Back To School: Blackhawks Prospects In NCAA For 2013-14 Season
When the 2013-14 season starts, the Blackhawks will defend their Stanley Cup championship at the NHL level. Meanwhile, the Rockford IceHogs will have a talented group coming back to battle for an AHL playoff berth.
A handful of the organization’s prospects will be in the classroom this fall. Highlighted by three of the team’s picks from this summer’s draft, the Blackhawks will have a few names to watch on college ice this season.
Here’s a look at which of the team’s prospects will be in college this season.
Notre Dame
Stephen Johns, D – Draft Year: 2010
Vince Hinostroza, F – Draft Year: 2012
Johns returns for his senior year in South Bend as the leader of the Fighting Irish blue line. A lot of eyes will be on him as a big, physical defenseman that may not be very far away from skating at the United Center. Hinostroza, meanwhile, begins his first season with the Irish after three good years in the USHL, capped by a 60-point campaign in 46 games with Waterloo. The Blackhawks selected Hinostroza in the sixth round of the 2012 Draft.
Boston College
Kevin Hayes, F – Draft Year: 2010
Chris Calnan, F – Draft Year: 2012
The younger Hayes, who was selected in the first round of the 2010 Draft, will return for his fourth and final year at Boston College. After a disappointing junior season that included a suspension and season-ending injury, Hayes will look to bounce back and improve on his numbers from last year (6G, 19A, 25pts). Calnan, Jeremy Roenick’s nephew, will begin his first NCAA season as a teammate of Hayes at BC. Chicago selected Calnan in the third round of the 2012 Draft.
Yale University
John Hayden, F – Draft Year: 2013
Hayden stole the show at this summer’s prospect camp after the Hawks selected him in the third round of the 2013 Draft. After two seasons in the USHL, he will join Yale as they defend their NCAA championship this season.
University of Minnesota
Justin Holl, D – Draft Year: 2010
Holl is a smooth skating defenseman that spent some time at forward because of the Gophers’ depth on the blue line last season. He is expected to return to being a full-time defenseman this season. He accounted for three goals and four assists in35 games for Minnesota last season. Like Johns, Holl was one of the Blackhawks’ second round picks in 2010.
University of Vermont
Michael Paliotta, D – Draft Year: 2011
A third round pick in 2011, Paliotta tied for the lead among Vermont defensemen with 10 points last year (1G, 9A) while piling up 50 penalty minutes. He’s a big kid (6-3, 201) who had a nice prospect camp this summer and might be a sleeper to bring some size to the Rockford blue line in a year or two.
University of Michigan
Tyler Motte, F – Draft Year: 2013
Motte will head to Ann Arbor for his first season of college hockey after scoring 11 goals and added six assists in 26 games. The Blackhawks selected Motte with one of their two picks in the fourth round of this summer’s Draft after two seasons in the USHL.
- Hinostroza, Hayden and Motte are among 40 players invited to be part of USA Hockey’s 2013 National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, NY, from Aug. 3-10 as well.
Ohio State University
Sam Jardine, D – Draft Year: 2011
Jardine had seven assists in 28 games with the Buckeyes in his first season of college hockey last year. One of the younger players selected in the 2011 Draft, Jardine won’t turn 20 until mid-August. He was a sixth round selection by the Hawks.
University of North Dakota
Nick Mattson, D – Draft Year: 2010
Mattson, who turns 22 in late-October, will return for his third season at North Dakota this year. He had a good, productive second campaign, posting 15 points (3G, 12A) in 38 games. After being selected by the Hawks in the sixth round in 2010, he played a second season with the Indiana Ice (USHL) before moving to the NCAA level.
Miami University
Anthony Louis, F – Draft Year: 2013
Louis is yet another player the Blackhawks have selected out of the USHL, and will take his talents to south… Ohio… this winter for his first year at Miami. The Blackhawks selected Louis in the sixth round this summer, and, in spite of his size (listed at 5-7, 145) he impressed at prospect camp.
Thanks for this update Tab…I think there are 4 DMen that will make the NHL…Johns and Holl most know about, but I see both Paliotta and Mattson as NHL material as well. Paliotta has a chance to become a very strong, physical, intimidating DMan that we haven’t had since Wisniewski.
It is going to be very interesting to see how Hinostroza does at Notre Dame, Calnan at Boston College, and Hayden at Yale. Hino has put up big #’s at every level, how will he do in this physical, tight checking conference? Calnan (Roenick’s nephew) has scored piles of goals at every level, will he continue at BC? How will he compare to our 2010 1st round selection Kevin Hayes? And Hayden was so good, so confident, so rounded in his game at the prospect camp, how will that translate to Yale? You have to think at this point that Hayden is going to shine at Yale, and might be ready for the Hawks in just one more season.
Its going to be a very interesting fall to see how they all develop.
And this fall in Rockford is going to be very, very interesting…I am going to keep a close eye on both Danault and McNeil. The Hawks have been patient with both, and I get the sense that both (Danault at least) is very close to being ready. Also Garret Ross is one definitely to watch…he is good at every aspect of the game and has a heart the size of Shaw and Hartmann…I love these kinds of kids.
Clearly Stan has put a premium the college level prospect and not the Euro prospect. Not to say he hasnt drafted guys from overseas but his blueprint is starting to show more the last few drafts. I’m excited to watch these guys progress.
SSHW- The college prospect is a luxury we can afford. Some great players go the college route, but teams need to have the time to let them succeed. We are in a very advantageous posistion with a deep, young roster. Lots of teams need to “fill their holes now” so they take a kid out of the Canadian Junior leagues, throw him in the AHL for a year, and then roll the dice on calling him up to “cash in on his talent” and hope he can make an impact. However, when you have the time to let these kids time to play at the college level, grow physically and as players, then give them that year of AHL seasoning, they are much better prepared to make the leap to that NHL.
That’s it completely Tim…we operate from a position of strength and patience…and this has consequences…which are all good.
Not to derail this topic… but Q was quoted over the weekend as saying that Saad would be tried out at the 2C spot come September. Anyone else see this? Any thoughts?
I would think this would push Shaw to wing full time… with Handzus/Kruger/Pirri all in line to have chances on the Dot.