Throughout this week, young American prospects from around the country have been competing at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Michigan. The event serves as a final evaluation for Team USA staff to determine who will make the roster in the IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins near the end of December.
Center Frank Nazar was highlighted yesterday for his five-point performance Monday night, and will almost certainly make the team. He’s one of four Blackhawks prospects that received invitations to be evaluated at Team USA’s camp in Michigan, a list only 45 strong.
A final pair of games will be played by the American squads Friday afternoon, but it’s safe to say that the Blackhawks’ prospects don’t want the week to end. Their stellar play has gained them plenty of recognition at the showcase as they continue to prove to scouts why they deserve to represent their country on a global stage this winter.
Wednesday’s matchup between the two USA squads saw almost all of the Blackhawks invitees appearing on highlight reels. Below were the opening lines from the tilt:
Frank Nazar
The first name that stands out is Nazar, slotted as the top center on the USA Blue team. He had a spectacular performance Monday, and came into the showcase as one of the biggest names on the list. There’s little doubt he’ll be on the team this winter, and should be able to make a huge impact when he gets there. He continued his stellar play Wednesday with a sweet assist, threading the needle between two white jerseys:
Oliver Moore
First-round draft pick Oliver Moore appeared as the third-line center on the same team Wednesday. While it seems like just over half of the forwards seen in Michigan will be on the squad come December, Moore may have played his way onto that list. During the draft process, he made waves as possibly the fastest-skating prospect in his class, and he put that ability on display as he hammered in the first goal of the day.
Gavin Hayes/Sam Rinzel
Steven Ellis of The Daily Faceoff, who has been covering the showcase this week, mentioned Gavin Hayes, saying the young winger has “had a good summer tournament”. He appeared on the third line of the white side Wednesday, and didn’t score, but got some nice work done. It’s unclear whether he or Sam Rinzel, who played on the third defensive line for the blue team, will be on Team USA’s roster going forward, but both had decent weeks and earned plenty of reps.
Being one of only 45 invitees to the Summer Showcase was a big opportunity for four talented young Blackhawks, and they took that opportunity and ran with it, filling highlight reels and wowing evaluators. Though Frank Nazar came into the showcase as one of the biggest names, he continues to prove that’s where he belongs. Oliver Moore entered the week middle-of-the-pack, but he impressed spectators as well. Rinzel and Hayes haven’t necessarily been superstars this week, but both put forth great performances and could be considered for spots on Team USA. Blackhawks prospects continue to prove why they’re consistently ranked among the best groups in the NHL.
