Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by Rink staffers Jeff Osborn,  Sean (Goldstein) Fitzgerald and Ray Napientek to discuss a turbulent two weeks for the Chicago Blackhawks in this first episode of season 6.

• Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach trades
• Review of the Blackhawks’ 2022 NHL draft
• Petr Mrázek and Alex Stalock in the pipes
• Goodbye Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik
• Hello Andreas Athanasiou, Max Domi, and Stalock
• Evolving Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews narratives

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Blackhawks Rinkcast – S6Ep1 – Goodbye to the Old, in With the New! https://t.co/IMvxJjQvsC

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) July 20, 2022

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 6, Episode 1 – Goodbye to the Old, in with the New! appeared first on The Rink.

The players that the organization selected are listed below, with links to their prospect profiles and all their vital stats:

Round	Pos	Player	Height	Weight	Team	Notes
1 - 6						Traded to CBJ in S. Jones trade on 7/23/21
1 - 7	D	Kevin Korchinski	6' 2"	185	Seattle Thunderbirds WHL	Acquired from OTT in trade for Alex DeBrincat 7/7
1 - 13	C	Frank Nazar	5' 10"	180	USA U-18	Acquired from MON in trade for Kirby Dach 7/7
1 - 25	D	Sam Rinzel	6' 4"	177	Chaska (HS-MIN)	Acquired from TOR in trade with Petr Mrazek 7/7
2 - 38						Traded to TOR for Petr Mrazek and 25th
2 - 39	C	Paul Ludwinski	5' 11"	184	Kingston Frontenacs	Acquired from OTT in trade for Alex DeBrincat 7/7
2 - 57	C	Ryan Greene	6' 1"	179	Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)	Acquired from MIN in M.A. Fleury trade on 3/21/22
3 - 66	F	Gavin Hayes	6' 2"	177	Flint Firebirds (OHL)	Acquired from MON in trade for Kirby Dach 7/7
3 - 71						Traded to CAR on 7/24/21
3 - 81	F	Samuel Savoie	5' 10"	190	Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)	Acquired from VGK in M. Janmark trade on 4/12/21
3 - 90	C	Aidan Thompson	5' 11"	181	Lincoln Stars (USHL)	Acquired from TOR in N. Zadorov trade on 7/28/21
3 - 94						Acquired from EDM in D. Keith trade on 7/12/21, then traded to ARI
4 - 103						Traded to TB with B. Hagel on 3/18/22
5 - 135						Traded to VGK with M. Janmark on 4/12/21
6 - 167						Traded to PIT for Liam Gorman
6 - 173	F	Dominic James	5' 11"	165	University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)	Acquired in S. Jones trade on 7/23/21
7 - 188	F	Nils Juntorp	6' 1"	186	HV71 (SWE)	Acquired from CAR for a '23 6th
7 - 199	C	Riku Tohila	6' 5"	190	JHT (Liiga)

Trades made leading to and during the draft

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
7/7/22		Alex Debrincat		'22 First round draft pick (7), '22 second round draft pick (39), a third-round pick in 2024
7/7/22		Kirby Dach		‘22 1st round pick, ‘22 3rd round pick
7/7/22		2022 2nd round draft pick (38)		First round draft pick (25) and goaltender Petr Mrazek
7/8/22		2022 6th round draft pick (167)		Rights to forward Liam Gorman

The post Chicago Blackhawks 2022 NHL Entry Draft Ticker appeared first on The Rink.

The Chicago Blackhawks needed to focus on prospects for the last several years, and it finally appears that may be the approach. In mid-January, the Blackhawks brought up forward prospect Lukas Reichel to give him a two-game NHL showcase before sending him back down to Rockford as part of his development plan. Interim Head Coach Derek King described the plan as “a two-game taste of the NHL, then let him continue his development playing 20-plus minutes every night in Rockford as a ‘chance to do it right by him.'”

In addition to the approach for Reichel, Scott Powers of The Athletic is reporting that the Blackhawks are going to take a more patient approach with prospects in their system, especially the defensive ones. This new approach by Interim General Manager Kyle Davidson is a stark contrast to his predecessor’s plans for developing prospects. With the Blackhawks’ future success now hinging on drafting and developing players, it is a good sign that Davidson is not following the lead of former General Manager Stan Bowman.

Under Bowman, the Blackhawks legitimately developed two NHL prospects into NHL players. Those players are none other than Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Hartman.

Teuvo Teravainen

When the Blackhawks drafted Teravainen with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, he was viewed as a steal of the draft. Teravainen was not viewed as a “need” pick for the current team, but a pick of the future. With the Blackhawks set at the forward position, Teravainen was able to develop with Jokerit in Helsinki, Finland, for 49 in games in 2013–14. After those 49 games, the Blackhawks brought him over to Rockford for five games before giving a showcase with the Blackhawks for three games before being shut down for the year.

Bowman said at the time:

“Everyone’s a young player at some point, and they go through their growing pains,” Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman told the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s a progression. It takes time. We’re fortunate we don’t have to rush guys into spots where they may not be prepared. But every year, we’ve seen one or two young guys come in.”

Teravainen spent 39 games in Rockford the following season before playing 34 games with the Blackhawks during the regular season and all 18 playoff games. The next season, he appeared in 78 games with the Blackhawks before being sent off to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Bryan Bickell trade.

Since the Blackhawks sent Teravainen to the Hurricanes, the organization has not invested the minor-league time into prospects. Every top prospect since Teravainen has been hyped up way too much, not given time to develop in Rockford, rushed to the NHL and then given up on. Every other prospect has been jettisoned before they could develop into any type of regular NHL player.

The Bowman prospect formula

The Blackhawks’ prospect formula seemed to be the same after Teravainen. Ryan Hartman got 78 games in the AHL before being recalled to the Blackhawks. In his first full season in the NHL, Hartman scored 19 goals and 12 assists in 76 games. He appeared in all four playoff games. He regressed the following year, and instead of sending him back down to Rockford, they shipped him out of town. Hartman might have finally put it together at the age of 27 with Minnesota.

After Hartman the formula again changed, as then-top prospect Nick Schmaltz got 12 games in Rockford before being recalled. He broke out in 2017–18 with 21 goals and 31 assists. He was third on the team in points that season, tied with Jonathan Toews and Alex DeBrincat.

After that season, Bowman was quoted regarding the plan for the team’s better young players:

“I guess I want to make it clear our No. 1 priority as we move forward is to make sure we can keep these young players — DeBrincat and Schmaltz and (Vinnie) Hinostroza and some other young players that are going to maybe join our team over the next year or two,” 

Schmaltz then became mired in a season-long slump in 2018–19, and instead of sending him down to get his game right, the organization shipped Schmaltz to Arizona for Dylan Strome and Brandon Perlini. Despite thinking Schmaltz would be a very good player in the league, it was obvious that the Blackhawks had decided it was time to move on. Now, Schmaltz has not set the world on fire in Arizona, but nobody seems to succeed down in the desert.

The formula changes again

After Schmaltz, the Blackhawks decided they need to start hyping up their prospects because the NHL team looked to be trending downward, which brings us to Dylan Sikura. Sikura was a sixth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Sikura went to college at Northeastern for four years, where his game improved substantially each year. Powers stated, “He has top-six upside and likely can step into an NHL lineup immediately.”

If Sikura had not signed with the Blackhawks, 30 teams would have been all over him, Powers went on to add. Bowman was quoted saying that Sikura would have been one of the Blackhawks’ main trade deadline acquisitions and would be able to help the Blackhawks into the playoffs and beyond. The internet went wild after reading this statement, predicting that Sikura would score 30 goals in the NHL in his first season. Sikura for his tenure appeared in 47 NHL games and was traded to Vegas for Brandon Pirri. Pirri is a career AHL goal scorer and is currently back with the Rockford IceHogs.

The Blackhawks were not deterred by the Sikura overhype debacle and the Hartman mistake. The Blackhawks got very lucky with DeBrincat, who has made himself a complete player while at the NHL level, having never played a single game in the AHL. After DeBrincat, the Blackhawks drafted and jettisoned off Henri Jokiharju to Buffalo. Jokiharju was playing NHL minutes with Duncan Keith before Jeremy Colliton took over behind the bench and banished him out of town.

Current prospect pool

After severely damaging their prospect pool in a last-gasp effort to save his job, Bowman shipped off Adam Boqvist, who appears to be developing quite nicely in Columbus. Before being traded, Boqvist was starting to improve in his own end.

Now, the Blackhawks need to figure out how to develop at the NHL level and Rockford because they need more than cup-of-coffee guys in the NHL. Below is some analysis of where notable players in the current prospect pool stand and how their development has been and should be handled.

Kirby Dach

While Dach is not necessarily a prospect anymore after playing 121 NHL games, he is still in the development stage of his career. In this stage, Dach has had a lot to overcome. He was not afforded very much time in the AHL due to the transfer agreement between the NHL and CHL. The agreement is as follows:

This rule is based on the NHL and CHL Agreement, which states a signed player aged 18 or 19 who was claimed from a CHL club and is not retained by the NHL club, must be assigned to the CHL junior club whom he last played for or owes a contractual obligation.

So, the Blackhawks decided to keep Dach with the NHL team instead of sending him back to the CHL’s Saskatoon Blades, where he very likely would have been dominating on a nightly basis. While it is tough to argue against the Hawks’ decision, it was a catch-22 situation for the team, as the “right” place for Dach to develop likely would have been the AHL. Dach had nothing left to prove in the CHL, but was not truly ready to play in the NHL, either. Continuing his development in the AHL and allowing him to get used to a faster and stronger game in the minors would have given him the proper opportunity to grow, rather than being forced to play above his head at the game’s highest level as an 18-year-old. In reality, very few players are truly ready to play in the NHL at 18, and the CHL-NHL transfer agreement adversely affects players like Dach in that middle ground by forcing them into a typically detrimental development path instead of allowing them to take the next step at the AHL level.

Unfortunately for Dach, he was injured in training camp and was to be sent down to the AHL on a conditioning assignment, the only way for him to play in the minors. Dach played three games in the AHL during the brief assignment before being recalled. During his rookie year, the Blackhawks qualified to compete in the postseason bubble after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in the play-in series to get in. Dach was dominant in the series against Edmonton and played well against Vegas.

After that season, the Blackhawks allowed him to play with Canada in the 2021 World Junior Championships, where he was named captain of the squad. In my opinion, it was to give Dach an opportunity to be a leader and to build confidence after a strong rookie season, however, the plan backfired when he broke his wrist during a preliminary game for the tournament.

The Blackhawks then rushed him back to the NHL to appear in 18 games in a lost season. While Colliton was hailed as being a great communicator, he really never developed anyone at the AHL or NHL level. Hopefully, the new voice of Derek King, who has been a career AHL coach, can help develop Dach more at the NHL level. King being named the interim head coach might have been for that very reason: A coach whose goal is to develop players and try to win at the same time. As The Rink’s Andy Campbell aptly pointed out, the Blackhawks did not have a plan for Dach and are now trying to develop him on the fly.

Lukas Reichel

Reichel is the gem of the Blackhawks’ current prospect pool. The 19-year-old has spent 26 games in Rockford this season, scoring 12 goals and racking up 14 assists. Now, the original plan was to give him a two-game showcase in the NHL before sending him back down, but now reports are surfacing that Reichel could be brought up again later in the season in order to burn the first year of his entry-level contract in order to make his second contract cheaper. However, one could argue that bringing Reichel up again this season would be a mistake from a development standpoint. Dobber Prospects wrote an article in 2018 stating that a first-line player averages a full AHL season and a second-line player averages close to a season and half in the AHL.

The assumption has to be that Reichel is going to be a top-six forward, and based on limited sample size, the data suggest that he should remain in the AHL for this entire season at the very least. Also, people should take note that the last five 17th overall picks have spent time in the AHL or CHL before becoming NHL players. Unlike Dach and other third overall picks, most of the time the 17th pick is either sent back to his CHL team or plays in the AHL. Reichel is also an exception to that rule because the 17th pick of late has usually been a North American player. Young European players tend to need adjustment to the North American style of play and the ice, which would lengthen their development timeline, if anything. The last high-profile player drafted from Germany, Tim Stutzle, jumped to the NHL because of the state of his team, the Ottawa Senators, and not necessarily because he was ready to play in the NHL.

Reichel will be a curious case to watch because he could outgrow the AHL very soon. But again, the question needs to be focused more on his long-term growth. Just because he CAN play in the NHL right now does not mean he NEEDS to.

Jakub Galvas

Jakub Galavs was the 150th pick of the fifth round in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. After playing in the Czech league with Olomouc, he joined Jukurit for two seasons in the SM-Liiga. This year, he was called up to the Blackhawks out of necessity and played well in his three-game call-up. King (and many of us here at The Rink) was very impressed by Galvas.

“I’ll be honest with you, I was very surprised how good he played,” interim head coach Derek King told reporters following the 4-2 win. “I knew he was pretty calm with the puck, he could skate and he can make plays and he’s a smart player, but he looked really good today. He stepped up. That’s not easy.”

After three games, he was sent down to Rockford to play 25 minutes per night and continue to develop. The Blackhawks currently have too many defensemen to have warranted keeping Galvas up in the NHL. Now, he could see more time in the NHL if the Blackhawks trade one of their defensemen at the deadline. Galvas has appeared in 25 games with Rockford this season.

Ian Mitchell

Mitchell was a victim of the Bowman formula: He was overhyped before making his NHL debut. Mitchell was a second-round pick in 2017 before joining the University of Denver.

“He dominated the games I saw at Denver this year. He’s such a good skater, very involved in the play. He [did] a little bit of everything for that team as their captain. I think it bodes well [for] how he’s going to transition to the NHL. I think his game lines up with exactly how we want to play. He’s a fun player to watch.” – Bowman on Jan. 7, 2020

When Mitchell made his NHL debut in 2020–21, playing 39 games with the Blackhawks before being sent down to Rockford for five games. Mitchell was outmatched and clearly out of place in the NHL last season. This season, he has only appeared in eight NHL games and has spent the majority of the season in Rockford.

Recent reports are saying the Blackhawks are taking a patient approach with blue line prospects such as Mitchell. Mitchell, being a second-round pick, should have started his pro career in the AHL. Second-round picks have a 25% chance of making the NHL after being drafted. Before Mitchell was drafted at the 57th pick, the last defenseman drafted at 57 was Jonas Siegenthaler. Siegenthaler spent 122 games in the AHL with 28 games in the Swiss-A league sprinkled in before making his NHL debut. Seigenthaler was drafted in 2015 and did not make his NHL debut until the 2018–19 season. Since Mitchell, two defensemen have been drafted at the 57, Axel Andersson, who is still in the AHL, and Samuel Bolduc, also still in the AHL. So, when the Blackhawks rushed Mitchell to the NHL with all the hype, they did not do him any favors. He needs to continue to play in the AHL and develop his game. Mitchell might not have the potential to be an NHL regular for a few more seasons.

Nicolas Beaudin

The Blackhawks also said they would be preaching patience with Beaudin. Beaudin was the 27th pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Beaudin has played in 30 AHL games this season and only two games with the Blackhawks. Beaudin, who was viewed by some as being an NHL-ready prospect entering this season, might have fallen behind the likes of Galvas in the pecking order. Beaudin needs to start improving his game at the AHL to have a shot at the NHL this season. In his last NHL game, he played just 1:11 of ice time before being sent back to Rockford.

With defensemen taking longer to develop, Beaudin still has a chance to play a regular role for the Blackhawks in the future, but the team needs to start seeing some tangible results. A positive sign for the organization is that they are not giving up on Beaudin and trading him away like past prospects.

Arvid Soderblom

The only goalie prospect with projectable NHL upside currently in the Blackhawks’ minor-league system is Soderblom. Soderblom is a 22-year-old goalie who signed as a European free agent with the Blackhawks last year. Undrafted, he spent his entire career in Sweden before coming over to North America for this season. Soderblom appeared in the offseason prospect tournament between the Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild and impressed the coaching staff during that tournament.

After the tournament, Soderblom began the season in Rockford before being recalled. Soderblom drew praise from King this past week.

“He’s getting NHL shots,” King said Wednesday. “He’s seeing how we operate here, the pace in practice…and just the everyday life of an NHLer. It’s great. Eventually, he’s going to be here (permanently). We just don’t know how long it’s going to take him.”

Now, the Blackhawks are starting to up his workload as he made back-to-back starts at Rockford after being sent down. This was the first time he has made back-to-back starts in Rockford. He was sensational against the Chicago Wolves last Saturday, making 36 saves in regulation and then stopping two shooters in the shootout to get the victory. The plan for Soderblom is to play at least one more game in NHL this season according to King. His plan might be altered if the anticipated trade of Marc-Andre Fleury does in fact happen. Soderblom could be recalled to split time with Kevin Lankinen or fill in from time to time.

People should remain cautious with Soderblom. For goalies, progress does not have to be linear. Corey Crawford came up several times to get starts for the Hawks before finally becoming the full-time starter in 2010–11 after being drafted in 2005.

Drew Commesso

While Soderblom is perhaps the lone goalie prospect with NHL upside in the current minor-league system, Drew Commesso has the most upside of any Blackhawks netminder prospect.

The second-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2020 has a record of 12–8–3 with a .915 save percentage and 2.48 goals against average with Boston University. In addition to putting up good numbers at Boston University, Commesso was named the starting goalie for Team USA in the World Junior Championship. Sadly, the tournament was ended due to the COVID-19 outbreaks among teams. Despite the tournament being cut short, fans might get to see Commesso on the biggest international stage, the Olympics. With the NHL not allowing its players to travel to the Olympics, Team USA went into the college ranks to add players to their roster, which now includes Commesso.

Regardless of whether Commesso plays in the Olympics or not, Blackhawks fans should not be expecting Commesso to be in the NHL anytime soon. The path to the NHL is still long for goalies after playing college hockey. An example of this would be Boston University alum Jake Oettinger. Oettinger was taken with 26th pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars. After finishing a three-year career at BU, he cameoed for the Texas Stars for six games in 2018–19. Oettinger then spent the entire 2019–20 season in the AHL, starting 38 games for the Texas Stars. In 2020, he got 29 games with the Dallas Stars. Despite 29 games in the NHL the year prior, Oettinger was reassigned to the AHL for 10 games this season. Oettinger finally may have found his footing in the NHL this season. He just shut out the Boston Bruins this week for his 11th win of the season.

If the Blackhawks want another example, look no further than the aforementioned Crawford. Crawford was a second-round pick, just like Commesso. After finishing up his time in the QMJHL, Crawford spent five full seasons in the AHL. He appeared in 255 AHL games before being offered the backup spot behind Marty Turco. It was not until he supplanted Turco in 2010–11 that he was locked into an NHL spot. The Blackhawks will need to be patient with the development of Commesso. It is going to take several years, and that is perfectly okay.

Bottom line

The bottom line is the Blackhawks have not been getting their prospects to develop within their organization. The Bowman-led front office did not have a development plan in place. With the new philosophy in place, that does not mean every prospect in the system will develop into NHL players; some guys might be career AHL, ECHL or European players. The fact that there are plans in place is a step in the right direction. Now, let’s be patient and wait on the results.

The post Prospect development is key to the Blackhawks’ future appeared first on The Rink.

Now, if you were following the draft closely, or want to already claim, “Hey, how could they not take Trevor Zegras at No. 3?”, a center from the Saskatoon Blades named Kirby Dach was easily slated in the top five on many NHL drafts boards. As for myself, I was thrilled with the selection of Dach. What did the Hawks need at the time? A power forward, one with hands, speed and skill, but with the strength to get to the net, wreak some havoc and be a dominant force on the ice. I do not blame Bowman for selecting Dach at third overall that June. It was the right choice at the time. It has been what has transpired since then that has been troubling, and it is anyone guess as to how Dach’s career pans out from here.

Dach is 21 years young, that’s it. In many ways, it is unfair to judge him as a hockey player, but recently, his play has received a great deal of criticism. Fair criticism or not, this year’s version of Dach is that of someone who plays timid, unsure of himself, unsure of his role on the team and someone who is lacking in confidence. Now, it is not easy for this young man. He came into a situation with a team attempting, against all odds, for a quick return to glory, while trying to squeeze every last ounce of quality play from Blackhawks legends Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. For many fans, the expectation is that Dach would adapt quickly, be a sure-fire fixture, put up points and get the team right back in contention. Tough expectations for a developing teenager who is trying to learn the pro game.

Drafting Dach with the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft was not a mistake; it is how Blackhawks have handled his development since then that should be scrutinized. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

What has been lost on the Hawks in all of this is his development. The question that remains, and may remain for some time, is what kind of NHL hockey player is Dach meant to and going to be. Chicago thrust him into a center role, an easier role for him to play as a junior hockey player in the WHL. Physically, Dach could do it all in the WHL with size and speed. Perhaps learning the critical elements of the center ice position at the pro game was something he never had to focus on. Dach is a great north-south skater, but thus far in the 2021–22 season, in 41 games played and over 400 face-offs taken, he is winning draws at a 34% clip, which in today’s NHL is simply inadequate. His defensive zone play has marginally improved, but currently, his offensive production is next to nothing. In the month of January, with over 19 minutes of ice time per game, Dach has one goal and that is his lone point in 2022. For a third overall pick in his third season with the club, that is indeed troubling.

Yet, if you want to point the finger, do not point it at young Kirby. When you compartmentalize and look at his brief stint as a Blackhawk, Dach has been asked to be and to do too much. Throwing a young kind into a role as a center, giving him a ton of responsibility early, asking him to come back early from wrist surgery last season, and putting the semi-retooling-back-to-winning ways on his shoulders realistically is an absurd proposition, and it does not seem to be getting any better or easier for him.

It was astonishing in Friday night’s contest against the Colorado Avalanche to see a struggling Dach begin the first minute of the third period killing a penalty while down 2–0 against a mighty Avs power play. It was heartbreaking to watch him try to figure out positioning while the Avs calmly moved the puck and took a 3–0 lead. It has become evidently clear that Dach has the kind of “I will do anything to win” attitude, and while I certainly compliment his heart, the Hawks have been abusing his courage without for a second considering what may be best for his development.

When Dach was a rookie in the 2019–20 season, he spent a mere three games with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL on a conditioning assignment, with no points and a -1 rating before Bowman and company deemed him ready to make the big jump to the NHL. In 64 games with the Hawks, he showed flashes of a bright future, with eight goals and 23 points in a pandemic-shortened season. He then complimented that with six points in nine games in the Edmonton bubble.

Then came the following January that changed everything. With the NHL getting its arms around how to begin the season amidst the pandemic, Dach was asked to represent his country and captain Canada in the 2021 World Junior Championships. What could have been an incredible experience and confidence booster for Dach to lead his country to gold ended early in despair with a broken wrist in a pre-tournament exhibition contest against Russia.

Many anticipated Dach to have a major impact in the tournament and arrive for the beginning of the NHL season set to be the Hawks’ second-line center. Instead, Dach’s injury required surgery, which at the time was said to be a 4–5-month recovery process. Now, only those that work inside the Hawks’ organization know where it truly went from here, but though it was originally assumed that Dach would be out for the season, he returned three months after surgery for his season debut against the Nashville Predators on March 27, 2021, where he played over 20 minutes. Twenty minutes. There was no rehab assignment, and no mention even of him playing a few games in the IceHogs’ shortened season. He was simply tossed off a boat into shark-infested waters to see if he could swim his way out of it. Desperate to make the make the playoffs, the 20-year-old Dach was inserted right back in the face-off dot coming off a broken wrist.

Dach struggled through the spring of 2021, notching two goals in 18 games. Fast forward to training camp 2021 ahead of this season, both Bowman and then-head coach Jeremy Colliton put him right back where they think he belonged and expected excellence of him. Watching Dach get decimated in the face-off circle during practice by Toews, to which many fans signaled, “the captain is back,” but when you watch it now, you see a young man four months shy of his 21st birthday completely out of his league in a position that may not be right for him.

Toews vs. Dach. This one is all Toews. pic.twitter.com/8RDCXGyz4U

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) September 29, 2021

So Colliton gets fired, Derek King is appointed interim head coach and Dach has to hit the reset button yet again. It has become clear that Dach’s actual development has become secondary to the idea that the Hawks simply hope he will be able to figure it out on his own. And what exactly is that role? We have no idea what kind of hockey player Dach is meant to become, how high his ceiling can be or what is ahead in his career. But, tossing him in every area of hockey strategy, whether that be as a center, on the power play, on the penalty kill or whatever, is only setting this kid up for failure. The Hawks need to either simplify his game, make him a winger and give him less to think about or, if he is to become a multifaceted, five-tool player, then he needs to work on those things at a lower professional level in Rockford. The latter simply will not happen.

The nay-sayers out there that feel Dach is a candidate to be moved before the trade deadline are not considering two things. One is that it is way too early to give up on him. He still is really young and physically he can still develop. The Hawks have learned the hard way not to mail it in on promising prospects. Just ask Ryan Hartman and Teuvo Teravainen. Secondly, there will not be a taker for Dach who is willing to give up quality assets or draft picks to have Dach sit in the press box during a Cup run. As of right now, Dach probably would not dress for a Cup-contending team.

Dach will be a restricted free agent this summer, and odds are he will sign a two- or three-year bridge deal with the Blackhawks that may not be north of $2 million per season. The Hawks have a lot of leverage with his rights, and he will not be breaking the bank ahead of the 2022–23 season.

Which makes this all the more frustrating. Heading into his second contract, there are many, myself included, that by now would have viewed Dach as a staple of the Hawks’ future and not a mystery, wondering what may become of his playing career. It is not his fault; not in the least. He is a victim of circumstance, both due to an untimely injury and an organization so concerned with selling jerseys and trying to patch up a roster in the failing hope that they can get back in the race that his long-term path has been downright ignored.

No, we are not at doomsday yet and Dach’s NHL career could still very well have a happy ending, but if the Hawks care about his longevity, confidence and future, they need to commit to working with him regardless of what the current optics look like from a sales and marketing standpoint. He needs to be put in positions to succeed, as opposed to the “Hey, go figure it out” model he is currently trying to navigate.

Dach has the talent and the heart, and all rooting for him. Hopefully his employers, this “once proud” franchise, will start rooting for him, too.

The post The mishandling of Kirby Dach appeared first on The Rink.

New Rinkcast host Andy Campbell and co-host Eric Andrews are joined by Rink staffers Jeff Osborn from the Rink Seattle, Sean Fitzgerald, and new guy Andrew Bard get the season rolling with a camp edition of the Rinkcast.

• • Andy takes the reigns and leads us into 21-22
  • Who are we excited to see this season?
  • What do we think of the Jonathan Toews situation?
  • Who will be an under-the-radar surprise?
  • How about Kirby Dach?
  • Some Alex Nylander and Dylan Strome bashing.
  • Will the Blackhawks make the playoffs?

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 5, Episode 2 – 2021-22 Season Preview https://t.co/Qpw5YFFEaN

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But, as usual, there are those ready to say “Da Hawks are back, baby,” “Anything can happen,” etc.

(Insert heavy sigh and eye roll here)

Let’s be clear: As a Hawks fan, and definitely as a member of the Blackhawks organization, your ultimate goal for the team should be regular contention for the Cup, i.e. being in the top 6–8 teams in the league every year.

