Posts Tagged ‘Jack Skille’

Michael Frolik acquired from Panthers

February 10th, 2011 by Leigh Michael Dengis

About an hour before last night’s game with the Edmonton Oilers the Jack Skille era with the Blackhawks came to an end. He was traded to the Florida Panthers with forwards Hugh Jessiman (AHL) and David Pacan (OHL) for forward Michael Frolik and goaltender Alexander Salak (SEL).

And the peasants rejoiced.

As the Blackhawks played themselves out the top eight in the West and the trade deadline neared, it became apparent Stan Bowman would shake-up the roster one way or another. Frolik has scored 20-plus goals in his first two seasons in the league, is top-six talent and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

With the addition of the 22-year-old Czech – and subtraction of Skille – the Blackhawks are an improved squad. One step closer to being a true contender to repeat. Now Bowman will need to address the blue line – a third-pairing, penalty-killing defender at a nice price.

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Five thoughts about five Blackhawks

October 22nd, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Hossa's second goal vs. St. Louis in Game #7 (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

It’s two weeks into the season, the Blackhawks have rattled off four straight wins to find themselves sitting atop the central division after a slow start. We’re eight games in, a tenth of the season behind us, and we’ve learned a few things about the 2010-11 version of the team thus far.

Marian Hossa is a beast

We finally get a chance to see what a healthy Marian Hossa looks like, and it resembles greatness. He has always been this good, but this is the first time he has played at this level in a Hawks’ jersey. I can only compare it to Alexander Ovechkin. Every time Hossa gets the puck, you get the feeling that something great is about to happen, and he has yet to disappoint. He was the reason the Blackhawks won both Game #3 in Buffalo and Game #7 vs. St. Louis in come from behind fashion.

Hossa spoiled us, and our expectations have been raised. Now that we’ve been treated to hockey such as awesome as this from the Slovakian right winger, we should never expect anything less. Hossa is on pace for 70-plus goals and 40-plus assists.

Marty Turco will do

Marty Turco has successfully wiped everyone’s memory of Antti Niemi. In six appearances, he has a record of 4-1-1 with a 2.42 GAA and .929 SV%. Keep in mind that Turco is seeing an average of 35.2 shots against per game — the Hawks averaged 25.1 in 2009-10 — with a thin blue line in front of him. What impresses me the most about our new 35-year-old goaltender are the long up-ice passes. In Monday’s game against the Blues, Turco hit Bryan Bickell square in the chest, as he stood on the offensive blue line, from the crease.

Our new Brent Sopel is…

…Nick Boynton. Yea, he has his flaws, and in a perfect world he’d be skating on the third pairing with either Jordan Hendry or John Scott. But for what he is, I’ve been relatively pleased with the job Boynton has done so far this season. He is the league leader in blocked shots with 23 in seven games, and is averaging over 22 minutes a night.

In Wednesday’s 2-1 (SO) victory over the Canucks, Boynton was on the ice for 27:38 — of which 2:27 was on the penalty kill — behind only Duncan Keith in time-on-ice.

Nick Leddy wasn’t ready

When the news broke last weekend that Nick Leddy was assigned to Rockford, I smiled. Not because it gave me the opportunity to say, I told you so, but because it’s what’s best for the 19-year-old defenseman at this point in his career. The speed of the game at this level was too fast for Leddy. He was tentative when it came to making or receiving a pass, his decision making was sub-par and his positioning, which is the most important aspect of playing defense, left a lot to be desired. If Jassen Cullimore is brought in as your replacement, that’s humbling.

Jack Skille can play

It took the former first round draft pick long enough to prove he belonged in the NHL, but he’s been a source of energy on the fourth line with Viktor Stalberg and Jake Dowell. Skille is making the most of his current situation, and it’s only a matter of time he gets promoted. He was a candidate to be this year’s whipping boy, but John Scott has a firm grasp on the title.

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Top twenty Blackhawk prospects: Fall 2010

October 15th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Our first installment of prospect rankings for the season have been expanded to twenty players, from the usual ten. The regular guidelines for making the list are still intact – under the age of 25, and less than 40 games played at the NHL level for skaters and 20 appearances for goalies. For more information and statistics regarding every player in the Blackhawks’ system, check out our In the Organization page above.

A lot has changed since the Spring 2010 rankings due to the addition and subtraction of so many players this off-season.

