Blackhawks: End of January Prospect Updates
With the All-Star Game in the rear view mirror, a few realities set in for NHL fans. The NHL club is now in the home stretch, heading for the playoffs. With all eyes set on a postseason berth, the more immediate focus is the trade deadline, which is Feb. 28 this year.
As names are tossed around in rumors, it’s a good time with no NHL games on the calendar to update the performances of the Blackhawks impressive group of prospects. Alex DeBrincat continues to lead the way, having a record breaking season with Erie. But he’s far from the only Hawks prospects having a productive 2016-17 season.
Let’s begin with the prospects not playing college hockey this season.
- FORWARDS
Alex DeBrincat – Erie Otters (OHL)
42 games, 38 goals, 43 assists, 81 points
Alexandre Fortin – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
35 games, 14 goals, 24 assists, 38 points
Radovan Bondra – Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Vancouver Giants (WHL): 32 games, 19 goals, 12 assists, 31 points
Prince George Cougars (WHL): 11 games, 6 goals, 6 assists, 12 points
Slovakia (WJC): 5 games, 0 points
Bondra was traded to Prince George on Jan. 10
Maxim Shalunov – Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL)
43 games, 19 goals, 15 assists, 34 points
John Dahlström – Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL): 46 games, 22 goals, 25 assists, 47 points
Sweden (WJC): 8 games, 2 goals, 0 assists, 2 points
Nathan Noel – Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
34 games, 16 goals, 16 assists, 32 points
Graham Knott – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Niagara IceDogs (OHL): 14 games, 4 goals, 13 assists, 17 points
Windsor Spitfires (OHL): 25 games, 6 goals, 11 assists, 17 points
Roy Radke – Barrie Colts (OHL)
24 games, 9 goals, 10 assists, 19 points
Radke missed 20 games because of an ankle injury.
Mathias From – Rögle BK (SHL)
Rögle BK (SHL): 26 games, 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points
Denmark (WJC): 3 games, 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points
Artur Kayumov – Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL): 4 games, 0 points
Loko Yaroslavl (MHL): 33 games, 8 goals, 11 assists, 19 points
- DEFENSEMEN
Lucas Carlsson – Brynäs IF (SHL)
Brynäs IF (SHL): 27 games, 1 goals, 4 assist, 5 points
Sweden (WJC): 7 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points
Andreas Söderberg – IK Pantern (Allsvenskan)
41 games, 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points
Joni Tuulola – HPK (Liiga)
38 games, 2 goal, 6 assist, 8 points
Jake Ryczek – Waterloo (USHL)
31 games, 5 goals, 13 assists, 18 points
Robin Press – Indy Fuel (ECHL)
Indy Fuel (ECHL) – 22 games, 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 point
Djurgårdens IF (SHL) – 11 games, 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point
Press left the SHL at the end of November
Here are updates on the Hawks’ NCAA prospects:
- FORWARDS
John Hayden – Yale*
21 games, 16 goals, 9 assists, 25 points
* – Hayden is the captain at Yale this season
Dylan Sikura – Northeastern
25 games, 16 goals, 25 assists, 41 points
Anthony Louis – Miami (OH)**
26 games, 13 goals, 18 assist, 31 points
** – Louis is an alternate captain at Miami this season
Matt Iacopelli – Western Michigan
24 games, 15 goals, 7 assists, 22 points
Chris Calnan – Boston College*
27 games, 5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points
* – Calnan is the captain at Boston College this season
Fredrik Olofsson – Omaha
23 games, 7 goals, 9 assists, 16 points
Beau Starrett – Cornell
20 games, 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points
Jack Ramsey – Minnesota
22 game, 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points
- DEFENSEMEN
Luc Snuggerud – Omaha
28 games, 8 goals, 16 assists, 24 points
Dennis Gilbert – Notre Dame
26 games, 0 goals, 11 assists, 11 points
Ryan Shea – Northeastern
25 games, 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 points
Chad Krys – Boston University
26 games, 3 goal, 4 assists, 7 points
Blake Hillman – Denver
27 games, 0 goals, 5 assists, 5 points
Hayden still my favorite prosect
Hopefully Hayden has improved his skating/quickness or I’m afraid he may not make it at the NHL level. Same goes for Bondra.
