Chicago Blackhawks- 2014 Prospect camp opens tomorrow

Chicago, IL — This is my favorite time of the off season. Yes even more than NHL free agency. This is the time when dreams and hopes are transcended into NHL realities and destinies are forged. All that sacrifice and dedication is on the brink of paying dividends for these young men and their families.

Never has it been more imperative for the Chicago Blackhawks to have a strong amateur pipeline as it is now in the cap era and to develop young players into NHLers who one day maybe have their names engraved on a Stanley Cup. There is plenty of work to be done though first.

There are some coming in undrafted and unsigned, some currently on the Hawks’ AHL affiliated Rockford IceHogs, some still in college and some coming from overseas. Wherever their origins, they all have one common goal, that their destination will ultimately be the same-the NHL.

Returning are 2011 prospects, Phillip Danault, Mark McNeill, Adam Clendening, Garrett Ross, Alex Broadhurst, Kent Simpson & 2010 draft goalie Mac Carruth along with a prospect that needs no introduction 2012 first round pick Teuvo Teravainen.

All have made the jump to the professional level whether at the AHL level or abroad which would lead one to the logical conclusion that they are the next to make the jump to the big club if not this year than very soon but they are all young with some learning yet to do which is the point of these camps. Lets take a look at the Hawks near future.

Phillip Danault – Forward – There is no question about his leadership and work ethic it is way up the charts if not off the charts. He is also flexible in that he can play either wing or center. Danault’s defensive play and penalty kill abilities may very well be NHL ready right now where Danault needs work is in the offensive zone. This year the IceHogs coaching staff needs to put Danault in all situations to get him ready including power plays. Danault needs to learn to get to the net and shoot from any angle if passes are not available. I mean it works for someone wearing 88 and if it’s good enough for him. This year in Rockford will be crucial for Danault who could project to be either a 2nd or 3rd line center.

Mark McNeill – Forward – no question McNeill is physically ready for the NHL and projects to be a power forward that can crush you along the boards. Like Danault, McNeill can play both wing and center. Where McNeill needs work is in his on ice focus which will be important in making the Hawks as coach Quenneville is always looking for his club to skate with a purpose. When in the offensive zone McNeill just needs to open up ice for himself and teammates in the defensive zone put the body on someone and close gaps. McNeill could very well make the Hawks this year.

Adam Clendening – Defensman – Clendening is an offensive defenseman that is a great skater and puck mover and we all know how much the Hawks value those attributes. He also is very good at quarterbacking power plays. The weakness of Clendening is in the defensive zone he can sometimes get knocked off the puck which if he is to make the Hawks needs to be addressed. It will be interesting to see him battle it out with Klas Dahlbeck and Stephen Johns for a spot on the Hawks blue line and which one will get the call first.

Teuvo Teravainen – forward – It has been well documented all of Teuvo’s talents and skills of which there are many. Teuvo has a maturity beyond his years and skills wise is NHL ready the only thing holding him back is getting used to the North American hockey game and his physical stamina. Most do however expect that Teuvo will be on the Hawks roster by the end of the regular season and I’m in that camp as well. Like Danault and McNeill he can play either wing or center. I still can’t even fathom a line with him, Kane and Saad on it but if Teuvo develops the way he is projected that is a definite possible reality.

Mac Carruth – goalie – Carruth physically reminds one of Corey Crawford. He is a big athletic goalie. Carruth also has some bite to his game and is not opposed to moving out forwards. He is feisty which should endear him to the IceHog faithful. I will be keeping an eye on him to see about his positioning and angles. Carruth could be a hidden diamond in the rough.

Eyes ON

Who I’m going to keep eyes on as well in camp are first round forward picks from 2013 & 2014 Illinois native Ryan Hartman and Wisconsin native Nick Schmaltz. Stephen Johns, Vinny Hinostroza, Trevor Van Riemsdyk & Dillion Fournier.

Vinny Hinstroza like Teravainen will surely wow the crowd with his offensive playmaking skills. He is a hard worker and battles hard. Ryan Hartman came on last year in Rockford and seemed to click with Phillip Danault late in the season. Hartman has bite to his game ala Andrew Shaw.