1. Kyle Beach (LW)
Date of Birth – January 13, 1990
Team – Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

If a general manager praises a player for his tenacity after jumping then injuring a five-foot something Norwegian at prospect camp, thus knocking him out of commission for about four months, things become very clear. Beach is a Stan (and Scotty) Bowman favorite, no matter how dense he is. He’ll spend most of the year in Rockford, with a few trips up and down I-90 this season. (Previous Rank: 1)

2. Jeremy Morin (LW)
April 16, 1991
Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

Looks like Bowman got himself a gem in the Dustin Byfuglien to Atlanta trade. Morin was close to breaking training camp with the Blackhawks, but the experience he will gain playing in the AHL will prove to be beneficial. The kid is a natural scorer, but his skating could improve. Morin was a member of the gold medal winning American team at the World Juniors in 2009, and is a lock to make the team once again this year. (NR)

3. Dylan Olsen (D)
January 3, 1991
Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA)

He’s got all the tools. He is big, physical, skates well and is a natural playmaker from the point. Olsen will spend another season at Minnesota-Duluth, and is a candidate to make the Canadian under-20 national team for the World Juniors. Olsen will compete for a spot on the Hawks’ blue line next fall, at the earliest. (3)

4. Shawn Lalonde (D)
March 10, 1990
Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

He joined the IceHogs for eight regular season and three post season games last year, and will play the majority of his games in Rockford this season. Primarily known as an offensive defenseman, Lalonde provides some pop as well. He has great up-ice vision, skates well and is destined to be a power-play quarterback. (2)

5. Marcus Kruger (C)
March 27, 1990
Djurgardens (SEL)

The Swede is wearing the “A” for Djurgardens at the ripe age of 20. On top of being an on-ice leader, Kruger is a playmaker whose instinct is to pass first. His head is always on a swivel, and is constantly looking for the open man. Kruger is also an asset in the defensive zone. The Blackhawks signed him to an entry-level deal this summer, but missed training camp with a foot injury. (5)

6. Nick Leddy (D)
March 20, 1991
Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

Despite seeing some improvement from the 19-year-old defenseman in the first four games of the season, on the job training isn’t something you want from a guy playing fifteen minutes a game in the NHL. Leddy could use some seasoning in Rockford to work on his board play, strength and overall decision making. (4)

7. Kevin Hayes (RW)
May 8, 1992
Boston College (Hockey East)

Kevin was drafted out of Noble & Greenough High School in Massachusetts this spring. He accelerated his schooling in order to be draft eligible, as well as join his older brother Jimmy (see below) at Boston College this fall. Kevin was a crowd pleaser at this summer’s prospect camp because of his speed and all-around hockey ability. (NR)

8. Brandon Pirri (C)
April 10, 1991
Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

He left Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute after his freshman year for the bright lights of…umm…Rockford. Pirri happens to be another Bowman favorite, luring him away from collegiate ranks this summer with an entry-level deal. He’s a nice little player (6‘0“ 160), but has a long way to come to be a regular in the NHL. (8)

9. Brian Connelly (D)
June 10, 1986
Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

Connelly was named the IceHogs’ Rookie of the Year last season. In 78 games, the defenseman scored four goals and 31 assists. His 35 points was good enough for sixth best in the AHL among blue liners. Connelly doesn’t have a ton of hype surrounding him like other prospects in the system at the position, but he’s a solid two-way player. (10)

10. Jack Skille (RW)
May 19, 1987
Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

Yep, Skille is still considered a prospect. It finally looks like the 23-year-old forward found a home on the Blackhawks’ roster. He has been one of the better players on the young season, and provides a nice balance skill and energy as a bottom-six forward. Skille has yet to scratch the score sheet, but if he continues at this pace the ponts will come. (7)

11. Ivan Vishnevskiy (D)
February 18, 1988
Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

Vishnevskiy came to Chicago when Andrew Ladd was shipped to Atlanta, and is now with his third organization. Like many Russians he skates well and is skilled, but it’s been four years since he was drafted in the first round (27th overall; 2006) and the sheen is beginning to dull. Vishnevskiy is part of the deep defensive prospect pool in Rockford, and will have a hard time standing out above the rest. One thing that will set him apart from the rest is experience. (NR)

12. Jimmy Hayes (RW)
May 8, 1992
Boston College (Hockey East)

Kevin’s older brother was acquired by the Blackhawks during the 2010 draft weekend from the Maple Leafs. The fact that Brian Burke let a big forward (6’5” 210) such as the elder Hayes go, should raise a few eyebrows. Toronto’s general manager drools over these sorts of players. Jimmy is a big, physical power forward with an offensive upside. (NR)

