Blackhawks Set The Tone, Roll Out Lines & Pairings at Rookie Camp

· Yahoo Sports

Choppy drills with minor miscues. Bouncing pucks. Missed pass attempts. Shots flailing high and wide. Ahhh, hockey in September. It feels good to be back.

Visit michezonews.co.za for more information.

Friday and Saturday marked the Chicago Blackhawks’ first formal practice sessions of the new season, as 22 prospects hit the ice ahead of a two-game showcase with the St. Louis Blues early next week. Among the Hawks’ roster standouts are 2024 first-round draft picks Sacha Boisvert and Marek Vanacker, while recent day-two selections AJ Spellacy, Ryan Roobroeck, and Adam Gajan are also participating.

The group practiced for a little over an hour on day one, with Rockford IceHogs head coach Jared Nightingale, who’s in charge for Chicago during the showcase, running the prospects through a few fast-paced and physical drills to set the tone. After all, there’s no time to waste with game-like intensity coming on Monday evening.

“We want to get these guys off and running and ready to go for Monday. That’s why today’s practice was a little more physical. I thought that was crucial today.”

As pointed out when initially going through the Blackhawks’ showcase roster on Aug. 31, the amount of size and physicality throughout the group, both at forward and on defense, is perhaps what stands out the most with the bunch. So, Friday’s practice format meshed well with the roster makeup. Even with some admittedly tired players talking with the media after the session, they all seemed to enjoy being back where they belong again.

“It was really hard, I’m not going to lie,” said defenseman prospect Ty Henry about the intensity of Friday’s practice. “On the first drill, my legs were a little bit gassed. But it was good… it was a rough practice, but I had fun.”

Also noticeable is the amount of weight-room work put in by some of the Blackhawks’ top prospects this offseason. Given it was only the first day of rookie camp, there weren’t too many significant on-ice takeaways from the session. But off the ice, there was plenty to discuss.

Boisvert, Vanacker, and Spellacy each spoke with the media on Friday, and it wasn’t their comments that grabbed attention. It was their more-defined physiques and bulkier frames. The added muscle. The result of hours spent in the gym. The Blackhawks need more strength and sandpaper up and down their lineup, and it’s reassuring to see how serious these high-end prospects are taking their summer training and workout regimens.

“They come here for training camp and see what it takes,” Nightingale said. There’s another level to being ready to play against men at this level. It’s good when these players show that they have invested.”

Early in Friday’s practice on day two of rookie camp, the prospects went through more of the same, with Nightingale using quick-moving drills centered around competition and battling hard against one another. Clearly, he wants his group to play as a hard-nosed bunch on Monday and Tuesday against the Blues.

Following a few drills, Nightingale then put together forward lines and defensive pairings for the first time. He later confirmed to the media that these will be the lines and pairings utilized in the showcase’s opening game.

Boisvert claimed the first-line center spot and was joined by Spellacy and Roobroeck as his wings. All three players in that combination are 6-foot-2 or taller and bring physicality to the table. The Blues will have their hands full against this trio. They won’t be easy to stop offensively, and they will also make their presence felt.

Vanacker, arguably the second-best offensive player on the roster, skated on the second line with Jiri Felcman and Martin Misiak. That’s another combination with plus-size and can contribute offensively.

Defensively, it appears that Taige Harding will be utilized as the Blackhawks’ No. 1 defenseman during the showcase, which isn’t surprising, given his AHL experience last year with Rockford. Henry played left defense on the second pairing, while Ashton Cumby was in the same position, but on the third pairing.

As expected, Adam Gajan, a 2023 second-round pick, will get the start in net for the opening game on Monday evening.

For more Blackhawks news, visit Chicago Hockey Now and like our Facebook Page.

Follow us on X:

@chihockeynow, @JackBushman2

The post Blackhawks Set The Tone, Roll Out Lines & Pairings at Rookie Camp appeared first on Chicago Hockey Now.

Read full story at source