Parts of the series

Introduction

Tiers one and two

Tier three

Tier four

Tier five

Tier six

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

Tier one

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

Tier two

Ian Mitchell (1.833)
Nicolas Beaudin (2.333)

Tier three

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

Tier four

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

Tier five

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

Tier six

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evan Barratt (3.5)

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

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

MacKenzie Entwistle (3.667)

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

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

Aleksi Saarela (3.833)

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

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

Josiah Slavin (3.833)

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

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

Dennis Gilbert (4)

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

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

Matthew Highmore (4)

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

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

Kevin Lankinen (4)

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

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

Niklas Nordgren (4)

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

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

John Quenneville (4)

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

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

Michal Teply (4)

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

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

Lucas Carlsson (4.167)

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

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

Tim Soderlund (4.167)

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

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

Alexandre Fortin (4.333)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out photos from the week here:

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

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

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

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

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

Check out photos from the week here:

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

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

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

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

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

Check out photos from Days 1 & 2 here:

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

Next is the Blackhawks’ second third round choice, right wing Niklas Nordgren.

Niklas Nordgren
2017–18 Team: HIFK Jr. (Finland)
Date of Birth: May 4, 2000
Place of Birth: Helsinki, Finland
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 169 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: RW

NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 21 (European Skaters)
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: 19 (European Skaters)

NHL Comparable: Alex DeBrincat

Niklas Nordgren is a high-end offensive right wing from Finland playing for the HIFK Junior team. Nordgren dominated at the junior level and impressed in limited Champions Hockey League action with the main HIFK squad, marking four goals and two assists in two games. Nordgren was also excellent for Finland in the U-18 World Junior Championship, tallying eight goals and two assists in 10 tournament games en route to a gold medal.

Nordgren boasts a top-notch shot with a fantastic release. He has the ability to change the appearance of his release, which throws off goaltenders. While his wrist shot is definitely his main weapon, his snapshot, slap shot, one-timer and backhand are all good as well. He is a threat to score with all of them.

While having a high-end shot, Nordgren is a good playmaker as well. He has good hands and vision, which allow him to be a very good passer. Nordgren is able to locate his teammates and get the puck to them. He has surgeon-like ability to thread slick passes through tight gaps. Nordgren’s patience with the puck allows him to create space as plays develop, which he can either turn into a scoring chance for himself or distribute the puck to his teammates.

Nordgren is a very reliable player defensively. He regularly kills penalties because of his hockey sense and ability to break up passing lanes with his stick. He supports his defenders well and does not mind coming deep into his zone to do so. He takes pride in playing sound defense and clearly works hard defensively, as he is a good backchecker.

The big knock on Nordgren is his skating. He does not have top-end speed and lacks good acceleration. Improving his skating is paramount for him to become an NHL player.

Implications for the Blackhawks
Nordgren seems to be a high-risk, high-reward type of player. He has loads of offensive skill, enough to potentially contribute in the Hawks’ top six. But, if he cannot drastically improve his skating, he will not get to that level. He has a similar high-end offensive game as Alex DeBrincat, but does not skate as well as DeBrincat. Nordgren could prove to be a fantastic pickup for the Blackhawks if he can get his skating up to par.

Timeline
Nordgren will definitely need at least a couple of years before having a shot at coming to the NHL. He needs to add muscle, as he has a very small frame at just 5’9” and 169 pounds. But again, the skating ability is the big issue. Playing in the top Finnish league should help get him to a workable level.

Projection
Nordgren oozes the offensive ability needed to be a top-six winger in the NHL, but his skating very well could keep him from getting there. He is very much a boom-or-bust type of pick, as he will either pay big dividends or will not contribute at the NHL level at all. Time will tell.

What others are saying
“Nordgren has a ton of offensive skill. He has an excellent wrist shot, with a very quick release. It is both powerful and accurate. He can fool goaltenders by varying that release. Nordgren also has a good snapshot and strong one-timer. He can even score with his backhand. Nordgren has good hockey sense. He finds soft spots in the defence, getting himself open for scoring opportunities. Despite his size, Nordgren is willing to go to the net. When he gets there, he is able to get deflections and can score on rebounds.”
— Ben Kerr/Last Word on Hockey

“Niklas Nordgren had a great start to his professional career when he scored three goals on his professional debut in a Champions Hockey League game. He hasn’t had the same kind of success in Liiga but his offensive production in the Finnish junior league has been amazing. Nordgren is a very talented offensive winger who works hard and understands his defensive responsibilities so that he’s not a liability defensively. He seems to be more of a playmaker than a goal-scorer but also has an excellent wrist shot.”
— Jokke Nevalainen/Dobber Prospects

The post Draft Pick Profile: Niklas Nordgren appeared first on The Rink.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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