13. Ludvig Rensfeldt (LW/C)
January 29, 1992
Brynas J20 (SuperElite)

Rensfeldt is tearing up Sweden’s 20-year-old junior league. In eight games so far, he has seven goals and eight assists. It’s only a matter of time before he gets called up to the SEL. Rensfeldt is a player to keep an eye on. The 18-year-old is a talented player, and it will be a couple years before he’s ready to cross the Atlantic for good. (NR)

14. Bryan Bickell (LW)
March 9, 1986
Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

Bickell is a tough, physical winger, but he doesn’t have much in the way of skill. He has a nose for the net, but won’t be anything more than a bottom-six forward. Not that there is anything wrong with that… (NR)

15. Byron Froese (C)
March 12,1991
Red Deer Rebels (WHL)

He is very raw in appearance, but gets the job done with his physical and offensive play. In nine games played for the Rebels on the young season, Froese has netted three goals and tallied twelve assists. His numbers so far this season are a little deceiving – the kid can score. Froese had 29 goals with the Everett Silvertips in 2009-10. (NR)

16. Igor Makarov (RW)
September 19, 1987
Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

Makarov caught the eye of fans at training camp, but just fell short of making the Hawks’ roster. The Russian winger has been an enigma in his short career. He is quick and a great level of skill, but needs to be stronger on his skates and battle harder along the boards. For the last two years in the KHL, he was an unproductive bottom-six forward. I have my doubts whether Makarov will stick in the NHL, if he ever gets there. (NR)

17. Philippe Paradis (C)
January 2, 1991
Prince Edward Island Rocket (QMJHL)

Of the prospects that came over in the Kris Versteeg trade, Paradis performed better at prospect camp and training camp, which isn’t saying much. He was selected in the first round (27th overall; 2009) by the Hurricanes solely on potential. Paradis might make it to the NHL one day, but it will be a long and bumpy road that gets him there. (NR)

18. Ben Smith (RW)
July 11, 1988
Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

The former Golden Eagle doesn’t necessarily have all the tools, but his work ethic is second to none. Smith was important cog in the Boston College machine, which national championship in 2010. He was named the Frozen Four MVP. He has a nice career ahead of him as a bottom-six forward, and a penalty kill unit specialist. (NR)

19. Joe Lavin (D)
July 17, 1989
Notre Dame (CCHA)

Lavin is already half-way to becoming a hockey legend. The 21-year-old was arrested for supplying alcohol to minors at a party in his honor. He was not disciplined by the team, however. Lavin is a strong skater, plays the position well and has a wicked shot from the blue line. (NR)

20. Justin Holl (D)
January 30, 1992
Minnesota (WCHA)

The tools are there, but the 18-year-old could be more refined. He is an offensive minded defenseman, skates well and likes to jump in as the fourth forward. Holl’s overall defensive play needs a lot of work, and he’ll get the necessary playing time at Minnesota. The Blackhawks will give him a few years to fill out his frame (6‘2“ 170) before they come knocking. (NR)

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Roster spots to be had at forward

September 20th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

With the Blackhawks’ roster virtually locked up in net (Turco and Crawford) and on the blue line (Keith, Seabrook, Campbell, Hjalmarsson, Boynton, Hendry and Scott – with Vishnevskiy on the outside looking in), the competition at training camp is happening at forward. The Hawks’ top-six are set, but there are spots to be won as a bottom-six forward.

Who’s locked in?

Brouwer – Toews – Kane
Sharp – Bolland – Hossa
Stalberg – ??? – ???
Bickell – ??? – Kopecky
???

Who has a realistic shot?

Kyle Beach – Top prospect in the Blackhawks’ system will play his first game in the NHL sometime this season, but will his time come when training camp breaks? You can’t deny the kid is talented, but he’s “in need of a serious attitude adjustment.” Spending more time in Rockford could do some good, but he’s a Bowman favorite.

Igor Makarov – The 23-year-old Russian forward won the hearts of everyone in attendance at the training camp shindig over the weekend, and has a legitimate shot at stealing a roster spot from any player on this list. Makarov dazzled in prospect camp two years ago, but faded into the drab background of the KHL as a fourth-liner since. In 51 games between St. Petersburg and Moscow, he score five goals with four assists.

Fernando Pisani – If healthy, he’ll easily make the team out of training camp. Pisani will provide a veteran leadership on one of the bottom lines, and will help on the penalty kill. That being said, his skills and offensive production have tailed off significantly since he was a playoff hero for the Oilers in 2006.

