogs – 2 Assists

Keep up with The-Rink for extensive CHL/USHL coverage of Chicago Blackhawks prospects.

The post Blackhawks Junior Prospect Roundup: 11/12 – 11/18 appeared first on The Rink.

Beaudin had an excellent return in two games this past weekend. Philipp Kurashev continues to pace the Quebec Remparts in scoring after three very good games. Mikael Hakkarainen and Josiah Slavin in the USHL also had strong showings this past weekend.

Kurashev and Hakkarainen are both showing they can dominate junior level talent. The two 2018 draft picks should be moving up to pro hockey next season to further their development. So far, these two look like the could be steals for their draft position. Beaudin also has showed well and could be a great value for Chicago in the near future.

NICOLAS BEAUDIN – DRUMMONDVILLE VOLTIGEURS – 1 GOAL, 2 ASSISTS

After returning to game action for the first time since October 19th, Nicolas Beaudin had a great weekend both on and off the ice. Off the ice, Beaudin signed his first professional contract with the Blackhawks. He joins fellow 2018 1st round pick Adam Boqvist as the first two 2018 Chicago draft picks under contract. On the ice, Beaudin showed why Chicago selected him in the late part of the first round this past draft.

Excited to sign my first NHL contract with the @NHLBlackhawks . I would like to thank my friends, teammates, coaches and especially my family for their sacrifice, commitment and support. pic.twitter.com/gr7cZzRdlP

— Nicolas Beaudin (@NicBeaudin92) November 10, 2018

On November 9th against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Beaudin registered one goal and one assist, helping the Voltigeurs to a commanding 8-1 victory. Beaudin was the highest scoring defenseman for Drummondville during the contest.

Beaudin celebrates a goal after returning to action for the first time since mid-October. Photo: Ghyslain Bergeron

The following day, Beaudin picked up an assist against the Victoriaville Tigres. Despite adding to his excellent weekend on the scoresheet, Drummondville dropped the game 5-1 in Victoriaville.

Beaudin and the Voltigeurs return to action on Friday, November 16th in Gatineau, followed by Sherbrooke on Sunday, November 18th. The two games mark the second and third straight away games for Drummondville, who will play another three road games before returning home on November 30th.

PHILIPP KURASHEV – QUÉBEC REMPARTS – 3 GOALS, 3 ASSISTS

Kurashev had an incredible weekend for Québec. After being held off the score-sheet on November 6th, Kurashev made up for it in the following two games.

Québec’s first game of the trip against val-d’Or did not fair well for the Remparts, as they dropped the contest 8-4. However, Kurashev had a goal and two assists, which was a commanding performance for the 2018 4th round pick.  

The following game resulted in a huge win for Québec, taking down the Shawinigan Cataractes 7-2 in Shawinigan. Kurashev had another three point performance, this time, recording two goals and one assist. This game capped off two excellent games for Kurashev where he recorded six points (three goals, three assists).  

Kurashev and the Remparts return to action on Friday, November 16th against Shawinigan in Québec. They will remain at home as the Rimouski Océanic pay a visit on Sunday, November 18th.

MIKAEL HAKKARAINEN – MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS – 3 GOALS, 2 ASSISTS

Hakkarainen continued his now four game point streak over the weekend for Muskegon in back to back home games against Youngstown.

On November 9th, Hakkarainen recorded his first hat trick of the season, helping the Lumberjacks to a big 8-2 win over the Phantoms. Hakkarainen would also add on an assist to cap off the impressive four point performance.

Hakk-Trick! #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/iHLa3VtCeo

— USHL (@USHL) November 10, 2018

Hakkarainen would tack on an assist the following day as Muskegon split the weekend series with Youngstown. The Phantoms won game two 4-3. Hakkarainen now has 17 points in only nine game for Muskegon. Muskegon sits six points ahead of the next closest team in the USHL eastern conference standings with two games in hand.

Jacks improve to 11-1 and win 8-2! #HakkTrick #HakkIsBack pic.twitter.com/urbJ8OTfBq

— Muskegon Lumberjacks (@MuskegonJacks) November 10, 2018

Muskegon returns to action on Saturday, November 17th against Cedar Rapids. With only one game next weekend, the Lumberjacks will play three games over the extended Thanksgiving holiday (21st – 24th) against Team USA and two games against Green Bay.

