After the second of two preseason games, which was concluded last night in Pittsburgh, a collection of almost entirely AHL and junior Blackhawk prospects had failed to score a single goal. Both games had been played against the defending Stanley Cup champ Penguins—although they also iced a pretty fair complement of non-NHL players.
Cause for alarm? No. Cause for concern for a team that may be reliant on some of the aforementioned younger players to produce in the NHL this season? Maybe.
Tonight, the Hawks added some NHL regulars into the lineup and got three goals, and a win, versus the Blues. One of those goals was tallied by prospect Tyler Motte, who, to my eye anyway, has appeared to be the likeliest of the young forwards thus far to mesh with the big boys as they return to NHL action.
Motte brings the body and is an occasional offensive presence around the net. Good enough to play in the Hawk Top 6? Way too early to tell. These are still preseason games.
Another player jumping out to me was the just reassigned Alex DeBrincat. DeBrincat is not ready for the big time yet but you can see flashes of skill, speed and willingness in his game already.
Ditto Gustav Forsling who really looks to be the best of the Hawk prospects as far as having an NHL-ready game.
He makes quick, smart decisions and keeps the game simple. And maybe it's just me, but his skating stride looks a lot like Niklas Hjalmarsson's (not that it really matters—just an uncanny coincidence).
Michal Kempny, who scored and was +3 tonight, has been up and down, but more the former than the latter—also encouraging.
Still, overall, while the Hawk prospects appeared competitive head to head against the Penguin prospects, there were no highlight reel performances either. It appears there are no budding stars (not this year anyway) in the consideration set for NHL action. But the more realistic hope may be just for a couple of guys who can contribute in some way.
I'm not hearing anything on the trade front and it does appear the Hawks will cobble together their opening night roster from what they have in camp. But it's still a bit too early to draw anything more than quick, snapshot impressions from these games.
I'll be back with a recap of the Hawks' game in Detroit tomorrow night, the first of two straight agains the Wings—after which we may have a more clear picture of who the contenders and pretenders are as far as NHL jobs.
JJ