Ryan Potulny – A nice off-season signing at a nice price, and could fill the role of third- or fourth-line center with the Hawks this season. At 26, Potulny has a small upside, and a scoring touch (15 last year). His plus/minus rating of minus-21 was indicative of playing on the last place Oilers.

Jack Skille – This will undoubtedly be the last shot for Skille to make the club that drafted him five years ago with the seventh overall pick. Really, there is nothing new I can tell you about Skille. His high water mark is as the Kris Versteeg replacement on the third line, but being assigned to Rockford is a possibility.

Jake Dowell – A spot on the Blackhawks was as good as his before ex-Oilers Pisani and Potulny were brought into the fold. Dowell still has an outside shot to make the team, but it appears as though he’s destine to begin the season in the AHL for the fifth time. The only thing he has going for him is that he’s a natural center.

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Blackhawks walk away from Antti Niemi

August 2nd, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Niemi and the Cup (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The writing was on the wall when the Blackhawks opted to match San Jose’s $14 million ($3.5 million per) offer sheet to Niklas Hjalmarsson. It was going to be tough for Stan Bowman to keep Antti Niemi on the payroll as a result, but you can’t say the man didn’t try. Post offer sheet, Bowman traded Marty Reasoner to the Panthers, and re-signed Jack Skille and Bryan Bickell to minimal deals in an attempt to have enough cap space to accommodate Niemi. I’m under the impression if Niemi really wanted to stay with Chicago, he and his agent would have been more amendable then they were.

According to various sources, Niemi’s camp sought out a one-year deal well above $3 million going into the arbitration hearing, and they were awarded a favorable one-year deal worth $2.75 million by the arbitrator. That number would have handcuffed Bowman when it came to the Blackhawks’ roster, so he walked. He was unable to pull off a sign-and-trade because other clubs didn’t like the deal either.

Enter Marty Turco. The Blackhawks probably started looking at his as a viable option weeks ago, but would have preferred to keep Niemi around at the right price. When the decision had to be made, signing Turco to a one-year deal worth $1.3 million worked best for the Blackhawks salary cap issue, so it eventually became easy for the Bowman to walk away from Niemi. He freed up 1.45 million, and they will be able to field a full 22-man roster.

There will actually be position battles taking place at training camp. Low salaries won’t dictate who makes the NHL roster come fall. We might actually see guys like Kyle Beach and Shawn Lalonde as soon as October. Also, all signs point to Corey Crawford as back-up goaltender.

Before you grab a pitchfork and/or torch on your way to Stan Bowman’s doorstep, think twice before you blame him for disbanding your Chicago Blackhawks. First, lynch mobs are no longer in fashion. Also, he’s just working within the parameters of the current collective bargaining agreement. Last, it’s a recent league-wide trend that goaltenders don’t win Stanley Cups – defensemen do. In other words, don’t hate the player, hate the game.

Changes have been reflected on our In the Organization page above.

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Blackhawk roster taking shape: Forwards

July 20th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Last week the Hawks made a few minor moves that will have some affect their roster this fall. Jack Skille, a restricted free agent and former first round draft pick (7th overall in 2006), re-signed to a one-year deal worth $600,000. I feel like a broken record writing this, but Skille should have every chance in the world to leave training camp with the Blackhawks. His cheap price tag guarantees that. Skille will have a Versteeg-like role on the third line, but is bigger (6’1” 215).

The other transaction was the signing of Russian forward Igor Makarov to a two-year entry-level contract worth $1,105,000 (a $552,000 cap hit). Makarov made an impression at prospect camp two years ago, but hasn’t backed that performance up in two seasons in the KHL. He split the 2009-10 season between St. Petersburg SKA and Moscow Dynamo, and in 51 games between the two clubs, Makarov had five goals and four assists with 61 penalty-minutes. The 22-year-old Russian will compete for a spot on the Blackhawks’ roster as a bottom-six forward at training camp, but he’ll likely land in Rockford come October.

If Skille and Makarov don’t get you excited, maybe Bryan Bickell will. There have been whispers that Bickell (RFA) is close to signing a multi-year contract with the Hawks. It’s a matter of when. The Blackhawks will re-sign him to a cap-friendly deal at $550,000 – a slight raise from last year. Once Bickell is inked, the Hawks will have twelve starting forwards locked-up.

