July 18, 2011
Top 10 Prospects
Chicago Blackhawks

by Corey Pronman

Full list of NHL Organizational Rankings

The Chicago Blackhawks Top 10 Prospects

1. Marcus Kruger, Center
2. Jeremy Morin, Left Wing
3. Mark McNeill, Center
4. Brandon Pirri, Center
5. Kyle Beach, Left Wing
6. Shawn Lalonde, Defense
7. Jimmy Hayes, Right Wing
8. Dylan Olsen, Defense
9. Brandon Saad, Left Wing
10. Kevin Hayes, Left Wing

Organizational Ranking: 5th

System Overview: The Hawks are one year removed from a Cup and looked like one of the better teams in the NHL last season, and unfortunately for the Central Division they aren't going to be done for a long time. Through a couple of trades and shrewd draft picks, Chicago has managed to build one of the league's elite systems that has the chance to deliver several significant pieces to the big club over the next few years.

Chicago has one of the better collections of forward prospects in the league. Beyond the names listed on their top 10, I left off two first round picks in Philippe Paradis and Phillip Danault as well as Igor Makarov who might push for a starting job next season. The Blackhawks are lighter on defense prospects, but akeep in mind first round pick Ivan Vishnevskiy left at the end of the season for Russia. Justin Holl and Stephen Johns both have impressive tools but are far away and will be in college for a few more years. While goaltending prospects get buried in a deep system like this in regards to rankings, the Hawks have two good ones as well in Alex Salak and Kent Simpson. The only real flaw I could find with this system is no top-end defense prospect, but that is nitpicking to the highest degree.

---

1. Marcus Kruger, Center
Date of birth: 05/27/1990
Age: 21
Height: 5'11''
Weight: 172
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 52 GP, 6 G, 35 P, 17:49 ATOI (Djurgarden-SEL)
Acquired: Fifth round, 149th overall in 2009 by Chicago

The Good: After being selected in his second draft eligible season in 2009, Kruger has done nothing but play great hockey and shown reason to think he'll not only be a long-time NHLer but a good one at that. His hockey sense is a plus tool as Kruger thinks the game very well in both zones, displaying an offensively-gifted playmaker style of game, on top of showing advanced defensive abilities. He has above-average puck skills and combining that with his vision and anticipation allows him to be an effective playmaker who can make people miss and set up his teammates. Kruger shows an exemplary work ethic defensively on top of his defensive zone awareness and he comes back hard regularly to support his defensemen.

The Bad: Kruger is a very slight player who desperately needs to put on muscle if he wants to be a significant contributor in the NHL next year. Kruger is a decent skater, but for a somewhat smaller player he could use a better top gear. He's not much of a goal-scorer with a fringe shot tool.

Projection: At best, an above-average second line center with good two-way contribution, but he will easily be a good two-way top-six player.

---

2. Jeremy Morin, Left Wing
Date of birth: 04/16/1991
Age: 20
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 190
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 22 GP, 8 G, 12 P (Rockford-AHL)
Acquired: Trade from Winnipeg (then Atlanta); drafted in second round, 45th overall in 2009 by Atlanta

The Good: Morin is a very skilled winger with a high offensive upside. He has above-average to plus puck skills and can be very hard to handle due to his big frame and the creativity he displays with the puck. He isn't an above-average distributor, but can be decent at moving the puck. Morin has a plus shot and is a very dangerous goal-scorer who easily projects to put up high goal numbers at the next level. His shot snaps off his wrist very freely and quickly with pinpoint accuracy that can score from way out, but he also has the hand-eye coordination and grit in the physical areas to score from in close. Morin has the kind of hockey sense that always has him around the puck in the offensive zone and is a very aware player who senses the flow well.

The Bad: His skating tool has improved vastly over the last year or so. I wouldn't say it's NHL-average but his feet don't look as sluggish as they once did and the tool looks at the least fringe-average. Defensively, he could use a little work, but I wouldn't say he's very poor in that regard. He's a great shooter, but can sometimes over do it with his frequency of shot attempts. There isn't much to nitpick with Morin and really he just needs a little more pro seasoning after his season was cut short by injury.

Projection: He might top out as a below-average first line goal-scoring winger but is definitely going to play on a top six although it is possible he may need some zone start protection too.

---

3. Mark McNeill, Center
Date of birth: 02/22/1993
Age: 18
Height: 6'2''
Weight: 201
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 70 GP, 32 G, 81 P (Prince Albert-WHL)
Acquired: First round, 18th overall in 2011 by Chicago

The Good: Mark McNeill is a solid skater who gets up to a notable top speed and flashes decent agility. He displays good conditioning and it is apparent in how he flies up the ice end-to-end for full games. I don't think he'll be turning defenders around at the next level, but he's going to be able to skate with the average pro. Mark has above-average puck skills with the ability to be hard on the puck and protect it, flash a solid deke, and make heady distributions with spurts of above-average ability in that department. While I have not seen him get enough scoring chances to get an accurate read of his shot, scouts I've talked to rave about his shot mechanics and his placement ability with it. McNeill's best quality is in regards to his hockey sense, as he thinks the game at a notably above-average level and has a very advanced defensive game for a pre-draft prospect. He comes back and supports his defenders on every shift with good positional and physical play and rarely leaves the zone until he's sure there's no threat, but yet still puts offensive puck possession pressure on the opposition.