JOSIAH SLAVIN – LINCOLN STARS – 1 GOAL, 2 ASSISTS

Despite going pointless in Lincoln’s first two games of the weekend, Slavin made his presence felt on Sunday, November 11th as he collected two assists against Tri-City. Slavin has now increased his point total to 14 for the season in 14 games.

Lincoln will play two games next weekend. Friday, November 16th they take on Sioux Falls in Lincoln. On Saturday, November 17th, the Stars take on the Waterloo Black Hawks in Waterloo. Lincoln will play a similar schedule to that of Muskegon during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Other:

• Alexis Gravel – Halifax Mooseheads – 1 Win
• Brandon Hagel – Red Deer Rebels – 1 Goal, 1 Assist
• Adam Boqvist – London Knights – 4 Shots on Goal

Keep up with The-Rink for extensive CHL/USHL coverage of Chicago Blackhawks prospects.

The post Blackhawks Junior Prospect Roundup: 11/6 – 11/11 appeared first on The Rink.

Notable performances came from forwards Philipp Kurashev, Mikael Hakkarainen and Josiah Slavin. Other prospects such as Mackenzie Entwistle and Alexis Gravel had strong weekends as well.

PHILIPP KURASHEV: 2 ASSISTS

Kurashev continues to pace Québec Remparts scorers with 23 points in 19 games in the QMJHL.

Québec began their three game stretch since the last roundup on October 31st against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Kurashev did not tally a point in the game as Québec was shutout 3-0.

The Remparts returned to action on Friday, November 2nd against the Victoriaville Tigers. Although Québec dropped the matchup 5-4 in a shootout, Kurashev tallied two assists and six shots on goal. Sunday’s game started off well for the visitors. After falling behind 1-0 to the Gatineau Olympiques after the first period, the Remparts scored two goals in the second to take a 2-1 lead. Kurashev was responsible for one of the goals, recording his 6th goal of the season.

Fans will have to wait until Monday, January 14th, 2019 to learn the outcome of this contest. The game was postponed after a power outage in Gatineau at Centre Robert-Guertin.

Québec returns to action Tuesday, November 6th against Rouyn-Noranda once again before playing the following night against the Val-d’Or Foreurs. The Remparts finish up the week with their third road game in as many outings against the Shawinigan Cataractes on Friday, November 9th.

MIKAEL HAKKARAINEN: 2 GOALS, 2 ASSISTS

Hakkarainen continued his torrid pace, adding four total points during Muskegon’s two games this past week. On November 1st, Hakkarainen recorded two goals and one assist, while also recording eight shots on net. Hakkarainen was dominant against Team USA.

Hakkarainen puts the biscuit in the basket for his second PP goal of the game @MuskegonJacks lead by #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/UqlJ17oIL2

— USHL (@USHL) November 1, 2018

Hakkarainen finished off the weekend with one assist on November 3rd against the Chicago Steel. The assist was Hakkarainen’s 13th point in only seven games. Hakkarainen is now tied for the team lead in points with having played four less games than teammate Bobby Lynch, who has also tallied 13 points.

Muskegon returns to action on Friday, November 9th for three games in three days. Muskegon plays back-to-back games against the Youngstown Phantoms in Muskegon on the 9th and 10th. On November 11th, the Lumberjacks travel to Central Illinois to take on the Flying Aces.

JOSIAH SLAVIN: 1 GOAL, 2 ASSISTS

The younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, recorded his first three-point game of the season for the Lincoln Stars. The Colorado College commit tallied one goal and two assists on Friday, November 2nd against the Omaha Lancers. Although Slavin was successful personally, Lincoln dropped the contest 5-4 in overtime.

The 2018 7th round pick will return to action with his teammates on Friday, November 9th for three games in three days. The Lincoln Stars will be home on the 9th and 11th against Sioux Falls and Tri-City, respectively. The Stars will be in Sioux City for their contest on the 10th.

MACKENZIE ENTWISTLE: 2 ASSISTS

After a quiet game against Oshawa last weekend, Entwistle registered two points in his last three games. Entwistle was scoreless on October 28th and November 3rd against North Bay and Kingston, respectively.  

The Hamilton captain tallied two assists on November 4th against the Owen Sound Attack. The Hamilton Bulldogs were able to capture a 5-2 victory in large part due to great performances from Entwistle and teammates Brandon Saigeon (one goal, one assist) and Arthur Kaliyev (two goals and one assist).