Brouwer – Toews – Kane
Sharp – Bolland – Hossa
Stalberg – Reasoner – Skille
Bickell – Dowell – Kopecky

Update: Recently acquired Marty Reasoner was traded to Florida for Jeff Taffe.

Changes have been reflected on our In the Organization page above.

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Top ten Blackhawk prospects: Spring 2010

June 3rd, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Welcome to Red Rising’s fourth seasonal top ten prospect rankings at ranking the top ten prospects in the Blackhawks system. Age doesn’t factor into these rankings, only the number of games played at the NHL level. Skaters with more than 40 games played in the NHL and goalies with more than 20 appearances are exempt from the list. Swedish forward Marcus Kruger keeps climbing the list, and Brian Connelly cracks the top ten. Enjoy.

1. Kyle Beach (LW) – Beach had the best season of his junior career with the Spokane Cheifs in his last year of junior hockey eligibility. In 60 regular season games, he scored 52 goals and 34 assists (86 points), and in seven post-season games he scored seven goals with two assists before the Chiefs were eliminated from the playoffs by the Portland Winterhawks. Beach joined the IceHogs when his WHL season was over, and played four regular season games and four post-season games. Of Rockford’s five playoff goals, Beach scored three. He has a real shot to make the team out of training camp, but will need to cut down on the penalties to be productive at the next level. (Previous Rank: 1)

2. Shawn Lalonde (D) – Lalonde will join the Blackhawks at some point next season, and has the speed and vision to be a dynamic blue-liner (see clip below). He led the Belleville Bulls in points this season at 56 in 58 games played with 13 goals. Nine of Lalonde’s goals happened on the power play. He joined the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, when the Bulls’ season ended. In eight regular season games, Lalonde scored a goal and an assist with 11 penalty-minutes, but didn’t notch a point in three post-season games with the IceHogs. (Previous Rank: 2)  

3. Dylan Olsen (D) – Making the jump from AJHL to the college ranks wasn’t a problem for big-bodied defenseman. Olsen scored one goal and helped on ten others in his freshman year at Minnesota-Duluth, and worked his way onto the first defensive pairing before the season was over. He should continue to see plenty of playing time with the Bulldogs, which of course will only aide his development. At best, Olsen is about two years away from getting his cup of coffee. (Previous Rank: 3)

4. Nick Leddy (D) – Leddy was selected by the Minnesota in the first round of the 2009 entry draft (16th overall) straight out of high school. His rights came over from the Wild with defenseman Kim Johnsson at the pre-Olympic trade deadline this year. Leddy finished his freshman season at Minnesota with three goals and eight assists in 30 games. Reports stated that the Wild began to sour on the defenseman because of the lack of offensive production. He skates well, but needs fill-out his 5’11” frame. If he pans out, Leddy is two or three years away from cracking an NHL roster. (Previous Rank: 4)

5. Marcus Kruger (C) – Kruger had quite the year in Sweden. He was a rookie of the year nominee in the SEL, and was selected to his national team for the World Junior Hockey Championship. The Swedes won bronze. The 20-year old possesses leadership qualities, and accumulated 31 points in 36 games in one of the better hockey leagues in the world. Kruger played a pivotal role in Djurgardens’ second place finish with ten points (three goals and seven assists) in 16 games. Impressive for a player drafted in the fifth round (149th overall) of the 2009 entry draft. It will be another year before he comes stateside. (Previous Rank: 7)

6. Akim Aliu (RW) – Aliu started the season in Rockford, but was reassigned to Toledo (Blackhawks’ ECHL affiliate) for his lack of on-ice production. He finished the year with the Toledo Walleye on a high note – scoring five goals with nine assists in 13 games. Aliu will rejoin the IceHogs out of training camp this fall, and should stay there for the season. He has the raw talent to be a top-six forward in the NHL one day, but Aliu will need to curb the attitude and temper if he ever wants to live up to his potential. (Previous Rank: 5)

7. Jack Skille (RW) – All you really need to know about the former first-round draft selection (7th overall) out of the University of Wisconsin is that he’s a bust at 23. That being said, Skille will be on the Blackhawks roster once training camp breaks this fall. (I felt like a broken record just then). He is a restricted free agent at the end of the season, and will be retained by the organization because he’ll come cheap. With the current state of the Blackhawks’ 2010-11 payroll, cheap is good. (Previous Rank: 6)