One thing that probably needs to be agreed upon, at minimum, is that the current team is at least a couple of years away from that level, and could be more like 3–5 years away from it. So what needs to happen? What are the necessary next steps the team needs to take to reach that level?

There is a very simple, yet not widely understood issue that General Manager Stan Bowman and his staff desperately need to address going forward, and that is improving 5-on-5 play. More specifically, this means acquiring more of a certain type of prospects and players—that the organization currently does not have—who can make this happen.

Chicago is “succeeding” right now entirely due to goaltending, power play and 3-on-3 overtime

Again, it is fun to watch.

The problem is, aside from the improved power play, the Hawks have iced bad overall teams—with mostly very good goaltending and 3-on-3 overtime play—since 2018.

Since 2017–18, the Hawks are -29 at 5-on-5, and much of that was with very good 5-on-5 players like Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad.

This year, so far, the Hawks are -9 at 5-on-5—by far the worst out of the eight teams comprising their current division. So, one might ask, why are they in “first place” then?

Well, first off, they are really not in “first.” At 18 games, the Hawks have played four more games than Florida (also with 22 points), Tampa Bay (21 points) and tonight’s opponent, Carolina (21), and six more than Dallas (14 points).

And it should be noted, all those teams, who are better at 5-on-5 play than the Hawks, were playoff teams last year, as was Columbus, who, also at 18 games played, is just two points behind Chicago.

Why does 5-on-5 matter so much? The Hawks are winning, right?

Most hockey is played at 5-on-5—which is especially true in the playoffs, where less penalties are called and overtime is played at 5-on-5 for as long as necessary to determine a winner. Hence, why a great 3-on-3, but bad 5-on-5 team can make the playoffs, like the Hawks did last year (sort of), and then get crushed (ditto).

And as pointed out above, good 5-on-5 play is a typical hallmark, if not a necessity, of a playoff team, let alone a successful one.

The best 5-on-5 teams are able to score and defend when there are 10 skaters on the ice—makes sense, right—as opposed to when there are nine (5-on-4), eight (4-on-4), seven (4-on-3) or six (3-on-3) skaters total.

The more players there are on the ice—at even strength—the harder it is to get the puck into scoring position and get shots off. There are more bodies, and thus more traffic and more contact. Also, more loose pucks, stacked blue lines and blocked shots. Alternately, there is less wide-open ice and pretty plays. There are also far more loose or “50-50” pucks. In this setting, more physical players tend to become more valuable.

And, I am not talking about “fighting.”

I am not talking really even talking about hitting (although that factors in some here).

I am talking about winning loose pucks, occupying your opponent’s crease and defending your own, winning battles around the nets and winning the blue lines at both ends of the ice.

And why are the Hawks not a good 5-on-5 team?

Before you say: “Here you go again, JJ. The game has changed, move on,” let me say this: The rules of the NHL, in fact, have not really changed. And facts are facts.

Four of the Hawks’ 22 points at present have come in 3-on-3 overtime (most in the league). They are third in the league in power play percentage at 32.7%. And yes, they are getting crazy good goaltending from rookie Kevin Lankinen. At present, Lankinen’s 2.29 goals against average and .931 save percentage rank fifth and third respectively among goalies with 10 games or more played.

These are the reasons why they are 9–5–4 (which is, by the way, essentially 9–9) at 18 games. That, and maybe more than a little luck. Let’s break that down.

And we will even assume that Chicago’s league lead in 3-on-3 goals will carry through the rest of the season. After all, they have been a good to very good 3-on-3 team for the last few seasons.

The Hawks’ power play improvement is legitimate, without question. There is more player movement, resulting in more and better opportunities versus years’ past. But, the question is how much difference it will make going forward this year, and, more importantly, in future seasons.

For example, even if Chicago ends up leading the league in power play percentage this year, they would still fall likely to around 25–27% (a typical league-leading power play percentage) by season’s end.

So, even in a best-case scenario going forward, the amount of power play goals per game they will be able to rely on is going to go down, and by somewhere between 20 and 25% from their current level—best case. So, they have had some meaningful improvement—and measurable luck so far on the power play.

Can Lankinen continue on his torrid pace for the rest of his season and throughout his career in Chicago? Eh, maybe?

But, that would also make him arguably one of the greatest rookie netminders of all time, and a surefire Hall of Famer (even with some rebound control issues, at minimum).

No, Lankinen may emerge from this season as a top 10–15 netminder for Chicago for the next decade—which would be great—but he is also very likely going to regress and settle in somewhere among mortal goalies at some point this year and going forward.

Point being, the Hawks have been lucky in net so far this year, too, probably very lucky. And like their 3-on-3 performance, good goaltending has been something the team has been able to rely on year after year, regardless.

The big point here is, these three factors are, for now, masking a big problem the Blackhawks have had for going on four seasons: Bad 5-on-5 play. And, if they are going to return to being a playoff team, much less a consistent Cup contender, that will have to change.

But what about Dach, Boqvist, Suter, Kurashev, Kubalik, Mitchell, Beaudin and The Cat?

Let me answer that this way: What about Nick Foligno and Boone Jenner, for example?

(What?!)

Right, the Hawks have a lot to be encouraged by as far as their future—but let me caveat that. They seem to have, with the exception of Dach, a raft of talented young players who weigh in well below 200 pounds, and are best described—and more importantly projected—as skilled, more perimeter-style players.

This is not an “either/or” issue. It is not whether smaller skilled players are better or worse than bigger players, so please do not go there.

But, here is another important statistic: Presently, the average weight of players on the Hawks’ roster is 6–10 pounds less than every team in their division.

Most or all of those young players—that everyone (myself included) is enjoying the bloody hell out of watching this year—may end up being “plus” players for the Blackhawks for years. But, that would probably still leave a problem when it comes to “big boy” hockey, or more specifically, 5-on-5 play.

Because, for all the reasons already discussed, there is a logical, demonstrable correlation between physicality, willingness to go into and win in the dirty areas and style of play—if not sheer size—and 5-on-5 play.

Here is some recent evidence: Late in the broadcast of a third period of a recent 3–2 overtime win against Columbus, Eddie Olczyk touched on something I was noticing as well (because I also watch Columbus play a lot).

Leading 2–1 with the clock ticking down in the third, Columbus—mostly Foligno and Jenner—were winning every 50-50 puck, and thereby keeping the biscuit away from the less-physical Hawks. The game was slipping away.

But, with under two minutes left, Carl Soderberg, not coincidentally one of the Hawks’ biggest and more physical players, found himself with the puck on his blade in the slot, and used a Columbus defenseman as a screen, putting a puck past Joonas Korpisalo (who had been excellent most of the night)—forcing the game to overtime, where Chicago promptly picked up one of their four overtime wins.

Five-on-five play matters, and this is just one case where the Hawks suffered and then later benefited—or maybe just got a bit lucky. By forcing the game to overtime, when it easily could have ended in a 2–1 loss, what might have been a weekend that gave Columbus four points and the Hawks none, ended up 3–2 for Columbus instead.

Hockey is still a contact sport. And the “unsexy” things that do not make the scoresheet but contribute hugely to winning hockey games, like 50-50 pucks, blocking shots, winning special teams face offs and just being a pain to play against, matter as much as ever, over the course of a season and especially in the playoffs.

The difference between 2009–15 and now—and maybe the future

A lot of fans mistakenly assume the Hawks won three Cups from 2010–15 due simply to an obscenely high talent, speed and skill level. But, those teams also delivered the lumber and excelled at 5-on-5 play, especially at the top 6–9 forward positions.

2010: Brouwer, Byfuglien, Hossa, Ladd, Toews

2013: Bickell, Frolik, Handzus, Hossa, Saad, Toews

2015: Bickell, Hossa, Saad, Toews

And, those 5-on-5 numbers were supported by smaller players who nonetheless over-indexed on willingness, like Dave Bolland and Marcus Kruger.

What about Dach and Toews?

Without giving any credence to rumors, the fact is, Toews’ lingering, mysterious health issue, at minimum, raises a question on when—or if—he will be back on the ice, in what condition and for how long.

And what about the “heir apparent?” Again, a lot of people seem to be getting way out over their skis with the “Dach is the next Toews” stuff.

We really do not know yet—even though some have made a massive leap to this conclusion—if Dach is going end up as a “power player” or even a full-time center in his NHL career.

Just because he was drafted by the same team Toews was—even though the Hawks will need a No. 1 center as well as more all-terrain forwards at minimum—does not mean that is the player Dach will be.

A couple of the knocks on Dach in his draft scouting (just 18 months ago) were that he was pretty unphysical for his size, and might be better at wing than center in the NHL.

The point is, he may end up being a different style of player than Toews was—more along the lines a “better” Jason Spezza (for example)—than “the next Toews.” But, maybe he will become another Toews. Hard to say right now.

But, either outcome is at least “good,” and Dach should become more a part of the 5-on-5 solution than the problem, regardless.

More broadly, the problem is this: The Hawks’ NHL roster, and even their pipeline, is overall fairly bereft of those all-terrain forwards who come up bigger (no pun intended) in 5-on-5 play. And again, let me be clear, the kinds of players we are talking about here can also score some goals and make plays, like Toews, Hossa, Saad, Mark Scheifele, Alex Tuch, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Josh Anderson, Anze Kopitar, Jamie Benn, Nathan MacKinnon and there are many more.

Dach, if he continues to work and mature, is a start. But after him?

(Crickets)

Yet, with the lone recent exception of Tampa Bay, typically, Stanley Cup winners and most contenders have at least 3–4 of these players in top-nine roles. And let’s not forget how, before winning the Cup—in a shortened season—last year, Tampa Bay failed spectacularly more than once in the playoffs, despite annual lofty expectations, including getting swept in round one two years ago by exceedingly unsexy, but nasty as you-know-what Columbus.

“So is this it? Are you just trying to poop everyone’s party again, JJ?”

The intent of this article is to place the Hawks’ “unlikely” success so far this year in a real-world context, and also help readers maintain the right perspective and expectations going forward.

The last couple of off-seasons, Bowman seemed to finally get the memo. He had drafted “small, yet skilled” for almost a decade, and needed an upgrade on size in the pipeline (hence the picks of Dach and Alex Vlasic in 2019). But, a couple of draft picks is not nearly enough when you have almost literally ignored the need for a certain profile or style of player for so long.

Big, physical and skilled players do not grow on trees. You can always get a Ryan Carpenter or Zack Smith in free agency, or trade for a banged-up retread in Andrew Shaw—but the need is not fourth-line, 12-minute-a-night bangers.

What’s going on with the Hawks over this season’s first 18 games is traceable to a certain extent to luck and 3-on-3 overtime points—hiding (for now) some bad tendencies that are continuing from the last few seasons: Poor team defense and, more broadly, really weak 5-on-5 play.

Bowman still has a lot of work cut out for him. Although this year has been fun so far, fans are going to need to be patient in waiting for the next parade or more long runs of playoff hockey in Chicago.

The post ANALYSIS: The big missing piece in the Hawks’ rebuild appeared first on The Rink.

In this first podcast of season 4, the Rink staff members John Jaeckel, Sean Fitzgerald, and Andy Campbell to talk about the latest Blackhawks news considering the absence of Jonathan Toews to open the new year.

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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The news on Toews is scary. It is, and from his statement on Tuesday, there is so much unknown as to his condition. This does not seem like your typical NHL “undisclosed” situation, either. The truth is not being hidden; neither Toews nor the organization know what is contributing to his ailment, and they are actively trying to figure it out. Many have been critical of Toews’ play in recent years, and that is fine, but this has been the Hawks’ best 200-foot player over the last 13 seasons, period. He is their leader, a three-time Stanley Cup Champion, Conn Smythe winner and his name and number will be stitched on a banner and hung from the rafters of the United Center. His contributions to what has been the best era in Chicago Blackhawks hockey are immeasurable, and whether you had high hopes for the Hawks this season or if you were hoping for failure and a rebuild, it is really hard to envision the team without Captain Serious. Let’s just hope that they can pinpoint his ailment and he can successfully recover.

Without captain Jonathan Toews, the Hawks begin the season with more questions than answers. (Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

As for the 2020–21 season; now what? Circumstances have changed, the team is weaker and picturing the Hawks jumping into the playoff mix come springtime is unrealistic. In fact, this could get ugly. The defensive unit is a weak spot, they are unproven between the pipes and without Nylander, Dach and Toews, the offense is significantly affected. General Manager Stan Bowman’s half-hearted “rebuild” has just been put into overdrive. Regardless of the message to fans or the organization’s intentions for the 2020–21 season, the Hawks will not be very good. There is a real possibility that without so many key ingredients, that they will finish towards the bottom of the barrel in the league and will have a lottery pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Whether or not Bowman and company elect to re-sign Dylan Strome will not change this team for the better, and if they can move him for futures or picks, they are wise to do so.

New/old acquisition Brandon Pirri will play more than many expected early on. Centers Carl Soderberg and Mattias Janmark, originally thought to be third- and fourth-line fixtures, may now be ticketed for first- and second-line duties. While the Hawks may not win many games with those two players in those roles, all fans should be rooting for them. On one-year deals, if either Soderberg, or the one-time 19-goal scorer, Janmark, are productive, come the April 12 trade deadline, either or both could see a decent return for the Hawks’ future. Newly acquired center Lucas Wallmark may also fall into that category.

Newly acquired forward Mattias Janmark could now have a more pivotal role entering the season. (Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

Before the injuries, there are some fans that unwisely may have thought the Hawks’ were contenders heading into this season, while others were beating the “play the kids” drum as loudly as possible. Well, the latter is here. The kids will play. You will not see a complete youth movement, as the Hawks will mettle with their more experienced depth early on, but as the season chugs along, be ready to see a revolving door between Chicago and Rockford.

Some prospects may now be locks out of mini camp. Barring disappointment, it is possible or likely, that Pius Suter may be in a top-six role right away, and fans should be excited because of the tools he brings to the table. Winger Brandon Hagel had a decent 19-goal run in Rockford last season and at some point will see some NHL action. Hagel has been on loan to Thurgau in the second-tier Swiss League (SL) this season and has tallied 15 points in 14 games. Prospect MacKenzie Entwistle brings his 6-foot-3 size, speed and energy to the table. Entwistle is starting to figure out a professional game and with 26 points in Rockford in 2019–20, he is another to keep an eye on. Responsible center prospect Philipp Kurashev, fresh off a loan to Lugano in the Swiss-A league, could use more time in Rockford, but if the Hawks wisely shed some center depth at the trade deadline, he could get his first taste of the NHL in mid-April. Evan Barratt may have a longer road to being a true NHL impact player, but his skillset and hockey sense are there. He will most likely be in Rockford for the bulk of the season and rightly so, but injuries and/or trades could see him in Chicago for some games. Lastly, considering he is currently in North America playing in the World Junior Championship, inviting Czech prospect Michael Teply to camp should be something to consider.

The blue line, though not one to brag about, has a little more stability than it did a year ago—for now.  It is expected that Ian Mitchell will get his shot, and it will be interesting to see if he is as good as advertised. Nikita Zadorov, acquired in the Brandon Saad trade, will be a regular, as will Calvin de Haan, Connor Murphy, Adam Boqvist, Duncan Keith and yes, Brent Seabrook; remember him? Will the Hawks be able to unload the hefty contracts of Seabrook, Keith, de Haan or Murphy come the trade deadline? Seabrook, never, and the others, probably not in this economic climate unless the Hawks eat a big chunk of salary and cap hit.

Considering how much this unit will be playing in their own end of the ice though, injuries will happen and the combination of that and what may be inconsistent play from some will result in call ups and some younger kids getting a crack in the lineup. Wyatt Kalynuk, Lucas Carlsson and Nicolas Beaudin could all factor into that. Alec Regula is an intriguing prospect with high upside, but he is likely to see the entire season in Rockford. Another rearguard worth noting is Anton Lindholm. The lesser name in the Saad trade has played NHL minutes in Colorado and has been coveted by Bowman for some time. At 26, Lindholm knows a pro game and, should younger prospects be better served with time in Rockford, Lindholm could provide support in the back.

Coming back from injury, Brent Seabrook and others will be busier than ever in their own zone. (Photograph courtesy of NBC Sports)

A season of change is ahead, that is for sure. The number of different players and combinations that will be in and out of the lineup is impossible to predict, but if you are betting, take the over. At this point, anything is in play. Limit your expectations in the win column, as some games will not be much fun to watch. That said, keep an eye on the lineup as pieces of the Blackhawks’ future may be on the ice, and earlier than expected.

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In this final podcast of season 3, the Rink staff members John Jaeckel, Ray Napientek, Sean Fitzgerald, and Andy Campbell to talk about the Blackhawks moves.

• Kirby Dach fractures his wrist at World Championships.
• Dylan Strome is still not signed with camp starting in a week
• Carl Soderberg signed to fill a spot at center

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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Signed on!

Center Carl Söderberg has inked a 1-year / $1,000,000 deal. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/c4jiPB2Cti

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 26, 2020

For Nylander, this could not come at a worse time for him. At this stage in his young career, he can still be considered a “prospect,” but those that watched him in the 2019–20 season noticed major deficiencies in his game time and time again. Nylander’s contract will expire this coming summer and he will be a restricted free agent, giving him limited negotiating flexibility. So, not only does this injury impact his development, but ultimately his tenure in Chicago, and possibly the NHL for that matter.

The Dach injury is a gut punch, plain and simple. Many believed that this year was to be Dach’s major coming out party as a premier, young talent in the NHL. The idea that he could be a staple as the No. 2 center and possibly a consistent pivot for superstar Patrick Kane was to be one of few reasons for Hawks fans to be excited heading into the shortened 2021 season. While his timetable for a return has yet to come into focus, barring a playoff birth, there’s a real chance that Dach is lost for the season. We can debate whether or not Dach should have been playing in the World Junior Championship until we are blue in the face; there are arguments for and against it, and both are valid. Still, Dach will be back, but maybe not this season. While this is a pity, he is the future face of this franchise.

The Hawks may have a long road ahead without Kirby Dach. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

Restricted free agent Dylan Strome is still unsigned, and if you asked me as I was unwrapping presents Christmas morning, I would have guessed that due to Dach’s injury, the signing of Strome would have been expedited. “Not so fast,” proverbially said Stan Bowman. With the signing of Söderberg, the message to the Strome camp may not be a great one. Strome and Söderberg have similar numbers in terms of offensive output (Söderberg 17 goals, 18 assists, 35 points and Strome 12 goals, 26 assists, 38 points in 2019–20), but Söderberg has a much better two-way game than Strome. Is Söderberg a better overall hockey player and fit for the Hawks than Strome? Given his experience and the Hawks’ defensive issues, he is. Is he the No. 2 center to replace Dach? He is not and is instead far from it. Finding a player to “replace” Dach this year is not exactly realistic, and not the actual motive behind the Söderberg signing. It is not a panic move either; it is dirt cheap and for more depth up the middle of the ice, and whether or not Strome factors into a bargain deal after this is anyone’s guess. However, if Strome and his agent were hoping the Hawks were going to commit anything north in term or cash than the contract Söderberg just inked, good luck.

Suggesting that this is it for Strome in Chicago, Bowman may be looking to sign him at low cost and term, and then move him to a willing taker. It is not out of the realm of possibility that this is already in the works. If Strome is shown the door or if he comes back, that still leaves lingering questions at the center position. The Söderberg signing does not solve that issue.  The team has Jonathan Toews, Söderberg who may be your two or three and then a who’s who list of well…guys. David Kampf and Ryan Carpenter can play the fourth-line center role, and Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith also have experience in that position. With Shaw and Smith though, their seasons and careers, to be truthful, are in doubt due to recent injuries. During the offseason, Bowman acquired Mattias Janmark and Lucas Wallmark, both of whom can play center but in a checking role. So, the six aforementioned players can help at the center position but in bottom six—more defensive roles. They can help, but their true positive impact is only felt if you do not notice them that much. If you do notice them, it may be in the categories of negative plus-minus or Corsi statistics.

With the signing of Carl Söderberg, what does the future hold for Dylan Strome? (Photograph courtesy of Bill Smith / NHLI via Getty Images)

Philipp Kurashev is an intriguing prospect, but is he ready for an NHL role? Though the 21-year-old turned in a strong season in Rockford, he may still be a year away from being a permanent fixture, and again, probably in a bottom-six role.

So that brings us to Pius Suter. Even before the injuries to Dach and Nylander, and the signing of Söderberg, some have felt that Suter could make the club and have an immediate impact. His candidacy may be more likely now. The Swiss National League-A MVP of 2019–20 pumped in 30 goals and 53 points in 50 games last season. Prior to coming to Chicago, Dominik Kubalik tallied 57 points in that same league in 2018–19, and also won MVP. Is it possible that Bowman catches lightning in a bottle for the second year in a row, and if so, is Suter the No. 2 center for this coming season? That could mean three left-handed shots—Toews, Suter and Söderberg—as your first three centers, but that said, it is possible it shakes out this way. And truthfully, Strome could still re-sign in Chicago, and if that is the case, Suter would most likely play on the wing, which could ultimately be his longterm position with the club.

As if 2020 could not get any stranger as is, somehow there is still time for more personnel developments within the Hawks’ roster. Söderberg is not the answer, but not a bad signing at that price, and particularly not if the team plans to move away from Strome. None of this has played out the way it has been envisioned and who knows where this will all go from here. Time will tell if any of the Blackhawks’ peculiar puzzle pieces, at any end of the ice, will fit for a good season.

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You read that right, the Blackhawks could still potentially have a shot at drafting the consensus first overall player in the draft pool, Alexis Lafrenière.

The draw for the first overall selection will be held during Phase 2 of the #NHLDraft Lottery among only the eight teams that fail to advance from the Stanley Cup Qualifiers. All participants will have the same odds (12.5%).

MORE: https://t.co/GDxzfsHGvz pic.twitter.com/svmEVD4NgD

— NHL (@NHL) June 27, 2020

There is a caveat to Chicago’s chances, though. They would first need to lose to the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL’s Return to Play plan. They would then need to win a second NHL Draft Lottery, at an undetermined date, that includes the eight losing teams in the play-in round. This means that they would have a 12.5% chance of getting the first overall pick. If the NHL cannot resume and finish their Return to Play plan, teams 17 thru 24 in final points percentage will have a 12.5% chance at getting the top pick.

If, for whatever reason, the play-in cannot be completed….the remaining bottom 8 teams will have a one-in-eight shot at the top selection

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 27, 2020

As far as Friday’s results go, it probably wasn’t the outcome that the NHL had hoped for. The Detroit Red Wings held the top position with an 18.5% chance of winning the lottery but, instead, fell behind the Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators (pick acquired from the San Jose Sharks) and the yet to be determined play-in team. The Kings were the second biggest winner of the night, moving up two spots from number four. Ottawa came into the lottery with the second and third highest spots but slid back to third and fifth. Not quite a banner day for the NHL’s most deserving teams.

The results just further question whether the Blackhawks are better off losing in the play-in round or beating the Edmonton Oilers and qualifying for the final 16-team playoff. On one hand, they could get a reprieve from another awful season (that they in no way deserve), but they would miss a chance at a future dynamic player that could team with last year’s third overall pick, Kirby Dach, and usher in the next generation of Blackhawks top tier players. There is no question that they lack difference making young forwards in their system. As with any player drafted, there is no guarantee that Alexis Lafrenière will be an NHL star but according to draft experts, he is the top talent in the entire draft class.

Dach and Lafrenière could speed up the rebuild and potentially wind up being the next Kane and Toews with players like Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and Calder Trophy candidate Dominik Kubalik looking like they could be solid secondary scoring options at forward. Evan Barratt, Phillip Kurashev, Michal Teply, MacKenzie Entwistle, and Brandon Hagel have outside chances to contribute at the NHL level in the coming seasons, also.

The defensive pipeline is splitting at the seams with players like Adam Boqvist, Nicolas Beaudin, and Ian Mitchell close to competing for NHL jobs and players like Alec Regula, Stanislav Demin, and Alex Vlasic as potential candidates down the road. Dennis Gilbert and Lucas Carlsson have shown some potential in limited NHL time, but it’s yet to be determined if they fit in Chicago’s long term plans.

The biggest hole in the organization is in goal and will need to be addressed soon, also. Outside of Collin Delia, the Blackhawks have no goalies that have any NHL experience whatsoever and recently let former 2018 6th round pick Alexis Gravel become a free agent. It is expected that they will extend Corey Crawford when the season finally concludes but, at 35 years of age, he cannot be part of their long term solution so some decisions will need to be made by General Manager Stan Bowman.

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Kirby Dach
Dach has been a nice addition to Chicago this season, but the plan for Dach has been obvious. Jeremy Colliton and staff were to take it easy with him early on in the season and allow him to adjust to playing professional hockey against men, a big step up from his days in Saskatoon.

The 19-year-old forward has found the back of the net seven times in 45 games so far this season to go along with his seven assists, all this while averaging 13:36 of ice time. He has only played 16 minutes or more a night 10 times this season, eight of those coming since Dec. 29.

At 6-foot-4 and 197 pounds, the Alberta native has shown an ability to use his size to protect the puck and find his way to the net against smaller defenseman. This skill will only get better as he matures and develops his professional game.

Dach has also looked solid in his own zone. Many rookies struggle defensively with structure and positioning, but Dach has made a smooth transition in this area. Chicago fans should take this as a huge positive when it comes to the rookie, as he seems to “get it between the ears” when he is on the ice.

As he gains more ice time and trust from the coaching staff, Dach is here to stay in Chicago’s top-six forward group for years to come.

Kirby Dach (@kdach77) goes top shelf via the backhand.

Oh, and it's a birthday goal. pic.twitter.com/JwIqDXXzp1

— NHL (@NHL) January 22, 2020

Alex Vlasic
With only three points in 21 games on the backend for Boston University this season, many would assume the 18-year-old is struggling for the Terriers. This could not be further from the truth. College hockey is quite the adjustment for freshman defensemen and Vlasic has shown he has the skills to play against tough competition.

The Wilmette, Illinois, native uses his size and solid hockey IQ to his advantage when on the ice. His ability to adjust is an excellent sign for Chicago fans. Stan Bowman needed to add size in last year’s draft and Vlasic stands 6-foot-6-and 199 pounds. Vlasic’s 19 blocks on the season places him fourth on the Terriers this season.

Expect the freshman to finish strong this season while being trusted in all situations for the Terriers.

Alex Vlasic makes a clean block and an interception to allow the shorthanded Terriers to clear the zone. Good penalty-killing by the freshman. #BUvsMC (via @CBSAllAccess) pic.twitter.com/Q6detLotn0

— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) January 18, 2020

Michal Teply
Chicago’s third pick in the fourth round, Teply showed well in camp and found his way to the Winnipeg Ice in the Western Hockey League. With 15 goals in 34 games, the forward can light the lamp while finding his teammates with 22 assists. As a point-per-game player, Teply needs to work on his defensive-zone talents.

The Czech Republic native showed well again offensively during the World Junior Championships this season. His five assists in five games is a testament to his skills. With that being said, his -5 rating in as many games shows his difficulty keeping the puck out of his own net, even if the stat is flawed.

Teply scores his second of the night 7 seconds into the power play!

ICE take a 4-2 lead!