Stephen Johns is a defensive defenseman ala Brent Seabrook, complete with the size and physical game. He like Seabrook also has a great outlet pass to his teammates and does not mind delivering big time hits to the opposition. He also has a wicked shot from the point. Since the Hawks lack size it will be interesting to see if Johns in fact makes the Hawks this year. His weakness is sometimes he gets out of defensive positioning in trying to deliver big hits so I will be focusing on this in camp.

Trevor Van Riemsdyk is an interesting case. Yes he is one of those Van Riemsdyks, brother to JVR he was picked up by the Hawks and signed. Van Riemsdyk only played in 26 games with the Univ of NH due to an ankle injury but tallied 23 points and was a +13. This kid could be a steal for the Hawks. His skating like JVR’s is very good.

How Swede it is

We wouldn’t be at a Blackhawks camp if we did not have a great skating compliment of Swedes and this year is no different. I’m keeping a look out for Dennis Rasmussen, Carl Dahlstom, Robin Norell, Fredrik Olofsson.

I mainly though will be looking at Dennis Rasmussen who the Hawks signed as a free agent from the Sweden pro team Växjö of the Swedish Hockey League. He is 24 years old and should be NHL ready. He just needs to get used to the North American style hockey game. He is a big center at 6’3” and has good skating skills.

Youth is the hope of us seeing a better humanity reflected. The Blackhawks are hoping that they have talents waiting to explode and hidden gems waiting to be polished by the right instruction. The Blackhawks are looking to these youths as their future. These prospects are looking to make their futures now.

Chicago Blackhawks’ Prospect Camp summary – the kids are more than alright

Chicago, IL — This past week the Chicago Blackhawks held their prospects camp at Johnny’s Ice House West. Chicago was given a sneak peek at the future of the organization.  Johnny’s was packed with spectators that ranged from the team’s top brass to college recruiters to family and friends of the prospects to media and fans to even an NHL superstar Patrick Kane.

What they were all hoping for was to catch a glimpse of fast paced, hard-hitting, precision passing, smooth skating and slick stick handling and they were not disappointed.  The camp may have also provided the Blackhawks with a couple of answers and maybe some missing pieces as well. It is entirely possible a number of the prospects will be on a line with Patrick Kane this fall but there is a lot of work that must be done first to make that jump to the NHL.

All eyes were on first round draft pick Teuvo Teravainen. Teravainen certainly lived up to all the hype that the scouts had given him and then some. At only 17 years of age he not only impressed, he wowed the audience. There is no question Teravainen’s skills are extraordinary and he will be a star in the NHL if he elects to play here. His skills are already NHL ready. It is his body that needs to grow and develop.

In observing Teravainen it is obvious he has studied Patrick Kane and Pavel Datsyuk because his stick handling abilities are top-notch. He has great vision and knows how to open up the ice for not only himself but for teammates as well. He skates so smooth that it appears that he is gliding across the ice effortlessly like a swan on water. Where Teravainen needs to improve is to get physically stronger so defenders cannot knock him off the puck.

Stan Bowman has to be elated that Teravainen fell to the Blackhawks because his skills do not come along every day. When speaking with the media Stan Bowman used words like impressive, one of the best of the kids and “he’s going to be a special player, for sure, so it’s exciting.” Yes it most certainly is Stan for the Blackhawks and their fans. Teravainen left the Blackhawks top brass and anyone who was in attendance at Johnny’s with very good impressions of him and yearning for more.

Teravainen played most of the week at center with different wingers and he ended the camp with the most points of 2G and 2A. Teravainen can play all of the forward positions as well. He will be returning to Finland and playing there this year with his team Jokerit and working on getting stronger and working on his defensive game as well.

If all eyes were on Teravainen in camp they were equally on Brandon Saad as well.  Coming into camp Saad was the only prospect that has played in the NHL before and it showed on the ice. Saad is physically a hockey specimen. He is solid in his skates and is not easy to knock off of the puck which makes him NHL ready. His balance and strength were evident.

Saad is intelligent with the puck and does not turn it over either. He is dependable in the defensive and neutral zones which will put the coaches at ease enough for him to see top six forward time with the Blackhawks. Saad played some center in camp and may look to battle come training camp for spot at that second line center position.

