Day 2 of Blackhawks Prospect Camp at Johnny’s Ice House West featured two more practices today. The groups weren’t just Free Agents and Blackhawk property anymore—the two were mixed together in what should be preparation for the following three days of scrimmages.
The Job is far from over: Comcast Chicago
Team MVP: Daily Herald
Playoff Preview: Cheer The Anthem
Emery is hurt: Globe and Mail
Smart Rest: Comcast Chicago
Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming: Blackhawk Up
It’s a whole theme today, as we look throughout the organization to see how the kids are doing.
Let’s not waste anytime. Over to crown jewel (I think) Phillip Danault, who’s been on fire since being traded to the much superior Moncton from his hometown Victoriavile Tigres. In 25 games with Moncton, Danault is 9-26-35. The assists are encouraging. If Danault is going to make the big jump next season (and it’s 50-50 whether he can or not from what I can tell), he’s going to have to be something of a playmaker on the 2nd line with Bolland returning to his checking role. Or maybe on the 4th. I don’t know. Whatever, it’s all a rich tapestry. Let’s say the Hawks would be stronger if he can.
Time for our weekly jaunt around the world to see what the Hawks system is looking like.
You know, let’s go in reverse this time. We’ll start in Europe. Teuvo Teravainen didn’t scratch in two games for Jokerit. He’s at 12-13-25 in 33 games.
I can’t seem to figure out where Maxim Shalunov is these days, so I’m just going to not care until he does or doesn’t make it to Rockford next year.
Joe Gleason and Nick Mattson were a combined +5, and Mattson had a goal and an assist in one of the two games for North Dakota against UNO.
Paul Phillips was a -3 in two games for Denver
Time for our weekly jaunt around the world to see what the Hawks system is looking like.
You know, let’s go in reverse this time. We’ll start in Europe. Teuvo Teravainen didn’t scratch in two games for Jokerit. He’s at 12-13-25 in 33 games.
I can’t seem to figure out where Maxim Shalunov is these days, so I’m just going to not care until he does or doesn’t make it to Rockford next year.
Joe Gleason and Nick Mattson were a combined +5, and Mattson had a goal and an assist in one of the two games for North Dakota against UNO.
Paul Phillips was a -3 in two games for Denver
Time to check in on the Hawks prospects.
Let’s start in the OHL, where Garrett Ross was named OHL player of the week. Seven points in three games will do that for a player. He currently stands at 49 points in 38 games, which is good enough to be in the top 20 in the league. That actually puts him right behind Boone Jenner, who very well may be a Jacket this time on Saturday. Though Jenner is a couple years younger. While Ross shouldn’t be pegged as a future star or anything anytime soon, he assuredly should be watched when he gets to Rockford next year. Though all of it comes with the caveat that he is playing against kids he is older than.
Nothing: (TSN)
Support Group: (Grantland)
Can Canada save the NHL? (Sportsnet)
Make whole with the fans:(CBC)
Barriers in the KHL:(Pro Hockey Talk)
Second NHL Team in Toronto can’t happen: (Puck Daddy)
It’s a big week for Phillip Danault and Mark McNeill, as they are both currently in Calgary for Canada’s World Junior Training Camp. They will find out Thursday if they’ve made the team, and they could be fighting for the same spot.
Both went into it on a roll as well. Danault especially went bonkers in two games this weekend, with one goal and seven assists! That gives Phillip 44 points in 29 games, though that hasn’t kept Victoriaville from being pretty ho-hum this year.
McNeill had a goal and two assists in three games before heading to Calgary.
Let’s round up the kids, because we’ve got nothing else to do.
We’ll start in the Q, as is customary. Phillip Danault had a pretty busy week before getting his invite to the World Junior Training Camp for Canada next week. Four games, a goal and an assist but an unsightly -4. In fact, Danault is a -8 in his last seven games, which isn’t all that encouraging for a player that’s supposed to be a solid two-way player. It dropped him from +4 on the year to -4. Something to be watched.
His teammate Brandon Whitney had a much better week, starting all four games. Only went 1-3, but stopped 38 of 39, then 34 of 38, 28 of 31, and 36 of 39 shots in those games. That’s a .923 SV% for those four games.
Dillon Fournier was a +1 in three games for Rouyn-Noranda
Tuesdays have become our organizational endoscopy, so we have to do the other half and check out the kids in juniors and college.
For a new wrinkle, let’s start in the college ranks and then make our way to the Great White North. And like I made the mistake of doing, we’ll start in the Northeast. Braden Birch was part of the Cornell team that clocked Michigan at MSG. Watched a lot of that game and he was a lot more noticeable than he was in NBCSN’s coverage of the tilt against Harvard.