Michal Teply
Peyton Krebs
Isaac Johnson pic.twitter.com/DIL35n4u6b

— Winnipeg ICE (@WHLWpgICE) January 26, 2020

Antti Saarela
The Finnish forward had a rough showing at the World Junior Championships this season with zero points in seven games. He also finished with a -5 rating during the tournament. But, as an 18-year-old in the tournament, Chicago fans should not be worried.

The winger has shown the ability to play against men in the Liiga back home in Finland. The left-handed shooting forward has 10 points in 26 games for fourth place on Ilves. His struggles at the World Juniors looks more like an anomoly than the norm.

Antti Saarela started scoring for Ilves. He was not the most productive player at the WJC but founds ways to score in Liiga. Also had an assist later in the period. pic.twitter.com/5bXDqChcjs

— yp (@jrabane) January 18, 2020

Dominic Basse
A surprise pick by Bowman in the sixth round, Basse found himself playing for the Youngstown Phantoms in the United States Hockey League. Despite sporting a 3.77 goals against-average and a .881 save percentage, Basse’s stats should not be taken too seriously for now, as the USHL can be a difficult place to play for young goaltenders.

At 6-foot-6 and 197 pounds, Basse uses his positioning and athleticism to his advantage. In several viewings this season, Basse has made some highlight-reel saves while giving up a few “soft” goals from time to time, which, again, is common for a young goaltender in the USHL.

Basse is committed to Colorado College and will have options on his plans for next season over the summer.

@dominic_basse with the saves tonight! Let’s go Phantoms! https://t.co/T47b9DGR7S

— x – Youngstown Phantoms (@YtownPhantoms) November 30, 2019

Cole Moberg
Moberg finished out Chicago’s draft when he was selected in the seventh round. The Prince George Cougars assistant captain has 22 points in 39 games. The North Vancouver native has six goals in his third season with the Cougars.

Moberg has shown he can put points on the board while playing a solid defensive game in his own zone. As a seventh-round pick, the expectations are always low, but Moberg could surprise the Chicago brass.

https://twitter.com/JDylanBurke/status/1192305404086116352

The post Catching up with Chicago’s 2019 NHL Entry Draft selections appeared first on The Rink.

First period

There was a good amount of back and forth to begin the period, with the Panthers getting some good chances in on Robin Lehner with their fourth line in particular putting good pressure on. Brian Boyle generated a couple of good shots on goal in the frame, and defenseman Mark Pysyk, playing on that line as well, also made some noise for Florida. The Blackhawks had a few good chances of their own, getting guys in front of the net and getting pucks there. Just when it looked like the Blackhawks may get a power play because the Panthers had too many men on the ice, Adam Boqvist put the puck right into the crowd, putting the Blackhawks on the penalty kill instead. They killed it off with relative ease, with players like Ryan Carpenter and Zack Smith laying out to block shots and get the puck back out of the zone. The period would end just as it started, with no score but a lot of action.

Second period

The second period began with a lot more action down on the Panthers’ side of the ice with the Blackhawks controlling the play for much of the first few minutes. It eventually swung the other way, with the Panthers getting more and more opportunities on the Blackhawks’ net. This eventually led to two quick goals for the Panthers, with Evgenii Dadonov managing to sneak one past Lehner to make it 1–0 Panthers. Then, a minute and a half later, Frank Vatrano put a wrister right past the glove side of Lehner on a good feed from behind the net to make it 2–0 Panthers. The Blackhawks got a power play when Dominik Kubalik was tripped up taking the puck up the ice. Chicago was unable to put the puck in the net, but did get some good opportunities even still. As soon as the Panthers had killed off the power play, Aaron Ekblad came out of the box and took a pass from a teammate, finding Vatrano again streaking up the wing. He skated in an wristed the puck five hole on Lehner to make it 3–0 Florida. Just over three minutes later, Kirby Dach, celebrating his 19th birthday, took a pass from Alex DeBrincat, skated in and put a backhander over the shoulder of Sergei Bobrovsky in Kane-esque fashion, drawing the Blackhawks within two and making the score 3–1 Panthers. Late in the period, DeBrincat got called for a trip, putting the Blackhawks back on the penalty kill again. After several good sequences for the Blackhawks, the Panthers took advantage of a failed clear by Carpenter, making the score 4–1 Panthers and giving Vatrano the hat trick, as the puck went off of him in front of the net before going in. That is how the period would end, with the Panthers getting out to a big lead.

Third period

The period started off well for the Blackhawks, gaining a power play with just over two minutes gone by in the period on a Keith Yandle hold. Erik Gustafsson put a one-timer on net late in the power play and Drake Caggiula got a tip out in front to put it past Bobrovsky, cutting the score to 4–2 Panthers. After a couple more good Blackhawks chances, David Kampf got taken down by Noel Acciari to give the Blackhawks another man advantage in the period. They got some good opportunities, along with a Brandon Saad shot after, but they were not able to put anything past Bobrovsky. With five minutes left, the Blackhawks got yet another power play on a high stick from Mike Hoffman. Chicago was unable to generate much offense and needed more puck movement to try to get things going. With just over two minutes left in the game, the Blackhawks pulled Lehner, hoping to spark something and mount a comeback. They did, with Kane scoring his 25th goal of the year on a nifty cross-ice pass from Dach to get within one and make the score 4–3 Panthers. However, the Panthers got a power play again in the last 30 seconds of the game and just played keep away to get the win. Let’s go along the boards and see what was being talked about this game.

One more 'Thank Q'.

Full tribute to Joel Quenneville from the #Blackhawks and the fans at the United Center pic.twitter.com/HNW57tuahf

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) January 22, 2020

This was a cool thing to see. Not only did the Blackhawks put up a tribute to Kane for his 1,000-point milestone, but they also welcomed “Coach Q” back with a montage as well. Some would argue that Quenneville never should have been let go, but hey, that may just be me.

Joel Quenneville is all of us during Patrick Kane’s 1,000th point celebration. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/3DFEOlNm9X

— Paul Roumeliotis (@PaulRoumel) January 22, 2020

Yeah, that beam was a mile wide. And it definitely was for all Blackhawks fans who were able to watch Kane score point No. 1,000 on Sunday night. What a special moment, and who better to share it with than the coach who was with him to score so many of his 1,000 points.

Patrick Kane extends his point streak to 11 games and picks up career point No. 1,001. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/J7DyLWWThl

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 22, 2020

Sadly, it was too little, too late. The Hawks did not look good tonight and gave up too many opportunities from turnovers, with bad passes and poor decisions, along with Lehner not playing up to his usual standard.

The Blackhawks now have a week and a half off until Feb. 1 when they are back in action against the Arizona Coyotes. That game will be at 7 p.m. CST on NBC Sports Chicago.

The post Along the boards: Blackhawks drop last game before break, lose to Panthers 4–3 appeared first on The Rink.

News broke on Friday that both Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw were sent to the IR, retroactively. What does that mean? It means that Keith could technically return any day now, and Shaw can return after Friday’s game. It ultimately frees a roster spot if they can make the cap situation work.

With the aforementioned injuries, the Blackhawks trotted out the following lines against the Devils.

Saad – Toews – Nylander

DeBrincat – Strome – Kane

Kubalik – Kampf – Wedin

Smith – Dach – Carpenter

Koekkoek – Murphy

de Haan – Seabrook

Gilbert – Gustafsson

Crawford

First period

The opening frame as a whole was a quiet one. Neither team was truly able to get too much working in their favor early on. 

The first action occurred with about 13 minutes remaining in the period. Dennis Gilbert, playing his second game in a row due to Olli Maatta’s illness, laid a big hit on prized rookie and first overall pick Jack Hughes. The hit sparked Wayne Simmonds to respond, as he and Gilbert squared off. 

Dennis Gilbert lays a big hit on Jack Hughes then scraps with Wayne Simmonds. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/yDRdsvDZ9g

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 7, 2019

The biggest mistake of the first period for the Hawks was a lack of discipline. With just over seven minutes remaining, Zack Smith was called for an elbowing penalty against Nikita Gusev. 

On the powerplay, the Devils cycled the puck around the point and circles in the offensive zone. After Sami Vatanen passed the puck to Gusev on the left circle, he returned the puck to Vatanen at the point. Vatanen delivered the exact same pass, this time to Taylor Hall on the opposite circle and the former MVP fired a wicked shot past Crawford to give the Devils the lead. 

https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1203111446151872512

The most notable chance of the period for the visitors was a Kirby Dach grade-A chance that he simply missed on. It’s safe to say he knew it too, given his reaction on the play, as he looked to the sky in disbelief. 

The Devils took their 1-0 lead into the first intermission at home. The Devils outshot the Blackhawks 10-7 in the opening frame.

Second period

The second period began in a similar fashion to the first. There were not a ton of scoring opportunities for either side, but a few decent missed chances were exchanged. 

However, fortunes changed for the visitors. A Sami Vatanen hooking penalty on Patrick Kane sent the Blackhawks to a much needed powerplay. 

On the powerplay, the Blackhawks generated a grade-A chance after Dylan Strome found Patrick Kane. Kane’s bid was initially stopped, but the puck was still free. The rebound bounced to the left wing side of the ice and Alex DeBrincat, for the second game in a row, buried the rebound to tie the game.

We'll take it!#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/RxZXBVDdrC

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 7, 2019

The last great chance of the period came on a Devils breakaway. However, Crawford made a huge save and kept the game tied as the game entered the second intermission. 

Third period

The third period was fast, but quiet. Both teams had some chances, as the Hawks had a power play, but could not capitalize on the chance. The Devils had some chances as well, but neither team could crack the other’s goaltender. 

Neither team could convert on their chances and the third period ended the way it began, with both teams tied at one after 60 minutes of play. 

Overtime

Talk about chances. The Hawks had numerous chances, as did the Devils. Both goalies stood tall as their teams needed and kept the other team from capitalizing in the 3-on-3 overtime period. 

However, the game would require a shootout as neither team could convert.

Shootout

In the shootout, the first four shooters scored. Kane and Toews both scored for the Blackhawks and Nikita Gusev and Jesper Boqvist scores for the Devils.

After that, the goalies stood tall and sent the shootout to sudden death.

In the fifth round, the Blackhawks sent Kirby Dach to shoot. Dach converted on his first ever NHL shootout attempt and put the Hawks up 3-2.

This Kirby Dach (@kdach77) fellow is good at hockey. pic.twitter.com/5DC2fQLez6

— NHL (@NHL) December 7, 2019

On the other side, number one pick Jack Hughes took the 5th attempt for the Devils, but was denied by Corey Crawford, sealing the win for the Blackhawks. The Hawks won in the shootout 2-1.

Quick hits

• 250 for Crow: Friday’s game marked the 250th career victory for Corey Crawford in the NHL. Given the number of goaltenders to accomplish that in NHL history, dare I say it could be a topic of discussion for Corey Crawford to be a hall of famer. 
• The youngster: Kirby Dach converted on his first ever NHL shootout attempt. It makes a lot of sense that Dach would be successful given his skillset. He has great hands, works well in tight on goaltenders, and normally scores out in front of the net. He did an excellent job to help the Blackhawks get a much needed victory in New Jersey. Also, how about the reaction from the youngster’s mom?

This is the purest gif we have ever shared on twitter dot com

Mama Dach watching her rookie win it in the shootout! #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/yjs4zNYnSH

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 7, 2019

The Blackhawks will play host to the pacific leading Arizona Coyotes on Sunday night at the United Center. Puck drop is scheduled for “one of those great six o’clock starts” as the great Eddie Olcyzk would say.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks edge Devils in the shootout, 2–1 appeared first on The Rink.

Projected starting goaltenders

Chicago — Robin Lehner (4–3–2, .934 save percentage, 2.51 goals against average)
Carolina —Petr Mrazek (9–3–1, .904 save percentage, 2.62 goals against average)

Team statistics

Power play
Chicago (14.5%, 25th)
Carolina (23.8%, 14th)

Penalty kill
Chicago (80.0%, 19th)
Carolina (83.3%, 12th)

Shots for/against
Chicago (30.0, 20th; 37.1, 31st)
Carolina (33.5, 8th; 29.2, 3rd)

Shooting percentage
Chicago (10.2%, 13th)
Carolina (10.3%, 9th)

Face off percentage
Chicago (48.6%, 25th)
Carolina (50.8%, 10th)

Average height and weight
Chicago — 6-foot-1, 197 pounds
Carolina — 6-foot-2, 199 pounds

Projected lines and pairings

Chicago Blackhawks

Brandon Saad — Jonathan Toews —  Alexander Nylander
Alex DeBrincat — Dylan Strome — Patrick Kane
Dominik Kubalik — David Kampf — Andrew Shaw
Ryan Carpenter — Kirby Dach — Zack Smith

Duncan Keith —  Erik Gustafsson
Calvin de Haan — Brent Seabrook
Olli Maatta — Connor Murphy

Carolina Hurricanes

 Ryan Dzingel – Jordan Staal – Warren Foegele
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Teuvo Teravainen
Nino Niederreiter – Eetu Luostarinen – Martin Necas
Brock McGinn – Lucas Wallmark – Jordan Martinook

 Jaccob Slavin – Dougie Hamilton
Joel Edmundson – Brett Pesce
Jake Gardiner – Trevor van Riemsdyk

Analysis

The Carolina Hurricanes storm into Chicago with a three-game winning streak only to be one-upped by the Blackhawks’ four-game streak of their own. The Blackhawks have also earned points in six straight games. Chicago leads the NHL in November with 14 points led by an offensive explosion the past four games which has seen the team score 21 goals in that span.

Patrick Kane has shouldered the offensive load riding a nine-game point streak (eight goals, nine assists) and goals in six consecutive games. The Buffalo, New York native currently leads the Blackhawks in goals (11) and assists (15) and will need to continue his current play as other forwards look to find their stride consistently hitting the scoresheet.

One bright spot amongst the remaining forward group is 18-year-old rookie Kirby Dach. Dach scored twice on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres and has goals in three of the past four games. The 6-foot-4 forward has a 26.3 percent shooting percentage on the season while playing fourth-line minutes. Keep striking while the iron is hot young man.

Robin Lehner will be in net tonight. The 28-year-old Swedish goaltender is coming off an emotional victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Lehner turned aside 39 shots in Nashville and is currently fourth in the NHL with his .936 save percentage.

Carolina is led by defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Andrei Svechnikov who both have nine goals and 22 points on the season, respectively. Former Blackhawk forward Teuvo Teravainen leads the Hurricanes with 14 assists. Goaltender Petr Mrazek has been pedestrian in four of his last five appearances and appears to be the starter in net.

One winning streak will have to end tonight. With solid goaltending and a continued offense that is clicking on all cylinders, Chicago should extend theirs, continuing their drive to respectability in the Western Conference.

The post Preview/Game Thread: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Carolina Hurricanes appeared first on The Rink.

With no line changes from Saturday to Sunday, the Blackhawks trotted out the following line combinations:

Saad — Toews — Nylander

DeBrincat — Strome — Kane

Kubalik — Kampf — Shaw

Smith — Dach — Carpenter

Keith — Gustafsson

de Haan — Seabrook

Maatta — Murphy

Crawford

First period

The period began with a buzzing Blackhawks squad showing well early. In the first three minutes alone, the Blackhawks looked like they were ready to play, despite having played the night before.

The Sabres began to pick up their play as the period wore on, specifically almost capitalizing on a Crawford mistake. The Chicago netminder made a desperation save when scampering back to his net after playing a puck. Fortunately, the puck stayed out and Dominik Kubalik had a semi breakaway the other way, but he was ultimately denied by Buffalo goaltender Carter Hutton.

The best chance for the Hawks came after an Alex DeBrincat penalty. As the penalty expired, DeBrincat and Dylan Strome exchanged passes. Strome threw the puck behind the net in the offensive zone to “The Cat” and the undersized winger found Patrick Kane open in the slot. The point-blank bid was denied by Hutton, but could have easily been a goal given the nifty passing from that line.

Not too long after, the Blackhawks capitalized on their momentum following the failed Buffalo power play. A Duncan Keith outlet pass ended up on Kirby Dach’s stick as he skated to the defensive blue line. Dach set up a give-and-go with Kubalik as they passed through the neutral zone. Dach made an outstanding play on his individual effort, lowering his shoulder to shield a defender and put a backhand shot over Hutton’s shoulder for the first tally of the game and a 1–0 Chicago lead.

Kirby Dach going backhand! @NHLBlackhawks lead 1-0. Stream here: https://t.co/jQFUIagZqV pic.twitter.com/E87dXUahCk

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) November 18, 2019

Despite a late power play for the Blackhawks in the period, Chicago could not add to its lead. However, the Hawks took their 1–0 lead into the first intermission without issue after a fast first period between both teams. 

Second period

The middle frame did not lack any action, beginning in a similar fashion to that of the first period. In the first seven minutes of the period, both teams traded power play opportunities, but neither team could capitalize on their opportunity.

The majority of the period was defined by big saves from Crawford. The Hawks’ goaltender was superb, making numerous big stops on Sabre shooters. 

With about eight minutes remaining in the period, Dach nearly tallied his second goal of the game. Zach Smith tipped a puck at the blue line to open ice. Dach had a free chance from the top of the circles going in, but was denied by Hutton’s spectacular save. 

Under a minute later, Dach indeed picked up his second goal of the game. After the fourth line had a great chance before, head coach Jeremy Colliton sent that line back out there for another possession. Smith found Dach skating in and the rookie made a beautiful move to finish on the breakaway. Dach’s sneaky speed played a key on the play, as he was able to slip behind the Sabres’ defense and generate the open chance. 

Reminder that Kirby Dach is 18 years old… PRAY FOR THE LEAGUE

Stream the game here: https://t.co/eRyV0KGCum pic.twitter.com/G5bNYbnCRJ

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) November 18, 2019

To the surprise of many, Erik Gustafsson dropped the gloves with Buffalo forward Jimmy Vesey not long after Dach’s goal. One of the last people most Blackhawks fans would expect to fight put up a solid effort against Vesey.

Gloves. Off. pic.twitter.com/JVOVWpcTy5

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) November 18, 2019

Dach continued his dominance during the game by drawing a penalty. The 18-year-old skated into the offensive zone and nearly beat two Sabres defenders to get off an open shot. As he went to shoot, the Sabres took the penalty to prevent the quality chance and sent the home team to the man advantage. 

Just as the time was about to expire, Dach was called for interference on a strange play. Without a stick, Dach was skating to the bench. On his way back, he lit up Sam Reinhart, drawing the penalty.

The 2–0 lead was safe for now heading into the second intermission. Chicago continued to be outshot by the visitors, but Dach was the difference to that point. 

Third period

The Blackhawks began the third period by killing the Dach penalty with relative ease. To add to the action, the Blackhawks nearly ended the kill with a goal after Jonathan Toews was denied by Hutton on a two-on-one opportunity with Ryan Carpenter. 

Just a few minutes after the kill, the Blackhawks once again had a chance on the power play. The man advantage began with Andrew Shaw taking a face off to Hutton’s left. 

The face off resulted in a 50-50 puck that numerous players for both teams attempted to corral. In normal “Showtime” fashion, Kane used his quick hands to secure the puck, quickly turn around and rip a shot past Hutton to extend the Hawks’ lead to 3–0. The goal extended Kane’s point streak to nine games. 

9-game point streak for No. 88!#Showtime pic.twitter.com/0ewPhurG6x

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 18, 2019

Brandon Saad was denied twice on solid open chances in the period. On the second chance, Jake McCabe tied up Saad when he went to bury the chance with a backhand. To Saad’s credit, he stuck with the play and set up Toews to extend the Blackhawks’ lead to 4–0.

Toews from the slot. 4-0. #blackhawks #sabres pic.twitter.com/3lwb1dMf5J

— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) November 18, 2019

The third period had quite a pace to it. Just as Gene Honda was announcing the Toews goal, Calvin de Haan turned a puck over at the Hawks’ blue line and Jack Eichel had an open chance on Crawford. Eichel was able to capitalize and beat Crawford to give cut into the Blackhawks’ advantage at 4–1. 

Jack Eichel steals the puck and gets one on the board! #Sabres50 | @Jackeichel15 pic.twitter.com/F7GOoTdHol

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 18, 2019

The momentum was then in favor of the Sabres. Following the Eichel goal, Evan Rodrigues went to the net and nearly scored again, but the Sabres did draw a penalty, so they returned to the power play looking to close the scoring gap even further.

The Blackhawks controlled the Sabres on the man advantage. The Hawks generated the best chance of the Sabres’ man advantage when Saad had a breakaway from his own blue line in. Unfortunately, Saad could not get off a quality chance when trying to tuck the puck past Hutton.

The game had plenty of action for the rest of the game. In the last two minutes, Colliton threw Kane out on the ice with Dach to try and get the rookie his first career hat trick. Dach had a great backhand chance, but the shot sailed wide.

Despite the lack of a hat trick, the Blackhawks pick up their fourth consecutive win, downing the Sabres 4–1. 

Quick hits

• Someone call a Dach-tor: Kirby Dach was spectacular in this game. I am not underselling that either. He was all over the ice, using his speed, creating chances with effort and was a difference maker in this game. Dach has proven he belongs in the NHL, and, in his first season, could be a surprise that many fans did not expect as his confidence continues to grow each game.
• The Crow: Corey Crawford had another great game for the Blackhawks. The goaltending for the Hawks has been arguably the biggest strength for this team and Crawford continued that effort against the Sabres. He is 11–0 in his career against the boys from Buffalo and he and Robin Lehner put on a show over the course of the weekend back-to-back.
• This team is fun again: Not only was Connor Murphy a welcomed addition to the lineup against Nashville, but this team is beginning to play with confidence and swag. The Blackhawks are fun to watch again. There I said it. Are they perfect? No. Are they the teams of old? No. Are they fun to watch and giving fans a sense of hope for something positive in the future? Absolutely. At this point, the Blackhawks are trending toward being the hottest ticket in town once again, especially with how the Bears and Bulls are playing.

The Blackhawks will host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday at the United Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CST.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks flying high, down Sabres for fourth straight victory appeared first on The Rink.

Drake Caggiula was held out of tonight’s game for concussion protocol, while Corey Crawford started in net, attempting to win the franchise’s first game against Vegas (0–5–2).

Chicago Blackhawks lines and pairings

Brandon Saad — Jonathan Toews — Alexander Nylander
Alex DeBrincat — Dylan Strome — Patrick Kane
Andrew Shaw — David Kampf — Dominik Kubalik
Ryan Carpenter — Kirby Dach — Zack Smith

Duncan Keith — Erik Gustafsson
Calvin de Haan — Brent Seabrook
Olli Maatta — Adam Boqvist

First period
Within the first minute of action, Zack Smith was awarded a penalty shot, which rang off the crossbar after beating Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. The penalty shot was followed up by an excellent save by Crawford on forward Reilly Smith’s backhand attempt. Only 90 seconds into the first period and both teams had top-notch chances to take the early lead.

Zack Smith hits the crossbar on a penalty shot 44 seconds into the game. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/5BYjFmK81j

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 14, 2019

At the 2:58 mark, Vegas fourth-line forward William Carrier deflected a shot from defenseman Nicolas Hague in front, beating Crawford for the first goal of the game. The goal, Carrier’s third goal of the season, was assisted by Hague and center Nicolas Roy for a 1–0 Vegas lead.

Chicago’s Andrew Shaw was called for a hooking violation at the 5:31 mark, resulting in the Golden Knights’ first power play of the game. Vegas took advantage. Forward William Karlsson scored his fifth goal of the season, doubling Vegas’s lead to 2–0.

Only 16 seconds later, Patrick Kane put Chicago on the board after he beat Fleury with a pretty one-time goal. The goal extends Kane’s point streak to seven games. Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat assisted on the tally, which cut the Vegas advantage in half at 2–1.

The Great 8-8#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/s8MeHvtvEb

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 14, 2019

A few moments later, Jonathan Toews had a breakaway that was denied by Fleury. Toews’ five-hole attempt to tie the score continued a wave of offensive chances for both teams, as both struggled to show any signs of defensive responsibility. After an entertaining first period of play, Vegas led in shots 16–7.

Second period
After a Calvin de Haan turnover, Vegas forward Alex Tuch beat Crawford for what appeared to be the Golden Knights’ third goal of the game. However, after video review, it was determined that the puck did not cross the goal line, hitting the crossbar and then left post. The video review was an obvious call even to the most casual viewer.

At the 15:51 mark, de Haan ripped a shot past Fleury, beating the goaltender glove side. The goal gave the first-year Blackhawks’ defenseman his first marker on the season and evened the score at 2–2. Zack Smith and Kirby Dach assisted on the play. The assist gave Smith 100 helpers for his 12-year career.

Calvin de Haan took the elevator all the way to the ROOF!

We're TIED. @NHLBlackhawks #CHIvsVGK

: NBCSN
: https://t.co/GHTKRT60oM pic.twitter.com/9A95xwrhkR

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) November 14, 2019

Erik Gustafsson gave Chicago its first lead of the game at 3–2 after beating Fleury for his first goal this season. Gustafsson did an excellent job of finding ice in the middle of the defense in the offensive zone, allowing Strome to feed him with a slick pass.

Erik Gustafsson’s first goal of the season is a beauty. Top shelf. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/BnBCxqHZ4A

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 14, 2019

Adding to the wildness of the first 30 minutes of the game, a questionable penalty given to Crawford for throwing his stick at Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault resulted in the second penalty shot of the game. However, Marchessault could not beat Crawford after a half-hearted fake and shot.

Corey Crawford denies Jonathan Marchessault on a penalty shot. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/DeacHLBebT

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 14, 2019

After two periods of play, Chicago led the game 3–2 while being outshot 31–17.

Third period
Chicago’s fourth consecutive goal came off of the stick of Dach at the 3:57 mark of the period. The 18-year-old rookie took an errant shot from Ryan Carpenter and beat Fleury for this third goal this season, doubling Chicago’s lead at 4–2. Smith earned his second assist of the game on the play.

Lucky Dach!

Kirby throws the puck in the net on the rebound. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/O6lOxBxNRQ

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 14, 2019

Not much action occurred until Adam Boqvist was called for interference at the 11:20 mark in the period. The ensuing power play gave Vegas a jump in their step and some momentum, but the home team could not solve the Chicago penalty kill.

Strome extended the Chicago lead after taking a nice saucer pass from DeBrincat before beating Fleury over the glove for Strome’s fourth goal this season, putting the game out of reach at 5–2. Kane also assisted on the play.

Calm, cool and collected#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/eto5ROa8GA

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 14, 2019

In what could have been the most entertaining game of the season, the craziness was not over quite yet, as Vegas cut into the Chicago lead at the 18:59 mark when Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt beat Crawford to bring the score to 5–3.

Vegas pulled Fleury for the extra attacker, but Chicago held tough and defeated Vegas for the first time in their short existence.

The good
Chicago came back from a 2–0 deficit and scored five unanswered goals.

Head coach Jeremy Colliton had mentioned in past weeks about the importance of playing well in the second period. Crawford was outstanding with 15 saves and the defense chipped in with two goals from the back end.

Kirby Dach, Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane, Zack Smith and Dylan Strome had multi-point games.

Crawford was spectacular tonight. The 34-year-old veteran stopped 39 shots. This performance gives him three straight strong appearances.

The bad
The defense allowed 31 shots through two periods and allowed 42 for the game. With average goaltending, this game could have had a completely different outcome.

Please comment below.

