Blackhawks Sign Ethan Del Mastro
The Blackhawks signed yet another blue line prospect on Friday morning. The Hawks announced the team has signed defenseman Ethan Del Mastro to a three-year, entry-level contract that carries a tremendously specific $878,333.33 cap hit.
Del Mastro, 19, was the Hawks’ fourth-round pick (No. 104 overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft. He is listed at 6-4 and 206 pounds and is a left-handed shot.
This season with Mississauga (OHL), Del Mastro posted seven goals and 41 assists in 68 games.
Alot of scouts say lack of game time diring covid, prevented him from likely becoming a 1st rounder if scouted properly. Could turn out to be a real steal if they are right.
Either plays next year on Blackhawks roster or goes back to juniors for another year and eligible to slide a year of his elc.
Reichel is back in Rockford. Was the TV broadcast correct that they Hawks used a year of his ELC?
HHNL yes that is correct.
I just say you’re rolling the dice ! At least he apprenticed in the O in Canada and I’d seen him play against our Hamilton Bulldogs and he does know the fundamentals !POPS 4
Philip, going full rebuild is rolling the dice type pf process. Drafting 18 year olds vs drafting after finishing college like Nfl or Nba, obviously it is definitely a lot harder process to be as successful that much younger.
It is interesting to me that the Hawks want to burn a year of Reichels contract when he has shown he is not physicaly ready to handle the NHL.
To me that indicates they want to get through his ELC sooner. Why would they want to do that? I suspect the Hawks think it will be cheaper in the long run if they can negotiate with him for his RFA deal sooner rather than pushing a year. This makes me think that the Hawks suspect he won’t be a productive NHL player until after his ELC expires in 2024 and want a chance to sign that contract for less. Am I reading this wrong?
Thanks Ian
Now the question must be asked, why would you go 1 game over the ELC limit and then return him to the AHL? Reichel belongs with the Hogs and a playoff run will do him some good, I get that part. Was there a deal made with the young prospect to limit his ELC even thou he showed that he is not ready for NHL competition. Was the timing a screw up, did MacIver miss count the games played or did the inexperienced GM of the Hawks not know the limit or loss track?
Either way, the organization has to make a contact decision one year earlier concerning Reichel’s future with the Hawks. The new GM and retread associate general manager is not building confidence with this fan.
maybe the new gm and associate gm see the same thing that most see in Reichel….NOTHING.
WTF cares just like Dach both trash, both came from Blowman and Kelly.
Miroslav
From ehat I have read, I think you are accurate with your assessment. It appears the Hawks are hoping to get his next contract done before he develops so it can be a bit cheaper.
Probably fair to say he skates well enough but needs some bulk and confidence yet to really have a shot in the NHL. Considered our best offensive prospect, ya really gotta know how weak our system is for forwards.
Yeah an extra elc year might cost you a couple mil a year for length of next contract, is likely the main reason.
Goose, burning a year and getting 2nd contract done a year earlier, would seem like they believe he will be a pretty good player before his elc is up without burning a year.
ian
33 Lukas Reichel 19 LW 11 0 1 1 -8.
stunning just stunning numbers from this pick.
players can put up great numbers in juniors and AHL; just as former blackhawk player Ty Jones
Goose, Nhl is only one of 4 major leagues that asks teenagers to compete against men. Nba and Nfl draft players after 4 years of university, baseball has a much bigger and complicated farm system that its unusual to to see players in majors before mid 20s. We are looking at these kids and complaing about what we see unfairly in most cases, i’m just trying to throttle my expectations a bit and trust that the scouts/ developmental staff. The Blackhawks downfall lately hasn’t been scouts seeing which players have potential to be good Nhl players but rather Bowman, maybe others at his level gave up on them too fast. Trying to stay relative in some cases and just plain impatience in others. I’m looking forward to better support from KD and his inner circle to improve that end of things and reap their draft choices. Obviously winning the lotto and picking generational type players at 1st or depending on how deep draft is maybe top 2nd or 3rd ( which Dach wasn’t hailed as) is another kettle of fish.
Ian – the NBA makes players spend 4 years in college? When did that last happen? LOL c’mon…
Not an Nba fan Tab, so i really have no idea how many go early now, just going by what it was a few years ago or however long ago it was.
I thought NBA stood for
NOT BASKETBALL ANYWAY
Ian-i stand my ground, both Dach and Reichel will not be average. mark my word both will be out of the league in 3-4 years.
Hawks have pushed these players down fan’s throats just like Mikhail Yakubov, Pavel Vorobiev, and Jack Skille
Congrats to the kid
Report is the hawks are expected to sign Artur kayumov to a elc
2rd pick in 2016
NBA only requires 1 yr college min before being draft eligible. NFL is similar.
But all of this is moot, Reichel is scared and weak, you can see it in his play. Leave him in the AHL til his contract expires, then trade him. He will just be another failed 1st round pick of the Blackhawks.
Beer league the point was teenagers playing against men, no player has ever played in a nfl while still a teenager. A handful at 20 but none while still a teen.