For anyone that was lucky enough to take a day and head down to the Blackhawks Camp, surely they can attest to the fact that there was no shortage of activity.
At times the ice is teeming with young players looking for their chance to shine in front of the Blackhawks’ bosses. With many of the expected players (Nick Schmaltz, Tyler Motte, Ryan Hartman) making their statements, it would seem that others might get overshadowed. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Several prospects put on a show and a few were simply bound to draw attention because of the high hopes the team has for them.
Some were recent draftees, a few were players that have been taking their time at the college level, and some were lucky enough to be invited in spite of getting passed over in recent drafts. To say there are players in virtually all stages of development would be an understatement. Michal Kempny (25) is one of the older attendees, while Wouter Peeters (17) is one of the youngest.
At the end of the day, everyone is out there with the same goal. To put their best effort out there for the Blackhawks brass to see and to enjoy their first opportunities in the big leagues. Not everyone will make a big impression, but this year quite a few stood out from the start.
Alexandre Fortin
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Height: 6’1
Weight: 180 lb.
Born: Laval, Quebec, 2/25/97
Twitter: @Alex_fortin19
Fortin is one of the undrafted invitees to this year’s prospect camp, and he seems determined to get a contract out of it. He has been the most consistent forwards day after day.
Fortin is the nephew of former NHL netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere. He comes out of the QMJHL (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) after a disappointing season last year that saw the 19-year-old go down with a hip injury. At that stage, it could have hindered his progress and shattered his confidence.
Fortin came into camp as an undrafted, unaffiliated young forward who had been passed over twice since becoming draft eligible. In fact, on day one everyone from the fans and media in attendance were wondering who he was, but at the halfway point of the prospect camp it is safe to say they are wondering no more.
Fortin has been a force through the first three days, with five goals and a primary assist. So far, he is the breakout success of this season’s camp, and he will undoubtedly be hoping that translates to a future with the Blackhawks. If any one of the unsigned players has a chance at an entry-level contract right out of camp, Fortin would be the favorite.
Nathan Noel
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 172 lb.
Born: St. John’s, CAN, 6/21/97
Twitter: @nathannoel10
Nathan Noel was one of the best stories of the draft. After going undrafted in 2015, he opted to avoid the stress of sitting through an endless number of picks in 2016, opting for a game of street hockey for Play On instead. As the game ended, he got the news that he had not been passed over in 2016.
Perhaps that experience and adversity are fueling the young centerman as he was another standout performer in prospect camp this week adding two goals before leaving with an injury. He appeared to catch a skate while finishing a check, but the extent of the injury is unknown.
Even though his week may be cut short, it’s clear that Noel has made an impression. Noel is already learning the ins and outs of the organization as he was tapped to blog about his experiences throughout prospect camp.
Noel may not be destined to a prolific scoring role, but he is incredibly strong on his skates and was one of the fastest skaters on the ice during camp. He has tremendous lower body strength which helps him leave his opponents in the dust.
John Hayden
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 223 lb.
Born: Chicago, IL, 2/14/95
Twitter: @hayds51
Hayden is preparing to return for his senior season at Yale where he has been a standout performer. The Blackhawks believe that he is ready to make the jump, but Hayden is set on wrapping up his education in New Haven.
Fortunately, the team is prepared to wait for him, and another year of seasoning certainly won’t hurt his game. His skating still could use some work, but he has the size and seems willing enough to throw his weight around and play a physical game, which the Blackhawks sorely need.
It would be especially beneficial to have a physical player with some upside over the virtual cleanup crews they’ve iced in the past with players like Daniel Carcillo, Brandon Bollig, Brandon Mashinter, and now Jordin Tootoo. While these players can spark a play from time to time, they seem to generate more cringe-worthy moments than the kinds of plays that have fans leaping from their seats.
Fans will have to wait at least one more year before they get a real look at Hayden, but he should be making his NHL debut before too long.
Luc Snuggerud
Position: Defense
Shoots: Left
Height: 6’0
Weight: 180 lb.