The post RECAP: Chicago defeats Vegas 5–3 in entertaining fashion appeared first on The Rink.

The team still has the option to return Dach to the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, if they deem it necessary, but when he takes the ice for his ninth NHL game (presumably against the San Jose Sharks next Tuesday) his entry-level contract will kick into effect.

The Blackhawks have been very careful not to expose Dach to more overwhelming situations than he can handle to begin his pro career. In his six NHL games, the 18-year-old center has two points (one goal, one assist) while averaging 11:59 of ice time per game. Colliton has also been sheltering him, somewhat, starting Dach’s shifts 66% of the time in the offensive zone and completely leaving him off the power play and penalty kill lines.

That said, his possession numbers have been positive, and he has not looked out of place. Playing his natural position of center, Dach will need to work on his face off win percentage of 33%. He has also spent over half of his shifts with either Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw or Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome.

It is debatable whether this is the right plan for the Blackhawks’ top prospect, who turns 19 on Jan. 21. Shielding him from what could quickly turn into another rough and contentious season might avoid any added drama or bad habits but sending him back to the WHL to “bum slay” for another season might not build his development either. Ideally, some more time with the IceHogs in Rockford would probably be best for his development, but the transfer agreement with the CHL specifies that players that are not 19 years of age before Jan. 1 can only be sent back to their CHL team and cannot return until that team’s season has finished.

Dach and the Blackhawks will face the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CDT.

The post Kirby Dach to stay with Blackhawks past nine games appeared first on The Rink.

Sitting in 6th place in the Central Division, the Blackhawks now have some work to do on the road. They have been getting mostly stellar goaltending from Corey Crawford and Robin Lehner, but the Hawks can’t seem to prevail in one-goal games.

The Hawks had an opportunity to get back on track Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes.  Here’s the full recap.

First period

After Chicago’s poor performance against the Flyers on Thursday, Colliton was looking for more work ethic from his team to start the game Saturday.  Almost immediately after puck drop, Corey Crawford was faced with high danger chances.  Andrei Svechnikov found the puck near the side of the net for a shot in close, but Crawford came up with the save.  Brent Seabrook had some issues in the first,  turning the puck over and getting beat by Carolina’s quick forwards such as Sebastian Aho.

But not all was bad.  Although Brandon Saad wasn’t on their line today, Dominik Kubalik and David Kampf continued to be strong on the forecheck, producing good shots on net.  Kirby Dach also showed ability in the transition game, although his strength on the puck in the corners was exposed against big defenseman like Joel Edmundson.

Just five minutes into the first period, Duncan Keith was called for a high sticking minor.  Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, this led to a Svechnikov power play goal.  But just a few minutes later, the Hawks had their turn, when Jake Gardiner tripped Alex Nylander in the Canes zone.  Nothing came of the power play, but the Blackhawks did gain some momentum.  Specifically in the last five minutes, the Hawks had chances from Keith, Alex DeBrincat, and Jonathan Toews, but goaltender Petr Mrazek made all the saves.  The period ended with shots even 12-12 but the Canes up 1-0.

YEAH SVECH!!! pic.twitter.com/DUOB4n08JU

— x – Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 26, 2019

Second Period

The Canes started the second period with a heavy forecheck, forcing the Blackhawks to regroup quite often in their own zone.  Dach had more good looks, especially on one strong drive to the net.  He isn’t like other rookies where they just pass to veteran players.  Dach is legitimately trying to make and finish plays on his own sometimes.

Corey Crawford stood strong making big save after big save through the second.  And even though he started the game on the 4th line, Dylan Strome found himself along on a breakaway only to be stopped by Mrazek..

#crOwMG pic.twitter.com/kUlNDz7l99

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 26, 2019

Midway through the period, Dach had the puck in the corner when Svechnikov laid a huge hit on him.  There was no immediate reaction from the Blackhawks, but after the play Erik Gusfasson gave Svechnikov a crosscheck.  The Blackhawks had one power play in the period that came from a Martin Necas hooking call, but the Canes killed it off.

In the final minute of the period, the Canes were putting on serious pressure in the Hawks zone when Nino Niederreiter scored putting Carolina up 2-0 going into the third.

Give me fuel!!
Give me fire!!
Give me Nino Niederreiter!! pic.twitter.com/3kYAgp4xyM

— x – Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 26, 2019

Third Period

The third period started poorly for the Blackhawks when Dach got called for a holding minor.  The Canes capitalized on a Sebastian Aho setup to a Jordan Staal goal.  At 3-0, even Crawford was trying to get the offense going by passing the puck from behind the goal up ice to his forwards.

The Hawks couldn’t get much going until late in the period when Nylander drew another tripping minor.  But the Canes killed off the Hawks third power play of the day.  Despite being up late in the third period, Carolina continued to put the pedal to the metal: finishing checks, getting the puck in deep, and giving the Blackhawks no room to skate.

With a minute remaining, Svechnikov scored his second goal of the game.  The final score was 4-0 Carolina with the Blackhawks leading in shots 32-31.  It’s important to note that Carolina blocked 20 shots to Chicago’s nine.

Remember the magic words tomorrow…

"I'M A CANIAC AND IT'S BO TIME"

cc: @Bojangles1977 pic.twitter.com/S1t0VozZQj

— x – Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 26, 2019

What’s Next?

The Blackhawks won’t have much time to forget about this loss.  They get on a plane today and head back to Chicago to face the LA Kings Sunday night.  Today was more of the same with the Blackhawks.  Solid goaltending paired with a lackluster defense and non-existent forwards.

Colliton is doing his best to make this a hard-working team, but the chemistry doesn’t seem to be there.  The Hawks went through something similar last year when they lost several games in a row in the middle of the season.  But with a few really good teams in the central pulling away, it looks like Chicago could be battling uphill for the rest of the year with this kind of start.

The post Recap: Blackhawks blanked 4-0 by Svechnikov, Hurricanes appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” is joined again by staff writers Ray Napientek and Juliana Nikac to talk about the current state of the Blackhawks.

• The Blackhawks are 2-4-2 after losing to the Flyers, Thursday night.
• Kirby Dach recalled from Rockford and played 3 games thus far.
• Connor Murphy injured against the Vegas Golden Knights
• Aleksi Saarela sent to Florida for Ian McCoshen
• Mario Tirabassi gives us another award-winning #Warpigs report.
• Gate, Ray and Juliana discuss the last 6 games and the state of the Blackhawks.
• We also discuss Corey Crawford, Robin Lehner, Brendan Perlini, Brandon Saad, and much more
• We wrap with the Rinkrat PuckBag segment where we discuss #HongKongClassic jerseys.

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 Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 3 – The more things change, the more they stay the same appeared first on The Rink.

While there are positives (Dominik Kubalik, Robin Lehner, the return of the “real” Brandon Saad and the possibility of an improved defense—if everyone can get and stay healthy), there are some obvious issues, not least of which is a puzzling weakness in scoring goals (30th in the league). Sure, it is only after six games. And you have to take both of those points together in order to really understand what is going on.

While most fans probably expect that the Hawks will fight for every point in every game in order to make the playoffs, the truth is, despite an almost universal belief that Stan Bowman had a good and productive offseason—the Hawks came into the season with more questions than answers.

So, if you are wondering, for example, why Dylan Strome is being “experimented” with at wing, why the lines really are not clicking, etc., understand the Blackhawks are trying some things out to see how they will work—at the risk of losing points.

Some assume that because he was drafted third overall this past June, 18-year-old Kirby Dach playing second line center in the NHL is “perfectly natural.” Well, it is on a rebuilding team, not so much on a contending team. By the way, the Hawks were absolutely destroyed in the face off dot (34%) yet again last night—and at the risk of re-litigating the stupid “face offs don’t matter” argument, they do, especially if you project yourself as a puck-possession team. But I digress. The good news there is Dach’s percentage (40%) was not the team’s worst. The bad news? 40%.

Hence the title of this blog. Now, some of you will say, “Okay, enough already, JJ, we get it, the Hawks are rebuilding.” To which I respond, “Okay, so then do not expect much, especially not right now and maybe all year.”

Honestly, I believe the Hawks, as they have tried and basically failed at the last few seasons, are trying to engineer lightning in a bottle over the course of 82 games. If—IF—Dach matures through on the job training (like Alex DeBrincat did two years ago and Saad did in 2013), IF Calvin de Haan and Connor Murphy and everyone else can get and stay healthy, IF Strome can adjust to wing, IF we get more good Alex Nylander than bad Alex Nylander, IF Lehner continues to look like an elite (or near elite) netminder, then perhaps the playoffs will be a real possibility.

But, we are working through the IFs right now; answers to be determined.

All I have for now. Comment below.

The post ANALYSIS: Adjust your Blackhawks expectations appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton kept the lines just as they were on Sunday’s game. He opted to go with Robin Lehner in net instead of Corey Crawford this time around.

These were the Blackhawks’ lines:

Alex DeBrincat — Jonathan Toews — Andrew Shaw

Dylan Strome — Kirby Dach — Patrick Kane

Brandon Saad — David Kampf — Dominik Kubalik

Drake Caggiula — Ryan Carpenter — Alexander Nylander

Duncan Keith — Connor Murphy

Olli Maatta — Brent Seabrook

Calvin de Haan — Erik Gustafsson

First period

The first ten minutes of the game were relatively boring. Through the first 8:12, however, the Blackhawks outshot Vegas 8–1 and led them in shot attempts as well. Each team took penalties and not a whole lot of action occurred on either power play. There were some changes for the Blackhawks’ power play though, as Alexander Nylander was shifted to the first unit and Dylan Strome was shifted to the second.

What wasn’t boring was Kirby Dach’s play in that first period. At one point, he tried to dance around a defender and drive toward the net. That didn’t work, but he did create a great chance for Patrick Kane that Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury robbed.

With less than five minutes to go in the frame, Olli Maatta entered the zone, passed the puck back and forth with Dylan Strome, and circled around the board. From the right above the right faceoff dot, Maatta snapped the puck toward the net and it bounced off of Dach’s knee and into the net. Of course, that would be the 18-year-old’s first career NHL goal. It wasn’t pretty, but the celly was awesome.

Kirby Dach scores his first NHL goal and the #Blackhawks lead 1-0 pic.twitter.com/aAVO9DHes4

— Juliana Nikac (@juliananikac) October 23, 2019

Robin Lehner then had to bail the Blackhawks out on the second line’s next shift, as Kirby Dach failed to chase after a puck that dropped in the defensive zone and then gave it away just a few seconds later. Luckily, the Blackhawks entered the first intermission with a 1–0 lead and a 12–8 shot advantage over the Golden Knights.

Second period

Kirby Dach almost had another goal just minutes into the second period after he was left wide open yet again at the side of the net. Patrick Kane tried to slip a pass across to him, but Marc-Andre Fleury got the pad on it and deflected it away.

That trend of Fleury stopping ridiculous chances continued throughout the next 17 minutes or so. He made a huge save on the power play after Jonathan Toews backhanded a no-look pass to Alex DeBrincat, somehow getting across the crease to stop the impending shot. Fleury also stopped a great chance from Brandon Saad, who was buzzing in the offensive zone on the penalty kill.

Of course, Robin Lehner made a big save of his own on William Carrier after he buzzed by both Duncan Keith and Connor Murphy along the boards.

Lehner with his own big save. pic.twitter.com/1pHdNbNjna

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) October 23, 2019

It seemed as if the Blackhawks would end the second on the power play after Deryk Engelland threw Alex DeBrincat to the ice, but an errant high-stick from Jonathan Toews in the last minute of play negated that.

The Blackhawks held onto their 1–0 lead going into the second intermission with a 24–17 edge in shots over the visitors.

Third period

Somehow, the Blackhawks killed off the Toews double-minor to begin the final 20 minutes of regulation. From here on out, it was basically all Vegas.

Despite Marc-Andre Fleury being the primary generator of highlight-reel saves for the first two periods, Robin Lehner was the one standing on his head in the third. The Golden Knights outshot the Blackhawks 15-8 this period and generated two thirds of the shot attempts, as well.

With Fleury pulled and six skaters on for the Golden Knights, Mark Stone did what Mark Stone does best and sent a cross-ice pass to defenseman Nick Holden. His one-timer squeaked through the stick and five-hole of Lehner and Vegas tied the game with a minute and a half to go.

At the end of regulation, the Blackhawks and Golden Knights had 32 shots apiece.

Overtime

Outside of Jonathan Toews winning the faceoff to begin overtime, nothing went right for the Blackhawks during these five minutes. Vegas had possession the majority of the time. Then, Toews got called for tripping with less than two minutes to go even though Shea Theodore simply tripped over his own man.

Robin Lehner made a plethora of great saves, including the spectacular two-pad stop on Max Pacioretty that could’ve been the game-winning goal.

But it wasn’t, so we moved on to the shootout.

Shootout

Jonathan Toews opened the scoring with a great wrist shot over Fleury, but that’s the only puck he would allow past him for the rest of the shootout. Lehner stopped former Blackhawk Brandon Pirri, but couldn’t save Jonathan Marchessault‘s wrist shot or Shea Theodore’s backhander.

So, the Blackhawks fell to the Golden Knights 2-1 but picked up a point in the standings. They fell to 2-3-2 on the season and are now 0-5-2 against Vegas all time.

Pluses

• Brandon Saad has been an absolute menace for the Blackhawks to start the season. His intensity is sky-high and he’s everywhere at once when he’s on the ice. That shift by him on the penalty kill in the second period was ridiculous. If only his puck luck was as good as his work ethic.
• Other than the game-tying goal he let in, Robin Lehner was fantastic tonight. He’s been great in every game he’s played in, and it’s clear that he should be the starter. This is no slight to Corey Crawford, but the 28-year-old Lehner should be getting more time in net over the soon-to-be-35-year-old, especially given what he’s been through injury-wise over the last few years. This is basically a callout to Jeremy Colliton to let Lehner start more games.
• Kirby Dach had a fantastic night outside of one not-so-great shift. There’s a great amount of talent in this kid, and he’s been fun to watch over the last two games. He was easily one of the best offensive players for the Blackhawks tonight. If he continues to play the well, he’s going to make it difficult for management to decide if they want to send him back to Saskatoon or keep him in the show.

Minuses

• Connor Murphy didn’t play a single minute of the third period or overtime, and we found out after the game that he’ll be sidelined with a groin injury for a couple of weeks. That’s really tough news for the Blackhawks, as it seemed that their defense has finally gotten into a good groove and hasn’t been utterly abysmal for a few games. The only plus side is they have a large crop of defensemen they can call up from Rockford. It’s rough that Murphy keeps getting hurt, but that’s how sports go sometimes.

The Blackhawks will face the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. CDT.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks edged by Golden Knights in shootout 2–1 appeared first on The Rink.

Despite Robin Lehner‘s great play against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday, Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton decided to go with Corey Crawford in goal.

These were the Blackhawks’ starting lines:
Alex DeBrincat – Jonathan Toews – Andrew Shaw
Dylan Strome – Kirby Dach – Patrick Kane
Brandon Saad – David Kampf – Dominik Kubalik
Drake Caggiula – Ryan Carpenter – Alexander Nylander

Duncan Keith – Connor Murphy
Olli Maatta – Brent Seabrook
Calvin de Haan – Erik Gustafsson

First period

The Blackhawks controlled a good portion of the play to begin the game, as the player of the moment, Kirby Dach, showed the United Center crowd just what talent they have to look forward to for years to come.

Washington took the first lead of the night just over nine minutes into the first period on the power play thanks to yet another Andrew Shaw penalty. Duncan Keith underestimated the pressure on his back, as the Capitals dumped the puck deep into the Blackhawks’ corner, which eventually led to the goal. Evgeny Kuznetsov picked Keith’s pocket and fed a streaking T.J. Oshie, who beat Crawford with a one-timer over the glove.

That goal seemed to take the wind out the Blackhawks’ sails for a few shifts, as they failed on a power play of their own. As a result, the Capitals took a 1–0 lead into the locker room, despite getting outshot 14–12.

Second period

Thanks to a Radko Gudas penalty at the end of the first period, the Blackhawks opened up the second with their third power play of the night. As with the first two power plays, the Blackhawks failed to capitalize, but they were not without some solid chances to tie the game.

At the 11:35 mark of the middle period, following a tremendous steal behind the Washington net by Ryan Carpenter, Alex Nylander found a fat rebound in front of Capitals goalie Braden Holtby and sent a blind pass to Drake Caggiula. Caggiula was wide open on the back door and tied the game at 1–1.

Drake Caggiula ties the game off a sweet pass from Alex Nylander #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/OoxrCphaQ8

— Juliana Nikac (@juliananikac) October 21, 2019

It was not long, though, before the Blackhawks found themselves holding a bag of mixed luck. Dach took a high stick to the face that drew some blood and the home team was given a four-minute power play. That was where the good luck subsided and the bad luck seeped in.

After a bad pass skipped by Patrick Kane less than 30 seconds into the advantage, Nic Dowd finished a two-on-one by beating a helpless Crawford and tallying a shorthanded goal for a 2–1 Washington advantage. This would eventually result in Chicago failing to convert on its fourth power play of the night.

When the teams headed into the intermission, the Capitals held a 2–1 lead but were getting outshot 29–21 by the Blackhawks.

Third period

As the third period opened, a familiar face in Michal Kempny took a penalty, but the Blackhawks’ ice-cold power play remained lifeless.

Shortly after wasting their fifth power play of the night, Capitals defenseman John Carlson fed Alex Ovechkin for a laser beam of a one-timer, which Crawford had no chance to stop. The Washington captain tallied the 664th goal of his illustrious Hall-of-Fame career.

Just a mere couple of minutes after the Ovechkin goal, Dominik Kubalik threw his hat into the ring with his second goal of the season. At that point, Kubalik could have easily had two more goals with the way he was buzzing around the ice. This time he drove to the net following a Brandon Saad shot and shoveled the rebound into the open net to cut the gap to 3–2.

Great shift by the third line and Dominik Kubalik scores to bring the #Blackhawks within one pic.twitter.com/7fx8LAp26f

— Juliana Nikac (@juliananikac) October 21, 2019

Just as the clock approached the halfway point of the third period, Kane gave the United Center crowd some life. The Blackhawks intercepted a pass and quickly headed towards the Capitals end of the ice on a two-on-one. Kane used Alex Nylander to look off the defender and snapped the puck through Holtby to even the score at 3–3.

Patrick Kane ties the game for the #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/oephwNrW5O

— Juliana Nikac (@juliananikac) October 21, 2019

The tie game lasted less than three minutes, when Tom Wilson gave the visitors back the lead. Brent Seabrook lost his footing and Jonathan Toews did a fly-by which left Wilson wide open on the back door. Carl Hagelin tallied his second assist of the game, hitting the big power forward with a pass for an easy goal and 4–3 Washington edge.

After pulling the goalie in the final two minutes, the Blackhawks still could not manage to get the game-tying goal and Lars Eller scored a full-ice-length goal to give the visitors a 5–3 win. Final shot totals were 44–30 in favor of the Blackhawks.

Pluses

• Dominik Kubalik has continued to impress. He had a nice partial breakaway in the second period that he did not convert on, but he also had two follow-up whacks at the rebound. For a guy that was perceived as a slower guy, he finds ways to get behind the defense. His goal later in the game just reinforced this perception behind his team-high 10 shots on net.
• Kirby Dach did not look out of place against NHL talent. He kept up and made a few nice quick plays in his 13:40 of ice time. He did not get on the scoresheet, but he was far from the reason the Blackhawks lost. It looks like we might see Dach for the full nine games, at minimum. The one area Chicago might want to consider getting him out there more is the power play. He did not see a second of time with the man advantage.
• I really wanted to come down hard on Alex Nylander, but his pass to Caggiula brought me back from Hatesville (population me) for the evening.

Minuses

• When you outshoot a team 44–30 at home and have five power plays, you need to win that game, period. They did almost everything right. They won 59% of their face offs. They led in high danger scoring chances 16–9. They led in all possession metrics. The only category they did not dominate was goals scored. It is not fair to blame Crawford, but they needed just one more big save from him and he was not able to hold them in the game.

The Blackhawks will face the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CDT.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks drop winnable game to Capitals 5–3 appeared first on The Rink.

7:30 p.m. CDT

United Center

TV/Radio: NBCSN/WGN

Projected starters

Chicago — Corey Crawford (1–2–1, .900 save percentage, 3.40  goals against average)

Edmonton — Braden Holtby (1–1–2, .846 save percentage, 4.27 goals against average)

Team statistics

Power play
Chicago (22.2%, 13th)
Washington (21.9%, 14th)

Penalty kill
Chicago (61.5%, 30th)
Washington (84.6%, 10th)

Shorts for/against
Chicago (31.3, 14th; 33.3, Ninth)
Washington (30.4, 19th; 27.8, 30th)

Shooting percentage
Chicago (9.6%)
Washington (10.7%)

Face off percentage
Chicago (47.8%, 24th)
Washington  (52.5%, Seventh)

Average height and weight
Chicago — 6-foot-1, 198 pounds
Winnipeg — 6-foot-1, 204 pounds

Projected lines and pairings

Chicago Blackhawks

Alex DeBrincat — Jonathan Toews — Drake Caggiula

Andrew Shaw — Dylan Strome — Patrick Kane

Brandon Saad — David Kampf — Dominik Kubalik

Kirby Dach — Ryan Carpenter — Alexander Nylander

Duncan Keith — Connor Murphy

Olli Maatta — Brent Seabrook

Calvin de Haan — Erik Gustafsson

Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin — Nicklas Backstrom — T.J. Oshie

Carl Hagelin— Evgeny Kuznetsov — Tom Wilson

Jakub Vrana — Lars Eller — Garnet Hathaway

Brendan Leipsic — Chandler Stephenson— Richard Panik

Jonas Siegenthaler— John Carlson

Dmitry Orlov — Joel Persson

Nick Jensen —Tyler Lewington

Analysis

The Blackhawks notched their second win of the season against Columbus Blue Jackets, Friday night. In the victory, Robin Lehner stood out with another excellent performance. Without Lehner’s performance, the Blackhawks might have been on the wrong side of the score. In addition to Lehner’s play, Calvin de Haan stood out with his solid play on defense along with Jonathan Toews scoring his first goal of the season.

Another positive following Friday night’s game was a late-night roster move. The Blackhawks have recalled first-round draft pick Kirby Dach from Rockford. Dach was on the ice early this morning and figures to get his first NHL action.  If Dach and the Blackhawks hope to continue their winning ways, they need to improve upon their play in their own zone and getting pucks through the neutral zone.

Do not be deceived by the modest offensive numbers the Washington Capitals have currently. This team is still stacked with offensive firepower lead by Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin, for his career, averages just under 50 goals per season and is coming off yet another 50 goal campaign. He currently has five goals on the season and his team leader.

While the offense appears to be stable, goaltending has become an issue. Braden Holtby, a former Vezina Trophy winner, has struggled this early season. His current numbers suggest he is a below league average goaltender.  If the Capitals want to have any success against the Blackhawks and this season, they need Holtby to play like his former Vezina caliber self. If Holby continues to falter, the entire team could follow behind him.

Winning can be like a massage. Everyone relaxes after you win.  Can the Blackhawks continue to ease our tensions?

Comment below in our live game thread tonight!

And, be sure to look for the internet’s most robust recap of the game on The-Rink.com.

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IceHogs notch first win of 2019-20 season

Prior to last night, the Rockford IceHogs were getting off to a much slower start than anticipated for the 2019-20 season. Coming into the year with a fresh group of highly-skilled rookies, expectations were set high for the young IceHogs. They promptly lost their first three games of the season in regulation, the first time that had happened for an IceHogs team in their short AHL history. While not sweating the sluggish start, head coach Derek King was adamant that if things didn’t turn around soon for Rockford, that changes were going to need to be made.

Luckily for the IceHogs, they were able to get the monkey off their back in game four of the regular season as they took down the Chicago Wolves in the first of 12 meetings this season, winning 3-2 and opening the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry up the right way.

The two main goals for Rockford in Friday night’s contest were to get off to a fast start and to maintain that momentum for a full 60-minute effort. They emphatically checked the first box, putting three goals on the board against the Wolves in the opening period. The second box, was penciled-in, just enough, to get the win at home.

Dyl pickle puts the boys up 1-0! pic.twitter.com/OJ6vz58Ss1

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 19, 2019

Dylan Sikura put the IceHogs ahead with the 1-0 goal early in the first period just after a Rockford powerplay had expired. The goal marked Sikura’s third in the first four games of the season. Sikura was paired with Matthew Highmore and Kirby Dach to begin the game on the top line for the IceHogs, but a hip/mid-section injury to Kris Versteeg in the first period caused the lines to be jumbled as the game went on.

Seven minutes later, while on the penalty-kill, the IceHogs were able to cause a turnover in the neutral zone with Alexandre Fortin and John Quenneville on the two-on-one rush. Fortin shot the puck on net, but Wolves goaltender Garret Sparks was able to make the initial save. After the bouncing puck found it’s way back to Fortin, he setup Quenneville at the far post for the 2-0 goal, Quenneville’s first as an IceHog this season.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the Chicago Wolves. (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

While the IceHogs had to kill off six minutes of penalty time in the opening period, they were able to fend off the Wolves man-advantage. As the opening period neared a close, Rockford was able to score what would become the game-winning goal—once more in chaotic fashion. Jacob Nilsson drove the puck to the net, but was stopped by Sparks and the Wolves defense, but Anton Wedin was there to gather the loose puck and fire home the 3-0 goal, his second of the season.

The Hot Hog stays hot pic.twitter.com/C2zZ7PViHE

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 19, 2019

The IceHogs outshot the Wolves 17-4 in the first period and were outshooting opponents 39-33 in the opening period though the first four games this season. The biggest challenge for the IceHogs would not be getting off to a good start—but holding on to that good start. Second and third periods have not been the best collective efforts for Rockford so far this season, so having a large lead heading into the final 40 minutes of the game might prove helpful.

It may not have been a pretty final 40 minutes, but the IceHogs did enough to get the win. They allowed a goal to the Wolves in the second period as goaltender Collin Delia was drawn far out of his net on a cross-crease pass and Chicago was able to re-center the puck and catch Delia out of position. Rockford was outshot 27-16 in the final two periods and had to kill-off four Wolves powerplay opportunities to close out the game. Chicago tallied a powerplay goal in the third period to cut the Rockford lead to 3-2, but the defense and Delia were able to hold off the Wolves attack just enough to seal the first win of the season for Rockford. The Hog netminder made 29 saves on 31 shots to earn his first win of the season and has a .912 save-percentage this season through three starts.

Injury Updates: Boqvist took a puck to the face during morning skate and was held out tonight.

Versteeg tweaked an old hip/mid-range injury and departed tonight's contest.

Nothing serious for both and all ok per King's comments. https://t.co/BzilJmzUyN

— Joseph Zakrzewski (@JoeyZRadio) October 19, 2019

Versteeg did not play the second and third periods for the IceHogs but after the game was said to have sustained a non-serious mid/lower-body injury. Also of note was the absence of rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist from the starting lineup. According to head coach Derek King after the game, Boqvist had taken a puck to his face during the morning skate. Rockford finished the game 0-for-5 on the powerplay and 5-for-6 on the penalty-kill.

