Winter ain’t over, yet. Now that the trade deadline passed there won’t be any more personnel changes in the Blackhawks’ system. Anyway, this is our third attempt at ranking the top ten prospects. Skaters with more than forty games played in the NHL and goalies with more than twenty appearances are exempt – age doesn’t factor into the rankings. There are a few new faces on the list that weren’t part of the fall rankings. Enjoy, and feel free to comment.
1. Kyle Beach (LW) – Beach is having the best year of his WHL career with the Spokane Chiefs. He has forty-eight goals and thirty assists (seventy-eight points) in sixty-tree games – he has 166 penalty-minutes to boot. He’s a big guy (6’ 3” and 200 lbs.) and has a lot of offensive talent, but his temper is an issue. If Beach drops the bad boy attitude he has the talent be become a top-six forward, but if he doesn’t he could become another Steve Ott – a player that had an upside, but opted for the life of goonery. In the poll that has been on the site for over a month, many of you agree that Beach is the ‘Hawks top prospect. (Previous Rank: 1)
2. Shawn Lalonde (D) – Lalonde was cut from the Canadian junior team in December, but the defenseman has had his share of good news since. He signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Blackhawks, and was selected to represent the East at the OHL All-Star. Lalonde is an offensive defenseman, good skater and carries the puck well. In x games, he has twelve goals and thirty-four assists (forty-six points). He leads the Belleville Bulls in points. Lalonde could get a primer with the Rockford IceHogs once the OHL season is over with an entry-level professional deal already in place. (Previous Rank: 2)
3. Dylan Olsen (D) – I have one leg in the Olsen bandwagon. As a freshman at the University of Minnesota-Duluth he has played his way onto the top defensive paring, and is gaining the necessary ice-time to develop. Like Lalonde, he was cut from the Canadian junior team that won silver in the tournament. He may end up being the best defensive prospect currently in the organization – largely due to his great two-way play – but he is about two years away from playing in the NHL. (Previous Rank: 3)
4. Nick Leddy (D) – Leddy is one year removed from being named “Mr. Hockey” in the state of Minnesota. The Wild drafted the defenseman straight out of high school with their first pick of the 2009 draft (16th overall). Leddy’s rights were traded with Kim Johnsson to the Blackhawks for Cam Barker last month – he currently plays at the University of Minnesota. Word is that Minnesota’s opinion of Leddy soured in his brief time with the organization. The addition of Leddy gives the Blackhawks great depth at defense. They will take their time with Leddy – who is two or three years away from the show. (Previous Rank: NR)
5. Akim Aliu (C/RW) – Aliu won’t take a hit in the rankings just one day after being reassigned to Toledo (ECHL). He was drafted as a project for the organization, and could probably use some more Elmer’s glue. Aliu has the raw talent to play in the NHL, but it’s still up in their air whether he can develop into a top-six forward. However, there will always be questions regarding his temper. Aliu might be a viable third line option as soon as next season. (Previous Rank: 4)
6. Jack Skille (RW) – Skille is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. With the looming salary cap issues awaiting the organization, Skille will be a relatively cheap piece to rebuild after the small exodus of talent after the season. With thirty NHL games on his resume, he hasn’t been able to make the jump to the next level. In his third season playing for the IceHogs, Skille is on pace to have his best season yet. In forty-nine games game he has twenty goals and twenty-three assists (forty-three points). (Previous Rank: 7)
7. Marcus Kruger (C) – The Swede started the season in the SEL (Swedish Elite League) real strong, but his point production has tapered off. He is just nineteen years old playing in the third best hockey league in the world, and has twenty-nine points (nine goals, twenty assists) in thirty-four games. Kruger’s season earned him a nomination for the SEL rookie of the year, and a spot in the Swedish junior team. The Blackhawks’ fifth-round pick (149th overall) in the 2009 draft was a sleeper. (Previous Rank: NR)
8. Billy Sweatt (LW) – Sweatt is a native of Illinois and a senior at Colorado College. He has plus speed, and is having his best year as far as point production. Sweatt only has two more regular season games with the Tigers – in thirty-four games he has fourteen goals and sixteen assists. I doubt he can make the jump from the WCHA to the NHL next season. Sweatt will need a year or two of seasoning in Rockford. That should be incentive enough to improve quickly. (Previous Rank: 6)
9. Brandon Pirri (C) – Freshman year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been kind to the undersized Pirri. In thirty-six games the eighteen year-old has forty-one points (ten goals, thirty-one assists) while centering Maple Leafs’ prospect and American World Junior star Jerry D’Amigo for most of the season. Pirri is second on the team in points, and first in assists. The Blackhawks will want him to bulk up a bit, and he could play out the remainder of his college career. (Previous Rank: 8)
10. Corey Crawford (G) – Crawford was shut down in November with a ‘lower-body’ injury, but has played well since he returned to action. In thirty-four games this season he has a save percentage of 0.909 and a goals-against average of 2.66. The Blackhawks don’t have that much organizational depth in net, and Crawford is first in line to get recalled to the show if something were to happen to either Cristobal Huet or Antti Niemi. (Previous Rank: 10)
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