The Chicago Blackhawks have layers of great prospects, and a handful of them stood out on Monday night.
The Chicago Blackhawks prospects were defeated by the St. Louis Blues prospects on Monday, with a final score of 3-1. This was game 1 of 2 at USG Arena at Blackhawks Ice Center.
Although they didn't win, there were a handful of noticeable performances that deserve praise. These 4 Chicago Blackhawks prospects stood out above the rest of their peers by making themselves noticeable more than once:
AJ Spellacy
AJ Spellacy is close to being "NHL-ready". He is one of the fastest players in the organization, but he's also big, strong, and mean. He also possesses a nice level of skill with the puck, which makes him a dangerous middle-six forward.
During the Prospect Showcase's first game, Spellacy hit the ice with his hair on fire. He used his tremendous speed to create multiple chances, including one on his first shift of the game.
He also ended the second period by generating a shot off the rush, which he rang off the pipe. He was also a physical specimen, which is something that the Blackhawks have lacked at the NHL and AHL level in recent years.
"I think we created a good amount of chances, just couldn't finish," Spellacy said of his line. "[We] didn't give up any goals, so that's a good sign. Hopefully, tomorrow we can come back and score some goals."
Spellacy's line with Sacha Boisvert and Ryan Roobroeck has a mix of everything. They defended well on Monday but were unable to find the back of the net despite having multiple grade-A chances. They are, as Spellacy mentioned, aiming to find ways to score on Tuesday.
Ashton Cumby
Ashton Cumby is going to be a fan favorite for a long time. He is someone who will work to become an NHL player, but the early signs of him being a good pro are already there.
During this game, Spellacy missed a scoring chance and found himself in a skirmish behind the St. Louis net. Instead of having to fight for himself, Spellacy was defended by Cumby. Now, AJ Spellacy is well-built for tilts and usually doesn't have people come to his defense, but he received that gesture from Cumby.
"That was an unreal job for him," Spellacy said of Cumby coming to his defense. "I was grateful for that."
It won't be long before Cumby is fighting and making a name for himself in the AHL. This game was the definition of doing whatever he can to get noticed, as his fight may have been Chicago's top highlight of the game.
"It's one of them for sure; it's definitely up there," Cumby said when asked if it was the best fight he's ever had. "I took the opportunity, and I just went with it."
Cumby hadn't seen a replay of it yet at the time of his media scrum, but he knew it was good because he had multiple friends already texting him about it. You can expect Cumby, who has a wonderfully vibrant personality, to come out with an encore on Tuesday.
Martin Misiak
Like Spellacy, Martin Misiak was on his game from the opening whistle to the very end. That includes scoring Chicago's only goal, which was a shorthanded goal in the first period. He was never used on the PK last year, but head coach Jared Nightingale said he liked what he saw from him in that role.
"He took a step," Jared Nightingale said of Misiak. "We're not shocked. We've seen this coming. He improved a ton last year. We want to make him a complete player."
Misiak is in line for a very important season, as his NHL future could depend on what he does this season in the AHL. He is off to a great start with his performances in practice and in this game.
"We want to win," Misiak said. "It was a hard-fought game. I thought everybody competed well. Just have to make sure to play in stops and starts."
Misiak is a focused player who believes in himself and the goals he is trying to achieve. He knows what's at stake, and he takes that very seriously. When asked what he wants to accomplish on the final day of this event, his answer was simple:
"Score one more goal than St. Louis."
Taige Harding
Taige Harding took the ice with the C on his chest as the captain of the Blackhawks for the Prospect Showcase. He then proceeded to play like a captain.
Harding is never going to "wow" anyone with his pure skill, but he's one of the biggest players in pro hockey in terms of height, and he uses every bit of it. He knows how to close gaps well and makes it difficult for opposing skilled players to get anything going.
Whether or not Harding has an NHL future remains to be seen, but he is a character guy who will, at minimum, make the IceHogs more formidable. He showed up and played his game, which is all you can ask for from a player of his status.
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