Kirby Dach recalled to Chicago Blackhawks

Shortly after both the IceHogs and Blackhawks finished their games on Friday night, Chicago recalled rookie forward Kirby Dach from Rockford to end his conditioning assignment. Dach had 14 days and a possible five games available to play while he was with the IceHogs, he only played in three of those games over a seven day period. While he didn’t tally his first professional point while with the IceHogs, Dach did show little to no rust after missing nearly a month of action due to a concussion suffered in the Traverse City rookie tournament.

Kirby Dach with the Rockford IceHogs against the Grand Rapids Griffins (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The Blackhawks seemed to want to be patient with Dach’s recovery process in Rockford, but felt he was ready in just half the projected time. He joins the Blackhawks now, but it remains to be seen if/when he’ll make his NHL debut. From there, Chicago has a nine-game window to play Dach in the NHL before they have to make a decision to either keep him with the club and burning the first year of his three-year entry-level contract, or send him back to the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL.

IceHogs need overtime heroics for Saturday sweep

With Dach out of the lineup and Boqvist and Versteeg missing a second game, the IceHogs faced the Wolves again on Saturday night with three new bodies in the lineup and a new goaltender in net. Matt Tomkins, MacKenzie Entwistle, Nick Moutrey and Reese Johnson found their way back into the Rockford lineup for the back-half of the home-and-home. Tomkins made his first AHL start for the IceHogs since April 7, 2018 against the Texas Stars. He has spent the majority of his time in the Blackhawks system with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL.

Tomkins would be tested early. Having to make two post-to-post saves within the first ten minutes of action, but he was up to the task. The IceHogs controlled most of the opening period, including a powerplay chance, but were unable to break open the scoring in the same fashion they did the night prior. That would be until Tyler Sikura got the IceHogs on the board with a tally with just over seven minutes to play in the first period. It would be Sikura’s first goal of the season and would be the fifth game in a row that the IceHogs scored the opening goal of the game.

Sikura 2 Sikura pic.twitter.com/cWtcayVHyF

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

The 1-0 lead would be short-lived as the Wolves knotted the game at 1-1 with just under five minutes to play in the opening frame. Following the Chicago goal, the IceHogs quickly regained the advantage as Dennis Gilbert was hit with a double-minor high-stick in his face. Gilbert would go to the locker room for maintenance while the IceHogs went on the powerplay to end the period.

The second period started much like the first with neither team getting too many high-quality chances. The Wolves hit a post early in the period but could not get the go-ahead goal, while Moutrey and Wedin had decent chances for Rockford to no avail.

The stalemate continued late into the period with Wolves starter Garret Sparks keeping a trio of chances out of the net as the IceHogs increased their pressure offensively. Nilsson had an open net chance from a cross-crease pass from Brandon Hagel, but couldn’t control the puck to get it on net. Rockford out-shot the Wolves in the second period and the teams would head to the third tied 1-1

JohnsonSaarelaHolm

2-1 good guys pic.twitter.com/7TeWZTpL0Y

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

The IceHogs would be pressured in their own end in the first five minutes of the third period, having trouble getting possession away from the Wolves. But it would be an opportunity on the rush that would lead to Philip Holm scoring the 2-1 goal early in the third period to give Rockford the lead. Holm’s second goal of the season, coming against his former AHL club.

Rockford was forced to defend a heavy attack late in the game from the Wolves with Chicago hitting a second goal post clean, but would not go in. A delay of game call with less than five minutes to play would come back to haunt Rockford as they gave up the game-tying goal just under a minute into the kill. The tying goal went in off a sliding Gilbert as he went to breakup a two-on-one breakaway just moments after Fortin was unable to convert on his own breakaway chance. The Wolves kept the pressure up and Rockford held for the overtime period.

SIKURA, SIKURA

3-2 OT Win for the Hogs pic.twitter.com/waM7kPDZy2

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

In the extra frame both teams would have their chances, but the IceHogs would leave it late as Joni Tuulola flipped a puck to a streaking Tyler Sikura and he buried the overtime winner behind Sparks for the 3-2 victory. Sikura’s second goal of the game, and first multi-goal game since April 7, 2018, gave Rockford a two-game sweep of Chicago in the home-and-home series.

Tyler Sikura playing with a heavy heart tonight after the loss of a family member. He responded his first multi-goal game since April ‘18. After the game, “I wanted to show something for them, came in the form of a couple goals. I’m thinking of them.” #IceHogs #RFDvsCHI #AHL

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) October 20, 2019

Matt Tomkins was named the third-star of the game, making 37 saves on 39 shots faced. Rockford out-shot the Wolves 39-33 and for the first time this season, out-shot an opponent in both the second and third periods of a single game. With the win, the IceHogs improve to 2-3-0 on the season.

What’s Next?

Following the weekend home-and-home with the Wolves, the IceHogs are not back in action until Friday, October 25 when they travel to take on the Cleveland Monsters. Rockford will be in Cleveland to take on the Monsters in back-to-back road games Friday and Saturday. Puck drop for Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m. Eastern Time and Saturday’s puck drop is set for 1 p.m. Eastern Time. These will be the first two of four meetings this season between the IceHogs and Monsters. Rockford held a 1-3-0 record against Cleveland last year.

The post IceHogs sweep weekend series against Wolves appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks recall Dach after three conditioning games with IceHogs

Seeing his first game action since the Traverse City rookie tournament, Dach jumped into the IceHogs lineup just a week ago after being assigned to the AHL club on a conditioning assignment. On Wednesday, when speaking to the  media, Blackhawks head coach said of Dach’s timeline in the AHL, “He can only be down (in Rockford) for two weeks, so after that then it’s certainly on the radar. But I don’t think we have it down to the day.”

Dach only needed seven days to show the Blackhawks that he was up to speed. In three games with the IceHogs, Dach recorded no points, had seven shots on net and was a minus-one. 

Kirby Dach made his professional debut with the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

While with the IceHogs, Dach showed flashes of the skill-set that led him to be the third overall pick by the Blackhawks in this past June’s NHL Entry Draft. His size as an 18-year old helps his overall game, using his reach to keep pucks away from defenders and breakup plays on the defensive side of his game. At the faceoff circle, Dach showed some improvement from game one to game three, but it was clear that his abilities at the dot still have a way to go at the professional level.

If he is going to theoretically step into the third-line center position for the Blackhawks and bump David Kampf out of that spot, he is going to either have to drastically improve on faceoffs or his offensive upside needs to outshine that of Kampf’s two-way abilities early on. Dach handled the physical play at the AHL, which is especially significant after missing time due to a concussion. He didn’t shy away from the contact, but looked more to absorb the hits than be giving any out. A positive sign, all things considered.

What’s Next?

The IceHogs are back in action on Saturday night as they face the Chicago Wolves at the Allstate Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. Central Time.

The Chicago Blackhawks are back in action on Sunday as they play host to the Washington Capitals. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. Central Time at the United Center. Still remains to be seen whether or not Dach will be in the lineup on Sunday to make his NHL debut with the Blackhawks.

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IceHogs not sweating 0–3–0 start

The IceHogs have yet to looked truly overmatched in a contest this season, despite the 0–3–0 start they have endured. Outscored 10–5 through the first three games, their downfall has been mainly self-induced from poor puck possession. Getting used to new teammates is one thing; getting used to nearly a dozen rookies playing together on a nightly basis is another.

The IceHogs are still adjusting to their chemistry together and lineups have shifted in each of the first three games. But, for King, it is all a part of the situation you endure as a coach in the AHL.

“It’s early; it’s just three games spread out over what feels like a year,” King said to the media on Wednesday. “We have extra bodies, so I just have to rotate guys in and out. … It’s not a perfect situation, but we’ll make it work; we’ll manage it. … It’s not just our youth. It’s everybody. We just lose focus or try different things. If the play is there, make it. If not, we need to get it back deep, get a change and live to fight another day. We’ve got away from that, after our starts in the firsts have been good.”

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The IceHogs have held the first lead of each game so far this season, scoring the first goal in the second period against the Iowa Wild in the season opener and scoring in each of the opening periods against the Grand Rapids Griffins and Laval Rocket. The IceHogs have failed to extend on any of their 1–0 leads so far this season.

One of the focal points to begin the season has been the short arrival of 2019 Chicago Blackhawks top draft pick Kirby Dach to the IceHogs. Playing on a two-week conditioning stint, Dach has been given a substantial amount of ice time at five-on-five and on the Rockford power play unit. In his first action since the Traverse City rookie tournament, Dach has skated in two games for Rockford (out of a possible five during his conditioning assignment) and has yet to tally his first professional point. He is a -1 with four shots on net.

Kirby Dach made his professional debut with the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

“The thing with him is to just play his game, not somebody else’s style,” King said of Dach. “He’s a dynamic player, big body, kind of a power forward. Just play like that. He’s doing a good job of it. It’s more or less just getting him back into the groove of playing hockey games.”

King reiterated he and his young team are not panicking despite their slow start.

“It’s still early,” King said. “I’m not ready to push any panic buttons here, but they (have) got to start figuring out our system, for at least three periods. They do it for a period and a half here or there, but they have to put in a solid effort.”

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs return to action on Friday, when they take on the Chicago Wolves at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. Puck drop for Friday night’s game is set for 7 p.m. CDT and is the first of 12 meetings between the Illinois Lottery Cup rivals. Rockford held a 6–5–1 record against the Wolves last season. Rockford will turn around on face the Wolves again on Saturday night, this time at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Puck drop on Saturday night is set for 7 p.m. CDT as well.

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I get the utmost pleasure of bringing you coverage and updates of the Blackhawks’ prospects in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) all season long! Last year was a busy year in the CHL, as the likes of Adam Boqvist, Nicholas Beaudin, Philipp Kurashev, and Mikael Hakkarainen were all tearing up either the CHL or USHL. However, all of those players have graduated to the AHL and you can find further coverage on them with Mario. Now, the cupboard is bare in the CHL with only three current prospects across the three leagues—the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Western Hockey League (WHL) and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)—that make up the CHL, with a potential fourth, which we will get to.

This article is designed to give you an understanding of what to expect from each of the Blackhawks’ CHL prospects so you are prepared to follow along with our coverage all season!

Michal Teply

The Blackhawks’ first fourth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (105th overall) was originally drafted out of the Czech Republic back in June.

Michal Teply skates toward the net looking to make a play for HC Bílí Tygři Liberec in the Czech Republic. (Photograph courtesy of Jiri Princ / Billi Tygri Liberec)

Teply is a big winger, standing 6-foot-3 inches and weighing 187 pounds, with a good shot. He has the potential to become a good scoring wing that provides excellent depth for the Blackhawks. However, he will certainly have to work on his skating. During the Blackhawks’ prospect camp scrimmage this past summer, Teply was sprung on a breakaway only to stop his feet and ultimately get caught from behind by the third overall selection in 2019, Kirby Dach. Teply was never a very strong skater, but that play seemed to reinforce that notion.

Aside from his skating, the most notable growth Teply will need is adjusting to North American ice. After being a mainstay on Czech national teams growing up, he has only ever really played on the much wider European ice. If he hopes to have a successful NHL career, the biggest adjustment in order to accomplish that goal will be transitioning successfully to the smaller, faster North American ice.

Teply was drafted twice this past summer, also being selected in the WHL Import Draft, where he was taken fourth overall by the Winnipeg Ice. Through nine games with the Ice as of Oct. 15, Teply currently leads the team in goals (four) and points (eight), while being tied for second in assists with four. The young Czech winger has, so far, lived up to the hype of his import draft slot.

Teply’s progression during this season in the WHL will be telling of his potential pro future. The WHL is known as a tough league, rarely having 100-point scorers that are not veterans of the league. I am not saying Teply will put up 100 points, but if he can average a point per game or better, that will be beneficial for his development and future outlook within the Blackhawks’ organization.

Cole Moberg

The seventh-round pick from the Prince George Cougars in the WHL could be poised to become the gem of Stan Bowman’s 2019 draft class. The defenseman has excellent size for his age (6-foot-3, 198 pounds) and possesses good skating ability along with a cannon of a shot from the point.

Cole Moberg celebrates a goal against the Vancouver Giants. (Photograph courtesy of the Vancouver Giants / Rik Fedyck Photography)

Moberg is coming off a 40-point campaign in the WHL last season, playing in 61 games. The right-handed defenseman also tallied 13 goals and had five power play points during the campaign. The Blackhawks snatched him up in the seventh round, which could make Moberg a gem in their most recent draft class.

Fellow The-Rink writer Juliana Nikac and I both really like Moberg, as heard on one of our latest episodes of The Rinkcast. I compared Moberg to Jason Garrison, before age caught up to the defenseman. He possessed an excellent shot from the point, similar to Moberg, although I believe Moberg will ultimately be a better skater than Garrison.

In only four games as of Canadian Thanksgiving, Moberg has registered one goal and one assist for the Cougars. Moberg currently sits in ninth for team scoring despite playing half as many games as his teammates. 

Keep an eye on Moberg this season in Prince George. He could really surprise a lot of people and be an excellent second or third-pairing defenseman for the Blackhawks down the road.

Alexis Gravel

Goaltender Alexis Gravel is coming off an incredible season with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. After being selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Gravel posted a 33-win season for the Mooseheads and another 14 playoff wins, leading the Mooseheads to a QMJHL championship appearance. 

Alexis Gravel skates for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. (Photograph courtesy of Shawn Davidson / QMJHL)

Gravel has impressed a lot of people given where he was drafted. After his excellent season last year and a solid showing at prospect camp, Gravel returned to Halifax looking to pick up where he left off.

However, the season did not begin as planned. After two games, Gravel gave up eight goals in just over four periods of play during the Mooseheads’ games on Sept. 20 and 21. After sitting for a few weeks, Gravel started back-to-back games during the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, picking up two wins and only yielding a total of three goals. The second game was the most impressive for Gravel, as he stopped 49 of 50 shots on goal and picked up the big win to make it five straight wins for Halifax.

Gravel is a big goalie, standing at 6-foot-3 inches and 219 pounds. The young netminder has certainly shown promise in Halifax and the potential to be a part of the Blackhawks’ future plans as one of their two goalies. On the low end, he seems like he could be an AHL regular who can spot start as needed. On the high end, conservatively, he could be a backup goalie in the NHL.

Keep an eye on Gravel this season as he looks to replicate, and possibly improve on, his impressive run last year in the QMJHL.

Kirby Dach

Kirby Dach is most certainly the wildcard of the entire group being previewed. Yes, he is technically still with the Blackhawks, as he is on a rehab stint in Rockford as of Canadian Thanksgiving. However, once Dach gets his nine-game tryout, if the Blackhawks deem he is not ready for the NHL, he would return to the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL where he would likely “bum slay” the competition. 

Kirby Dach skates with the Saskatoon Blades. (Photograph courtesy of Marissa Baecker / Getty Images)

Dach has excellent size, and if able to quickly adjust to the NHL game, could make an impact on the Blackhawks’ roster this season. However, it is likely that he will return to the Blades, at which time, there will be a nice feature on the young center and what to watch for this season.

For now, all fans will be monitoring the situation with Dach, wondering whether he will stick in the NHL all year or return to the WHL and fine tune his game to be an impact piece on the Blackhawks’ roster next season.

Follow The-Rink on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for prospect coverage all season! And, follow me everywhere, too (@rnldluce). See you out on The-Rink.

The post CHL: Get to know the Blackhawks’ CHL prospects appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs allow three unanswered goals against Laval in first-ever meeting

The IceHogs were looking to get some momentum going early on against Laval, as they had only played two games so far this season a week apart. Just like the opening frame of their game on Saturday night, the IceHogs got on the board first thanks to a goal off the rush from defenseman Philip Holm. Holm’s first goal of the year with Rockford, assisted by fellow Swedish countrymen Jacob Nilsson and Anton Wedin, gave the IceHogs the first lead of the game for the third time in three games so far this season.

Straight cash, Holmie pic.twitter.com/MQLNu2bi68

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 14, 2019

While they enjoyed the lead on the scoreboard, the IceHogs were doubled up on shots on goal in the opening period 14–7 by the Rocket and the trend would bleed into the second period as well. Giving up 14 shots in the first period and 16 in the second period, the IceHogs found themselves on the backs of their heels in the middle frame as Laval tallied a pair of goals coming from Alex Belzile and Lukas Vejdemo to give the Canadiens’ affiliate the 2–1 lead after two periods of action.

IceHogs goaltender Collin Delia faced 28 shots in his first start of the year on Saturday night and surpassed that shots faced total through 40 minutes in his second start of the year.

The third period started off looking like the IceHogs would build some momentum, earning their second power play of the game in the early going, but Laval would get a hooking call on Adam Boqvist while shorthanded and the IceHogs man advantage would be negated. Luckily for Rockford, Laval would take a second penalty in the period, but the IceHogs would again come up empty.

Collin Delia prepares for a shot. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Rockford required some late-game magic to avoid the team’s first ever 0–3–0 start in the AHL franchise history, but Charles Hudon would blast home his second goal of the season to give Laval a 3–1 lead with just under five minutes to play in regulation to give the Rocket their first win of the 2019–20 season. Delia would make 40 saves on 43 shots faced against Laval; he has 64 saves on 71 shots faced through two starts this season.

It was a second professional game for Blackhawks 2019 third overall pick Kirby Dach, as he suited up for his second game of a conditioning stint with the IceHogs. After admittedly getting his nerves out in his first game, Dach looked more comfortable and saw action with Rockford’s first line with Kris Versteeg and Anton Wedin. He also saw considerable time while on the power play. Dach’s abilities offensively have been impressive, but what has been even more impressive is his commitment to working hard in his defensive zone and his ability to absorb and initiate contact.

Kirby Dach caries the puck during Monday’s game against the Laval Rocket. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

After coming off of a concussion protocol stint, there was some concerns around Dach and his health would be like once he stepped back on the ice, but so far those concerns have not mattered. Dach looks like a pro already at the AHL; whether that will translate to the NHL level still remains to be seen, but the signs are promising.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are off until Friday, when they take on the Chicago Wolves at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. Puck drop for Friday night’s game is set for 7 p.m. CDT and is the first of 12 meetings between the Illinois Lottery Cup rivals. Rockford held a 6–5–1 record against the Wolves last season. Rockford will turn around on face the Wolves again on Saturday night, this time at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Puck drop on Saturday night is set for 7 p.m. CDT as well.

The post IceHogs drop third straight loss to start the season appeared first on The Rink.

Dach’s conditioning stint can only last a maximum of 14 days with the IceHogs, per the NHL CBA. He has a chance to play up to five games with Rockford over that 14-day period and it began on Saturday night against the Griffins.

Dach makes pro debut with IceHogs

In a game where 10 former first-round picks were dressed between the two teams, Dach was predictably noticeable very early on in his debut game, nearly getting his first goal as a pro on his second shift of the night. The IceHogs would get on the board first with a rebound goal coming from Anton Wedin midway through the first period, his first goal in his first game with Rockford.

Welcome to the AHL, Anton pic.twitter.com/lw4ePr8DS5

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 12, 2019

While the start to the first period was ideal for the IceHogs, the final five minutes saw the Griffins turn the momentum back in their favor, ending up with a game-tying goal coming from a scrum in front of Collin Delia. The period would end 1–1.

The Griffins took the momentum fully back just a minute into the second period as Delia was pulled from his net by a collision with Lucas Carlsson and Givani Smith, leaving Michael Rasmussen with an empty-net rebound goal to make it 2–1. Just two minutes later, Filip Zadina would make it 3–1 with a power play goal.

Needing a spark, Dylan Sikura fired a shot from between the circles with heavy traffic in front of Griffins goaltender Filip Larsson and it found the back of the net to make it a 3–2 game. Sikura’s second goal of the season, picking up where he left off last season as one of the top point-producers for Rockford.

Dyl pickle has us back within one! pic.twitter.com/DE0sJ6oTqe

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 13, 2019

The IceHogs used the Sikura goal to build some pressure on the Griffins in the second period and had some decent looks on their first power play of the game, but nothing came of it. Grand Rapids would capitalize on a chance off a face off late in the second period to make it a 4–2 game heading into the third.

Not helping their own cause, the IceHogs took two early penalties to begin the third period, putting themselves on a five-on-three penalty kill, but were able to kill both off. Rockford would have their own power play chance near the midway point of the third, but would not get a quality chance on it, even giving up a chance against for the Griffins off an Adam Boqvist turnover.

Rockford was unable to get much momentum back in the remainder of the final frame and would fall 4–2 to the Griffins. Delia made 24 saves on 28 shots, Sikura and Wedin were named third and first stars of the game, respectively.

Final score aside, the main attraction of the night was the debut of Dach. He played with a decent pace, given this was his first game action since playing in the Traverse City rookie tournament. IceHogs head coach Derek King gave him the opportunities to have an impact on the game, playing him on the power play and giving his line with Brandon Hagel and Nick Moutrey a hefty amount of ice time. Dach will have a few more games to play with the IceHogs before Chicago needs to make another move regarding his playing status.

To sum up his game in one sentence would be to say he is not afraid to mix things up right away and has the speed and skill to play at the pro level. But, those things were already evident. He will need to build over the next two weeks, but it is a start.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Monday afternoon as they host Laval Rocket. Puck drop for Monday’s Columbus Day matinee is set for 1 p.m. CDT. It is the first-ever meeting between the teams.

The post Kirby Dach makes pro debut in IceHogs loss appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com host “Gatekeeper” is joined by staff members Mario Tirabassi, Aaron Goldschmidt, Eric Andrews, Juliana Nikac and Ron Luce to talk in-depth about Blackhawks prospects.

• The Blackhawks sit at 2-1-1 with two preseason and an exhibition game remaining.
• Roster is not finalized but is starting to shape up.
• We take a long look at the six prospect tiers and why the writers rated players the way they have.
• Don’t miss the hot takes.
• We wrap with Rinkrat PuckBag segment.

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

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 1 – Prospect tier wrap special 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 concludes today with tiers two and one, defined as a prospect seen as a top six forward, No. 2 or 3 defenseman or starting goaltender or a prospect seen as a first line forward, top pairing defenseman or elite goaltender, respectively.

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.

Tier one
Adam Boqvist (1)
Boqvist rocketed to the top of the Blackhawks’ top prospects list by being drafted eighth overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The talented Swedish defenseman entered the organization as arguably the best draftee to come to Chicago since the Blackhawks selected Patrick Kane in 2007. Boqvist also became the best defensive prospect to join the organization in over 15 years. With Chicago stockpiling defensemen through the draft in the last few years, Boqvist headlines the group, as his offensive flair makes him instantly stand out on the ice. Despite questions surrounding his defensive ability and long term health, the dynamic 6-foot, 181 pound blue line phenom has progressed nicely since being selected last summer. Boqvist posted 20 goals and 40 assists in 54 regular season games with the London Knights before exploding for 10 goals in 11 postseason contests. Boqvist is expected to make the jump to the professional game this season, though that may be primarily with the Rockford IceHogs instead of the Blackhawks. Either way, Chicago fans could very well get a look at Boqvist at some point in 2019–20 if injuries require a replacement on the back end. Whether Boqvist’s chance for prime playing time comes at some point this season or beginning in 2020–21, he should become a prominent staple of the Blackhawks’ blue line for the foreseeable future.

Adam Boqvist skates at the 2018 Traverse City Rookie Tournament. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Kirby Dach (1)
Another welcome addition to Chicago’s organization, Dach instantly became the best forward prospect the Blackhawks have added in the draft since selecting Kane. Not only does Dach boast impressive offensive skill, but his size—measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 198 pounds at just 18 years of age—is also something the Chicago forward prospect pool has sorely lacked in recent years. While some considered Dach to be a bit of a surprise pick at the time, he has done nothing but impress since then with strong showings at the Blackhawks’ prospect camp, the Team Canada World Juniors Summer Showcase and the recent Traverse City Rookie Tournament. Though Dach could get a nine game look with Chicago at the beginning of the season, his status for the rest of the season remains to be seen. While it could be argued the best place for his development might be Rockford, the CHL’s transfer agreement does not allow that, meaning Dach will either have to spend the entire season with the Blackhawks or return to the Saskatoon Blades. Sustaining a concussion in the final game of the Traverse City tournament may put Dach a couple steps back since he has yet to participate in any of the Blackhawks’ training camp sessions. Regardless, it is evident that Dach will play a huge role for the organization in the future, as his total package offers a combination of skill, size, desire and leadership Chicago has not seen in quite some time. Both Dach and Boqvist joined John Quenneville as the only three players our panel voted unanimously on.

Kirby Dach skates at the 2019 Traverse City Rookie Tournament. (Photograph courtesy of Dave Reginek / NHLI via Getty Images)

Tier two
Ian Mitchell (1.833)
Mitchell was a bit of an unknown in the hockey world when Chicago selected him in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. However, in the time since, Mitchell has done nothing short of show the Blackhawks got a steal, impressing in his first two seasons at the University of Denver. Though the 5-foot-11, 174 pound blue liner is viewed as an offensive defenseman, his defensive game has also developed nicely since being drafted, with some viewing him as more of a two way defenseman with high offensive upside as opposed to merely an offensively minded blue liner. In 80 total games with the Pioneers, Mitchell has racked up 57 points and a plus minus rating of 35. The St. Albert, Alberta, native will return to Denver to captain the Pioneers in 2019–20, but is expected to sign his entry level contract with the Blackhawks and forgo his senior season. Whether Mitchell makes his NHL debut late this season or in 2020–21, he has made it known he wants to make the jump straight to the NHL without any time in Rockford. Regardless of when he debuts, Mitchell should develop into a valuable part of Chicago’s back end for the foreseeable future.

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

Nicolas Beaudin (2.333)
Beaudin was a bit of a surprising pick to many when Chicago picked him 27th overall in 2018 after choosing Boqvist at No. 8. Then viewed as another offensively minded defenseman, Beaudin has transformed his game into being a legitimate two way option capable of chipping in offensively as well as being reliable in his own end. His efforts to focus on improving defensively showed last season. After combining for a plus minus rating of 8 over his first two full seasons with Drummondville, Beaudin exploded for a rating of 60 in 2018–19 while still posting over a point per game offensively. Initially appearing to be just another offensive defenseman in Chicago’s system, Beaudin has quickly justified his draft position by establishing himself as the top two way blue line prospect in the Blackhawks’ system. Being left handed helps Beaudin’s chances to play big minutes down the road, as both Boqvist and Mitchell play the right side. The Chateauguay, Quebec, native enters the first year of his entry level contract this season and will likely spend it learning the pro game in Rockford on what is expected to be a stacked IceHogs blue line. While Beaudin, who measures in exactly the same as Mitchell in both height and weight, will probably need at least this season to be prepared for full time NHL action, he should be another valuable piece in Chicago for the foreseeable future, as his two way game should help balance out Boqvist and Mitchell’s offensive styles of play. One panelist summed up Beaudin well by saying, “Entering the draft, Beaudin was a clear cut offensive minded blue liner, but after joining an organization with players such as Ian Mitchell, Adam Boqvist and (at the time) Henri Jokiharju, there was doubt that Beaudin could be shipped. He now looks like the defenseman that every team needs but no one talks about: A quiet (in a positive way) player who makes the smart play before the flashy play.”