BULLDOGS GOOOOOOAL!

: Nick Mattinen
: Mackenzie Entwistle

Beauty shot from @Nick_Mattinen and the Dogs are up 2-0 in the 1st! pic.twitter.com/BY6AZAk73U

— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) November 4, 2018

The Hamilton Bulldogs return to action on Friday, November 9th against the Kingston Frontenacs. Hamilton finishes their weekend action against Peterborough on Saturday, November 10th. Both games are on the road for the Bulldogs.

ALEXIS GRAVEL: 1 WIN

Alexis Gravel picked up his 10th win of the season for the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday, November 3rd. Gravel followed up his 10th win with a solid outing against Moncton on November 4th, falling in overtime. Gravel made 60 saves on 65 shots in Halifax’s two games over the weekend. Gravel is now 10-4-1 on the season with a 2.86 goals against average and a .913 save percentage.

OTHER:

• Jake Ryczek – 3 shots on goal

Keep up with The-Rink for extensive CHL/USHL coverage of Chicago Blackhawks prospects.

The post Blackhawks Junior Prospect Roundup: 10/31 – 11/4 appeared first on The Rink.

Every Blackhawks fan knows that coach Q can be hard to impress.  Known for choosing favorites and giving them more ice time for their extra-effort, Quenneville knows what he wants to see out of his players and he certainly knows what he doesn’t want to see.  The Hawks play a system that is heavily reliant on positioning and unselfishness.  And if you find yourself overstepping those boundaries, you’ll probably find yourself “riding the pine.”

Last week, the Blackahawks held their annual prospect camp at the MB Ice Arena in Chicago giving coach Q the chance to see the new class of drafted players on the ice.  The camp lasted for five days with a heavy focus on drills and ended with a scrimmage on Friday morning.  The fans and media all had their eyes on first-round draft selections Henri Jokiharju and Adam Boqvist, but Joel Quenneville was also intrigued with someone else.

During his phone interview Thursday on the Steve Cochran Show on WGN Radio, Quenneville was asked about the camp and who fans should keep their eye on.  Here was Joel Quenneville’s response:

“The kid that might have impressed me the most was the Slavin kid (Josiah Slavin), his brother plays for Carolina.  He looks like he could be a player too.  It was like almost every one of these kids could turn out to be an NHL’er which is unusual.  Hopefully that’s the case, but certainly it was as good of a class that we’ve seen.”

Josiah Slavin has a good first step. pic.twitter.com/4lDhRx3UZD

— Eric Andrews (@WALaxer19) July 17, 2018

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Slavin was selected in the 7th round by the Blackhawks in this year’s NHL Draft in Dallas just last month.  He spent the last two seasons playing in the USHL for the Tri-City Storm and most recently the Lincoln Stars where he scored 23 goals and 19 assists in 60 games.

You may be asking yourself how a 19-year old 7th round pick gets the attention of an NHL head coach in a camp with several high-end prospects.  First off, Slavin has something that the Hawks don’t have too much of in their system and that’s size.  At 6’2 and 182 pounds, Slavin has a good frame and can certainly get bigger as he enters his twenties.  He showed his ability to use his body to protect the puck and play below the circles at prospect camp, and even scored a goal during the scrimmage.  He also showed the ability to play aggressively but also possess skill.  In today’s NHL, the more versatile you are, the better chance there is a roster spot for you.  Slavin has the potential to develop into a solid power-forward.

Slavin slayin’#HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/41uEpFakOv

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 20, 2018

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Slavin will return to the Lincoln Stars this season and has committed to playing for Colorado College of the NCHC in 2019-20 where he will play under former Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland.

With Slavin already a household NHL name, Josiah has probably been getting comparisons to his brother his whole life.  But based on his work ethic and the high praise of coaches like Joel Quenneville, Josiah will have no problem paving his own way to the NHL.

ICYMI: Prospects MacKenzie Entwistle and Josiah Slavin do battle in the Rapid Shot Challenge!

And winner takes on Adam Burish for ultimate glory. pic.twitter.com/deMz2S9UOf

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 20, 2018

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The post Blackhawks Prospect Josiah Slavin Earns Praise From Joel Quenneville appeared first on The Rink.

