Chicago Blackhawks top prospect AJ Spellacy was once a NCAA college football recruit as a linebacker
AJ Spellacy has a family history of sports, as his father played linebacker at Marshall University, and his mother ran track. Both aunts played NCAA basketball at Marquette and St. Louis. His brother John Jr played center at East Carolina University, and his uncle played at Canisius.
As a three-star safety Spellacy could've been recruited into the NCAA, as he fielded a call from Nick Saban, but would move on from Division I football scholarships. He'd leave the football team at St. ignatius high school, instead to pursue Hockey as a sophomore.
The sport wasn't unfamiliar for the family, as John and his three-brothers played it for fun. His cousin Aiden, played at St. Cloud state and played pro hockey in England.
However, in West Lake, Ohio the main sport is football, not hockey. Both John and AJ would play catch in the living room, as John would throw the ball and AJ would sprint, dive, and catch. But amazingly, last year was the 1st year Spellacy played hockey full-time.
He would train full-time under Ryan Richmond at T3, a strength conditioning coach, where he once trained for football. Growing up he'd only play hockey with his youth team until December 1st, and then would play travel basketball and then play baseball all summer.
That was the Spellacy way.
«Going all the way back, my dad, he felt sports was the answer to a lot of problems because it kept the kids out of trouble and taught you so many lessons,» John said. «So all my family of six, everybody played something. Same thing with my five. It doesn't matter whether y
AJ wouldn't meet his agent and skills coach, until he was 15, at the University of Michigan, the coach? Kenny Ryan, a 2009 2nd round NHL draft pick. Prior to being drafted by the Windsor Spitfires during his 16-year old rookie year, he was busy getting scholarship offers from such schools as Central Michigan, Iowa state, Toledo and Illinois State.
He would go on an unofficial visit to OSU and then change his mind:
AJ and Ryan Richmond would skate 4-5 days a week, after his shifted gears, working together at 6:30 am every day and on video calls.
Casey Torres, his coach with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires referred to him as "our physical specimen" in a pre-draft phone call. He'd receive accolades for being the Spitfire's fastest skaters, from Liam Greentree at the draft as well.
His first season in the OHL would see him post 17 points in 47 games, earning him a "C" from NHL Central Scouting. His second season would see him score 38 points in 67 games, and earn him the 72nd spot of all American skaters from NHL Central Scouting's draft rankings.
Spellacy has said to model his game after Tom Wilson, an infamous power-forward in the NHL. And it's nice to hear, as the Blackhawks need some players with a lot of grit.
He belives his background in football, has helped him on ice, and gave him a ferocious mindset on ice. It will definitely earn him some favor in the AHL when he arrives. But when?
| POLL | ||
23 AOUT | 62 ANSWERS Chicago Blackhawks top prospect AJ Spellacy was once a NCAA college football recruit as a linebacker Will AJ Spellacy be a menace on ice for the Blackhawks? | ||
| Yes | 53 | 85.5 % |
| No | 9 | 14.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