Fortin is still my favorite. He’s an NHL caliber skater and is one of those guys who instinctually finds the soft spot in the zone from which to take shots. He reminds me of Mike Hoffman on Ottawa.
With the sub-par performance of the highly paid Vets, the prospects can’t come soon enough!! The 3-on-3 at the all star game accentuated what has been a terminal problem all year- DEFENSIVE play!! How many odd-man rushes given up?? Geez
Uh, Glenhall, what did you expect from a 3 on 3?
ER- Fortin is a Plus skater w/ IQ+… effective forechecker ( Like a Frolik)… but Hoffman???
Hayden- lays the body, + IQ, and his reach/length will make up for some skating issues, and can win board battles!!!
Bondra- I actually think his straight line speed is decent… his agility or Hustle might be questioned… and I just haven’t seen a lot of IQ there. Kinda like a Jimmy Hayes.
Anybody watching rockford games i was wondering if martin lundberg looks like somebody who could be 4th line player next year or not. Decent plus/minus i noticed.
DeBrincat is a scoring machine. If he was 6′ and 200 pounds NHL general managers everywhere would be trying to get him from the Hawks at the deadline. Time will tell if he makes it due to his small stature. I am betting on him. I really like Fortin’s offensive skill set also. We may have three top six talents in DeBrincat, Fortin and Schmaltz.
Feed the Farm with quality grains.
Martin Lundberg is a free agent this summer.
Wall, when I saw Fortin play in a couple preseason games (TV only), his skating stride reminded me of Mike Hoffman (which is a good thing). Any other resemblance I can’t comment on other than to say Fortin has a knack for being in the right position to take the shot and if he progresses he’s got a chance to be a good offensive player in the NHL.
Yes but Lundberg would be a cap friendly one if he could belp.
Those Rouyn Noranda colors are sharp! Both their jerseys stand out. Might have to get me one.
1961 – definitively agree re: Debrincat, I don’t care how tall he is. He is a keeper; a lot of NHL weren’t keen on Panarin either.
Candidly, from what we’ve seen — or haven’t — from Tootoo, Desjardins, Kruger, & Rasmussen (five aggregate goals and eight hands made of bricks), I would rather see Debri (as well as/or Fortrin) recalled when they are allowed to and slot them in. It’s not like Kruger or Rasmussen are Selke candidates either.
You probably wouldn’t see Fortin or D-Cat as both play for teams that are among the top teams in the Q and OHL respectively and will go deep into the playoffs.
As for Fortin being a comparison to Hoffman. I have yet to see Fortin in person play but have seen Hoffman many times and he was elite in the Q and was heads above with world class speed and skating agility.
Not to mention his shot, which is NHL elite. If Fortin comes close that would be great.
D-Cat doesn’t skate like Hino who is basically the same size, but is better with the puck, especially when passing and shooting.
Schmaltz-Toews-Hossa
Artemi Panarin-Artem Anisimov-Patrick Kane
Ryan Hartman-Tanner Kero-Vinnie Hinostroza
Andrew-Desjardins-Dennis Rasmussen-Richard Panik
These are the line for tonights game according to the Tribune.
Kruger out sick.
Like these lines. Hoping the 3d line will give the Sharks fits
Lazerus tweets that Bowman says unlike previous years he’s not expecting to make a deal.
Doesn’t mean one won’t happen. But sounds like the prices are way too high and would rather apply space to overages.
I hope Stan does trade any of the impact guys in the system. The Hawks are 1 guy away from being a contender. San Jose really outplayed and out skilled the Hawks all night. Between Minny and San Jose I dont think the Hawk stack up well. Can they win a cup of course. I just dont see it. The Hawks special teams have been bad, They havent been able to stay out of the basement on the PK and the PP has been Meh.
The PP has sucked big time.
The PK, after the first 30 penaltys (15/30 for 50%), has been really good. I think after that were around 88%, which I imagine is top 5.