The two practice sessions reverted back to the style of those on Monday and Tuesday with all of the players on the same sheet of ice and closely resembled the format of the early practices as well: beginning with a light warm-up, followed by some skating drills, largely focusing on intricacies of skating technique, as the drills were sometimes a bit awkward, then transitioning into various drills including one-on-one physical battles and puck protection. Some more team-oriented type of drills followed, usually in the form of two-on-twos or a transition/regroup type of drill. The sessions were wrapped up with a structured full-length transition mini-game. Film from the mini-game can be viewed on Twitter, with Group A visible here and Group B visible here.

Friday will wrap up this year’s prospect camp, and the fans will be treated to a scrimmage, the first full-ice five-on-five action of the week. The scrimmage should serve as a good method to see the players’ skills in a real game situation.

Below are some observations Jeff Osborn and I made during today’s sessions:

• Frederik Olofsson had a better day today. He looked more confident and had some really nice shots throughout the skate.
• Jake Wise continued to impress. He has clearly worked hard and his skills continue to stand out. Needless to say, he has been a very pleasant surprise. It should be fun to see what he can do in Friday’s scrimmage.
• Josiah Slavin continued his display of high-end shooting. While he is still a long way from being an NHL player, there is no denying he can really shoot the puck.
• Alexandre Fortin had another good day, exuding confidence and polish throughout the session. He has been one of the most noticeable forwards in the camp.
• Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin displayed a glimpse of their high-end puck-moving abilities during a warm-up passing drill. The pair of 2018 first rounders partnered up in the drill and showcased their passing skills, rapidly firing one-touch passes to each other flawlessly for the duration of the drill.
• Boqvist also showed off his defensive ability a bit today in some drills. He had a very active stick and did a very good job knocking pucks off of opponents’ sticks.
• Tim Soderlund again showed good intensity throughout the skate. He has worked hard and has had a nice jump in his step throughout the week.
• John Dahlstrom continued to show his ability to be a pain to play against. He has shown an ability to use his body to cause havoc for opposing players, similar to Andrew Shaw in some ways.
• Chad Krys had a highlight-reel assist during one of today’s drills. Krys served as the point man in the drill and upon cue, rifled a perfect shot-pass to a wide open teammate on the back door for a tap-in. The play received praise from the coaches and other players on the ice and was another example of Krys’s confidence on display.
• Ian Mitchell continued to show off his wicked wrist shot. On a couple of occasions throughout the day, Mitchell cleanly beat goaltenders with perfectly placed lasers. Mitchell also had a really nice goal in the post-practice impromptu shootout, totally undressing goaltender Alexis Gravel in the process.
• Niklas Nordgren did not skate today. Nordgren has not taken the ice since Monday. Still no word on his status.

Check out photos from the week here:

The post Blackhawks Prospect Camp: Day 4 appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks opted for a new practice format to focus more heavily on positional skills. The group rotation continued, with Group A skating first, followed by Group B.

Since MB Ice Arena has two sheets of ice, the Blackhawks took advantage of the space. The practices were largely split into separate practices for the forwards and defensemen, with the goaltenders splitting time on each side. At the conclusion of the ice time for each group, the players were joined for a three-on-three mini scrimmage, the first full-ice competition of the camp.

Below are some observations Jeff Osborn and I made during today’s skates:

• Ian Mitchell used his stick exceptionally well again today during the defense group drills. Throughout the week, Mitchell has shown the ability to have his stick pressuring the attacking player almost as soon as the player receives the puck. His gaps have been excellent. Additionally, during his group’s three-on-three mini scrimmage, Mitchell scored on a wicked, top-shelf wrist shot.
• Adam Boqvist showed good quickness during a breakout drill in the defense group practice. He used his skating ability to wait a split second longer behind the net to bait the attacking player. Boqvist was able to identify the open teammate and get the puck to them quickly.
• Chad Krys again showed good intensity and composure today. After a rough Monday, he seems to be settled in and is playing with much more confidence.
• John Dahlstrom and Alexis Gravel had a bit of a feud taking place during their practice. At one point in a drill, Dahlstrom took a hack at Gravel in an attempt to get a rebound opportunity. Gravel took exception and stared Dahlstrom down afterward. The two yapped at each other throughout the rest of the practice.
• Wouter Peeters continues to be an enigma. His play has left a lot to be desired and he seems to lack confidence. Jeff determined the best word to describe Peeters is “clunky.”
• Josiah Slavin again impressed with his shot. He has shown to have heavy and accurate wrist shots and snapshots. While he could greatly benefit from adding some muscle, there is no denying he has a great shot and knows how to use it.
• Jake Wise displayed his shooting talent today, regularly beating goaltenders clean during drills. Wise also had a nifty goal during his group’s three-on-three mini scrimmage, stick handling around a defender and then beating the goaltender.
• Jake McLaughlin, a 6’2”, 185-pound defenseman from UMass and a Hinsdale, Illinois, native, joined the camp today with Group B. McLaughlin donned a number 96 white jersey. He registered three goals and 10 assists last season as a sophomore in 39 games to go along with 28 penalty minutes and a –4 rating. Two of McLaughlin’s three tallies came on the man advantage.
• Niklas Nordgren again did not skate today, nor did Blake Hillman and Jack Ramsey. No word on their statuses.

