Hockey is back! The Chicago Blackhawks‘ prospects will start the preseason festivities at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, where they will face the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild on Sept. 13 and 14. It’s a time when these three teams can see their top prospects take flight before going into training camp.
Although this event may seem like it’s not as big as training camp, it is still significant for the Blackhawks to see how their farm system is progressing. After all, this is the same showcase where Hawks fans got their glimpse of Connor Bedard last September.
In true hockey fashion, prospects always bring the most questions and storylines going into any season, so let’s start things off. Here are five questions before the showcase starts.
1. How Will Colton Dach Progress?
If there is one intriguing prospect, it’s Colton Dach, considering it was thought he might have an NHL shot last season, but injuries set him back from finding a true rhythm with the Rockford IceHogs last season. Yet, he did put up 27 points in 48 games. The 21-year-old wants to make a statement as this is his fourth prospect showcase. It also seems like it is “now or never” for him to really push for a roster spot, as the clock is ticking. Rockford’s head coach, Anders Sorensen, said he wanted him to focus on consistency and molding an NHL identity, and Dach seems to have taken the advice to heart.
Dach spoke to the media on Sept. 12 and stated, “I’m going in here and trying to earn a spot and take a job, and that’s what I’m going to do.” He did well in the showcase last season, being on the top line with Connor Bedard and Nick Lardis. He is going in healthy and motivated, which should hopefully help him progress the way the Blackhawks want.
2. Which Defenseman Will Step Up in Levshunov’s Absence?
The most bumming news of the showcase is that the 2024 second overall pick, Artyom Levshunov, will not participate in the showcase as it was announced that he took a shot off of his foot in practice. This morning (Sept. 13), insider Elliotte Friedman said that he will be in a walking boot for two weeks and potentially miss a maximum of six weeks. If that comes to fruition, he would miss the showcase, training camp, and even the start of the regular season, which he was projected to start in Rockford.
Levshunov would have been the top defenseman to watch at the showcase. With him out, which defenseman will take the spotlight?
Nolan Allan and Ethan Del Mastro were Rockford’s top defense pair last season, so they will likely make some noise. I think Erie Otters’ Ty Henry could also be one to watch. Director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey described the 2024 sixth-round pick as being “more of an athlete right now than hockey player, but we’ve got time to develop him.” Knowing his athletic ability could make him fun to watch. Then, there’s Lucas Brenton, who is entering his second showcase. Rockford signed him to a one-year deal in July, coming from the Moose Jaw Warriors (Western Hockey League), and is ready to jump forward. Both Henry and Brenton are six-foot-four, going along with the “big” defensemen theme of the Hawks as of late.
The Blackhawks defensemen in the showcase are really “under the radar,” so standouts could be anyone’s game.
3. Who Will Be The Dark Horse?
During showcases, there are always players that catches people’s eyes. Louis Crevier, Nick Lardis, and Ryder Rolston caught attention last year, and the Blackhawks have some dark horse candidates this weekend.
- Gavin Hayes: won gold with Sam Rinzel, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore at the World Junior Championships with Team USA in January. Had 76 points in 55 games between the Soo Greyhounds and Flint Firebirds last season.
- A.J. Spellacy: the 2024 third-round pick already seems to be a fan and coach’s favorite due to his potential and foot speed. He had 38 points in 67 games for the Windsor Spitfires (OHL) last season.
- Samuel Savoie: missed most of last season with a broken femur he suffered in training camp. Sorensen said, “He looks really good” ahead of the showcase, so will be great to see him back.
- Landon Slaggert: my colleague Gail Kauchak thinks he could be the dark horse. He has 16 games (4 points) of NHL experience from last season, and the 22-year-old is the self-proclaimed “veteran prospect,” so he already has a leg up on some of the prospects.
- Drew Commesso: he had a solid season in Rockford last year with a 2.65 GAA (Goals-against Average) and .906 SV% (Save Percentage), and Sorensen said he told him to stay ready as his NHL opportunity could come at any moment.
Nick Lardis is another one not to sleep on, as he had 50 points in 37 games with the Brantford Bulldogs last season. I’m not sure he is a dark horse candidate because I think most expect him to stand out, but he is one to watch, nonetheless.
4. Who Will Push to Make the Roster?
Last season, defenseman Wyatt Kaiser had a strong showcase, followed by a strong training camp, which ultimately landed him a roster spot, so there is always one that could make the roster that starts at the showcase. Looking at the roster, a lot of the names I already mentioned can push for a roster spot: Allan, Del Mastro, Slaggert, and Dach. Possibly even Commesso, considering Laurent Brossoit is currently out with an injury, but I’m not expecting him to make the Blackhawks that soon. However, you never know.
Related: Blackhawks Bytes: Vlasic, Nazar, Levshunov, Del Mastro, Spellacy
I believe Slaggert, Del Mastro, and Frank Nazar are the strongest candidates to make the team, especially if they get their names on the coach’s radar early going into training camp. Or is there a possibility that none of these players ultimately make the NHL roster? It’s something to remember, and we’ll circle back during training camp.
5. Will Nazar Start His Roster Bid Strong?
I expect Frank Nazar will stand out at the showcase. He stood out just fine in three games on the NHL roster last season, so if he didn’t stand out this weekend, that would be concerning. This is Nazar’s first test to force management’s hand. He said he has been working this summer on his conditioning, and with Patrick Kane, too! So, seeing all that work translated on the ice will be fun. He mentioned, “I think I did well [during NHL stint]. I don’t think I just ‘held my own’ when I played those three games. So, obviously, I’ve got something to work for. But I’m excited to see what goes on after camp.”
Nazar seems ready and confident going into the showcase, and that’s a good thing.
As AHL.com reporter Patrick Williams said, it’s a “critical season” for Chicago prospects, and the showcase is another step in what the Blackhawks hope will translate into future NHL success. It’s two scrimmages, but it sets the tone for what training camp could bring.