Of all the prospects, Saad exhibited the most polished two-way game. He also has excellent leadership skills and had a very good camp. His NHL experience really did show through in camp. Look for him come October to make the lineup as a starter for the club.

2011 first round draft pick Phillip Danault was also impressive during camp as well. Danault has been touted as having a first class work ethic and it was apparent at camp. He was one of the first prospects on the ice and one of the last to leave. What was also apparent was his love of the game of hockey.

Stan Bowman also stated to the media how he saw improvement in Danault and McNeill and did not think they were far away from making the Hawks. If he can impress come training camp who knows what can happen.

Danault never gives up on a play and has great finish to his game. He is determined to get after the puck on his fore checks and is solid defensively. He is a smooth skater and looks very comfortable in his skates. His turning abilities are very good. Physically he is strong enough to play in the NHL.  Like Saad, look for Danault to compete at training camp come September.

Mark McNeill who normally plays center was playing wing for most of the camp. Whether he was playing center or wing it was pretty plain to see he is physically ready for the NHL. He is strong on his skates and not only can take a hit but can deliver a good bone cruncher as well.

He has excellent fore checking skills and will be a handful for anyone trying to defend him. He could open up ice for teammates with his physical style of play as well. Like Danault and Saad, McNeill can play either at the wing or center which should give him more opportunities to make the big club.  He is also not afraid to go to the front of the net and hang in there.

McNeill has excellent stamina as well. He was on the ice for what seemed like every shift and did not appear winded in the least. Maybe it was secretly Duncan Keith in his uniform.  McNeill is physically ready and has good vision on the ice. He has stated he wants to make a push this year to make the Blackhawks club so look for him as well to be battling it out.

The other prospects that stood out were Chris Calnan who exhibited some of that Jeremy Roenick flare for getting the puck to the net. Chris like his famous uncle, has great presence with the camera and the media and on ice as he was mic’d up for one of the scrimmages. Yes Chris will be a beauty on the UC ice.

Local boy Vincent Hinostraza dazzled the crowd with his finesse game. He may be small but his stick handling skills were large as he cut through defenses like a knife through butter. Don’t be surprised if this kid down the line makes great marks with the team.

Garrett Ross exhibited that hard-nosed, scrappy attitude that every hockey club needs. Ross excited the Johnny’s Ice crowd when he went “buckets off” with a fellow prospect. He got into a scrap but came out none the worst for wear. Ross could be the next Andrew Shaw.

Also Matthew Lorito exhibited those same hard-nosed scrapper tendencies. It was also on display his fearlessness in front of the net.

On the defensive side of the puck, Adam Clendening  impressed Stan Bowman with his offensive game and slick passing abilities which we know the Hawks love. He has a rocket shot from the point and could according to Bowman be called up this year. Viktor Svedberg was hard to miss on the ice with his 6’ 9” frame. Surprisingly he skated and moved very well for a big man. His stick work was also very good due to his reach.

Klas Dahlbeck the 6’3” Swedish defenseman also impressed with his smooth skating style and nifty puck passing abilities exhibited great skills as well.

It was a very good camp and a very good week indeed for the Blackhawks. In the midst of uncertainty surrounding the NHL and the CBA Chicago and Blackhawk fans take heart, a NHL work stoppage could present an opportunity to check out these prospects in action in Rockford playing for the IceHogs. It will be worth checking out the IceHogs this year just to keep an eye on these kids.

Know also that when the NHL does resume which it will, the future for the Hawks is very bright indeed. If and when any of these prospects wear the Indianhead jersey the Blackhawks will have along with their current stars, so much on ice flash that fans may have to wear sunglasses to the UC to not be blinded by all the brilliant light shining from the ice.

All photos on this page were either taken by J. Ford or Sportshash.

Chicago Blackhawks – Going Camping

Chicago, IL — With the Blackhawks prospect camp running this week, the Hawks are hoping that they may hit the jackpot with some of these young hockey players. Free Agency may not have played out the way they exactly wanted til this point but there is still plenty to be optimistic about the future and these kids are why.