Nicolas Beaudin skates at the 2019 Traverse City Rookie Tournament. (Photograph courtesy of Dave Reginek / NHLI via Getty Images)

The-Rink thanks you for tuning in for our Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

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

Dach, de Haan and Kurashev dealing with injuries to begin Blackhawks camp

As training camp opened on Friday at the Fifth Third Bank arena, the Blackhawks announced some long awaited injury updates regarding the players at training camp and the players that were hurt in the Traverse City prospect tournament.

Full release here:

MEDICAL UPDATE: Forward Kirby Dach (concussion protocol) is out of the lineup.

Forward Philipp Kurashev (left knee/shoulder contusion) will not practice today.

Defenseman Calvin de Haan (groin strain/shoulder surgery recovery) is expected to be out of the lineup 2-3 weeks.

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 13, 2019

Dach is being held out of practice as a result of concussion protocol. He took a big hit in the seventh place game of the rookie tournament on Tuesday and was kept out of action for precautionary purposes.

Kurashev was also injured in the seventh-place game on Tuesday, but his injury is listed as “left knee/shoulder contusion.” The team stated that the 19 year old former 2018 fourth round draft pick will not practice Friday.

Meanwhile, de Haan has been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and also has a groin strain. He is expected to be out of the lineup 2–3 weeks, but the team hoped to have him in the lineup for the season opener.

The Blackhawks continue training camp this weekend and hos the annual Training Camp Festival on Sunday at the United Center. Following Sunday’s team scrimmage, Chicago opens the preseason as they travel to take on the Washington Capitals.

The post Blackhawks dealing with injuries as training camp opens appeared first on The Rink.

Kirby Dach, Chicago’s top draft pick in the 2019 draft, started the scoring burying a shot past Wild goaltender Dereck Baribeau. Defenseman Adam Boqvist assisted on the goal.

Kirby Dach with authority to give the #HawksProspects a 1-0 lead off the rush. Entwistle with the assist. https://t.co/XkEF8QGl6D pic.twitter.com/Ctoq66DYSo

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

A few moments later, forward Riley McKay beat Baribeau to extend the Chicago lead to 2–0. McKay would also add a fight to his game resume after he dropped the gloves with forward Drake Pilon. McKay’s goal was assisted by forward Sean Josling.

Josling picks the pocket of a defenseman behind the goal and Riley McKay capitalizes on the loose puck. #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/6FoiWr932N

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

Dach would leave the game after taking an awkward fall into the boards after taking a hit from Wild forward Darian Pilon. Pilon went off to the penalty box for boarding on the play.

The nasty boarding penalty that sent Kirby Dach to the locker room. #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/AiNSwgm8KL

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

Forward MacKenzie Entwistle extended the Chicago lead to 3–0. The power play goal ended the scoring in the first period. Defenseman Nicolas Beaudin assisted on the tally.

Entwistle adds the third, Beaudin centered it off the boards. #Blackhawks flying nowm 3-1. pic.twitter.com/GwtYIp6eAM

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 6, 2019

The Blackhawks would add to their injured players when Boqvist, forward Phillipp Kurashev and forward Mikael Hakkarainen all left the ice in the second period of play.

Early in the third period, Chicago extended their lead to 4–0 when forward Tim Soderlund beat Baribeau after a nice give-and-go with forward Michal Teply.

Tim Soderlund with the intercept in his own zone and finishes a give-and-go with Michal Teply to give the #HawksProspects a 4-0 lead early in the third. Second of the tournament for the 2017 fourth rounder. pic.twitter.com/YMMKHaELrW

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

Forward Dylan McLaughlin beat Baribeau for Chicago’s fifth goal of the game when he beat the 6-foot-6 goaltender short side. Josling picked up his second assist of the game on the goal.

Cross-ice feed from Sean Josling and Dylan McLaughlin roofs it from a difficult angle for a 5-0 lead. Second assist on the afternoon for free-agent Josling. #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/eAOUto0gQQ

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

The third Chicago goal of the period extended their lead to 6–0 after Teply scored his first of the game. Soderlund assisted on the play.

Soderlund and Teply team up again to take a 6-0 lead. Former does the leg work to find the latter. #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/mCGYsIxNsj

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

Minnesota finally figured out Chicago goaltender Alexis Gravel with just over two minutes left to play in the game when forward Connor Dewar scored. Gravel finished the game with 27 saves in the contest.

With the victory, Chicago finished the tournament in seventh place following a record of 2–2. However, the organization will keep a close eye on the four Blackhawks players that left the game early due to suspected injuries. Early reports indicate the injuries are not serious.

The post Blackhawks’ rookies finish seventh in Traverse City tournament appeared first on The Rink.

After initially going down 1–0, the team of future Blackhawks stormed back in the first period to take a 4–1 lead. Detroit fought back in the second period and tied the game. Eventually, Blackhawks 2018 first round draft pick Adam Boqvist scored from a tight angle, just 43 seconds into the overtime period, to give the visitors the win.

Chicago looked a little rusty to begin the game and Ryan Kuffner took full advantage on the power play at the 3:10 mark of the first period, beating Chicago goaltender Alexis Gravel. That was when the Blackhawks came storming back with goals by Mikael Hakkarainen, 2019 first round draft pick Kirby Dach, MacKenzie Entwistle and Jack Ramsey.

Beautiful feed from Riley McKay to his Saskatoon teammate Kirby Dach to put the #Blackhawks up after allowing an early goal shorthanded.

Catch it live here https://t.co/3XwSy9Jn5c pic.twitter.com/JOV50RFnio

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 6, 2019

Detroit took advantage of five Blackhawks penalties in the second period and scored power play goals by Jarid Lukosevicius and Joe Veleno. Velano also scored an unassisted goal after picking the pocket of Brandon Hagel in the Blackhawks’ zone.

Following a scoreless third period, the game went to overtime. Boqvist took advantage of goalie Kaden Fulcher, as he left just enough space to beat Fulcher under the crossbar and win the game. The goal was assisted by Dach and Hagel. Hagel was a huge bright spot for the Blackhawks, wearing the “A” on his sweater and assisting on two additional goals earlier in the game. After one game, the former Red Deer Rebel leads the tournament in points scored.

Gravel saved 27 of 31 shots for the win, also making two highlight reel saves in the third period to keep the game tied.

The Blackhawks will face the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday at 2 p.m. Central and the St. Louis Blues on Monday at 4:30 p.m. Central. The tournament wraps up Tuesday with the championship and other placement games.

Look back at last night’s 5-4 OT win for the #HawksProspects over Detroit and preview this afternoon’s meeting against Toronto pic.twitter.com/HTt04SzmK9

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 7, 2019

The post Blackhawks open rookie tournament with 5–4 overtime win appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “JJ” finally wrap up season 2 with Puckpedia’s Hart Levine to chat about salary cap related topics.

• The Traverse City rookie tournament starts Friday
• Five IceHogs rookie breakout candidates not named Adam Boqvist.
• Hart discusses escrow, RFAs and UFAs, Alex Debrincat and Dylan Strome extensions, Robin Lehner, and that beloved Brent Seabrook contract.
• The rookie tournament paperwork debacle.
• The “Blood,Sweat and Tiers” prospect segments.
• What are we looking for in training camp?
• We wrap with The-Rink #RinkratPuckBag segment.

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 Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 2, Episode 28 – The Hart of Puckpedia appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks announce rookie tournament roster

After taking home the tournament championship in 2017, the Blackhawks rookies hope to reclaim their crown after falling short last season. Headlined by 2018 and 2019 top overall draft picks Adam Boqvist and Kirby Dach, the Blackhawks’ rookies drop the puck in Traverse City on Sept. 6.

Here are the Blackhawks’ rookie forwards:

The Chicago Blackhawks’ rookie forwards for the Traverse City tournament.

Here are the Blackhawks’ rookie defensemen and goalies:

The Chicago Blackhawks’ rookie defensemen and goalies for the Traverse City tournament.

Chicago has invited five players that are not in the organizational system with forwards Cole Purboo, Sean Josling, Riley McKay, Isaac Nurse and goaltender Nick Kossoff. Defenseman Dennis Gilbert is the only player with more than double-digit professional games under his belt.

When and where?

The Blackhawks head to Traverse City, Michigan, on Sept. 6 through Sept. 10 for the annual rookie tournament. They will be competing against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Chicago’s schedule for the tournament looks like this:

• Friday, Sept 6 vs Red Wings (6 p.m. CT)
• Saturday, Sept 7 vs Maple Leafs (2 p.m. CT)
• Monday, Sept 9 vs Blues (4:30 p.m. CT)
• Tuesday, Sept 10 TBD

The Chicago rookie class won the 2017 tournament championship, highlighted by current Blackhawks Alex DeBrincat and David Kampf.

The post UPDATE: Blackhawks release 2019 Traverse City tournament roster appeared first on The Rink.

And now is when decisions that look good on paper transition toward being put to test on ice.

To my eye, it is not just a matter of additions and subtractions, however. It is also Jeremy Colliton’s first full season as Blackhawk head coach—with his imprimateur on an unusually eventful offseason—and his first training camp and preseason slate.

Broadly speaking, the Blackhawks expended a lot of energy (and resources) this summer trying to accomplish two things.

First, they clearly wanted to become better defensively, especially in their own end, with the additions of Olli Maatta and Calvin deHaan. Both players are young, yet experienced; both are definitely defense-minded blueliners. Both battled injury last year. Both, to varying degrees, should probably be considered reasonable bets to improve the Hawks’ defensive play to some degree.

How much is an important question, because storied veterans Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith are both, also to varying degrees, on the downsides of their careers and abilities: Seabrook clearly more so than Keith. Erstwhile “fourth forward” Erik Gustafsson showed some marginal improvement defensively late last season after being put on a leash somewhat by Colliton—which also corresponded, not surprisingly, with a brief dip in his offensive output. Which Gustafsson will we see in 2019–20? Hard to say, but it is probably a safe bet his defensive reliability will continue to be an “adventure” (putting it charitably) this season.

Connor Murphy, for all that he is and is not, sort of falls in line with Maatta and deHaan, and may be more part of the solution than the problem this year.

Add in Carl “Don’t call me Calle” Dahlstrom and Slater Koekkoek—and possibly even 2018 first round selections Adam Boqvist or Nicolas Beaudin in their professional rookie seasons—and it is fair to say Colliton has more pieces around which to fashion pairings that will, at minimum, block more shots, win more 50–50 pucks in the defensive zone and provide more responsible coverage. While still generating that transition and push up the ice that drove a very good offensive year for Chicago last year.

The other thing the Hawk brass seemed to want to achieve this summer was to get a lot tougher to play against.

Now, let’s not kid ourselves: seemingly every summer, there has been a Lance Bouma or two brought in to add some more “jam,” with typically crappy results. So, how is this summer any different?

Hard to say, but looking more closely at Ryan Carpenter (UFA acquisition), Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith (trades), a pattern emerges. All can play center or wing, a couple of them (at least) are pretty good faceoff options (an underappreciated part of being a good defensive team), all can kill penalties, all have a bit of nasty to their games.

All of which, on paper, adds some elements the Hawks sorely needed last year. But again, as with deHaan and Maatta, the question is “how much.”

Shaw and Smith have battled injuries. Reports out of Ottawa are that Smith has lost a step the last couple of years. Regardless, when the option for bottom-six and penalty-killing forward roles have been either proven has-beens or developing players better suited to top-six roles in Rockford, Bowman’s summer additions should provide some improvement in subtle, yet important, ways.

So all that provides at least some reason for encouragement.

The other thing that the Hawks apparently set out to do was meaningfully reinforce the goalie position—in a way that few expected (but we predicted might happen here at The-Rink).

The addition of Robin Lehner matters this year to the extent that Corey Crawford cannot play due to injury, or if Lehner simply outplays him (also a possibility). In our opinion here at The-Rink, all things considered and in spite of the “smooth it over” rhetoric of the Hawk front office, Lehner will probably have to prove he is not ready to take over the Hawk No. 1 goalie job long-term.

Sure, the “best one-two punch in the league” narrative sounds great, and may publicly placate Crawford and his camp and those fans who thought “Crow” was going to keep “bouncing back” from concussions and play until he is 45, but this season, especially if the Hawks are still giving up 40–45 shots most nights, it may not matter.

The other thing to consider is that you cannot assume anything going into this season, based on last season.

For example, you cannot assume that Dylan Sikura will not start scoring some goals and end up as an actual offensive weapon this year. Or, you cannot assume that Kirby Dach will not play more than nine games in Chicago and provide some kind of additional contribution, which would be great.

But, you also cannot assume either of the above will happen, or that Jonathan Toews might not regress from a statistical upward deviation in production last season or that Dylan Strome will not either.

You cannot assume relative team health or, on the other hand, a season wracked by injuries.

The truth is, while the Hawks continued a now three-to-four-season-long nosedive defensively, they excelled last year offensively.

But, because the defensive trend is longer term, it is safe to assume that is more the norm (setting aside the offseason changes), while the offensive uptick was likely more of an exception.

Time and, at minimum, 82 games will tell.

But where does that leave this team in April 2020?

Hard to say because, unfortunately, the Hawks also play in what is, top to bottom, arguably the best division in hockey. That said, the first three teams in the division will likely be some combination of St. Louis, Dallas, Winnipeg, Nashville or Colorado. It is hard to envision this (albeit somewhat improved) Hawk team edging in to that conversation and finishing as one of the top three teams in the Central Division. The other Central teams are just too good, younger and either bigger, faster or both.

So then the target becomes one of two wild card spots. And this is where the Hawks’ improvement over the offseason puts them—in the playoff conversation, potentially in contention for a spot. And even if the Hawks finished say, ninth in the conference and a point or two out of playoff contention, it would be measurable improvement over last year, when they were never realistically in playoff contention, in spite of a lot of breathless hype for about six weeks or so.

But, let’s say the Hawks make the playoffs. They are still going to win a lot of overtime three-on-three games and will probably have a good power play in the regular season. But, if they have to rely too heavily on those factors for points to get them into the playoffs, they likely will not last long once there, as those factors matter less or not at all in the postseason. And remember, the wildcards have to face the division winners in the first round.

Safe to say then, with some margin for error, the Hawks end up this season somewhere between a strong, improved ninth or 10th in the conference and losing in the first round of the playoffs in five or six games.

Likely improved, but, again, how much?

What must happen:

Team defense and penalty kill must improve, a lot. If not, it would not matter if your “one-two punch” was Ken Dryden and Dominik Hasek, the team will struggle to improve over the last two seasons’ miserable performances.

What cannot happen:

Regressions by and/or significant injuries to Toews, Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat or (less so) Strome.

What should happen:

If Gustafsson wants to appear in the playoffs in a Hawk sweater, and if the Hawks want to extend his contract after this season, he needs to show he can become a consistently better player defensively—even if his numbers suffer somewhat offensively as a result.

What does not have to happen:

Although the annual pressure to elevate rookies or prospects to the Hawk lineup is as strong as ever, there is no rush to insert Adam Boqvist or Kirby Dach this year.

If Dach or Boqvist are measurably better in all phases of the game than the players the Hawks have, then this is truly a rebuilding season. And where either or both players play this year should not be dictated by what fans or team pr would like to see, but purely by what is best for the development of two 18- and 19-year-old kids.

All we have for now. Comment below.

The post Examining the goods: What to expect from the 2019–20 Blackhawks appeared first on The Rink.

EA Sports reveals Kirby Dach’s NHL20 rating

Following the reveals of top overall draft pick Jack Hughes and second overall pick Kaapo Kakko, the developers were set to reveal third overall pick Dach’s first look in the game. While Hughes was revealed in his New Jersey Devils sweater and Kakko in his New York Rangers sweater, Dach was revealed in his WHL Saskatoon Blades sweater. With the Blackhawks rumored to have new tweaks to their collars, the game probably was not allowed to reveal the new look for Chicago just yet.

So on Saturday, on Dach’s Instagram page, he revealed his NHL20 look:

#Blackhawks Kirby Dach rated 76 overall in @EASPORTSNHL (also, not pictured in #NHL sweater, while Hughes and Kakko were) @kdach77 pic.twitter.com/5GoVBndqQB

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) August 24, 2019

76 overall.

Six overall points behind top pick Hughes and five overall points behind Kakko. It is an improvement for Dach from his latest NHL19 rating, which he finished in the latest roster update at 75 overall. A little disappointing, given the drop off from the top two picks and the minimal improvement from the end of the year. But after a 73-point season in the WHL, in the eyes of the developers, Dach had not done enough to jump off the page and into the high 70s or even touch 80 overall.

Obviously, this is just the first roster reveal. There will be at least one, maybe two roster updates for NHL20 by the time the NHL regular season begins. By that time, Dach could show off more of his development through training camp and the preseason and improve his rating by the time the Blackhawks drop the puck on the regular season.

The post Blackhawks rookie Kirby Dach gets NHL20 rating revealed appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “JJ” step back into the dusty Rink podcast studio to discuss the prospect camp and the Blackhawks fan convention with staff writers Mario Tirabassi and Aaron Goldschmidt.

• Blackhawks traded Artem Anisimov to Ottawa for Zack Smith
• Thoughts on Development camp
• Fan convention came and went.
• Chris Kunitz retires and joins the Blackhawks player development staff
• New jersey leak?
• Ian Mitchell corner, Brent Seabrook’s trial, Gus’s garage, Sekac street.
• We are only scratching the surface.  Many good things and guests to come!!!!
• We wrap with The-Rink #RinkratPuckBag segment.

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 Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 56 – Gus bus to Camp Colliton appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks development camp comes to a close

As the scrimmage started, it was evident in team play that players like Nicolas Beaudin, Adam Boqvist and Philipp Kurashev have a higher level to their game than most. Also making waves early on in the day were forwards Brandon Hagel and Josiah Slavin, who teamed up for a pair of goals in the first period of play.

The highlight of the day came early in the first period, and it came in dramatic fashion from Boqvist.

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

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) July 19, 2019

That highlight is going to hold a lot of people over for hockey content for the summer. Boqvist was paired with Beaudin on the red team for the scrimmage and their play off of each other generated a lot of pace and offensive chances for their squad.

Not to be outdone in the first period, 2019 third overall selection Kirby Dach made his impression on the scrimmage late in the period, finishing off a breakaway chance on goaltender Alexis Gravel.

.@kdach77 with another nice finish up close #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/xOgyGFgzjP

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) July 19, 2019

And then, Dach did this to Jake Ryczek, the day after Ryczek signed an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs.

IT’S KIRBY’S DREAMLAND @kdach77 #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/xkcCpsl0sq

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) July 19, 2019

Yeah, he is going to be pretty decent.

Throughout the week of development camp, more players stood out on their own than in years past for development camp. From top to bottom, the roster of players in camp show that the Blackhawks’ prospect system has a level of depth to it, at all positions, which it has lacked in recent years. Notably, the 2018 and 2019 draft classes have shown a decent amount of promise across the board. From Boqvist and Dach to Slavin and Gravel, there is a lot to be excited about in the future of the Blackhawks’ organization.

This concludes #Blackhawks development camp. pic.twitter.com/wmUwRMlvUn

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 19, 2019

Quoteables

Kirby Dach on his biggest takeaway from the week:

“Learning a lot off the ice about what it takes to be a pro in the game: How to handle myself with the way I eat and cook, stuff surrounding that. The game has become a lifestyle. You can’t just show up at the rink and have things happen. You have to do the right things away from the rink.”

Dach on making an impact on the Blackhawks’ staff:

“Any time you step on the ice, you want to leave an impression on them and make the decision hard on management to send me back. But, that is out of my control. The only thing I can control is myself and my actions.”

Mark Eaton (Director of Player Development) on what he looks for from players off the ice:

“Interaction is big; just to see the guys that are engaged in the process. They have all stated what they want to improve on in their developments and a lot of it is off-ice skills like time management, sleep management, mental skills. Those are things we try to give them information on throughout the week and they’ve shown a willingness to absorb that kind of information.”

Eaton on Boqvist and making the next step to the professional game:

“I think it’s going to be an experience thing: Getting experience, whether it’s at the NHL or AHL, whatever that next step is for him. You saw some of the things he could do out there today, but it’s more finding out for himself what moves or skills will work at whatever level he is playing, when it’s against bigger, stronger and faster guys. I’ve always said he is underrated on the defensive side of his game. He has some great qualities defensively; he’s such a smart player, and it’s not just one sided with him.”

Eaton on Dach’s week:

“He’s such a strong kid; you saw he was able to chase down a guy (Teply) and lift his stick and take the puck away; just already the strength in him and the frame he has left to grow into. He’s an exciting player, a great kid, he fit into the group and showed a willingness and eagerness to do what he needs to get to the next level.”

Brandon Hagel on first experience in Blackhawks camp:

“It was good to be here, good to meet everyone and put names to faces. Gave me a bit more confidence going into camp. … I feel like I was able to stick to my game and use my speed—one of my biggest assets—and build off of the other skilled players in camp.”

Hagel on going through the development process with former Red Deer teammate Reese Johnson:

“It’s pretty cool. Not many people get to come with their best friend that they have played with the last four years. Having him here obviously gives you more of a comfort level; you’re with one of the people you’ve know for a long time and you’re getting to meet new people together and makes it easier as it goes on.”

Boqvist on making an impression on the Blackhawks’ staff in camp:

“The only thing I can do is be myself. I can’t be Patrick Kane or Duncan Keith or anyone. I have to be myself and play good.”

Boqvist on his comfort level going through a second development camp:

“You know the stuff now. You’re not that nervous out there; you’re just excited to get back and show them that you are one year better and older. (I am) just trying to be confident out there and play my game.”

Boqvist on if he will watch his highlights from the scrimmage:

“Yeah, probably not. Probably just go back and have a nap. (Laughs) I’m pretty tired, so just want to have some rest.”

You and me both, Adam.

What’s next?

For the Blackhawks’ community, the 12th annual Chicago Blackhawks Convention will be held from July 26–28, 2019, at the Hilton Chicago. Following that, the Traverse City rookie tournament will take place sometime in the first two weeks of August, when most of the players who were featured this week will compete together in Traverse City, Michigan.

Keep it locked into The-Rink all summer as the 2019–20 season inches closer and closer.

The post Blackhawks development camp wraps up with futures game appeared first on The Rink.

Colliton, entering his first full NHL season as the Blackhawks’ head coach, has a much different vantage point of camp this summer compared to last and Bowman has made moves that seemingly have improved the Blackhawks on paper heading into 2019–20. Wednesday, they gave their thoughts on where the current group of prospects fit into Chicago’s future.

Bowman, Colliton weigh in on development camp

Bowman entered the media room to address development camp. For the first time in a while, the Blackhawks have more than a small handful of players that have high ceilings and high potential at the next level. For Bowman, he made sure to single out at least four players continuously throughout his 20-minute scrum: Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach, Ian Mitchell and Alexander Nylander.

Big surprise, right?

For Bowman, development camp is more of an opportunity for the players participating than it is for full evaluations from the coaching staff.

“The big thing for us is to watch these kids, how much they can absorb,” Bowman said. “We’re throwing a lot of information. These are long days for them to have seminars in the morning then they come over and do on-ice work, then they do off-ice work and at the beginning of the week we have a cooking demo for them to learn how to prepare food. So, at the end of the day, it’s a full day for them. So, it’s really for them to grow their games; it’s not so much for us to watch the evaluation.”

As far as players standing out, a few comments made by Bowman on the main four players give an idea of where the organization feels the four are at currently.

“He had a good introduction last year,” Bowman said of Boqvist. “In training camp I thought he fared pretty well, got in some exhibition games. He’s taken a big step, he had a big season. … He really got his game going from November on. I think it started a little bit slow, but for him it was just adjusting to North America and becoming used to the schedule, the pace of the play, smaller ice rink, living in North America is different than Sweden. I think he just seems more comfortable when I talk to him here; he’s a happy-go-lucky guy, but he’s taken that next step.”

Puck battle drills with Alex Nylander (white) and Adam Boqvist (red) #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/n1pfAAUPKz

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

“He’s an impressive kid,” Bowman said of Mitchell. “He’s going to be the captain at Denver (University) for a reason. He’s an articulate guy; he’s very team-oriented. You got to give him credit. He feels like there’s unfinished business and I think he’s committed to the team and committed to his teammates. He wants to lead that team and he wants to be, in his words, a difference-maker every night. I thought he had a great season last year and selfishly we think he’s ready to be a pro. … I remember talking to him at the end of the (2017) camp and I said, ‘You really opened our eyes with how far ahead you are relative to some of the other guys there.’ He was the youngest guy there at the camp and he was noticeable. Then, he comes back last year and he takes (a) step forward and here we are now. He’s very noticeable in these drills: just his quickness, how alert he is. He’s got offensive skills, but he also competes defensively. I think what we’re looking for him to do is build on that and become a dominant player like he wants to be. Yeah, we would love to have him as a pro right now, but I think he’s going to be a pro pretty soon. So, let him focus on his path. He has to believe in what he’s doing and it’s not for us to try to talk him in and out of things. Wherever he is, we’re going to support him. But, he’s ready to be a pro right now.”

Denver’s Ian Mitchell #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/xiyXz9dRZW

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

“It’s hard not to notice his skill level,” Bowman said of Dach. “He’s a big guy, but he’s got really soft hands; he’s got that long reach and he’s got a quick stick. He’s pretty tricky with the puck, he’s got the ability to hold it out so that guys can’t poke it away and if they try to get it he can pull it through and he’s got quick hands. And I think that’s what you notice. He skates well for a big guy. … These are all things that we liked about him when we drafted him, but when you get him here and put him up against guys that are a couple years older, he’s able to do some special things with the puck, so he’s got all the excitement to be on the ice, he’s a competitive kid, he’s focused, but he’s enjoying himself and he’s got a combination of attributes that we wish everybody had.”

“It was a great sign that he was eager to come,” Bowman said of Nylander. “It was pretty short notice when I talked to him the day of the trade and said, ‘We’d love to have you in Chicago if you can make it work.’ I think he did have a vacation plan, but he canceled that to come here, and that shows his desire to acclimate with our group right away. … His enthusiasm to be part of the group and he wants to get better—he’s very strong, but when you meet him off the ice, he just looks more developed than all these guys. He’s a big kid—he’s almost 200 pounds—so his physical strength is there. Now, it’s just trying to put it all together.”

Slavin (white) battles with Dach (red) #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/TjY9zsx1cg

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 17, 2019

Bowman also made note of players like Mackenzie Entwistle and his willingness to embrace his role and the skills set that will create his path to the NHL.

As more of a two-way player, Bowman stated he was impressed that Entwistle at a young age (just turning 20 years old the Sunday before camp) understood what he needed to do to be his best version. Bowman also mentioned the skating abilities of 2019 second round pick Alex Vlasic and how he has kept up to pace, even as being one of the youngest and biggest players in camp.

The buzz word of both Bowman and Colliton to the media was ‘versatility’ when discussing the moves that have been made this summer. Both made the point that the roster is much different than what it looked like at the end of last season.

“We’ve really increased the depth in our group, everywhere…I think we have more versatility to our team; we have guys—we have defenders who can play either side, we have guys who want to kill penalties and defend and take that role, we have forwards who can play different positions, kill penalties, play against good players, so we feel that’s what we were missing to our team,” Colliton said, piggy-backing off Bowman’s comments on Tuesday. “I think we’ve added a little bit of physicality and an edge, which we need to have that dimension. We have to win games in different ways, and I think if you compare the roster now to the one we ended with or the one we had when I first came in November, I think we can win in different ways and we’re prepared to have an excellent season, hopefully.”

