Chicago Blackhawks rookies displayed their skills on the ice over the weekend at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in St. Paul, Minn. Here are three takeaways.
1. Oliver Moore has it all … almost.
At the start of overtime Saturday, the Hawks center collected the puck and sped past St. Louis Blues defenders. He found himself all alone and used a shifty stick to tap it into the net, giving the Hawks a 3-2 win just seconds into OT.
Moore was the fastest player on the ice against the Blues. His get-off speed helped him fly into the offensive zone and be the leader to finish off even-strength and 3-on-2 rushes. But the finishes wouldn’t happen.
The Minnesota native and 2023 No. 19 pick fumbled the puck and missed a couple of good looks. He imposed his will everywhere else and caught opposing defensemen off guard with his speed, but most of the time it didn’t net returns.
The overtime goal was a great look at Moore at his best. It’s about being consistent with his finishes.
Speed is great, but slowing down a tad to give himself time will help Moore. That extra half-second could be used for a pass, a stick move or extra power on a shot.
He’s aware of this flaw in his game, saying that he’s in all the right places but wants to “bear down on those opportunities.” He caught chemistry with his wings — and was a winger himself a few times this weekend. When that play-making solidifies, he will be dangerous.
2. Defensemen put on a show.
NHL-level talent should have the advantage in these prospect showcases. That’s exactly what Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel displayed.
After a sloppy 10 minutes against the Blues, the two found their footing. Levshunov, last year’s No. 2 pick, was all over the place for the Hawks.
After failed offensive trips, he was able to catch up in transition to disrupt Blues’ shots. He found himself blocking a good amount of attempts in front of the net, making goalie Stanislav Berezhnoy’s night easier.
He led the power-play unit, making some nice passes despite the Hawks going 0-for-3 in their 5-on-4 chances Saturday.
Rinzel’s vision was on display against the Blues. With three Blues around him, he found fellow defenseman Taige Harding, who tapped it in for the Hawks. That goal kicked off a momentum swing, as Ryan Mast scored the Hawks’ second goal off a faceoff.
Rinzel, the No. 25 pick in 2022, has worked with the forwards in practices, so his versatility makes him an inconvenience to opposing defenses. Levshunov and Rinzel are the big, scrappy type of players that general manager Kyle Davidson wanted, and they could be a brick wall for the Hawks defense.
The pair didn’t play Sunday against the Minnesota Wild. What remains true is that either (or both) defenseman on the floor gives the Hawks an extra point producer on the ice.
3. A shaky Sunday for Ryan Greene.
The first period of Sunday’s scrimmage against the host Wild was scoreless, despite an aggressive onslaught from AJ Spellacy and the Hawks offense.
Greene has had better showings. He turned the puck over three times in the first, handing the Wild some of their scoring chances.
The No. 57 pick in the 2022 draft from Boston University redeemed himself in the second with a goal from the left faceoff circle to break a scoreless tie. He mainly played center Sunday after spending some time on the wings versus the Blues.
The forward got too stick happy after the goal, inadvertently clipping a Wild skater in the side of the head. He was assessed a double-minor penalty for the hit.
The Wild defeated the Hawks 3-2 after a late giveaway led to a late goal.
It was uncharacteristic for Greene, whose best attribute is arguably his puck handling. He has the skills, but cleaner hockey is the goal for the forward.