One To Watch: Chicago Blackhawks

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You have to respect an organization that just keeps turning prospects into players year after year. Chicago is one of them. The most recent example is Brandon Saad, a player that slipped out of the first round in 2011 and right into their lap; a year later he's in the NHL. 

This past June was another example of the Hawks selecting highly regarded players that, for some reason, were available later than expected but didn't slide past Chicago. John Hayden, Ryan Hartman and Tyler Motte come to mind. 

2012 Choice: Kyle Beach - The former 1st round pick had fallen on hard time due to injury. I wondered if Beach could stay healthy and return to his offensively productive power forward role that he played as an AHL rookie. While his 26 points in 66 games won't excite anyone, he did score 16 times and recorded 204 PIMs and that's still a rare combination that Beach brings to the table. 

My Chicago pick for One To Watch in 2013 is after the jump. 

One To Watch: Chicago Blackhawks

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One of the great NHL stories of the last decade, in my opinion, has been the return to prominence of the Chicago Blackhawks. One of the Original Six, a franchise deep in history and legends had become a bottom feeder in the league without a glimmer of hope for fans to cling to. That changed in the early 2000's and resulted in a Stanley Cup win in 2010. 

The Hawks steady climb back to the top was done mostly from within as the club built through the draft. Strong drafting has continued and so the Hawks remain a franchise to be feared and respected.

Goaltending at the NHL level has become a question mark for Chicago and the Hawks have used a number of draft picks in recent years to stockpile at that position. Chicago has drafted five goalies in the last three years, almost all of them very late in the draft. Brandon Whitney and Matt Tomkins are the two most recent and they join Kent Simpson, Mac Carruth and Swede Johan Mattson in the organization. 

Defencemen have been a particular success story in Chicago going back to Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith. More recently, Dylan Olsen (who played 28 games last year), Joe Gleason, Nick Mattson, Adam Clendening, Michael Paliotta and Dillon Fournier have deepened the waiting pool even more.

Fans have their fingers crossed that 2012 1st round pick Teuvo Teravainen becomes the steal many of them believe he could be. 2011 1st rounder Mark McNeill is looking to finish his WHL career in playoff fashion with Prince Albert. Some forwards have already played some NHL games like Brandon Pirri, Brandon Saad and Jeremy Morin. 

The guy I settled on for this series has yet to play a NHL game although he was selected five drafts ago. Injuries and perhaps salaries have combined to delay his arrival but maybe that will change this year. 

Americans Looking For New Assistant Coach (Updated)

Almost at this time last year, Terry Virtue was promoted to Associate Coach with the Tri City Americans, which you can read about here. Today TPS has learned that Virtue has left the club for personal reasons.

UPDATE: The Pipeline Show has learned that Virtue is headed to the OHL and the Owen Sound Attack. A candidate for his replacement in Tri-City might be Scott Beattie who played in Europe before becoming a coach. He's been on the bench of the Kootenay Ice for the last few years.

Virtue played for 3 different WHL teams before bouncing around the minors. He played 5 NHL games with Boston and the Rangers.

In other Tri City news, the Americans hold the WHL rights to Nick Leddy, a first round pick of the Minnesota Wild who was traded to Chicago this year. Leddy just left the Minnesota Golden Gophers and will likely sign a contract with the Hawks. Because the NCAA doesn't have an agreement with the NHL, Leddy can play in the AHL as a 19 year old, but if the Hawks don't feel he's ready then it will be the Americans gain.

30th - Chicago Blackhawks Draft Preview

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I don't know about you but it often seems to me that the simplest designs are quite often the most effective. Here the Chicago Blackhawks shoulder patch consists of a 'C' that is crisscrossed by a pair of tomahawks. The Capital letter 'C' is consistent with the logos of both the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cubs and the addition of the war clubs is a perfect final touch. They've been in use for decades now and for good reason. Sharp!

Blackhawks Prospect Snap Shot

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The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the "original six" teams in the NHL having joined the league in 1926. Like the New York Rangers, the Hawks have 3 Stanley Cup Championships to their credit - fewest among original six franchises. It has been 39 years since Chicago has captured hockey's top prize, their last Cup victory coming in the 1960-61 season.

From 1997-98 until 2007-08, the Hawks qualified for the playoffs just once, a first round exit in 2002 at the hands of a top rival, St. Louis. Years of futility and aggressive rebuilding strategy allowed the organization to acquire a ton of draft picks over the last decade. In 2004, Chicago made 17 draft day selection including 5 in the first two rounds. The team has become much more North American flavored through the draft than during the 1990's and some would argue that it's a major reason why the club has enjoyed a major turnaround the last two years.

with an extremely talented and young leadership core the Blackhawks are poised for success over the next several seasons. And there is plenty more top recruits Coming Down the Pipe... here is a look at some of the best prospects in Chicago's system.

What stage is the Oilers rebuild in?

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When the Chicago Blackhawks rolled through town this week it was written everywhere but in the sky that the Hawks formula for rebuilding is the one Edmonton should be following.

Chicago enjoyed several high end draft positions to get to where they are now, and if the Oilers indeed are in true rebuilding mode they will enjoy at least 2 years of the same thing.