Dump and Chase? Fifth-Round Blackhawks Pick Steals Show from Connor Bedard and New Teammates

Marcel Marcel's story of how a bathroom break nearly caused him to miss his name being called 131st overall at the NHL Draft is Chicago's first stellar rookie performance of 2023-24.

Big Czech forward Marcel Marcel, the Blackhawks fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, outdazzled other Chicago players when it comes to pure storytelling on Saturday.

Marcel (Yes, those are his first and last names.) skated for the Gatineau Olympiques of the Québec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last season where he had 14 goals and 18 assists in 52 games. He watched the draft with his billet family in the city, formerly known as Hull, Québec and located across the river from Ottawa.

The 6-foot-4 242-pound 19-year-old from Plzen (Pilsen), Czechia was selected 131st overall, but didn't expect to go that high. So during the fifth round Thursday, he made a run to the loo, and nearly missed his name being called in Nashville.

See Marcel's explanation on video, in a tweet courtesy of colleague Phil Thompson of the Chicago Tribune who was with us at the Fifth Third Arena media room on Saturday.  https://twitter.com/MattCNews/status/1675233106742112256?s=20

"I was thinking more about he sixth round," Marcel told reporters. "I had just gone on the toilet. I had just come from the toilet, checked the time, sat down.

"My billet mom, she was checking on the phone, she was like 'You were drafted.' I was  sitting, I'm like "What are you talking about?'"

Seconds later, Marcel saw his name on the draft TV broadcast. His phone went crazy and so did his billet family.

In the QMJHL last season, Marcel met with a Blackhawks scout when he was suspended for a hit on an opponent.

"The guy was smaller," Marcel said. "It was not that dirty, but he didn't look good. My physio told me one side (of the player's face) was completely blue. Poor him. Sorry for that."

Marcel also helped Team Czechia to a silver medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships, recording two goals and six points in seven games. His favorite player is Czech icon Jaromir Jagr, who returned to skate in the Czech Extraliga last season at age 50.

Marcel admits he needs to "work on everything" to become a pro.

"I'm 245, so I have to work on quickness and the first two, three steps," he said.

"He's a bigger guy, but he gets around the ice really well," said Mike Doneghey the Blackhawks amateur scouting director. "So he fits our profile and brings some size to the table."