Check out photos from the week here:

The post Blackhawks Prospect Camp: Day 3 appeared first on The Rink.

As the Blackhawks normally do, Groups A and B switched ice slots today, with Group B skating at 1 p.m. and Group A skating at 3 p.m. Both ice slots consisted of more drills and small-area games, similar to the opening day, though all of the drills and games were slightly different.

With a second day of skating, some players added to their strong Monday performances, while others made progress.

Below are some observations Jeff Osborn and I made during Tuesday’s session:

• Jake Wise impressed yet again. He was very quick, both in his actions and decisions, and was intense and assertive. Wise has worked his tail off and it shows. He has been one of, if not the most noticeable player in the camp in my book. It seems he is playing with a chip on his shoulder, wanting to prove 30 teams wrong for not taking him sooner in the draft and showing he was deserving of being selected earlier. The early returns appear he is a steal for the Blackhawks, though it is obviously very early.
• Alexandre Fortin played with confidence. As Jeff mentioned yesterday, he seems to have regained his step and is playing with more swagger and assertiveness. I was impressed with his puck protection ability, as he regularly showed he was capable of blocking defenders’ sticks with his body and legs.
• Adam Boqvist again looked good, especially in terms of his skating and his stick, both offensively and defensively. In some one-on-ones and two-on-twos, Boqvist used his high-end skating to cover ice and keep forwards to the outside. Boqvist showed off his stick handling ability in a tight-area stick handling game, making a few nice moves around the player trying to knock the puck off his stick. When it was Boqvist’s turn to be the antagonist, he did a good job poking pucks off of sticks. He still has a long way to go physically, but his skill level is undeniable.
• Chad Krys had a much more positive day Tuesday. He almost appeared to be a bit too loose Monday, as he regularly lost the handle on the puck while stick handling and did not appear to play with much intensity. Tuesday, however, was significantly more promising. Krys was dialed in and it showed. He looked way more confident and composed than he did yesterday. One area during drills that stood out to me was his passing ability. In a long-range one-touch passing drill, Krys was making hard, crisp, tape-to-tape passes half the length of the ice.
• Philipp Kurashev was decent Monday and improved on day two. His skating ability was evident, as he was able to change direction well. He also made some nice plays with the puck in the small-area games. He has competed well and has not been hesitant to use his body to his advantage in puck retrieval and protection.
• Nicolas Beaudin was overshadowed during the first day by Boqvist and Ian Mitchell, but stood out more on day two. He has spent much of the calendar year focusing on his defensive game, and it shows. He did a good job keeping forwards in front of him and keeping a tight gap.
• Tim Soderlund again played with high intensity and compete level Tuesday. He is a hard worker and showed good hockey smarts. At one point, he took a forearm to the face and appeared to be shaken up, but jumped right back in line and put forth a good effort.
• Soderlund and Mathias From appeared to have good chemistry. The two enjoyed being partners in drills and played well off each other.
• John Dahlstrom stood out again with his size and offensive ability. Though only listed as being 6’0” and 189 pounds, Dahlstrom played bigger, using his frame to cause havoc in the small-area games. He also showed off his shot, cleanly beating goaltenders with his wrist shot on a few occasions.
• Josiah Slavin again showed his offensive ability for the second day, showcasing his great release and edge work. He has been great in one-on-one and two-on-two rushes both days so far. Slavin has regularly beat goaltenders clean with his shot.
• Mathew Robson, a free agent invite goaltender from the University of Minnesota, made his camp debut today.
• Niklas Nordgren did not skate Tuesday. No word on his status. He did not appear to be injured during yesterday’s skate.