There are so many potential stars in this years’ camp it is almost hard to know who and what to look for. The Hawks are rich at the forward positions and the rich got richer in the past two years drafts. Landing Saad & Teravainen in the slots the Hawks had is a coo. All of their picks will be in attendance so go check out the future of the Hawks. There are several prospects that I will be watching.

From the 2011 draft I will be looking at Brandon Saad and what I’ll be looking at is now that he has played with the big club and had a monster year in juniors alot will be expected from him. The Hawks were very fortunate indeed that Saad was even left at the 43^rd pick in round two. He was projected to go in the first round at the 23^rd spot. The stars aligned very well for the Hawks.

I’m expecting he should stand out amongst the rest of the prospects who have not had NHL experience. I look for Saad this year to make the starting line-up of the Hawks as a top six forward. Whether Saad is flanking Toews on the left-wing or playing opposite Marian Hossa, he should contribute solid two-way play this year for the Hawks. Look for #43.

Mark McNeill who was the Blackhawks first overall pick last year at 18 is very intriguing. Could Mark be the 2^nd line center that the Hawks have been looking for? He could just be. Mark will have a lot of work to do to impress and make the coach’s feel comfortable to put him is such a key role. To crack a top six spot on the Hawks will be hard but not impossible.  I will be watching #11 and see how he does in camp.

He is a big physical player that should be ready for the NHL. I will focus on his defensive play and faceoff skills. He will also have to battle Marcus Krueger as well once the Hawks open their training camp with the veterans. Krueger is solid defensively so this should be interesting. It is also possible one of them makes 2^nd line and the other 4^th line center. If McNeill can do solid work in the dot who knows he may make the team. McNeill is definitely one to keep your eyes on.

Phillip Danault is another first round pick from the 2011 draft that is probably a dark horse to make the team this year. He may just surprise everyone and pull an Andrew Shaw and exceed everyone’s expectations. His work ethic is top shelf and character too so anything is possible. Danault also loves to play in front of the net and could provide the Hawks with that net front presence that the need. Coaches always love dedication and hard work so Danault could be right in the mix so keep your eyes on #4.

From this years’ draft all eyes will be on first rounder Teuvo Teravainen who will be donning the #29 jersey. Anyone who cites Pavel Datsyuk and Patrick Kane as their role models is someone you’re going to want to watch. Because of the run on defensemen the Hawks became benefactors in getting such a skilled forward. I’m interested in seeing his puck handling skills which according to scouts is already NHL ready. Look for this kid to dazzle in camp. He has played professionally in Europe on the Finnish Elite team Jokerit so his skills should be NHL ready it just a question of his size.

Teuvo will probably not make the Hawks this year due to his size and needing to still physically develop but that doesn’t mean he will not thrill the locals at camp.

At the forward position also look for Kevin Hayes (Jimmy Hayes brother) who was drafted in 2010 to also make a push at center. Chris Calnan who is the nephew of Jeremy Roenick, and plays a power forward style is a very good forechecker which the Hawks are in need of. Calnan will either play in college or juniors this year but look for him down the road.

On the defensive side of the puck, the Hawks have fewer prospects but there are some to keep an eye on.

Klas Dahlbeck is a big Swedish defenseman who is playing in the SEL he will be sporting the #64. He is a good skater and adept at breakout passing which the Hawks love their defensemen to do.  I doubt Klas will break the Hawks lineup yet what I will be looking for with him is his stick work when defending and his gap control.  Not known to be physical despite his size but is considered a defensive defensemen. I would love to see how he defends against McNeill and Saad if he can stop them he might just be NHL ready.

Adam Clendening is the opposite of Dahlbeck in that he would be considered an offensive defenseman. I will be looking for his shot from the point which scouts have highly touted. This could be a weapon the Hawks could use on the power play. He has excellent puck moving and skating abilities and finesse for a big blueliner. Another Boston U recruit the coaches will be taking a long look at Clendening. Look for #8.

Look for and you probably won’t miss Victor Svedberg at 6”9” which is Chara like sizing so he will stand out on the ice. Dillion Fournier will not be participating due to injury.

