{"id":14979,"date":"2017-08-22T09:00:01","date_gmt":"2017-08-22T13:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=14979"},"modified":"2025-10-10T22:55:37","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T02:55:37","slug":"tsp-chicago-blackhawks-prospects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2017\/08\/22\/tsp-chicago-blackhawks-prospects\/","title":{"rendered":"TSP: Chicago Blackhawks Prospects"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the 2017 edition of \u201cTop Shelf Prospects\u201d. During the summer, I will feature a team-by-team look at the top prospects in the NHL. I will follow the order of the first round of the NHL draft (as if there were no trades). You\u00a0can find all the articles here<\/a>. Since we had an\u00a0extensive NHL Draft preview<\/a>, I will not be reviewing the players who were drafted this year. There have been no games since then, and my reports on them will not have changed.<\/em><\/p>\n

I will link you to those articles; as well as taking a look at prospects that were acquired before this year\u2019s draft; their progress, and their chances of making the 2017-18 roster.\u00a0<\/em>I will also bring you one sleeper pick \u2013 a player who was either drafted in the 4th-round or later; or an undrafted free agent signing who I pick as a dark horse to make the NHL. 50 NHL games played or being 25 years old is the cut-off for prospects. These are not hard or fast rules though, and I may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.<\/em><\/p>\n

TSP: Chicago Blackhawks Prospects<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Chicago Blackhawks<\/a> were once again one of the NHL’s best teams, at least in the regular season. With 50 wins and 109 points, they finished in first place in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, things did not go well come playoff time. The team was swept in the first round by the Nashville Predators<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The loss saw general manager Stan Bowman<\/strong>\u00a0promising an off-season of change. That is exactly what happened. The team revealed that Marian Hossa<\/a><\/strong> had been playing despite a painful skin disorder. He is out for next season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The trades started with Scott Darling<\/a><\/strong> being shipped to the Carolina Hurricanes<\/a>. Just prior to the draft the team traded<\/a> Niklas Hjalmarsson<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>to the Arizona Coyotes<\/a>\u00a0for Connor Murphy<\/a><\/strong> and Laurent Dauphin<\/a><\/strong>. Minutes later, they traded<\/a>\u00a0Artemi Panarin<\/a><\/strong> and\u00a0Tyler Motte<\/a><\/strong> to the Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a>\u00a0for Brandon Saad<\/a><\/strong> and Anton Forsberg<\/a><\/strong>. They also sent<\/a> Marcus Kruger<\/a><\/strong> to the Vegas Golden Knights<\/a>, after the Knights took Trevor van Riemsdyk<\/a><\/strong> in the expansion draft<\/a>. The Knights traded both players to Carolina.<\/p>\n

The Hawks also dipped into the free agent pool, signing<\/a> Patrick Sharp<\/a><\/strong>. They also picked up Jan Rutta<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Tommy Wingels<\/a><\/strong>, Lance Bouma<\/a><\/strong>, Erik Gustafsson<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0and Jean-Francois Berube<\/a><\/strong>. Meanwhile,\u00a0Brian Campbell<\/a><\/strong> retired<\/a>;\u00a0Dennis Rasmussen<\/a><\/strong> went to the Anaheim Ducks<\/a>;\u00a0Michael Latta<\/a><\/strong> went to Arizona; and Johnny Oduya<\/a><\/strong> signed with the Ottawa Senators<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2017 NHL Draft\u00a0Picks:\u00a0Henri Jokiharju<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Ian Mitchell<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Andrei Altybarmakyan<\/strong>,\u00a0Evan Barratt<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Tim Soderlund<\/strong>,\u00a0Roope Laavainen<\/strong>,\u00a0Parker Foo<\/strong>,\u00a0Jakub Galvas<\/strong>,\u00a0Joshua Ess<\/strong>
\nGraduates: Nick Schmaltz<\/a><\/strong>, Vinnie Hinostroza<\/a><\/strong>, Ryan Hartman<\/a><\/strong>, Tanner Kero<\/a><\/strong>, Michal Kempny<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Top Prospect: Alex DeBrincat<\/h3>\n

Right Wing — shoots Right
\nBorn December 18th, 1997 — Farmington Hills, Michigan
\nHeight 5’7″ — Weight 170 lbs [170 cm \/ 77 kg]
\nDrafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2nd round, #39 overall at the 2016 NHL Draft<\/p>\n