Colliton expanded on the versatility of the roster’s current outlook.

“We want to be flexible with how we can build our lineup according to who we’re playing and being able to handle certain matchups,” Colliton said. “I’d like to be a little less reliant on certain players who can only play against the other team’s top players. We’d like to use more of our group. We want to have a flow to the team where we can play at a high pace and put pressure on teams over a 60-minute period, and you need depth in your roster. … We want to have more of the group able to play against anyone, and feel like we’re going to come out on the positive end of it. And, I think, not everyone’s going to have their best game every night. So, when you have players who can play left or right or center or left defense or right defense, then we can play the guys who are going. And the lineup isn’t as static. I think we made some major headway there.”

The Chicago Blackhawks signed goaltender Robin Lehner to a one-year, $5 million contract on July 1.

Another key focus of the roster turnover from last year to this upcoming season is the addition in net of goaltender Robin Lehner. The move came as a surprise to many in the Blackhawks’ fanbase, as it would have seemed penciled in that Corey Crawford and Collin Delia would be the defacto starter and backup heading into the summer. But, with the addition of a quality netminder like Lehner, there comes the question of workload in net and who may be the true starter.

“There’s going to be competition, certainly,” Colliton said of the goaltending situation. “But, I think you look at the teams that have had success; there has been a share, some sort of split. … Those games that maybe the traditionally the backup is playing, we need to win those, too. So now, whoever is in the net, we’re going to get an extremely high level of performance. And if we happen to be unlucky with injuries, we have some protection there, too.”

With Crawford reaching an older age, on top of his recent injury history, one could make the judgement that the split Colliton is referring to may be closer to 50-50 than most would have expected coming into the 2019–20 season.

Colliton made a point to dismiss any rumors that may have circulated that he was ‘anti-Jokiharju’ when the trade to acquire Nylander was announced by the team.

Henri Jokiharju skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on Jan. 14, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Blackhawks 8–5. (Photograph courtesy of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

“I only offer my assessment of the players and, ultimately, it’s Stan that makes the call,” Colliton said. “I think there’s this idea that I’m down on Henri. Not at all. I mean he played half a season as a teenager in the NHL. Probably in a perfect world we wouldn’t have had to put him in that position, where he could have been in Rockford and able to really be playing the role that hopefully he can play down the road as being a top-pair D, trying to get to that level. … When you look at our group…we have some really good defensemen coming up. They’re a little bit smaller, a little more tilted toward the offensive side of the game. (Bowman) had an opportunity to add a guy like Nylander and felt like that was the route to go.”

The roster turnover this season in Chicago could rival some AHL-level teams with the amount of new faces joining the fold and the amount of roster spots that are seemingly available for the taking. If development camp is any indication, the players who are making their next steps closer to, or on the way into, the professional ranks in the near future are not going to be handed anything.

“We want it to be difficult to make the team,” Colliton said. “For a young player, it shouldn’t be easy. They are going to have to perform at a really high level to push someone out and that’s exactly what we want. Maybe they show that they can play at our level, but it’s still not our best roster. They can go to Rockford and continue to develop. … If we do end up with an injury or we need to shake things up, we have someone who can step in and make a difference. So that’s huge. Even among the veteran guys, we have some really good players here. There’s going to be competition for—whether it’s a roster spot or ice time or roles—I think all the great teams, they have that.”

The post Stan Bowman, Jeremy Colliton address Blackhawks camp on day three 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.

Welcome to the Chicago Blackhawks

In a crowded youth hockey locker room, Dach spoke with the Chicago media about his introduction to the team and the pressure that comes with being the third overall pick in the draft.

“It was good to get on the ice, get the goosebumps out of the way and put some faces to names,” Dach said of getting on the ice for day one of camp.

For him, there are a few familiar faces in camp with fellow WHL players Brandon Hagel, Reese Johnson, Cole Moberg and Kyle Olson.

Being the third overall pick in one of the deeper drafts in recent memory, Dach is not worried about the external pressures that come from being selected so high.

“The only pressure is going to come from myself,” Dach said. “I know how good of a player I can be and I need to work every day to strive for that excellence.”

Dach and Krys in a drill, Zakarias Skog with a sick save #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/IYFTSiax2C

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

For an 18-year-old making his first trip to a new city as arguably the premier prospect, Dach’s introduction to Chicago has been a bit humbling for him. On Sunday night, a steak dinner at Chicago Cut was the highlight for Dach, though he was able to navigate the city without much fanfare.

“We weren’t recognized too much. Not that big yet,” Dach laughed off, perhaps showing a bit of his own self-confidence knowing he is not that big in Chicago “yet.”

Added to the introduction to his new surroundings was meeting a few of the veteran players on the Blackhawks roster.

On Monday, before camp got underway, Dach met Chicago captain Jonathan Toews and was a bit star-struck.

“I got a bit tongue-twisted meeting him,” Dach said. “He’s a guy I looked up to when I was growing up, so it’s awesome to be around those kinds of guys and to learn from them.”

Before too long, Dach could see himself in the same lineup as Toews.

Kirby Dach skates with the puck#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/8QV629FzZk

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

While he may be putting pressure on himself to perform directly out of the gate for the Blackhawks, it was made known that, at least for the time being, the team has not placed heavy expectations on the St. Albert, Alberta, native to be on the NHL roster for day one of the regular season.

“We haven’t touched base about my place this year,” Dach said. “I’m just focused on having a good camp and from that aspect, taking it day by day and just enjoying camp.”

Dach, who turned 18 in January, is eligible to return to the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL this season, but is not eligible to play for the Rockford IceHogs. While he may not have much more room for development in the WHL, if the Blackhawks do not see any benefit pushing Dach to the NHL before he is ready, he will have at least one more season of junior hockey ahead of him.

For now, Dach is focused on development camp and preparing himself for the year ahead, wherever he will be. At the end of the month he will be joining Team Canada for their summer selection camp.

Worried about burning out? Dach had a chuckle.

“I’m still pretty young, I don’t burn out that quick.”

The post Kirby Dach settling into new city and organization appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks development camp: Day one takeaways

The Blackhawks enter the development camp week having made a number of roster moves, both popular and unpopular among the fanbase, to shake up the group that finished six points out of the Western Conference postseason picture. With the changes made on paper, the NHL roster seems to be filling out quickly. But, General Manager Stan Bowman has made it seem that more moves may still be ahead as the summer continues. With the possibility of roster spots opening up to potential prospects, development camp has its share of intrigue around notable players like Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach and Ian Mitchell.

The roster for camp is split into two teams, usually staying the same throughout the week. Heading into day one, here is how the Blackhawks divided up the roster into two teams:

Team A

• Kirby Dach
• Mackenzie Entwistle
• Brandon Hagel
• Mikael Hakkarainen
• Reese Johnson
• Philipp Kurashev
• Alexander Nylander
• Tim Soderlund
  • Did not skate on day one
• Jake Wise
• Nicolas Beaudin
• Adam Boqvist
• Jakub Galvas
• Chad Krys
• Ian Mitchell
• Alex Vlasic
• Dominic Basse
• Alexis Gravel
• Zackarias Skog
• Dominik Kubalik
  • Off-ice only

Team B

• Mathias From
• Dylan McLaughlin
• Kyle Olson
• Logan Ommen
• Antti Saarela
• Josiah Slavin
• Jonny Sorenson
• Michal Teply
• Josh Ess
• Roope Laavainen
• Cole Moberg
• Jake Ryczek
• Ryan Shea
• Devin Cooley
• Stefanos Lekkas
• Mareks Mitens
• Evan Barratt
  • Off-ice only
• Parker Foo
  • Off-ice only
• Niklas Nordgren
  • Off-ice only

It will be interesting to see if any changes will be made during the week or before Friday morning’s full-team scrimmage, as Team A is a bit more unbalanced as far as top-end talent goes than Team B is.

Team B began day one on the ice. With Barratt, Foo and Nordgren working out off the ice, the team’s on-ice workout was highlighted by college hockey prospects like Wisconsin’s Josh Ess, Northwestern’s Ryan Shea and Colorado College commit Josiah Slavin. The Blackhawks added to the mix Bolingbrook, Illinois, native Logan Ommen of the Janesville Jets in the NAHL.

For Barratt, working off the ice has not slowed down his confidence. Talking about his offseason, Barratt had right hip surgery about three months ago, but has already resumed skating workouts and says he will be ready for the upcoming NCAA season with Penn State. Barratt finished with 43 points last season, ranking in the top 15 of the NCAA. His 1.34 points per game pace was fourth-best in the NCAA last year.

Slavin and Ommen stood out in one-on-one drills, as did QMJHL defenseman Jake Ryczek. Saarela stood out from the group from a speed standpoint. From a physical tools standpoint, Ess and Slavin looked the parts of players who have developed their games from last year to this summer.

Ess, heading into his third year at Wisconsin, looks to be a key defensive player for a Badgers team that will bring in U.S. National Team Development Program standouts Cole Caufield, Owen Lindmark and Alex Turcotte. For Slavin, he will play for Colorado College next year after playing three years in the USHL.

Team A took the ice in the afternoon with the highlighted players of the week getting their first taste of the work ahead. Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach, Ian Mitchell, Alexander Nylander and the like got their first work in and the levels of player development at the Junior and NCAA levels were highly evident.

Kirby Dach, Adam Boqvist and Alexander Nylander meet with the media on day one of #Blackhawks development camp pic.twitter.com/hzjDD3Vl3v

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

The Team A session had a faster pace to their opening drills. Jake Wise, wearing a black practice sweater with no number, looked fast and healthy after missing most of last season at Boston University. 2019 draft picks Michal Teply, Alex Vlasic and Dach all had positive showings on day one. Vlasic and Dach’s size compared to last year’s top picks of Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin served as the physical representation of Stan Bowman’s shift in draft strategy from year to year, as the 2019 top picks stood tall over the 2018 crew.

Mackenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel, Reese Johnson, Chad Krys and Philipp Kurashev, all vying for ice time this season with the IceHogs, will be making their first full professional season debuts in Rockford this year. Much like the 2017–18 season, the young group of rookies expected in Rockford look quick early on and should pan out to provide the offensive spark that was missing from last year’s team.

Daily one-on-one: Chad Krys

Talking with Chad Krys after day one of development camp, the longest tenured prospect in camp this year talked with The-Rink about closing his NCAA career at Boston University, making the jump to the professional ranks and what he passes along to the next group of prospects coming up.

On being the “veteran” at development camp:

“Defintely feel like the veteran. A lot of new faces over the years and not a lot of familiar faces that have been here over the years, but yeah I feel a little bit older. Doesn’t feel like it’s been four years, but yeah, it’s different.”

On making the step up to the professional level:

“I thought it was important to get out there at the end of the season and play before the summer. Good to get some experience and get to meet everyone and get to know the systems and the day-to-day life. Obviously going from college to pro is a huge difference and I thought that (Rockford head) coach (Derek) King and the staff really helped me. I felt that I made a lot of strides in the nine games that I was there.”

Chad Krys defends on Reese Johnson, Brandon Hagel, and Alexander Nylander #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/JjNFu4ImIl

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

On taking his time developing through college:

“Most importantly, when you go to college you grow up, both on and off the ice. You get a lot of life experiences off the ice, away from the rink. I think it was really important for my development and I played with a lot of good players (at Boston) that are in the NHL or are going to be in the NHL pretty soon, so it was a great environment there and great place to grow as a player.”

On giving Alex Vlasic (headed to Boston University this year) advice about the college experience:

“Yeah, I’ll probably give him a few places to check out. I think the thing I try to tell all the guys is to enjoy it because once you leave, it’s over. You become a professional and it’s your livelihood. I try to tell them to enjoy it and learn as much as possible.”

On what expectations, if any, the Blackhawks have given him heading into this season:

“I think it’s expected you come into camp in shape and ready to go. Everybody is coming into camp and competing for a spot, and that’s what I’m going to do and I’m looking forward to it. You try to take as much as you can from, for example, my experience at the end of last year and what I can take from this camp here in Chicago. I’m training here and I’m working to make the (Blackhawks).”

More tomorrow on The-Rink!

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

Blackhawks development camp: Forwards

The Blackhawks made it a priority at this year’s NHL Entry Draft to get an impact forward with the third overall pick. Selecting Kirby Dach from the Saskatoon Blades, the Blackhawks finally have the marquee forward in their prospect system that they had lacked for the last handful of seasons. Dach will be the main focus in the forwards group, but players like Mackenzie Entwistle, Philipp Kurashev and newly acquired Alexander Nylander will have plenty of attention focused on them by fans and Blackhawks brass.

** Player will only participate in off-ice workouts
(camp jersey number)

• Evan Barratt (25) — Center, 2019–20 team: Penn State (NCAA) **
  • 2018–19: 16 goals, 27 assists, 43 points, +19
  • Barratt is at the top of the second tier of Blackhawks forward prospects in the system. A player who has a bit of scoring touch with an added bit of edge to his game, he took a big step forward last year in his second season with Penn State. If he can replicate his production this year, he could very well see a shot at NHL ice-time once his NCAA season ends next spring.
• Kirby Dach (77) — Center, 2019–20 team: Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) / Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
  • 2018–19: 25 goals, 48 assists, 73 points, +15
  • As mentioned before, Dach is going to be the main attraction at camp this year. The highest NHL draft pick since Patrick Kane in 2007, Dach has a lot of intrigue and potential surrounding him. Questions still remain about what his role with the Blackhawks may end up being next season. Could he play in the NHL full-time or will he slide back to the WHL? If he impresses in development camp and training camp later in September, he could work his way into an NHL role with Chicago faster than most expect.

The Chicago Blackhawks signed 2019 first round draft pick Kirby Dach to a three-year entry-level contract on Monday afternoon. (Photograph courtesy of Chicago Blackhawks)

• Mackenzie Entwistle (37) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) / Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Hamilton and Guelph (OHL): 30 goals, 27 assists, 57 points, +10
  • Entwistle made a quick move from the Coyotes to the Blackhawks this time last year after being involved in the Marian Hossa trade. He made a quick impression on the Blackhawks and showed promise throughout camp and the preseason. He became a two-time OHL champion this year, winning with the Guelph Storm. Barring a herculean effort in camp this year, he will get his first taste of professional hockey with the Rockford IceHogs. He turns 20 years old on the Sunday before camp opens.

• Parker Foo (52) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Union College (NCAA)
  • 2018–19: five goals, 10 assists, 15 points, +8
  • Foo improved from his freshman season at Union College, but still is relatively buried on the Blackhawks organization depth chart for forwards. He has good speed to his game and upper-level skill in his hands and will look to continue to build upon his first two years at the NCAA level.
• Mathias From (76) — Wing, 2019–20 team: MODO (Allsvenskan)
  • 2018–19 with AIK (Allsvenskan): eight goals, eight assists, 16 points, +6
  • From has bounced around while playing in Sweden the last few seasons. A former fifth round pick by Chicago, he has yet to play in a game on North American ice. A moderately-skilled two-way winger, the Blackhawks have until June 1, 2020 to decide if From fits into their plans moving forward.
• Brandon Hagel (29) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Red Deer (WHL): 41 goals, 61 assists, 102 points, +42
  • This will be Hagel’s first camp with the Blackhawks organization. A former sixth round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 2016, Hagel was signed by the Blackhawks in October last year after not being given a contract from Buffalo. He went on to finish tied for fourth in the league in points and eighth in the league in goals. Hagel joined the IceHogs for the final eight games of the season and will rejoin Rockford this season for his first full season at the pro level. He possesses a good amount of versatility in his game and has a top-end scoring touch.

Rockford IceHogs forward Brandon Hagel carries the puck during the 2018–19 season. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Mikael Hakkarainen (15) — Center, 2019–20 team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Muskegon (USHL): 19 goals, 28 assists, 47 points, +24
  • After three seasons in the USHL, Hakkarainen makes his first jump to the professional level this year. He has an interesting jump ahead of him, having been an older player in the USHL the last two years being 20 and 21 years old playing against teenagers. If he can find consistency in his game, as some scouts worry about his compete level, he could very well make a sizable impact for the IceHogs on the score sheet.
• Reese Johnson (78) — Center/Wing, 2019–20 team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Red Deer (WHL): 27 goals, 26 assists, 53 points, +15
  • A teammate of Hagel’s with Red Deer, Johnson captained the Rebels last year and was signed late last season. He joined the IceHogs for six games to end the season last year and tallied four assists. He will get his first full professional season under his belt this year with the IceHogs and will likely be a full-time fixture in their lineup.
• Dominik Kubalik (97) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) / Rockford IceHogs (AHL) **
  • 2018–19 with Ambri-Piotta (NLA): 25 goals, 32 assists, 57 points, +5
  • It is unfortunate that Kubalik will not be skating at development camp to make his debut with the Blackhawks organization. After acquiring Kubalik from the Los Angeles Kings, the Chicago fanbase was introduced to Kubalik at the World Championships in impressive fashion. After leading the NLA in Switzerland in points last year, there are heavy expectations that Kubalik will make the Blackhawks roster to begin the season. We will have to wait until training camp to see him for the first time.

Dominik Kubalik comes to North America this season after playing in Switzerland in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of Lucas Filipec / sport.aktualne.cz)

• Philipp Kurashev (54) — Center/wing, 2019–20 team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Quebec (QMJHL): 29 goals, 36 assists, 65 points, -8
  • A versatile forward with dynamic talent, Kurashev could very likely become the steal of the Blackhawks’ 2018 draft class. After impressive showings at the World Juniors and World Championships, he made a name for himself within the Blackhawks’ system. He joined the IceHogs for just three games to end last season, but will get his first big taste of professional hockey this year with Rockford. He may even give the Blackhawks something to consider with a strong performance this summer.
• Dylan McLaughlin (96) — Center, 2019–20 team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL) / Indy Fuel (ECHL)
  • 2018–19 with Canisius College (NCAA): 19 goals, 21 assists, 40 points, -6
  • After finishing his four-year NCAA career at Canisius College, McLaughlin made the short jump to the professional ranks with the IceHogs, where he sakted in seven games and tallied two assists. McLaughlin was a Hobey Baker Finalist in 2018 as a junior at Canisius. He will likely move between the IceHogs and Indy Fuel next season in his first full year of professional hockey.
• Niklas Nordgren (94) — Wing, 2019–20 team: HIFK (LIIGA) **
  • 2018–19: four goals, three assists, seven points, -3
  • An undersized winger from the 2018 draft class, Nordgren made a decent impression at development camp last season. A season after helping Finlad win the U18 World Junior Championships gold medal, Nordgren played in 15 games in the Finnish pro league LIIGA for HIFK, his second season playing that many games at the pro level. He will return to HIFK this season, looking to play the full year in the top tier.
• Alexander Nylander (92) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) / Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Rochester Americans (AHL): 12 goals, 19 assists, 41 points, +11
  • It was a less than warm welcome to the Chicago Blackhawks for Nylander. Chicago acquired the former eighth overall pick in exchange for Henri Jokiharju just a week prior to the opening of development camp. Suffice to say, the large majority of the Blackhawks’ fan community did not take the news well, citing the lopsided loss for the Blackhawks in the trade. But, Nylander has potential; it just remains to be seen if Chicago can pull it out of him like they did with Dylan Strome. Since being drafted in 2016, Nylander has just six points in 19 NHL games. Development camp will be his first chance to win over the organization and fan base.

Newly acquired forward Alexander Nylander played with the Rochester Americans in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of Graig Abel/Getty Images)

• Kyle Olson (61) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Tri-City Americans (WHL)
  • 2018–19 with Tri-City (WHL): 21 Goals, 49 assists, 70 points, -3
  • A 2017 fourth round draft pick by the Anaheim Ducks, Olson was second on the Tri-City Americans in points last season with 70. He will return to Tri-City this season, where he has been named as the team captain. Scouts describe him as a playmaker with an edge to his game, not afraid to get dirty from time to time. His drafts rights expired with Anaheim as of June 1.
• Antti Saarela (73) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Ilves (LIIGA)
  • 2018–19 with Lukko (LIIGA): two goals, eight assists, 10 points, +3
  • The younger brother of Aleksi Saarela, who the Blackhawks acquired this offseason, Antti was taken in the fourth round of this June’s NHL draft by Chicago. An energy winger with upper-level offensive skills, Saarela will hope to play a full season in the Finnish Pro LIIGA this year with Ilves after spending the last four seasons with Lukko.
• Josiah Slavin (23) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Colorado College (NCAA)
  • 2018–19 with Lincoln and Chicago (USHL): 24 goals, 23 assists, 47 points, -9
  • The younger brother of Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin, Josiah makes the jump to the NCAA this season, as he is set to join Colorado College. Slavin, a seventh round pick in last year’s NHL draft, finished last season in the USHL with the Chicago Steel and posted eight points in the playoffs as Chicago lost in the Clark Cup Final. In his four years in the USHL, he tallied 103 points in 168 games.
• Tim Soderlund (64) — Center/wing, 2019–20 team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Frolunda and Skelleftea (SHL): six goals, eight assists, 14 points, +/- 0
  • Soderlund made a splash in his first Blackhawks development camp appearance in 2017. A fourth round draft pick that year, Soderlund has since garnered comparisons to fellow Swede Viktor Arvidsson on the ice, but that praise has yet to translate on the scoresheet. After a stellar performance at the 2018 World Junior Championships, Soderlund split time between Frolunda and Skelleftea in the Swedish SHL last year. He will make his North American pro debut this season with the IceHogs.

Tim Soderlund comes to North America after spending 2018–19 in Sweden. (Photograph courtesy of Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

• Jonny Sorenson (98) — Wing/center, 2019–20 team: Minnesota (NCAA)
  • 2018–19 with Fairbanks (NAHL): 17 goals, 39 assists, 56 points, +13
  • After dominating in the high school ranks in Minnesota, Sorenson played last season with Fairbanks of the NAHL, where he was nearly a point-per-game player and was named the league’s rookie of the year. He will again move up in competition this season, as he is set to attend Minnesota.
• Michal Teply (53) — Wing, 2019–20 team: Winnipeg Ice (WHL)
  • 2018–19 with Bili Tygri Liberec (Czech): zero goals, two assists, two points, +1
  • Teply may end up being quite the sleeper pick for the Blackhawks from this past June’s NHL draft. Taken in the fourth round, Teply was the fourth overall selection in the CHL import draft by the Winnipeg Ice and is expected to make the jump from Europe to the WHL this season. Already measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Teply possesses size and a scoring touch that could make him a prospect to keep a close eye on.
• Jake Wise (24) — Center, 2019–20 team: Boston University (NCAA)
  • 2018–19: zero goals, two assists, two points, -7
  • It is tough to get a read on Wise heading into this year’s development camp. A third round pick in last year’s draft, Wise looked the part of a skilled two-way centerman for the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2018, but injuries derailed his 2018–19 season at Boston University, only allowing him to play in 12 games. A bounce back year is hopefully in store for him, as he had garnered expectations to eventually slot into a top-nine role for the Blackhawks in the near future.

Blackhawks development camp: Defensemen

The spotlight on the Chicago Blackhawks defensive depth chart has been pretty bright over the last few days. With the trade of Henri Jokiharju to the Sabres to acquire Alexander Nylander, the “Big Four” in the system of Jokiharju, Nicolas Beaudin, Adam Boqvist and Ian Mitchell has been reduced, and a heavy amount of expectations are now resting with the remaining three players. Still, it looks as though there is no room on the NHL roster for them just yet. But beyond those three players, the Blackhawks’ young defensive depth is pretty impressive, especially with the addition of 2019 second round pick Alex Vlasic added to the mix.

• Nicolas Beaudin (34) — Left-handed, 2019–20 team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Drummondville (QMJHL): seven goals, 49 assists, 56 points, +60
  • Often a second-thought behind Boqvist, Beaudin is not a player that you want to forget about. Taken late in the first round of the 2018 NHL draft, Beaudin is an offensively gifted defender that can facilitate offense from the blue line. While undersized, Beaudin has the ability to use his speed to his advantage at both ends of the ice. He will make the jump to the professional ranks this season with the Rockford IceHogs.
• Adam Boqvist (27) — Right-handed, 2019–20 team: Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) / Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with London (OHL): 20 goals, 40 assists, 60 points, +12
  • What more needs to be said about Boqvist that has not already been? A highly-gifted offensive defender, Boqvist is looked at as the next “it” player on defense for the Blackhawks. Again, an undersized defender who uses his feet well at both ends of the ice, his defending skills in his own end still need improvement to catch up to his offensive skillset. If he can put it all together, he may have a chance at living up to the “next Erik Karlsson” expectations many have placed on him since going eighth overall in last year’s NHL draft. He is eligible to play with the Rockford IceHogs this season, but could give Chicago a reason to consider him for NHL time if he has a breakout summer.

Adam Boqvist skates during an OHL game last season. (Photograph courtesy of Chicago Blackhawks)

• Josh Ess (17) — Left-handed, 2019–20 team: Wisconsin (NCAA)
  • 2018–19: five goals, eight assists, 13 points, +2
  • A seventh round pick in the 2017 NHL draft, Ess has improved drastically in his two seasons at Wisconsin. In his second year, Ess saw a significant increase in his ice-time and responsibilities for the Badgers. He will return for his third season this year looking to be a top-pairing option.
• Jakub Galvas (42) — Left-handed, 2019–20 team: Jukurit (LIIGA)
  • 2018–19 with HC Olomouc (Czech): four goals, 13 assists, 17 points, +4
  • A good puck-moving defenseman, Galvas finished his third full season in the Czech pro league last year with HC Olomouc. Having just turned 20 years old, Galvas already has 118 professional games under his belt in the Czech pro league and will now move on to the Finnish pro LIIGA and play next season with Jukurit.
• Chad Krys (36) — Left-handed, 2019–20 team: Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with Boston (NCAA): eight goals, 12 assists, 20 points, -10
  • The development camp veteran among this year’s group, Krys will be making his fourth appearance with the Blackhawks camp since being a second round pick in the 2016 NHL draft. A highly-touted offensive defender out of the U.S. National Team Development Program when he was drafted, Krys has spent the last three years at Boston University and has shown slight improvement year to year. While not at the pace that maybe the organization or fan base had expected, Krys joined the IceHogs late last season and ended up tallying four assists in nine games and getting heavy minutes down the stretch of the season. In his NCAA career, Krys tallied 58 points in 105 games and will be with Rockford for his first full professional season this year, looking to be a top-pairing option for the IceHogs.

Rockford IceHogs defenseman Chad Krys makes a pass at the end of the 2018–19 season. (Photograph courtesy of the Milwaukee Admirals)

• Roope Laavainen (44) — Right-handed, 2019–20 team: HPK (LIIGA)
  • 2018–19 with HPK (LIIGA): one goal, two assists, three points, +1
  • A former fourth round pick by the Blackhawks, Laavainen was one of the few defenders in the last two drafts, before 2019, to be over 6 feet tall. His mix of size and ability to move the puck effectively make him an intriguing European prospect for the organization. He bounced around the Finnish pro LIIGA last year on loans, but returns to HPK this season.
• Ian Mitchell (46) — Right-handed, 2019–20 team: Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) / Denver (NCAA)
  • 2018–19: six goals, 21 assists, 27 points, +18
  • Mitchell was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft and was a sleeper defender in the Blackhawks’ system for the past two years. He emerged as a highly skilled two-way defender in his freshman year at the University of Denver with 30 points and took another step in his sophomore year with the Pioneers and with Team Canada at the 2019 World Juniors. Mitchell held leadership roles with Denver and Team Canada last year and will captain the Pioneers this season. According to a report by Scott Powers of The Athletic, Mitchell and the Blackhawks will discuss his fit into the organization during camp and he may reconsider his return to Denver this season. If he does stay with the Pioneers, Mitchell will be the go-to defenseman this year and could then make his pro debut once the NCAA season ends.