The Goalies in camp will probably not make the Hawks team but they will be interesting to watch as well. They all have good size at 6’2” or higher. Mac Carruth, Kent Simpson, Matt Tompkins and Johan Mattson and the big boy at 6’5” Brandon Whitney should be interesting.

There is a lot of promise in the Hawks prospect system and while not all of these prospects will make the NHL some of them will and will provide some excitement at the United Center for years to come.

Chicago Blackhawks – Part IV playing GM with the forward positions and taking center stage

Chicago, IL — In this part of the series I’m continuing to look at the center position of the Blackhawks. While I don’t think it is the primary need of this team it is a very important position and could be a key to the Hawks advancing further in the playoffs than the round one exits they had the past two seasons.

In this part I will look at the RFA’s this year and the Blackhawks up and comers from the junior prospects and those from the AHL and what the likely possibility is of them making the team. I will give you my scouting reports on the prospects and how they could fit in on the Blackhawks.

Let me start with the easiest part first – the RFA’s. Let me tell you this is very slim pickings for Centers. The biggest name in this category is Matt Duchene who is really a winger first and probably should be used there. His defensive zone skills are not really what they should be for a center. If you were going to go this route you’d probably be better off with Kane at center.

There is an intriguing name on this list who is an Avalanche that being Ryan O’Reilly. Let me stop this right here Colorado has tons of cap space and will not be letting O’Reilly leave the Rocky Mountain state so no use getting excited over this one because it is not going to happen.

The other interesting name is Sam Gagner who the Blackhawks should be very familiar with. It seems like half of his goals were scored against them, not really I’m being sarcastic but it sure at the time seemed that way. Gagner does have familiarity with Patrick Kane since both played for the London Knights in the OHL before their NHL lives began. While I’m sure the chemistry with Kane could be electric I’m not sure that Gagner has shown consistency. Let us not forget while his numbers this year are impressive they were mostly accumulated in a 15 game spurt. Given his youth and consistency I’m not sure he would be the best solution for the Hawks. The Oilers have more cap space than the Blackhawks so I see this as going nowhere.

Not to worry the Hawks have plenty of prospects of their own who could possibly make the team especially at a weak center ice position. So who are these fresh faces that could be donning the Indianhead jersey next fall?

Let’s take a look first at the centers that the Blackhawks have signed contracts with and who I think will have the best shot at making the roster probably as the 4^th line center. Brandon, Pirri, Mark McNeill, Philip Danault, David Gilbert & recently signed Rob Flick I will focus on.

Brandon Pirri – Now Hawks fans should be somewhat familiar with this player. Pirri was brought in last year to compete in the pre-season but was beat out of the lineup by Marcus Kruger. Pirri was also part of the black aces. Pirri in all likelihood will be brought into the 2012 training camp to compete again for the center ice position. Pirri was drafted in the 2^nd rd in 2009. The scouting report I have on him is that he is a very good offensive center. In fact he led the Rockford Icehogs this past year with 56 points 23G/33A +9. He is a skilled playmaker and good skater. The negatives on Pirri are he is small and the defensive part of his game still need work which could explain why Kruger was chosen over Pirri last year. If Pirri wants to stay he needs to impress coach Q on the defensive side of the puck. He also needs to work on his face – off prowess. Still he has a good shot at competing this summer to make the Hawks and I would consider him the front runner to make the team. He is currently on a two-way contract and will be a 870K cap hit if he makes the team. The time could not be better for Pirri to impress with the Hawks needing help up the middle.

Mark McNeill – For most of the year McNeill played in the CHL with the Prince Albert Raiders. He had 71 points last year (31G/40A) -10 before being assigned to Rockford. The reports I have seen say he is the most physically ready for the NHL. He will also not be pushed around or back down from a fight which should endear him with coach Q. He is a well-rounded player that has the size to compete along the boards and high traffic areas as well. Hmm could he be the net front presence the Hawks need? Maybe. The negatives are his overall consistency which accompanies all youth and focus. McNeill is currently under a two-way contract and would cost the Hawks 1.1 in cap hit if he were to make the team. He was drafted 1^st rd in 2011 and has an excellent chance to make the team at some point. If he works hard he could one day be the power forward second line center the Hawks so desperately are searching for. There is no question he will be brought in again this year at camp to compete; the rest is up to Mark. The Hawks will take a good long look at him since he was drafted in rd 1.  Look for him to battle it out with Pirri and Kruger. It has also been rumored that several NHL teams have expressed interest in him so he could also be used as trade fodder if the Hawks feel he will not be making their squad any time in the future.

