Chicago BlackHawks
Top Prospects:
Dylan Olsen, Jeremy Morin, Nick Leddy, Jack Skille, Bryan Bickell, Corey Crawford, Shawn Lalonde, Kyle Beach
Although the Chicago Blackhawks have had to purge some of the Stanley Cup-winning roster, the future still looks bright in the windy city. With salary cap constraints forcing the team to trade Kris Versteeg, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Brent Sopel and Ben Eager, Chicago will undoubtedly ice a weaker team in 2010-11.The Blackhawks also lost John Madden and Adam Burish to free agency and have yet to ink goalie Antti Niemi to a new deal. But that does not mean the team will face hardships on a long-term basis as general manager Stan Bowman has done a marvelous job of getting pieces in return.
The Blackhawks grabbed one of the Atlanta Thrashers’ top prospects in Jeremy Morin in the Byfuglien deal. Morin, a 19-year-old winger from the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, tied for fourth in the league in scoring with 47 goals last season. He also led the OHL with 23 power-play markers.“He’s been a natural goal scorer at every level,” said Paul Fixter, the assistant general manager and an assistant coach in Kitchener. “He would have had 50 goals (last season) easily, but he missed a few games because he was off winning a medal with Team USA.” The native of Auburn, N.Y. notched seven points in seven games for Team USA at the World Junior Championships en route to winning the gold.He has good size at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds and plays a strong game around the net. Morin is not afraid to battle for pucks and score dirty goals. His quick release has also helped him become an elite sniper at the junior level. “He plays physical and is by no means a one-dimensional player. He even got into a couple of scraps last year,” Fixter said. “Off the ice, he’s got a lot of leadership qualities. He was an assistant captain last year and is a candidate to be our captain this season.” Skating is something that the skilled forward needs to work on. Many scouts believe his choppy skating style is less than ideal for the NHL game, but if he continues to improve, he could be a talented top-six winger. “He needs to work on his feet, and he knows that,” Fixter said. “But they (Chicago) have a great player with a great attitude.”
Chicago received another valuable prospect in the Versteeg trade in the form of Viktor Stalberg. The hulking 6-foot-3, 210 pound Swede played 40 games with Toronto last season while tallying nine goals and five assists. Stalberg, 24, is a winger with great size, speed and tenacity. He is a relentless forechecker and plays the rugged style that Chicago covets. He will get a chance to play in the NHL right away because of the Blackhawks’ cap situation.
Jack Skille, a winger for Chicago’s American Hockey League affiliate Rockford IceHogs, will benefit from the salary shedding as well. “He’s ready to play at the NHL level for sure,” said Bill Peters, head coach in Rockford. “His calling card is obviously his speed, and he’ll get an opportunity to show what he can do.”With his heavy shot, Skille scored 23 goals and 26 assists for Rockford last year while becoming an AHL All-Star. The former seventh overall selection in the 2005 draft will get the chance to be a full-time NHLer this season. “He just has to accept his role,” Peters said. “If he has to be an energy guy, be an energy guy. If they ask him to score, then he has to use his skill a little more and take the puck hard to the net.” He possesses ideal size at a solid 6-foot-1, 215 pounds and has speed to boot. Skille has good hands but does not rely on finesse as he plays a more north-south style. The Blackhawks have been patient with their former first-rounder, and that should bode well for both parties.
With Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson patrolling the blue line for the foreseeable future, Chicago does not need to rush defensive prospects. But the Blackhawks have a trio of defensemen that will be ready for the NHL in a couple of years. Two of the defensemen, Nick Leddy and Dylan Olsen, look like they could become the next Keith and Seabrook combination.
Leddy, acquired in the Cam Barker deal with Minnesota, is a speedy, puck-moving blueliner in the Keith-mold. He does not have ideal NHL-size for a defenseman at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds but has a feel for the game and good hockey-sense. Known for his offensive prowess, Leddy tallied 45 points and won Minnesota’s “Mr. Hockey” award while playing for Eden Prairie High School in 2008-09. As a freshman at the University of Minnesota last season, he scored 11 points in 30 games.
Olsen is a bulky player on the back end at a rock-solid 6-foot-2, 206 pounds. Like Seabrook, the former first-rounder likes to punish opponents. He is equally adept in the offensive zone and possesses a booming shot from the point. In 36 games at the University of Minnesota-Duluth last season, Olsen netted a goal and 10 assists.
Shawn Lalonde is another blueliner with good size at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds. He played most of last season with the Belleville Bulls of the OHL but took the ice eight times for Rockford as well. Lalonde is extremely mobile and willing to jump into the rush when called upon. He has good offensive instincts but needs to work on defensive positioning and decision making. In 58 games with Belleville, Lalonde notched 13 goals and 43 assists. With Rockford, he registered a goal and an assist.
Chicago’s biggest worry is that a deal will not be reached with Cup-winning goaltender Niemi. However, the Blackhawks have a willing replacement in Rockford. With Chicago likely dumping Cristobal Huet’s monster deal in the minors, Corey Crawford will undoubtedly get a chance in the NHL this season. Huet’s contract and Niemi’s emergence have made Crawford a victim of circumstance in Peters’ eyes.“He’s done everything we’ve asked at the AHL level,” Peters said. “He just needs to get an opportunity.” He has good size at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and is technically sound in his approach. He has a quick glove hand and maintained solid numbers in Rockford last year. “He’s become a very good puck-handler and is more confident,” Peters said. Crawford posted a 2.67 goals against average, .909 save percentage and a record of 24-16-2 last season. “When Corey gets the opportunity, he’s going to become a full-time NHL goaltender,” Peters said. “I have no doubt about that.”
by Cameron Rudolph.
HP Staff Writer
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