Blackhawks Prospects: Checking In With Tomorrow’s Stars

Since the start of the regular season, the focus of Blackhawks fans has appropriately moved to the action at the NHL level. But there are some prospects playing well to begin the season. Here’s a look around the organization.

Brandon Saad was sent back to Saginaw of the OHL after seeing action in a few NHL games. The second round selection in the 2011 Draft has been dominant since arriving back in juniors. In five games, Saad has eight goals and five assists (13 points). He might not be back in Chicago until the postseason, but he might be wearing a Blackhawks sweater starting next fall. On Monday, Saad was named the OHL Player of the Week for the week ending Oct. 23.

Jeremy Morin returned to the ice after the start of the season in Rockford, finally putting his concussion issues in the past. In four games with the IceHogs, Morin has two goals and seven penalty minutes.

Brandon Pirri, who was impressive in the preseason with the Hawks, has been good in Rockford to begin the season as well. Pirri has two goals and two assists in six games with the IceHogs.

Two of the older prospects in Rockford, 25-year-old skaters Rob Klinkhammer and Brian Connelly, are leading the IceHogs in scoring so far this year. Connelly has six assists, while Klinkhammer has five points (two goals, three assists).

Kyle Beach is is second on the IceHogs with three goals, behind only Brandon Segal. He also has one assist in six contests, but has also racked up nine penalty minutes and is minus-one on the young season.

Jimmy Hayes hasn’t put the puck in the net yet, but he has three assists in five games in Rockford to start the year. He’s also plus-one with only two penalty minutes so far.

Mark McNeill, the team’s top pick in the 2011 Draft, has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 15 games with Prince Albert of the WHL. He has also accumulated 10 penalty minutes and is minus-six this season.

Phillip Danault, the Hawks second pick in the first round of the 2011 Draft, has put up 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 13 games with Victoriaville of the QMJHL. He has also racked up 23 penalty minutes and is minus-two so far.

Defenseman Adam Clendening has four assists in four games with Boston University. Clendening was a second round pick of the Blackhawks in 2011.

Ludvig Rensfeldt, a second round pick by the Hawks in 2010, has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 13 games with Sarnia of the OHL. He’s plus-seven with four penalty minutes.

In five games at Notre Dame, defenseman Stephen Johns has one goal, two assists and 25 penalty minutes.

Mirko Hofflin, a sixth round pick by the Hawks in 2010, has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 16 games with Acadie-Bathurst of the QMJHL.