Check out photos from Days 1 & 2 here:

The post Blackhawks Prospect Camp: Day 2 appeared first on The Rink.

2017-18 was a successful season for the Chicago Blackhawks prospects in college hockey, and hopefully that trend doesn’t stop any time soon.  It will be tough with defensemen Blake Hillman and Dennis Gilbert signing pro contracts after their junior-year seasons, as well as forward Dylan Sikura graduating from Northeastern and signing with the Blackhawks.  But reinforcements are on the way.

At the 2018 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks selected three players who have committed to NCAA programs.  Third round selection Jake Wise will play for Boston University, fifth-rouder Mikael Hakkarainen will play for Providence, and seventh-round pick Josiah Slavin will suit up for the Colorado College Tigers after next season.

Wise is attending one of the most prestigious college hockey programs in the country in Boston University.  Although David Quinn has moved on taking a job with the New York Rangers, his development won’t miss a beat under Albie O’Connell.

Hakkarainen will also be in Hockey East, a very tough division in college hockey.  Providence is a young team where Hakkarainen will get some great experience under head coach Nate Leaman.  He could’ve played with fellow Blackhawks prospect Jake Ryczek, but he ended up leaving school to play for the Halifax Mooseheads.

Slavin will return to the Lincoln Stars of the USHL for another season to develop before he heads to Colorado Springs to play for Colorado of the NCHC.  He will be playing under head coach Mike Haviland, a former Blackhawks assistant coach.

Blackhawks prospects remaining in college hockey for next season are the following players:

• Evan Barratt, Penn State
• Liam Coughlin, Vermont
• Josh Ess, Wisconsin
• Parker Foo, Union College
• Chad Krys, Boston University
• Jake Massie, Vermont
• Ian Mitchell, University of Denver
• Fredrik Olofsson, University of Omaha-Nebraska
• Jack Ramsey, University of Minnesota
• Ryan Shea, Northeastern University
• Beau Starrett, Cornell University

Here are some details and video on the new Blackhawks headed to the NCAA, as well as links to their player profiles by our own Eric Andrews.

Jake Wise – C – Freshman at Boston University – 2018 3rd Rd. Pick

North Andover, MA – 5’10 – 189lbs – Shoots Left – U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)

2017-18 stats:  38GP, 11G, 32A, 6PIM, +5

Draft Pick Profile:  Jake Wise

Mikael Hakkarainen – C – Freshman at Providence – 2018 5th Rd. Pick

Helsinki, Finland – 6’0 – 183lbs – Shoots Left – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

2017-18 stats:  36GP, 15G, 31A, 16PIM, +7

Draft Pick Profile:  Mikael Hakkarainen

Josiah Slavin – LW – Colorado College (2019) – 2018 7th Rd. Pick

Erie, CO – 6’2 – 182lbs – Shoots Left – Lincoln Stars (USHL)

2017-18 stats:  60GP, 23G, 19A, 30PIM, +27

Draft Pick Profile:  Josiah Slavin

The post Blackhawks Prospects Wise, Hakkarainen, Slavin Will Play College Hockey appeared first on The Rink.

Finally is the Blackhawks’ seventh round choice, left wing Josiah Slavin.

Josiah Slavin
2017–18 Team: Lincoln (USHL)
Date of Birth: December 31, 1998
Place of Birth: Erie, Colorado
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 189 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: LW

NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: Not Ranked
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: Not Ranked

NHL Comparable: Josh Archibald

Overlooked last year in his first year of draft eligibility, Slavin had a bounce back season this year with the Lincoln Stars in the United States Hockey League.

Slavin began his career in the USHL playing for the Tri-City Storm in 2016–17. In a limited role, Slavin posted six goals and seven assists in 49 games. Slavin started this season well, recording a goal and an assist over the first three games of the season. On Oct. 4, Slavin was traded to Lincoln, where he was given a larger role. He made the most of the opportunity, tallying 23 goals and 19 assists in 60 games for the Stars to become Lincoln’s second-highest point producer.

While not an elite talent, Slavin pairs good skill with a high work ethic to be effective. Perhaps his best offensive weapon is his wrist shot, which he gets off quickly with good power and accuracy. Slavin’s 23 goals led Lincoln this season. Slavin enjoys using his big frame to get to the front of the net, and with good hands, Slavin can put away rebound opportunities effectively.