8. Brandon Pirri (C) – Like Dylan Olsen, Pirri’s transition from the junior ranks (OJHL) to a collegiate hockey program was seamless. He scored 11 goals with 32 assists in 39 games with the Engineers, and was second on the team with 43 points in his freshman season. The Blackhawks will want him to bulk up – which he’s been doing – and could play out his collegiate career at RPI. (Previous Rank: 9)

9. Billy Sweatt (LW) – In 39 games with the Tigers, Sweatt scored 15 goals with 33 points in his senior season at Colorado College, which was his best. He doesn’t have a professional contract, and wasn’t assigned to Rockford with the group of players whose junior or collegiate eligibility expired. If the Blackhawks don’t sign him his off-season, they will have to relinquish his rights. The fact that he has yet to sign probably the Blackhawks have soured on the second round draft pick. Sweatt’s greatest asset is his speed, but needs to improve in other areas of his game at the next level. (Previous Rank: 8)

10. Brian Connelly (D) – Connelly was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado College last spring, and played 78 games with the IceHogs this season. He was second among defenseman with 35 points in his first year in the AHL. Connelly is small for a defenseman (5’10” 167lbs.), but his skating and playmaking abilities supersede any short-comings (pun intended). He has the inside track to win a spot on the Blackhawks blue line out of training camp this fall. (Previous Rank: NR)

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Blackhawks recall eight before semi-final match-up

April 28th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

A few days ago the Blackhawks recalled goaltender Corey Crawford from their AHL affiliate, and today the organization added eight more players to the roster that were previously stationed in Rockford. Of the recalled, take not of forward Kyle Beach and defensemen Shawn Lalonde and little known Brian Connelly. None of the players recalled today will lace-up for the semi-finals, but they are going to only see time in practice. The rest are forwards Jake Dowell and Jack Skille, defensemen Jassen Cullimore and Danny Richmond and goaltender Hannu Toivonen. Nothing to be excited about there.

Changes have been reflected on our In the Organization page above.

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Top Ten Blackhawk Prospects: Winter 2010

March 5th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

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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Blackhawks 1, Senators 4

January 20th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Another great performance from a goalie impeded the Blackhawks’ progress in the West, and it came at the hands of the little known Brian Elliot of the Ottawa Senators. He didn’t stand on his head like Jonas Hiller, but he came up with some big saves to keep the Senators on top. Elliot stopped twenty-nine of the thirty shots he faced, and was named the first star of the game as the Blackhawks lost 1-4.

The Senators controlled the game in the first period. They came out of the period with a 2-0 lead due to a few key defensive lapses from the Blackhawks. First, Brent Seabrook turned the puck over behind the net that the Senator’s first goal. Cristobal Huet was drawn out of his crease for the wide-open shot on net. Later, Brian Campbell and Niklas Hjalmarsson were soft on the back check leading to the Sentors’ second goal. Ryan Shannon was able to redirect of Peter Regin’s pass to beat Huet up high.

In the second period the Blackhawks were better in their offensive zone, and the momentum of the game started to shift in their favor. The Blackhawks took a few bad penalties in the game, but the slashing call on Jonathan Toews bogus. At least Marian Hossa was able to capitalize on the situation, and scored the lone Blackhawks’ goal of the night while Toews was in the box. It is the team’s league leading eighth short-handed goal of the season.

Hossa’s goal was the product Duncan Keith’s interception of a pass in front of Huet and quick up-ice pass. The assist was Keith’s forty-fifth point of the season – a career high for the defenseman.

With less then two minutes left in the second any wind the Blackhawks had in their proverbial sails disappeared when Regin scored on a wrap around. Huet was so far out of position on this one, all the way on the other side of the crease. Regin’s goal, and Elliot’s diving save earlier in the period to stop Hossa’s sure goal proved that this wasn’t the Blackhawks’ night.

The rest of the third was just more of the same from the Blackhawks – bad penalties (see Dustin Byfuglien’s roughing call), porous defense and questionable goaltending. All of which attributed to the Senators’ fourth and final goal of the game. The Blackhawks’ penalty kill was perfect up to this point, but the lack of resistance from Keith and Seabrook in their zone allowed Mike Fisher to score with the man-advantage.

Anyway, the season is long, and the Blackhawks are on their way to top billing in the West. So, no worries just yet. Next up, the Blackhawks will look to rebound in Calgary tomorrow night. The ‘Hawks have owned the Flames going back to last season.

AHL All-Star Game

Jack Skille had two assists in the AHL exhibition game, and a plus/minus of +1. Mark Cullen didn’t crack the score sheet. The Canadian team beat PlanetUSA 10-9 in a shootout.

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