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Top Prospects Revisited

April 14, 2021, 3:42 AM ET [62 Comments]
Theo Fox
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT


Back in November, I reviewed the Blackhawks top prospects at forward, on the blueline, and in net. Now that the season is 3/4 of the way through and the trade deadline has passed, let's revisit these lists and see what has changed.

These lists will be revisited yet again once the draft has occurred and hopefully prospect camp, too, assuming NHL teams are able to host them after not being able to do so in 2020.

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Forwards

Click here to view the original blog on top forward prospects.

Back in November:

1. Lukas Reichel
2. Philipp Kurashev
3. Brandon Hagel
4. Pius Suter
5. MacKenzie Entwistle
6. Evan Barratt
7. Michal Tepy
8. Tim Soderlund
9. Antti Saarela
10. Andrei Altybarmakian

Honorable Mentions: Reese Johnson, Artur Kayumov, Jake Wise

Too Early to Tell: Matej Chalupa, Mikael Hakkarainen, Cam Morrison, Niklas Nordgren, Landon Slaggert, Joshiah Slavin, Chad Yetman

Little to No Chance: Victor Ejdsell, Parker Foo, Brad Morrison, John Quenneville, Maxim Shalunov

At Present:

1. Lukas Reichel
2. Henrik Borgstrom
3. MacKenzie Entwistle
4. Evan Barratt
5. Josiah Slavin
6. Andrei Altybarmakian
7. Landon Slaggert
8. Tim Soderlund
9. Michal Teply
10. Antti Saarela

Honorable Mentions: Reese Johnson, Artur Kayumov

Key Notes:

* Obviously, Kurashev, Hagel, and Suter are regulars now for the Blackhawks and ideally fixtures for the foreseeable future.
* Newly acquired Borgstrom immediately makes the list at the #2 spot behind 2020 1st rounder Reichel who has been impressive as an 18 year old in the German elite league.
* One graduate to the top 10 is Slavin as he had a more impactful sophomore year at Colorado College and is on fire to start his pro career in Rockford.
* Another graduate to the top 10 is Slaggert after not only an outstanding freshman year at the University of Notre Dame but also a spot as a 4th liner for Team USA at the WJC.

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Defensemen

Click here to view the original blog on top defensemen prospects.

Back in November:

1. Ian Mitchell
2. Nicolas Beaudin
3. Lucas Carlsson
4. Chad Krys
5. Wyatt Kalynuk
6. Alec Regula
7. Alex Vlasic
8. Jakub Galvas
9. Stanislav Demin
10. Wyatt Kaiser

Honorable Mentions: None

Too Early to Tell: Louis Crevier, Michael Krutil, Cole Moberg, Isaak Phillips

Little to No Chance: Joshua Ess, Roope Laavainen, Anton Lindholm

At Present:

1. Wyatt Kalynuk
2. Ian Mitchell
3. Nicolas Beaudin
4. Chad Krys
5. Alex Vlasic
6. Wyatt Kaiser
7. Isaak Phillips
8. Alec Regula
9. Jakub Galvas
10. Cole Moberg

Honorable Mentions: Stanislav Demin

Key Notes:

* Even though Kalynuk, Mitchell, and Beaudin have played for the Blackhawks this season, none can be considered regulars yet given their split time between the starting lineup, taxi squad, and AHL.
* Kalynuk has shot up the charts to #1 supplanting Mitchell and bumping Beaudin down a peg as well.
* Carlsson was recently traded to the Panthers and Demin has regressed a bit at the University of Denver which opened spots for Phillips and Moberg to crack the top 10 as cogs on the IceHogs blueline.

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Goalies

Click here to view the original blog on top goalie prospects.

Back in November:

1. Drew Commesso
2. Malcolm Subban
3. Collin Delia
4. Kevin Lankinen
5. Matt Tomkins

Honorable Mentions: None

Too Early to Tell: Tom Aubrun, Dominic Basse, Cale Morris

Little to No Chance: Ivan Nalimov

At Present:

1. Drew Commesso
2. Matt Tomkins
3. Collin Delia

Honorable Mentions: Tom Aubrun, Dominic Basse, Cale Morris

Key Notes:

* Lankinen and Subban are the undisputed duo in Chicago at least this season and possibly next season, too.
* Commesso continues to have the highest ceiling of all goalie prospects especially after turning in a solid freshman year at Boston University.
* Tomkins has arguably caught up to Delia on the depth chart.

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Rockford Updates

Starting Lineup

Scoring Recap

1st Goal: Slavin (1-0) SH

While killing a penalty, Slavin won a board battle high in the neutral zone then rushed the puck up ice down the right wing to start a 2-on-1 and took the shot himself for the shortie.

2nd Goal: Giroux (1-1)

Mitchell got turned around as he defended a 2-on-1 but kept chasing the puck rather than stay in the middle. He then committed to Barratt's coverage which let Damien Giroux get open for a rebound goal.

3rd Goal: Bitten (1-2)

Beaudin cheated too far south in the neutral zone as the Wild were able to get in behind the Hogs to generate another 2-on-1 this time against Cody Franson where Will Bitten beat Morris.

4th Goal: Shaw (1-3)

Franson failed to get inside positioning and let Bitten park between him and Morris. Bitten then eclipsed Morris and took away his eyes as Mason Shaw buried a shot into the twine.

5th Goal: Mayhew (1-4) EN

Instead of dumping the puck in deep or reversing it backward to his defensemen, Altybarmakian tried to dance by a few Wild players but Gerry Mayhew stymied him and fired the puck into an empty net.

Player Notes

Slavin now has 3 goals and 2 assists in his first 4 pro games. He drives to the net hard and engages industriously along the boards.

Barratt continues to be a little ball of hate, hustling up and down the ice to hunt down pucks and irritate the other team to no end.

Although he looks so labored and awkward on the ice, Michal Teply somehow makes plays. He is deceptively adept along the wall.

Mitchell and Beaudin are both improving when protecting the front of the net. However, when they pinch, they get burned quite a bit by staying out of position too long.

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See you on the boards!

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