Top 5 Chicago Blackhawks standouts from rookie camp
Photo credit: NHL.com
The Chicago Blackhawks have had five prospects stand out during this week's rookie camp; one of the attendees was AJ Spellacy, who should be a player to watch during Tom Kurvers' Prospect Showcase in Minnesota.
The Chicago Blackhawks' rookie camp has concluded this week.
They will take part in the annual Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase and play against their rivals, the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues, in exciting Central Division action this weekend.
Here are five Blackhawks players you should watch this weekend:
Five Chicago Blackhawks Prospects To Watch For
AJ Spellacy
AJ Spellacy is a power forward by nature who models his game after Tom Wilson.
Despite his lack of production in the OHL, the brutish forward should find himself in an impactful role in the NHL, thanks to his tenacity. During camp, he wasn't afraid to flash some grit against his own potential teammates.
"I think you need to have high intensity and stuff like this. It just brings everyone together. Even when you're battling against a guy, you get off the ice and you're best buddies."
Spellacy's game is all about intensity, and he'll be taking it to the next level.
While Rinzel has ready made his NHL debut at the end of last season, it'd be unfair to leave him off the list. Rinzel, like Artyom Levshunov, Ryan Greene, and Oliver Moore, all appeared on NHL ice near the end of the 2024-25 season.
However, Rinzel turned heads at training camp, as he's already playing above expectations for his age group. He's found his way onto the power-play unit and the penalty kill.
He feels like he still has a lot to prove before he earns a spot on the Blackhawks NHL roroster andould be a lock in 2025-26. His competitiveness should make us all take notice this pre-season.
Nick Lardis has been turning heads already in the OHL this season, after he scored 71 goals as a Bulldog. His time spent during training camp saw him show up and confirm that he's the kind of sniper the Blackhawks could utilize in the future. Lardis' linemates in the Showcase could be Oliver Moore and Marek Vanacker.
Both of the first-round picks should complement his playstyle as a sniper with their natural playmaking abilities.
"It's good. We built some chemistry over the past couple of days. It's a fast line. Those two guys are really fast. We just have to use our speed to our advantage. Our skill and playmaking will take over."
Behm was a third-round pick (66th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft. According to reports, he's been one of the noticeable players at camp and should be a key role player during this weekend's Tom Kurvers Showcase.
He was a natural fit withAJ Spellacy and Martin Misiak as a physical forward with some skill to create scoring chances, and he has been characterized as difficult to play against.
Players like Behm are hard to come by as a two-way forward. He felt he played well during camp this season and could carry that confidence into improving his overall game.
Marek Vanacker
Vanacker, we've covered, as he will be a linemate of Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis. Vanacker was unable to participate in the 2024 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase due to the prospect having to nurse an injury.
This year, he showed up ready and drove the offense in camp on a speedy line with Moore and Lardis. He's expected to fill a role as a low-down forward presence on the power play for the Blackhawks.
The team expects him to be a playmaker and an impact player moving forward
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SEPTEMBRE 13 | 121 ANSWERS Top 5 Chicago Blackhawks standouts from rookie camp Will you be watching the Chicago Blackhawks tonight as the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase begins? | ||
| Yes | 44 | 36.4 % |
| No | 77 | 63.6 % |
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