Ian Mitchell has quickly risen to be a high-end defensive prospect in Chicago’s system. (Photograph courtesy of dobberprospects.com)

• Cole Moberg (20) — Right-handed, 2019–20 team: Prince George Cougars (WHL)
  • 2018–19: 13 goals, 27 assists, 40 points, -33
  • A seventh round pick by the Blackhawks in this June’s NHL draft, Moberg has plenty of size at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, and has even split time at forward and on the blue line with Prince George in the WHL. Last season, Moberg finished with 40 points and ranked third on the team in scoring. He will return to the WHL this season, looking to be a focal point in the Cougars’ attack as they try to improve on their fourth-to-last finish in the WHL last year.
• Jake Ryczek (43) — Right-handed, 2019–20 team: TBD (2018–19: Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL)
  • 2018–19: nine goals, 24 assists, 33 points, +33
  • Ryczek is an interesting defensive prospect. After being selected in the seventh round of the 2016 NHL draft, Ryczek played his final year in the USHL before heading to Providence College, but only played in five games before leaving the NCAA to play in the QMJHL. In two years as an over-ager for the Halifax Mooseheads, Ryczek played a middle-pairing role and was able to put up decent numbers from the blue line. His future is murky with Chicago, though, and the Blackhawks still have time to decide his place in the organizational depth.
• Ryan Shea (6) — Left-handed, 2019–20 team: Northeastern (NCAA)
  • 2018–19: three goals, 13 assists, 16 points, +23
  • One of the more consistent performers at the NCAA ranks for the Blackhawks’ system, Shea looks to return to Northeastern for his senior season after helping the Huskies win the Hockey East conference last year. Having not yet missed a game at the NCAA level, Shea looks to be a top-pairing option for Northeastern this year and will likely take on a leadership role as he did last year.

The Blackhawks added to their strong defensive prospect depth by selecting Alex Vlasic in last month’s draft. (Photograph courtesy of Rena Laverty / USA Hockey)

• Alex Vlasic (45) — Left-handed, 2019–20 team: Boston University (NCAA)
  • 2018–19 with U.S. National Team Development Program (USHL/USDP): six goals, 36 assists, 42 points, +7
  • The biggest draft pick the Blackhawks have made in quite some time in regards to physical size, Vlasic, a native of Wilmette, Illinois, and cousin of San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, stands at 6-foot-6 and comes in at 200 pounds. A physical, stay-at-home style of defenseman, Vlasic was part of the U.S. National Team Development Program the last two seasons and was consistently one of their best defenders in their own zone. He has a big slap shot and his skating is better than most players at his age and size. He will be attending Boston University this year.

Blackhawks development camp: Goalies

One position the Blackhawks have relatively not had to focus on for the last eight or nine years has been goaltender. With Corey Crawford being a solid starting goaltender for most of his NHL career, Chicago was able to let their development of goaltenders slide. But, with recent injury problems to Crawford, the future of the goaltending position is in need of attention. Chicago signed Collin Delia after an impressive development camp in 2017 and he has since become the organization’s No. 3 in line after signing Robin Lehner this summer. Behind Delia is Kevin Lankinen, who will push Delia for starting time in Rockford this year, but beyond him is a question mark. Chicago has drafted a goaltender in back-to-back drafts and they will be on display in this year’s development camp.

• Dominic Basse (82) — Catches left, 2019–20 team: TBD (Committed to Colorado College, NCAA)
  • 2018–19 with USA Selects Hockey Academy (U18): 42 games, 1.91 goals against average, .924 save percentage
  • Basse is a highly intriguing prospect. A sixth round pick by the Blackhawks in this past June’s NHL draft, Basse clocks in at 6-foot-6 and 185 pounds. His size jumps off the page, as do his number from the USA Selects Hockey Academy. He is headed to Colorado College in 2021.

The Chicago Blackhawks added to their goaltending prospect pool by selecting Dominic Basse in this year’s draft. (Photograph courtesy of Colorado College)

• Devin Cooley (80) — Catches left, 2019–20 team: Denver (NCAA)
  • 2018–19: 20 games, 1.85 goals against average, .934 save percentage
  • An unsigned camp invitee, Cooley was the backup in Denver last season and was a part of a highly successful Pioneers team. He will look to take over the starting job in Denver this season as a junior.
• Alexis Gravel (70) — Catches right, 2019–20 team: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
  • 2018–19: 49 games, 2.49 goals against average, .913 save percentage
  • The one “known commodity” at this year’s development camp in net for the Blackhawks is Alexis Gravel. A sixth round pick in last year’s NHL draft, Gravel has matured into a rock-solid starter in the QMJHL with Halifax. Helping the Mooseheads to the QMJHL Finals this spring and the Memorial Cup Final, Gravel will look to get the Mooseheads over the hump in what looks to be his final season in the QMJHL before making the jump to the professional game in the 2020–21 season.

Halifax Mooseheads goaltender Alexis Gravel stands in the net. (Photograph courtesy of the Halifax Mooseheads)

• Stefanos Lekkas (40) — Catches left, 2019–20 team: TBD (2018–19: Vermont, NCAA)
  • 2018–19: 34 Games, 2.27 goals against average, .930 save percentage
  • An Illinois native from Elburn, Lekkas is the smallest of the goaltenders in camp this summer. His numbers with Vermont as a starter are impressive and he put things together this season, posting career bests in goals against average and save percentage on his way to being named second team All-Hockey East.
• Mareks Mitens (30) — Catches left, 2019–20 team: Lake Superior State (NCAA)
  • 2018–19: 11 games, 2.31 goals against average, .919 save percentage
  • Leader in the clubhouse for best name at development camp, Mitens is another unsigned camp invitee for the Blackhawks this summer. He has spent the last two seasons as a backup at Lake Superior State and will look to take over the starting role this season.
• Zackarias Skog (92) — Catches left, 2019–20 team: TBD (2018–19: American International College, NCAA)
  • 2018–19: 35 games, 2.68 goals against average, .899 save percentage
  • The final of the four unsigned camp invitees in net, Skog helped backstop AIC to the AHA regular season and tournament championships this season and was named to the AHA All-Tournament team.

When and where?

• Fifth Third Arena
  • 1801 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL
• Monday, July 15–Friday, 19
  • 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mon.–Thurs.
  • 9:30 a.m. Friday (Full team scrimmage)

The post Chicago Blackhawks development camp roster breakdown appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “JJ” rush to the The-Rink podcast studio to discuss the big trade today, the Andrew Shaw trade, and the UFA signings on July 1st.

• Now that the Andrew Shaw trade has marinated, what do we think?  You might be surprised…or not.
• What happened with the Blackhawks and Henri Jokiharju?
• Is this trade as bad as first thought?  Can Alex Nylander help the Blackhawks?
• Following JJ’s revelation that the Blackhawks might swing big on the goalie market they did just that.
• A hearty thank you to the Rink fans and our amazing staff for a great year.
• We are only scratching the surface.  Many good things and guests to come!!!!

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.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 55 – UFA/Nylander Trade Reactions appeared first on The Rink.

When the Blackhawks went off the “script” in at the NHL draft a few weeks ago, the fan base was a bit surprised. With all the coverage and endless mock drafts it would be hard to say any of us were truly shocked, but surprised is a safe label. Most of the people who cover the team were fairly certain that it was mostly a two-horse race between Bowen Byram and Alex Turcotte, while Kirby Dach was the long-shot making a late push.

As we all saw, the Blackhawks selected Dach.

Honestly, I much preferred that they pick a forward. They have enough higher-end defensemen in the pipeline and no quality forwards. Sure, they might not have a Byram-type defenseman, but they have a pretty close version in last year’s top pick, Adam Boqvist. The bottom line is that no one they picked was a slam dunk to make the roster, and, even if they do/did, an 18-year-old kid is not moving the needle for this organization for 2019–20.

This brings me to this latest silly notion that if Dach does not play the entire season with the Blackhawks, Stan Bowman somehow failed and is due to be fired. That is complete and utter nonsense. If he blows the doors off the United Center this fall and makes the team, that would be wonderful. It is very likely, though, that Dach could land back in Saskatoon even after a potential nine-game NHL trial period…and that is alright.

In last year’s draft class, only eight first round picks played in the NHL and just five of those played more than 10 games: Rasmus Dahlin (BUF), Andrei Svechnikov (CAR), Jesperi Kotkaniemi (MTL), Brady Tkachuk (OTT) and Isac Lundestrom (ANA). Of those first four players, they all played over 70 games and had over 34 points. Lundestrom played only 15 games at the beginning of the season and had only two assists before being sent to Sweden and eventually to the AHL.

The previous year, it took eventual 2019 Calder Trophy winner Elias Pettersson (No. 5 overall) and Calder finalist Miro Heiskanen (No. 3 overall) a full year of development before making the NHL. The fourth overall pick, Cale Makar, spent the entire last season in college and made his NHL debut in the final days of the regular season.

You can see where I am going here.

Do not be surprised if Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko are the only players from this draft that play in the NHL this season. Despite all the media hoopla and comparisons surrounding Byram, he is still only an 18-year-old defenseman that might take some time to adjust. Going back to the WHL could only help him. Alex Turcotte is already committed to Wisconsin and will spend at least one season playing there before taking the ice for the Los Angeles Kings.

Even Jonathan Toews, who could possibly be the best center in franchise history, went back to college for a year when he was selected third overall. So, imagine saying Dale Tallon should have been fired because Toews did not play in the NHL in 2006, or calling for the heads of Jim Nill or Jim Benning because Heiskanen or Pettersson took an additional year to develop.

By all accounts, none of those players are busts and have bright NHL futures ahead. Racing a teenager, used to playing against other teenagers, into the NHL against men just to prove some kind of convoluted point is just irresponsible and anyone advocating that should be embarrassed.

Let the Blackhawks develop the players on the timeline best for the player. When Bowman eventually gets fired (and he will because no GM stays forever), it should be because of more than one draft pick not being forced to flip a switch and go from teenager-to-man in three months.

Feel free to comment and discuss below.

The post ANALYSIS: Blackhawks need to let Dach develop at his own pace appeared first on The Rink.

The 18-year-old native of St. Albert, Alberta, was selected by the Blackhawks in the first round (third overall) of the 2019 NHL entry draft on June 21. He played this past season with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, where he was the leagues third leading scorer with 73 points (25 goals, 48 assists) in 62 games.

Dach is expected to get a solid look this coming training camp, and has an outside shot to make the Blackhawks for this upcoming season. The contract is for the rookie maximum, $925,000 per season.

The post BREAKING: Blackhawks ink Dach to entry-level deal appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “JJ” are joined once again by The-Rink NHL draft guru Bill “Wiz” Placzek to wrap up the draft.

• We discuss the trade for Olli Maatta
• We discuss the trade for John Quenneville
• The crew reconvenes to go through the Blackhawks draft picks, some #WordsOfWizdom, and the trade for Calvin de Haan.
• Some opinions on what might happen with the goalies this next season
• Some vintage #GateRage
• We answer some listener and reader questions along the way
• We say thank you and best of luck to a Rink writer, and a potential HUGE podcast guest coming.

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.

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It doesn’t matter whether you or I think Bowman should never have matriculated to the GM’s job in 2009—that he was probably over his head at the time—or that many of his moves since have been ill-conceived headscrachers. And no, sorry, he didn’t “win 3 Cups” either; the first Cup was all on his predecessor(s), and the latter two were largely (though not completely) a result of the foundational work of the prior GMs (Kane, Toews, Keith, Hossa, etc).

But the fact is, Bowman has now been the GM of the Hawks for nearly a decade. Nearly a decade of on-the-job training that seems to be showing some meaningful results.

It’s doubtful more than 2 players in this year’s Blackhawk draft class ever makes it to the NHL, most likely only Kirby Dach and Alex Vlasic. So in that regard, it’s likely not a “draft for the ages.” At the same time, while many interwebz experts were beating the Alex Turcotte drum, proclaiming that “the game has changed” and “small and skilled” is the way of the future, Bowman went the other way—the way, here at the The Rink, we’ve been saying he needs to for several months.

He went, literally and figuratively, big. More importantly, he did it for the right reasons:

(On Kirby Dach) “The thing we liked about him, it’s obvious to see . . . his skill set, he has incredible hands. He scores the beautiful goals. He can do everything. But he can do the other things. He was great at stripping pucks, he was great at backchecking, he was great at physical plays in the playoffs when they were really targeting him. He not only took it, but he gave it back. It was impressive to see him raise his game at the time of the year when it matters most, which is playoff hockey. When you watch the NHL playoffs and you see how intense it can be. And, then you look at the way he plays and you can see that that game translates.”

And after taking Dach—after already trading for stay at home defenseman Olli Maatta—Bowman took a 6’6″ defenseman in Alex Vlasic who is also more of the stay at home, take care of the basics variety.

The thinking is clear; Bowman is acknowledging, without really saying it, his roster and especially his talent pipeline desperately needed size and physicality (without sacrificing skill). Needs driven by the harsh (and actual) reality of NHL hockey in 2019—while you can rack up points in the doldrums of February with the side show of 3-on-3 OT and the shootout, the playoffs, the games that really matter, remain real hockey. Real, hard hockey, where winning 16 games between April and June is tough, painful, and debilitating. Not for the slight of heart nor the slight of frame.

Bowman is on a bit of a winning streak of late, having offloaded “slight” Nick Schmaltz for Dylan Strome and appearing to cash in on Strome’s early career resurrection in Chicago. Picking up Drake Caggiula for Brandon Manning, and now a draft that is a big (pardon the pun) move toward revamping and re-sizing the Hawk roster to be more realistically playoff-ready.

All for now. Comment below.

The post Analysis: Bowman steps up and delivers appeared first on The Rink.

Our panel weighs in:

Jeff Osborn:

Stan Bowman went a little off the script and picked the big center from Saskatoon. Dach is big, has great hands, and very good (but not top) speed for his size. He projects as a Ryan Getzlaf type of player, which is definitely something they could use. They immediately get a rare combination of size and creativity up the middle, behind Dylan Strome and Jonathan Toews. He could very well be the number one center of the future and has a pretty good mentor to show him the ropes. The Blackhawks picked from an area of need rather than best player available

The downside of this kid is that he is not quite as talented as maybe Turcotte or Byram. I feel like Bowman bought into the mock draft hype and maybe made an emotional pick. This pick will define Stan Bowman’s legacy in Chicago. He might not be as responsible in his own end as some might like just yet. When he does make it to the NHL, it also might be on the wing rather than his natural position. He said in his interviews that he feel like he’s able to make the jump to the NHL this fall, and he has a better shot than Byram might have.

Juliana Nikac:

There’s a significant amount of upside to Kirby Dach’s game. He’s one of those rare players who skates exceptionally well for his size (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) and doesn’t look awkward while accelerating. He has fantastic edge work and mobility that allows him to maneuver anywhere on the ice and protect the puck easily. Dach’s size also provides him with the ability to be physical when he has the puck, shouldering off defenders much like Rick Nash in his prime. He’s also reliable defensively, playing heavy minutes every game and often finding himself on the penalty kill utilizing his great backcheck.

The one downside of Dach’s game is that he doesn’t use his size effectively as he could. His lack of physicality is very visible during games and teams know this and target him, taking him out of plays and battles he should win more often than not. But the good news is that he’s already improved on this area of his game.

It’s clear Dach projects to be a good NHL center, but it’s difficult to determine what his ceiling is. If he can play a similar style to Nash, I think the Blackhawks will be happy and fans should be, too. But don’t expect Dach to be an elite player, because he probably will not reach that level when he’s finished developing. He’ll be in the tier below that, though, and that’s what makes him a valuable

John Jaeckel:

Love the pick.

Stan Bowman head-faked the entire fanbase and took a center—just not the hometown player. everyone expected.  Still Hawk fans are going to love every inch of 6’4” Kirby Dach, who possesses the hands and moves of much smaller players—in a big body that may allow him to be a dominant physical force in the league, as well as a reliable scorer.

He has a dazzling array of shots, and that unique ability and quick soft hands to roof a puck in tight on a goalie. He also is an incredibly graceful, agile skater. Thinks the game at a high level and exhibits a 200-foot awareness that will support him as a center in the NHL. Think of all the big, skilled centers the Hawks face in the Central. Stan Bowman went for the move that favors the Hawks matching up to win playoff series.

He’ll likely be a center, and once he grows into his large frame, he should be a complete power centerman with elite skill.

Kudos to Stan Bowman, he filled a glaring team need and resisted the pressure to grab the smaller center with Chicago “roots.”

Ray Napientek

Upside: At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Dach has the size and skill that the Chicago organization is lacking at the forward position pipeline. Dach plays a smart game. He can use his linemates with excellent vision or beat you with his physical play in front of the net and use his reach to hold off defenders, much like Jonathan Toews can. His shot is strong and crazy accurate. For his size, Dach is a fine skater that plays well on his edges and can make players miss.

Downside: This is not a sexy pick in Chicago. Until late, Dach was not a name on many Blackhawks “experts” picks. Stan Bowman would have to keep his fingers crossed that Bowen Byram and Alex Turcotte do not turn into legends. John McDonough would also make sure to let everyone know he could have sold millions of local boy Turcotte jerseys.

Summary: Dach has the size and strength to maybe squeeze into the NHL next season. That would help Bowman but should not be expected. Bowman still needs to find forwards that will play in their own end and kill penalties.

Ron Luce

Upside: Have you ever heard about size in the NHL? How about speed? Willingness to go to the net? All of those things describe what Kirby Dach was in the WHL this past season. The 6’4” pivot had a nice season with the Blades in the WHL. He was better than a point per game and all of his goals, if you watch his highlights, were in deep slot. Dach showed he can go into the “high traffic areas” and make things happen, something that this Blackhawks team desperately needs.

Downside: Dach may be a bit of a reach at number three. He is a very nice player, and the size is incredibly appealing, but he never scored more than 25 goals in the WHL. That said, Joe Thornton was never a huge goal scorer but knew how to set everyone else up for success. If Dach can become that type of player, this is certainly a win. Outside of that, the only concerns for Dach are can he use his size effectively in the NHL? If he can, he will be a forced to be reckoned with, if he cannot, then we may see the second coming of a great bust for a number three pick.

How this affects the team’s plans: Much like any player in this draft besides Hughes and Kakko, teams have to wonder are these kids ready for the NHL this year? If Dach indeed needs another year in the WHL, which is completely possible and highly likely, then the Blackhawks still need another centre to round out the Toews, Strome, Kampf group. Without another centre, the lines will be a bit shaky. Sure, Anisimov could fill that void, but I anticipate AA being moved after July 1st.

What do you think? Join the discussion and comment below.

The post Instant Reaction Roundtable: Blackhawks select Kirby Dach appeared first on The Rink.

The players that the organization select will be listed below, with links to their prospect profiles and all their vital stats:

Round	Pos	Player	Height	Weight	Team	Notes
1 - 3	C	Kirby Dach	6'4"	198	Saskatoon (WHL)
2 - 43	D	Alex Vlasic	6'6"	198	USNDP (U-18)
3 - 74						To ARI for Kruger, Entwistle, Maletta, Campbell
4 - 105	LW	Michal Teply	6'3"	187	Benatky N.J. (CZREP-2)
4 - 123	C	Antti Saarela	6'0"	190	Lukko (Finland)	From BOS for Tommy Wingels
5 - 136						To MTL or #139 in 2018 Draft
5 - 138						To LAK for Kubalik, via ARI. Later Traded to MTL.
5 - 141						To PIT for Maatta, via TBL
6 - 167	G	Dominic Basse	6'6"	179	SELECTS U18 - SOUTH KENT SCHOOL
7 - 194	D	Cole Moberg	6'3"	198	Prince George Cougars (WHL)	From ANA for Spencer Abbott, and Sam Carrick
7 - 198						To TBL for Koekkoek

These are the trades, or other organizational moves, that affected the Blackhawks selections and draft position:

The post 2019 Blackhawks Entry Draft Ticker appeared first on The Rink.

Each day over the next week leading up to the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, held on June 21 in Vancouver, we will be taking a look at the top prospects available for the Chicago Blackhawks with the No. 3 pick.

Today’s entry in the series of prospect profiles is right wing Kirby Each

Kirby Dach
2018–19 Team: Saskatoon Blades, WHL
Date of Birth: January 21, 2001
Place of Birth: St. Albert, AB, Canada
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 198
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Wing

NHL Central Scouting final ranking: No. 3, North American Skaters

NHL comparable: Rick Nash/Jamie Benn

Three things immediately jump out from Dach’s highlight reels: size, mobility, and a startling array of shots that are a result of outstanding hands. As a skater, he is not a straight line burner, but has nice 360 degree mobility, surprisingly adept edge work and the burst to beat defenders, all of which, in one package, is somewhat unusual in a player his size. Even at 6’4″, 200 pounds, he can maneuver and quickly roof the puck in close, and fire it accurately from any angle—at full speed. Dach will likely top out at 215-220 pounds, and should he develop more of a power game in the NHL, it will only add to his potential lethality as a scorer and set-up man. All of which comes in addition to solid defensive instincts.

Projection

Many feel Dach could develop as a center in the NHL, as he has excellent setup abilities in addition to his scoring talent. Regardless he has all the native tools to be a big time point producer in the NHL, who will also be a three-zone, three situation player. It is hard to imagine an 18 year old with this kind of ability, size, and room to grow being anything less than a significantly productive top line forward on any NHL team within 3 years.

Implications for the Blackhawks

Another player you could somewhat compare Dach to is Marian Hossa, who formerly held the job of 1st line RW on three Blackhawk Stanley Cup teams. Thus, Dach could easily slide in on one of the Hawks’ top lines as a RW—and perhaps fairly soon.

This is a player, unlike last year’s first round selection, Adam Boqvist, who probably does not need a lot of maturation to be able to compete physically in the NHL. Which makes Dach an intriguing option for the Hawks at #3, or perhaps even if they traded down to 5-6. If the Hawks believe they can still compete for a Cup while Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Duncan Keith still have some tread on their tires, then using the #3 pick on the player most near being NHL ready points somewhat toward Dach.

Dach brings that rare combination of sheer size, skating and skill—with good hockey sense and commitment to defensive play—that the Hawks somewhat lack at the forward position.

The post Draft prospect profile: right wing Kirby Dach appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper”, “JJ” and staff prospect writer Eric Andrews are joined by The-Rink NHL draft guru Bill “Wiz” Placzek and hold a mock draft.

• After a short hiatus, the crew convenes to go through the first round of the upcoming draft and some #WordsOfWizdom.
• John drives the short bus for this episode.
• Eric, Gate and Wiz plead their case for the Blackhawks pick with JJ.  Does it work?
• Gate throws the whole thing off the rails with one of his picks.
• Wiz takes us through picks 11-32
• Koekkoek extended, IIHF World Championships end with some Blackhawks players winning gold.
• The-Rink is expanding with four new writers, a potential BIG podcast guest coming, and a promising new season.
• We answer some listener and reader questions along the way

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

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 53 – Mock Draft with Bill “Wiz” Placzek appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “JJ” are joined by staff writers Mario Tirabassi, Eric Andrews, Ray Napientek to talk about the end of the Blackhawks season.

• The Blackhawks moved up from 12th to third in the NHL Draft Lottery!
• What should/could the Blackhawks do in the draft?
• Is it possible they trade up or down?
• How does the change in draft order change summer free agency?
• Airing of grievances.
• 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.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 51 – Season Wrap / Draft Lottery appeared first on The Rink.

The down side of that is that all the meatball theories are being thrown on the table. On the commute in this morning, I heard a respected member of the Blackhawks media suggest that the Blackhawks trade their pick, Brandon Saad, Adam Boqvist and potentially another piece to move up one—just ONE—spot. Let me be the first to tell you, that would be immensely irresponsible and stupid.

Before you fire up your EA Sports NHL 19 video game and start constructing irrational trade scenarios, let me be the one to tell you to stop.

Just stop it!

I am as happy as all of you are and, potentially, even more happy. Last night was Christmas in April for me. Despite their faux playoff run, Blackhawks fell “bass-ackwards” into a top-three draft position. All the pieces have fallen into place. We all have to remind ourselves of some very important things, though. Tinkering too much with a brand-new, shiny toy could result in breaking it before you even get to use it. The Blackhawks, more specifically Stan Bowman, need to use this pick wisely.

I believe they will use it wisely. Bowman’s actions since Joel Quenneville was fired tell me he is on the road to improving this team for next season. My honest opinion is that Bowman has done some of his best work as a Blackhawks General Manager these last six months.

He cut bait on mistakes he made last summer instead of his normal regiment of doubling down and found a useful player in Drake Caggiula. He admitted Nick Schmaltz was not the player they had hoped he was and brought in two talented (and bigger) former first round picks in Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini. Instead of blindly buying into the playoff hype, he stood his ground and did not overpay for a low-percentage trade deadline acquisition. I have been far from a Bowman fan, but I am completely on board with these moves, or lack thereof in some cases.

Here comes the part where I make all the fans with wild imaginations and their crazy nonsense scenarios angry. These are just a few I have seen or read:

Point: The Blackhawks should trade down and select another defenseman. (?)
Counterpoint: NO! They are playing with house money, and they do not need another defenseman after spending the last two drafts stockpiling defensemen. That is silly. They needed depth scoring and a shutdown defenseman. This draft can bring the Blackhawks depth scoring, but no defenseman in this draft can step in before Toews and Kane are gone and be a shutdown defender. That kind of move will probably need to be done through a trade or free agency.

Point: The Blackhawks should trade up to take Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko.
Counterpoint: NO! Unless you can get a team to willing take your spare parts and garbage (which they will not), there is no package the Blackhawks can put together that does not set the roster back going into next season. Furthermore, the talent gap between Hughes/Kakko and third overall is not so wide that it would be worth overpaying to move up. Big market teams like the Rangers and Devils are not letting go of top-two picks for anything less than a blockbuster, franchise-changing deal.

Of the two scenarios, moving down the draft would hold the higher potential, but is unlikely. Bowman could acquire a useful player (or two) and still draft a high-end offensive player.

This brings me to my prediction. I think the Blackhawks stay at third overall and take a player like Dylan Cozens or Kirby Dach, unless something crazy happens like Hughes or Kaako dropping, ala Seth Jones.

This is a great opportunity for the Blackhawks organization. Just look at this list of recent players drafted third overall:

Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Miro Heiskanen
Pierre-Luc Dubois
Dylan Strome
Leon Draisaitl
Jonathan Drouin
Alex Galchenyuk
Jonathan Huberdeau

These are all potential high-end, difference-making players. Rejoice, Chicago, safe does not always mean bad. Take it in and celebrate.

Give us your thoughts below!

A mood.#NHLDraft #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/fRO2HdbcMY

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 10, 2019

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The post REACTION: What might the Blackhawks do with the third overall pick? appeared first on The Rink.