The Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase is finally in the books, which means the Blackhawks are officially shifting their focus to the regular season. Training camp is set to start on Thursday morning, and we’ll finally get a chance to see Chicago’s new-look roster in action.
The Blackhawks split two games in St. Louis in the weekend’s showcase, and there was plenty to like about both performances. Even though there was some sloppy play on both sides on both nights, Chicago had a handful of players stand out in particular.
Among those standouts were two big-name skaters who were noticeable even more than the rest. Those two players were able to capitalize on big expectations, so much so that they could put their Blackhawks sweaters back on when the season opens next month.
Frank Nazar
As the Blackhawks’ presumptive top prospect at the moment, almost all of the team’s focus in training camp will be on whether Nazar can hang on to an NHL roster spot. After a great pro debut at the end of last season, the former 13th-overall pick once seemed like a no-brainer for this fall. However, with a total of five veteran forward additions this summer, Nazar suddenly found himself on the outside looking in.
After his performance in the Prospect Showcase, however, that may no longer be the case. Despite being just 20 years old, Nazar looked the part of a seasoned veteran among inexperienced prospects. His excellent showing started with a pretty assist for Chicago’s opening goal Friday and only went up from there. Nazar recorded a goal and a beautiful assist Saturday night and he stood out on every shift with his surprisingly physical play and elite hands.
It’ll be tricky to find a spot for Nazar on the NHL roster, but if he’s truly ready, it’s in the Blackhawks’ best interests to do so. By being ready for the NHL, he wouldn’t get much use out of a season with the IceHogs, and could certainly use the experience at the top level. He proved at the end of last season that Chicago could use his skills, and he would certainly be fun to watch as the team’s second-line center this year.
Colton Dach
Dach has sometimes flown under the radar in conversations like these over the past year, but the fact is he was the IceHogs’ top forward for the 48 games that he was healthy. He said before the Prospect Showcase that had he been healthy, he feels he could have made the jump to the NHL last season. This summer, he said he’s ready to take that next step if he can get more physical and move his feet a bit better.
Dach couldn’t have accomplished that goal more effectively during his two games this weekend. He was a clear standout, flying around the ice and using his giant frame to physically dominate his opponents. Dach won a fight in each of the two games played, showing off his power forward style.
Dach isn’t fazed by the Blackhawks’ free agent signings of this summer, either. He said last week that he was used to challenging himself to play up to the competition, and his goal was to go into training camp to win a job. Dach isn’t quite on Chicago’s radar as much as Nazar, but if the Blackhawks look to add more physicality to their NHL roster, they could consider Dach in order to deal some punishment and gain valuable professional experience.
