The fans were treated to a scrimmage with the first full-ice five-on-five action of the week, a full period of four-on-four play, three-on-three overtime, and eventually a shootout. The scrimmage ended with the red team taking the win on shootout goals by Mackenzie Entwistle and free agent Princeton forward Ryan Kuffner (pictured above).

Don’t forget to listen to Thursday night’s Rinkcast to hear us talk more about what we saw.

Photo by Jeff Osborn/The-Rink

Below are some observations Eric Andrews and I made during today’s sessions:

• Alexandre Fortin wrapped up his week as the clear cut best forward on the ice, exuding confidence and polish throughout the session.
• As mentioned above, Ryan Kuffner had himself a nice scrimmage, scoring in the second period and then icing the win with one of the only two shootout goals.
• Tim Soderlund was not nearly as noticeable as he was last summer, but he flies with the puck and is fearless.  That said, the coaching staff had him playing right wing instead of center.  He looked to have really nice chemistry with Mathias From, who also had a very solid camp.
• Freddy Olofsson, Liam Coughlin and free agent Connor Moynihan had the best chances in the first period and it is no surprise that they were also three of the bigger players on the ice.
• Speaking of bigger players, Josiah Slavin certainly didn’t look like a late round draft pick this week.  He seemed to be everywhere.
• We saw a lot of Adam Boqvist, but he was much more interested in the offensive side of the rink than his own.  During a couple of plays, he insisted on making one too many fancy moves and turned the puck over both in his own zone and at the far blue line..  To anyone with delusions of this kid playing for the Blackhawks at 17/18 years old, just reel your hopes back in right now.  He did have a really nice assist on Olofsson’s goal in the second period.
• Henri Jokiharju spent a good deal of time on the ice and continued to get a nice push, especially on the power play.  The coaching staff was clearly comfortable with having him on the ice in all situations.
• Similarly, Chad Krys was out on the ice in the same situations.  His anticipation was very noticeable.
• Beau Starrett was one of the few centers to stand out.  His big frame and long strides allowed him to blow around defencemen on a couple of occasions.
• Niklas Nordgren did not skate because of a lower body injury, Jacob Nilsson took an early flight back to Sweden, and Blake Hillman just sat out.
• Jack Ramsey made his return to the ice and was awarded the camp trophy for his team’s win.
• Free agent Kyle Maksimovich had a goal and was around the puck all day.
• As far as the goalies go, Alexis Gravel and Mathew Robeson held the teams scoreless in the first period.  Wouter Peeters had much more favorable results in his period of play than he was the previous four days, but was still unimpressive overall.  Free agent from St. Francis Xavier University and USports Goaltender of the Year Chase Marchand (cousin of Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand) played the third period, the overtime and the shootout without allowing a single goal.

Check out over 120 photos from the week at the Rink’s Official Facebook page:

The post Blackhawks Prospect Camp: Day 5 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-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff “Gatekeeper” Osborn and John Jaeckel are joined by Rink prospect expert Eric Andrews to wrap up Blackhawks Prospect and Development Camp.

• The Blackhawks trade Marian Hossa’s contract, Vinnie Hinostroza and Jordan Oesterle for some prospects and the corpse of Marcus Kruger.
• What about Tobias Enström?
• Stan Bowman has another virtually useless press conference regarding trades and Corey Crawford full of more fluff, empty words and lisp service
• Lots of prospect talk but did any really stand out?
• RIP, Ray Emery
• We wrap up the episode with some great listener/reader questions.

thanks to @Wm_J_Lepetomane on Twitter for this fine creation

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

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The post The Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 27 (Prospect Camp) 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.

All to be taken with a grain of salt, of course.

As the years have gone on the chance of that next Alexandre Fortin or Collin Delia type player getting signed out of camp is rare, since the Blackhawks have gone to a more prospect intensive format rather than inviting and showcasing a large number of free agents.

Camp is split up into two groups, and the players are put though various on ice drills which eventually leads to the yearly Friday scrimmage.

There were a few observations Eric Andrews and I noticed after the first day:

• Adam Boqvist and Henri Jokiharju are clearly the belles of the ball and rightfully so. They are the most talented defensemen on the entire camp. That said, they are still young and not without flaws. The future is bright for these two kids.
• After Boqvist and Jokiharju, defenseman Ian Mitchell continues to impress. He could turn out to be the absolute steal of the 2017 draft.
• Following a down season last year in Rockford, Alexandre Fortin seems to have regained his wheels. That can only be good for the Icehogs.
• Niklas Nordgren looks smaller on the ice than I had anticipated (big surprise, right?) and got pushed around quite a bit in the contact drills.
• The newest Blackhawks prospect, MacKenzie Entwistle, is a big lumbering kid. I am interested to see if he can be a power forward at the pro level.
• Defenseman Roope Laavainen has some decent size but his foot speed is still in need of help.
• Clearly, Dennis Gilbert and Blake Hillman are trying to use their size to catch the eye of the Blackhawks staff.
• Mathias From has that Phillip Danault look and feel to him. He is listed at 6’1″ but looks taller this year. We could seem him jump to that next level as a legit prospect this year.
• As far as goalies go, Wouter Peeters is an absolute enigma. I still have not seen anything that makes him stand out as a prospect. This summer both Alexis Gravel and free agent invitee Linden Marshall are more noticeable, while Collin Delia out shined him the last two summers. Marshall is my under the radar goalie prospect, so far, this year. Remember that name, because he is likely going to show up somewhere, someday.
• Regarding the few free agents in camp, Kyle Maksimovich is a smaller forward with an edge but the Blackhawks have a bunch of those. Connor Moynihan, on the other hand, has some nice size that could come in useful. It seem strange saying that 209 lbs looks small but he could fill out his frame with another 15-20 lbs.

Check out some photos from day 1, right here:

The post Blackhawks Prospect Camp: Day 1 appeared first on The Rink.