Phillip Danault – Another first round draft pick, Danault also plays LW which gives him great flexibility. He played the majority of last year with the Victoriaville Tigres where he amassed 71 points (18G/53A) +11. My scouting reports of Danault are he is a very hard worker both on and off the ice. He has the utmost character. He is captain material so I’ve heard with his leadership skills and work ethic and in fact captained the Tigres in the last two seasons. Danault is a good two-way player already which the Hawks could use. He is also very good at the face off circle which again killed the Blackhawks last year. He was chosen in the 1^st round in 2011 and is currently signed to a two-way contract and would cost the Hawks 994K to the cap hit. He sounds like a Jonathan Toews in the making which I’m sure the Hawks would be thrilled if he achieved half the success of Toews. Look for Danault to be brought in to compete against Pirri, McNeill & Kruger at camp. While I think McNeill and Pirri maybe ahead of Danault I never discount hard work and character. This kid could surprise people.

David Gilbert – Is a long shot he was drafted in the 7^th round in 2009. He split last year’s time between the AHL Rockford IceHogs and the ECHL Toledo Walleye. He is said to have Kane like abilities with the puck and can handle it like it has Velcro to his stick. He is said to have great on ice vision and play making skills as well. The negative is he is small and could still be growing. Also there are questions regarding his work ethic. He is currently signed with the IceHogs and will probably see another year with them but this kid could make noise at some point down the road.

Rob Flick – Who just recently penned a three-year deal with the Hawks for 582K a year if he makes the big club. Flick spent most of last year like Gilbert split between the IceHogs and the Walleye. He was drafted in the 4^th round in 2010. My scouting report on him is that he is a big physical center with very good puck skills. Flick probably needs more time in the AHL to develop but like Gilbert could be a force down the road with the Hawks.

The Hawks have a number of other prospects in the system like David Toews, Kevin Hayes, Byron Froese, Joakim Nordstrom of the Swedish Elite League.  Yes David is Jonathan’s kid brother and he is recovering from an injury so don’t look for him to share the lineup with his big bro anytime in 2012. Kevin Hayes is Jimmy Hayes little bro too. Kevin does not have the size of Jimmy but is still big look for him to gain more valuable experience in Rockford in 2012. Also Chris DiDeminco’s contract is coming up so the Hawks will have to either re-sign him or let him go. Remember DiDeminico was part of the deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs that sent Versteeg there and brought Stalberg to Chicago.

Of all of these prospects I look for Pirri or McNeill to crack the Blackhawks line up in 2012. I believe these two have the best chances out of all of the Hawks prospects right now. Danault I give another year but he is such a hard worker he may pull a Andrew Shaw and surprise us. McNeill and Danault are both still eligible for juniors in 2012 so the Hawks may give them both another year of development unless they really shine in camp. They will all be battling it out and if solid defensively and good skills at the face – off dot one of these kids could make the starting rotation but for right now it looks like the battle will be between Kruger and Pirri. Whether there is a spot for each of them is the question. There maybe if free agents prove to expensive and reasonable trades do not develop.

The Blackhawks will have around the 19^th pick in round one of the 2012 NHL entry draft and could possibly take a center although I view this as unlikely. I see the Hawks taking either a goalie or d-man in the first round. Even if they were to take a center here they would not be in a position to help the Hawks this year.

In the next installment I will take a look at the wingers the Hawks could look at if they were to go with the Patrick Kane at 2^nd line center plan and who would work out best there for the Hawks. My final summary of who would be best for the Blackhawks at the Center ice position and the rumors regarding a Dave Bolland trade. Is it a good idea to trade Bolland and how likely it is that it will happen. Hope you have enjoyed the reading and Happy Puck Drops!

all cap information was taken from www.capgeek.com

all prospect information was taken from Chicago Blackhawks website – www.chicagoblackhawks.com or Hockey’s future website www.hockeysfuture.com