The Chicago Blackhawks‘ defense has been a point of interest because their prospects look extremely promising. Defensemen prospects like Kevin Korchinski and Wyatt Kaiser are listed high in their depth chart, but I find one underrated: Ethan Del Mastro. His name isn’t mentioned frequently, but it usually carries excitement when it does. His game has grown a lot in the past four years in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Mississauga Steelheads and the Sarnia Sting. His play has been noted as one that could “bring more,” AKA potential. With that in mind, here is how his projection looks.
Del Mastro’s OHL Journey
Del Mastro started his OHL tenure with the Steelheads in 2019-20, and it was a rough one, as he only tallied seven points and zero goals in 57 games and was a minus-7. He then missed an entire OHL season in 2020-21 after the league was shut down due to COVID. With the limited production and playing time, Del Mastro was a player who seemed like a risky draft pick. Was his production a slow start, and did he have more to prove? Or was he showing early on that was what his game was going to be? The Blackhawks considered the upside more and selected him in the fourth round (105th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft.
By looks alone, Del Mastro possesses many qualities the Blackhawks sought in defensemen: size, physicality, and instincts. He is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, and plays to his size. Blackhawks’ assistant general manager of player development Mark Eaton said they were drawn to his defensive skills and saw room for growth in his offensive game as he already saw signs with his puck skills and playmaking ability. (from ‘Blackhawks prospect breakdown: Known as a defensive defenseman, Ethan Del Mastro has some hidden offensive upside’, The Athletic, 04/12/2022)
Since the 2019-20 season, Del Mastro has grown exponentially on and off the ice. In 2021-22 with Mississauga, he tallied 21 points in 22 games (two goals, 19 assists) and was named captain of the team for the season. However, Mississauga turned to sellers and ended up trading Del Mastro to the Sting in January. There, he notched 38 points in 30 games and was the seventh-best defenseman in the OHL with 59 points in 52 games, helping the Sting advance to the Western Conference Final.
Related: Ethan Del Mastro – 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Furthermore, he played for Team Canada’s Gold medal-winning team last winter at the World Junior Championship and recorded three points in seven games. He was the alternate captain and their top-pairing defenseman. He showed he is a workhorse as well. During Team Canada’s game against Team USA, he logged the most ice time of any player with 27:45 minutes, and he logged a lot of minutes in the OHL, which is very Seth Jones-like.
Steelhead’s head coach James Richmond stated, “He is, in my opinion, by far and away the best defenseman up here from the offensive blue line to our net, and I think he’s the best D in the whole league.” He concluded, “He is the best defender of the blue lines. He’s great in the D-zone, and he’s a real good strong transitional defenseman.” (from ‘Blackhawks prospect breakdown: Known as a defensive defenseman, Ethan Del Mastro has some hidden offensive upside,’ The Athletic, 04/12/2022)
Eaton’s instincts on Del Mastro’s offensive ability and defensive instincts seem to have paid off, and by looking at his stats, the 20-year-old continues to get better and better.
Del Mastro’s Blackhawks’ Projection
Del Mastro is expected to join the Rockford IceHogs this upcoming season, and his game should translate well in the American Hockey League (AHL). He could be a top-pairing defenseman with Isaak Phillips. When thinking about what he could bring to the Blackhawks in the future, Eaton described his game as being a “shutdown defenseman” at the pro level. From a ‘Hawks standpoint, you immediately think of a Niklas Hjalmarsson-type, someone whose offense isn’t a mainstay but reliable, who can suffocate opponents in the defensive zone and throw some big hits.
As you can see from the clip, he is challenging to get around with his size. Del Mastro mentioned that he models his game after Ben Chiarot (Detroit Red Wings), and said he is, “tough, can play with the puck, and can play a lot of minutes.” He mentioned Chiarot, but Ryan McDonagh (Nashville Predators) is a good example of a player he shares similarities with. He’s a shut-down defenseman who can play in all situations on the power play and penalty kill, someone who has a mean streak, and is just an overall solid defenseman. The Tampa Bay Lightning don’t win two Stanley Cups without him, which brings me to another point about Del Mastro. When he was traded from Mississauga to Sarnia, Sarnia’s general manager Dylan Seca said afterward, “Ethan recently won two world junior medals and knows what it takes to be a champion.” You want to hear those words, as championship mindsets help build championship teams.
Related: Blackhawks Well Represented at 2022 World Juniors
It also helps that Del Mastro takes leadership seriously and is a prominent voice in the locker room. He credits his parents for that with the way they raised him. Corey Pronman of The Athletic recently ranked Chicago’s prospect pipeline as second-best in the league, with Del Mastro listed as Chicago’s 12th-best prospect. Pronman mentioned that he believes he is a question mark at the NHL level, listing his skating and puck handling skills as “just OK” and that he may struggle with the pace of the NHL, but that his motor is so good, and that may be the key. (from ‘Chicago Blackhawks rank No. 2 in NHL Pipeline Rankings for 2023’, The Athletic, 08/24/2023) Eaton might disagree with that assessment, as he noted his skating ability and movement as a plus.
I believe Del Mastro has an NHL future just because of his defensive game and persona. NHL teams need pure defensive defensemen, as seen around the league. Moreover, he said he continues to work on offensive skills, shooting from the blue line and getting pucks on net quicker.
When the Blackhawks signed Del Mastro, general manager Kyle Davidson said his game gives them hope for progression and growth. Eaton stated he believes they got a steal in the fourth round. Some may have conflicting views on his game, but he is motivated to show his NHL potential and has the overall makeup of an NHL defenseman. The Blackhawks could have a hidden gem with him, and this upcoming season should show if Del Mastro could be a “maestro” of the blue line.