Slavin is a tireless skater who shows a lot of effort on the ice. He has decent speed and can get up and down the ice well. Though not high-end, Slavin’s skating is workable and should be able to get to a pro level.

Unquestionably, though, is Slavin’s best trait: his character. He is very much a team-first player. Slavin has a very good attitude and works as hard as anybody. This selflessness and work ethic make Slavin a natural leader. On Wednesday, June 20, the Stars announced Slavin would be the team’s captain next season. Slavin and his older brother, Jaccob, who plays for the Carolina Hurricanes, regularly express their devout Christian faith and point to it as their strength and source of success as hockey players and as people.

Both Slavins are products of the Colorado Thunderbirds, a youth program in Colorado that has churned out many quality players over the years, including Seth Jones, Brandon Carlo, Troy Terry and Nick Shore.

Implications for the Blackhawks
It is hard to go wrong with taking a player in the last round with some skill, good work ethic and leadership abilities. If Slavin pans out and can become an NHL player, great. If not, he can at least serve as a good influence to other prospects in the system.

Timeline
Slavin will return to Lincoln for one more season. He will then attend Colorado College, where he will likely spend at least three years. After college, he would likely need a year or two in the minors to prepare for the NHL. If Slavin makes it to the game’s highest level, it likely would not be until at least 2023–24.

Projection
If Slavin follows in his brother’s footsteps of making it to the NHL, it would likely not be anything more than a fourth line role. But, with the good head on his shoulders and work ethic, he could become a reliable depth player coaches love.

What others are saying
“Josiah is an impressive young man with all of the necessary qualities to be a great leader. He has been an incredible ambassador of the Stars organization during his time in Lincoln. We look forward to working with him, along with the rest of our leadership group, to continue to drive the culture of the Lincoln Stars.”
— Cody Chupp/Lincoln Stars Head Coach

“We like the project there. We think where he is on the curve, he’s gonna play another year and then go to Colorado College. We just like the whole project.”
— Mark Kelley/Chicago Blackhawks VP of Amateur Scouting

The post Draft Pick Profile: Josiah Slavin appeared first on The Rink.

3rd round
69th pick: Jake Wise, C, USNTDP U-18 (USHL)
Some felt Wise had the potential to sneak into the first round. The fact the Blackhawks were able to grab him in the third round is great value.
74th pick: Niklas Nordgren, RW, HIFK Jr. (Finland)
The Hawks clearly like Nordgren, as they traded up to take the talented winger. He dominated this year in the Finnish junior league and played well on the international stage as well.

4th round
120th pick: Philipp Kurashev, C, Quebec (QMJHL)
Kurashev, a Swiss-born player, was a point-per-game player for the Remparts this season. He has excellent skating and good skill. Many view him as a high-risk, high-reward prospect.

5th round
139th pick: Mikael Hakkarainen, C, Muskegon (USHL)
Hakkarainen is a Finnish center who has spent the last couple of seasons playing in the United States in the USHL. He spent part of the 2016–17 season playing for the Chicago Steel.

6th round
162nd pick: Alexis Gravel, G, Halifax (QMJHL)
Gravel entered the season regarded as one of the best goaltender prospects in this year’s draft class. He has a sound technical foundation and could prove to be a valuable pick.

7th round
193rd pick: Josiah Slavin, LW, Lincoln (USHL)
The younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes rising star defenseman Jaccob Slavin, Josiah was passed over in last year’s draft. Slavin posted 42 points this season for the Lincoln Stars, a big uptick from his 14 points in 2016–17. Slavin has high character; the Stars recently named Slavin as their captain for next season.

Takeaways
The Blackhawks clearly established a trend with this draft: small, skilled players who can skate. With Slavin being the only skater above six feet tall, the Blackhawks did not appear to care about size. Additionally, the team appeared to have been willing to swing for the fences, as players like Boqvist and Kurashev are noted as being boom-or-bust prospects.

Though not yet formally announced, it is expected all of the Blackhawks’ draftees will be in attendance at the team’s upcoming prospect camp, likely to be held in mid-July.

The Rink’s full draft pick profiles on today’s picks will be available throughout the upcoming week.

The post Blackhawks NHL Draft Day 2 Recap appeared first on The Rink.