Born: Edina, MN, 9/18/95
Twitter: @LucSnuggerud
Snuggerud has long been compared to Duncan Keith. He is a strong skater and excels offensively though like Keith, he is on the smaller side for a blueliner.
He is capable of firing off an absolutely blistering one-timer much like Keith and Brent Seabrook when he jumps in on the offense, which is something the Blackhawks like to see from their defenders.
However, he might be more along the lines of a player like Nick Leddy. Like Leddy, he attended Eden Prairie High School in Minnesota and was also drafted by the Blackhawks. Snuggerud like most young defensive prospects could use a little fine tuning in his own end, but he is effective when he gets involved offensively and could contribute on the power play.
He should find his way onto a second or third pairing down the line, but with the addition of Michal Kempny and the number of defensive prospects currently creating a logjam, it could be a while before he finds a long-term spot with the Blackhawks.
Mathias From
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Right
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 187 lb.
Born: Frederikshavn, DEN, 12/16/97
Twitter: @from_mathias
From has had an immediate impact this week. He prides himself on his speed and is a strong transitional player. Growing up he favored Sidney Crosby for his two-way game and it is clear that he has modeled his game after the Penguins star. He is active on defense and always keeps his feet moving as he floats through the defensive zone effectively keeping opponents on edge.
What has been evident this week is his ability to handle the puck. He sees open lanes well and is adept at lifting pucks and sending them up the ice to create scoring opportunities. He is a prototypical power forward which is something that the Blackhawks have been missing since Brandon Saad was traded to Columbus.
From absolutely won’t shy away from a more physical style of play, and he has a nose for the net. In addition, he has a great shot and the skill to contribute in a tangible manner on a regular basis. While he might not be playing at the United Center right away, From will be looking to transition quickly and from what he has shown this week that is a definite possibility.
Alex DeBrincat
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Height: 5’7″
Weight: 163 lb.
Born: Farmington Hills, MI 12/18/97
Twitter: @Brinksy97
The very first thing that you notice about DeBrincat is that he is very small. Fortunately, before you have a chance to get too hung up on that, his quick hands and stellar hockey sense are on display.
In spite of his size, DeBrincat is extremely difficult to separate from the puck. He has a very quick release, and like Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin, he has learned how to keep the advantage against bigger opponents by getting his shots off quickly in traffic.
While a lot of smaller players will hang back to the perimeter to avoid getting hammered in close to the net, DeBrincat looks like he is more than ready to take the puck to the net, and he doesn’t shy away from the heavier traffic and contact in close. He very well could be a perfect hybrid of a skilled player with Shaw’s gritty versatility, and that is quite possibly what drew Stan Bowman towards DeBrincat.
One thing is certain — there is a Shaw-sized vacancy for a player of smaller stature with a lot of heart and DeBrincat could go a long way towards filling that void.
Wouter Peeters
Position: Goalie
Catches: Left
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 205 lb.
Born: Turnhout, BEL, 7/31/98
The most frightening thing about Peeters is not that he is just 17 years old, but that he could still grow a few more inches. He’s not quite as tall as Scott Darling (6’6″), but his presence is difficult to miss when he is out on the ice. Through the halfway point, Peeters has also been the most impressive goalie on the ice.
Clearly at just 17, Peeters will have a few years before the Blackhawks will be looking for him to take the next step. He was the first Belgian-born netminder selected in the NHL draft and missed out on being the first Belgian player ever by mere minutes as Sean Day (Canadian citizen born in Belguim) was selected just two spots ahead of him a few weeks ago.
Peeters will return to Sweden this year to continue towards his ultimate goal of playing in the NHL, but the Blackhawks will be keeping a close eye on the big netminder given their lack of depth behind Darling and Corey Crawford. Lars Johansson (recently signed out of Sweden) will certainly factor in as well. He has a couple more years of experience and will likely make the transition to North America ahead of Peeters, but that won’t stop the Blackhawks from keeping tabs on their newest addition between the pipes. Peeters will be heading back to Helsinki, Finland where he will play for Jokerit’s U20 team.
While many of these players will be returning to other leagues or back to college soon, their time is coming. The Blackhawks have no shortage of talent in the pipeline that is just waiting for an opportunity.
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