I am now ready to talk about this Makar poke-check on McDavid 😌 @Avalanche pic.twitter.com/rH4BxVEySM
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 3, 2022
It wasn't long ago when the Blackhawks had such a defenseman in their ranks who won 3 Stanley Cups, 2 Norris Trophies, and many other accolades including international medals. That D-man was none other than Duncan Keith. No one was better at flipping the ice.
As it stands currently, the #1 defenseman for the Hawks is Seth Jones. While Jones is able to perform like a #1 in some regards such as logging big minutes, playing in all situations, moving the puck swiftly, and generating offense, he falls short in other aspects.
Where Jones leaves a lot to be desired is play in his own end. Using his huge body and long reach to his advantage to snuff out plays and kill momentum, there are shifts when Jones looks like he can play the part of a #1 by neutralizing threats by the other team.
However, where Jones is not very good is when opponents often beat him easily in 50/50 battles down low, along the boards, or in the crease. It also doesn't help that Jones habitually gives up inside positioning which allows the opposition to set up shop in the slot.
After Jones, though, there are no rearguards in the system who project to be the next #1 defenseman for the Hawks. This is where getting top 10 picks in upcoming drafts is critical to restock the pool with prospects at all positions but particularly on D.
All hope isn't lost that the Hawks blueline is destined to be mediocre without a bonafide #1 at the helm. In the meantime, the Hawks do have a prospect who is the #1 on the farm team and may provide a blueprint for how all D-men need to perform.
A season ago as a rookie pro, Ian Mitchell made the Hawks out of training camp. After some impressive play out of the gate, Mitchell hit the rookie wall very hard. Other teams were beating him into submission regularly with their speed, strength, and experience.
This past season Mitchell played a majority of it in Rockford and became better because of it growing in many areas: reading developing plays better, maintaining tighter gaps with the puck handler, not wandering from the crease, and wielding a fast twig.
One area where Mitchell immensely improved was his one-on-one defending. Just like the clip in the above tweet of Cale Makar, Mitchell is starting to show he can be just as good defensively whether it's defending the rush or defending in other situations.
To be clear, this isn't to say by any stretch that Mitchell will be as good as Makar overall. There's an infinitesimal chance Mitchell will ever be in the same stratosphere as Makar. Yet, don't sell Mitchell short in his defensive abilities that make him the Icehogs #1.
Even though Makar has supreme offensive skills, Mitchell does have the tools to be above average at contributing on offense. Comparisons of being Keith Lite may not be too far off as Mitchell is adept at flipping the ice and walking the line in the O zone.
Where Mitchell is better than Keith at least is his capacity to launch shots from the point that get through for prime scoring chances or opportunities for teammates to redirect them. Mitchell vastly improved on his point shots after his NCAA freshman year.
At the NHL level, Mitchell is quite unlikely to be #1 material but it wouldn't be out of the question if he anchored the 2nd pair. At worst he's holding down the 5th spot in the pecking order. No matter what his water level is, he serves as a model for others.
The Big 4 as far as AHL D prospects include Mitchell, Jakub Galvas, Alec Regula, and Alex Vlasic. In addition to each of them possessing a unique set of qualities that make them NHL projectable, all of them are also able to reliably defend the rush at one degree or another.
Beyond the Big 4 is the next level which is headlined by Isaak Phillips and restricted free agent Wyatt Kalynuk who was at one point the top D prospect not in the NHL. Both have demonstrated that they can defend the rush but need to apply more consistency.
Former 1st round draft pick Nicolas Beaudin may be the worst out of the Rockford rearguards. His gap control is substandard due to slow footspeed and reactive defending. While he and Kalynuk have amped up their snarl, it sometimes comes at the detriment of their gifts.
When looking outside the minors and across the whole system, there's excitement in defensive defensemen Louis Crevier, Nolan Allan, and Ethan Del Mastro. They defend the rush so well as they attack the puck carrier early, skate pucks out, and make solid passes.
And if there's another prospect beyond Mitchell who can become an all-around defender capable of playing in the top 4 and even push for 1st pair consideration, Wyatt Kaiser may be the one to watch. He will play at least one more collegiate season before going pro.
"This is what you dream about. You want to be a hockey player & be playing. It's what we do and we love it." - Defenseman Ian Mitchell learned many tricks of the trade in his rookie season. #Blackhawks
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) June 3, 2022
Full interview: https://t.co/MSg2IdM9sB pic.twitter.com/3SMNkzFRVT
"You get into a groove and play, play, play. I think getting a lot of games is my focus point." With plenty of ice time, defenseman Alec Regula is focusing on those reps to help him grow this summer. #Blackhawks
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) June 2, 2022
Full interview: https://t.co/RdmP2QFAnv pic.twitter.com/9eYXxtPd7P
"Bigger, faster, stronger." Defenseman Isaak Phillips has his training plan ironed out and ready to build up for next year! #Blackhawks
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) June 5, 2022
Full interview: https://t.co/GSB4r1r2p3 pic.twitter.com/nJWXj9TTr7
Blackhawks Notebook
Friedman at the intermission says the Blackhawks are testing the market, Toews, Kane and Jones have NMC, so don't count them, they're not on the market, other than that they're listening on anybody, we'll see if someone makes an offer that pique's their interest.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) June 5, 2022
One such trade would involve elite winger Alex DeBrincat who is young enough to still be playing at a peak level once the team is contending again. Additionally, a slow rebuild may not be what these veterans want to be a part of and so they may ask out instead.
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See you on the boards!
Sources: Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, NBC Sports Chicago, The Athletic Chicago