Sometimes you need training wheels for training camp.
Chicago Blackhawks prospects such as Frank Nazar and Landon Slaggert haven’t had that experience yet, so opportunities like last weekend’s Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in St. Louis can go a long way toward establishing the pipeline pecking order.
“It’s kind of their warmup for their first NHL training camp,” Mark Eaton, Hawks assistant general manager for player development, told Rockford IceHogs broadcaster Mike Folta during the prospect game against the Minnesota Wild. “So give them a glimpse … into the competitiveness, the physicality that this training camp is going to bring.”
The camp battles this year will be intriguing.
The rebuilding Hawks have had AHL-level or depth players make the roster almost by default the last few seasons. But this year’s upgraded roster will have several talented prospects sent to Rockford.
Spots on the Hawks will be limited, and even with the IceHogs, the brass will be keeping closer tabs.
“(Competition) is ingrained in them, but that’s going to be a focal point in Rockford this year,” Eaton said, “just kind of keeping a running tally, keeping track of wins and losses and drills throughout the week, having a leaderboard in the locker room so guys see where they stand.
“And that just kind of fuels that competitive environment and that competitive nature within each individual because ultimately that’s what it is. That’s the foundation of the teams that we’re trying to build here: compete and speed.”
Here are three prospects from the showcase to watch during Hawks camp, which begins Thursday.
1. Frank Nazar, forward
Based on one play, Nazar showed he can take a hit and take a jab.
During the second prospect game last weekend, Wild defenseman Stevie Leskovar was gunning for several Hawks players (just ask Colton Dach). Leskovar trained his sights on Nazar in the neutral zone and crushed him just as Nazar passed to Ryder Rolston for a goal.
“I was glad Rolly scored on that one because I don’t know why that guy was stepping up and left (Rolston) for a breakaway,” Nazar said. “All I thought was: ‘OK, I’m going to get it. I’m going to make this play.’ If this guy steps up, he’s just dumb and he’s giving a guy a breakaway. I don’t know what he’s thinking.”
Earlier against the Wild, Nazar took a cross-ice sauce pass from Martin Misiak to score a game-tying power-play goal. The previous night against the St. Louis Blues, Nazar threaded a pass through traffic to Nick Lardis for a back-door one-timer.
Nazar at times looked like he was in a different class during the showcase.
“He’s as competitive as they come — he expects a lot of himself,” Eaton said. “Obviously coming back from the injury (he had hip surgery during the 2022-23 season at Michigan) was a learning experience for him, but he always found ways to get better, even when he wasn’t able to be on the ice.”
Nazar had a healthy sophomore season, won gold at the World Juniors with the U.S. team and capped his season with his first three games for the Hawks, recording a goal in his NHL debut.
“You saw the little glimpse we got of him at the NHL level and what the expectations are going to be for him going forward,” Eaton said. “A player coming from the college ranks entering his first NHL training camp is a different animal. He’s gotten better as he’s gone this weekend. It’s only going to serve well going into training camp as he competes for a spot.”
Nazar said the two practices and two prospect games helped condition him for the camp battle ahead after a summer layoff.
“My legs felt a lot better, lungs felt better,” he said. “So that was really good to get in before camp and everything gets going.”
2. AJ Spellacy, forward
In the first period of the game against the Blues, Spellacy took a pass at center ice, blew past a couple of defenders and whipped a far-side goal in stride. And made it look effortless.
“He wants to go, like, he can move — that kid can fly,” said IceHogs assistant coach Rob Klinkhammer, who filled in while Rockford head coach Anders Sorensen handled a family matter.
“Just trying to use my speed and be physical,” Spellacy said.
Eaton called Spellacy a “big body out there, really moves it well.”
“He gets up and down the ice real well,” Eaton said. “I think he knows what he is: He’s a north-south player. Showed it on his goal (Friday) night, just drove widely, speed, put a puck on net. So going forward, the biggest thing for him is let’s get him as many puck touches as possible.”
Eaton said he and associate GM Norm MacIver discussed Spellacy, and the Hawks brass hopes he’ll get a chance to center this season for the OHL Windsor Spitfires, “which will get him more touches and get him more comfortable playing at the speed that he’s going to need to play with at the next level,” Eaton said.
Spellacy said it comes down to reps.
“The more times I get put in those situations, it helps me a lot,” he said.
3. Nolan Allan, defenseman
An MCL tear cost Allan the tail end of his first season with the IceHogs and what would’ve been his first taste of the AHL playoffs.
He said he feels better now.
“I did some rehab at the start of summer, make sure my body’s feeling healthy and then worked a lot on mobility, getting lower in my stride and just building strength on my edges,” he said.
Allan had two solid games during the prospect showcase.
“He was really killing plays,” Klinkhammer said. “He just looked like a man out there. Looks strong, physical, heavy.”
Allan added: “That’s kind of a role I played in junior, being hard to play against, being good defensively. I definitely think that’s the reason why the Hawks picked me and that’s definitely going to be my path with the NHL.”
The question is when. Could this be the training camp the No. 32 pick in the 2021 draft finally breaks through?
The Hawks added veterans to the roster and also will give long looks to Ethan Del Mastro, Wyatt Kaiser and other defensive prospects.
“That’s why everyone’s here,” Allan said. “They want to make a push for it, right? So everybody’s going to bring their best and I’ve got to too.”