The Bad: McNeill could be a tad more explosive when going in a straight line and play a little better along the wall, but these are just nitpicks as McNeill does not have a lot of notable weaknesses.

Projection: A below-average first line to above-average second line center with good two-way contribution who easily projects onto a pro top six.

---

4. Brandon Pirri, Center
Date of birth: 04/10/1991
Age: 20
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 180
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 70 GP, 12 G, 43 P (Rockford-AHL)
Acquired: Second round, 59th overall in 2009 by Chicago

The Good: Pirri is a player who you want controlling the puck as he has above-average puck skills with the ability to handle it well and has the vision to be a very good distributor. He sees the ice well and when he has time to pull up and scan his options he can make difficult passes effectively. His hockey sense is above-average, possibly even plus and he usually makes good decisions and is an asset in the offensive possession game. Pirri has a good work ethic and he pressures defenders offensively and comes back to support the play in his zone. He has the awareness to play a decent defensive game, but physically he's not ready. Pirri's shot is also somewhat decent, but he has a pass-first mentality.

The Bad: Pirri is a very slight player who jumped to the AHL early playing as a 19 year old for most of the season and thus had a physical adjustment period. He needs to put on a ton of muscle and he very much looked like an Under-20 player lining up against men. His skating doesn't show NHL-average but I wouldn't say the tool is fringe either. He really had a tough time in the pro game for the majority of the season but in the last quarter or so of the season he started to become more comfortable and got nearly half his points in the last 15 games or so.

Projection: There's a chance he could end up an above-average second line center, but an average one is more realistic projection. His hockey sense will absolutely keep him in a top nine, but I think he ends up on a scoring line.

---

5. Kyle Beach, Left Wing
Date of birth: 01/13/1990
Age: 21
Height: 6'3''
Weight: 210
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 71 GP, 16 G, 36 P (Rockford-AHL)
Acquired: First round, 11th overall in 2008 by Chicago

The Good: Beach is a hard-nosed, agitating power forward who has an above-average offensive skill set. Beach has above-average puck skills and isn't a typical crash and bang power forward, as he shows the ability to set up along the sideboards, show patience with the puck, make the right distributions or make a player miss. He's a true plus shooter who can score from a distance, and drives the net, getting high percentage area goals through grit and by his hand-eye coordination. Beach got a reputation for being a pain in the rear to play against in the WHL, and that carried over to professional hockey. He regularly gets under opponents' skin with physical game during play and after the whistle. He plays every shift hard and uses his plus physical assets well. Beach has also shown a responsible hard-working game in his own end.

The Bad: Beach is a good player, but it's hard to be a contributor when you're in the box so often. Beach regularly racked up a huge number of penalty minutes in the WHL and his 163 PIM in 71 AHL games was along that same line. He was a little overwhelmed by the AHL and his overall hockey awareness needs to catch up to the professional game pace by making quicker decisions and reads. His skating has shown improvement since his draft year and he's not as sluggish, but I wouldn't say he's pro-average in that regard either.

Projection: He has the makings of an average second line power winger, but he's very hard to project. That projection could be a tad pessimistic or could be way too optimistic.

---

6. Shawn Lalonde, Defense
Date of birth: 03/10/1990
Age: 21
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 195
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 73 GP, 5 G, 32 P (Rockford-AHL)
Acquired: Third round, 68th overall in 2008 by Chicago

The Good: Lalonde really took a step forward in his first pro campaign as the offensively-gifted blueliner showed not only his scoring abilities but his defensive game improved as well. He's an above-average skater with a fluid, powerful stride allowing him to join the rush very well. Lalonde has above-average puck skills and can handle it well at top speed, but also shows the ability to be an above-average distributor. His frame has filled out well and while he's not an above-average physical player, his strength and muscle mass has come along enough that he's ready for the next level physically.

The Bad: Lalonde has improved significantly in regards to his overall hockey sense and his defensive game—while not pro average—is not a huge liability as it was before. He still has a tendency to be a little too aggressive in his rushes, and defensively his one-on-one play is fine but some of his off the puck defensive positioning and reads still need work.

Projection: He could be an average second pairing defenseman, but likely projects as a below-average second to above-average third pairing defender with zone start protection, with a slight chance of being a third pairing power play specialist.

---

7. Jimmy Hayes, Right Wing
Date of birth: 11/21/1989
Age: 21
Height: 6'5''
Weight: 220
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 39 GP, 21 G, 33 P (Boston College- Hockey East)
Acquired: Trade from Toronto, drafted second round, 60th overall in 2008 by Toronto

The Good: Jimmy Hayes is a big-body winger who has a great frame and uses it his advantage in the puck game. He's very hard to strip off the puck when he turns his back to a defender and shows good coordination and strength in the cycle game. His hands are solid and notably above-average for a player his size and when he gets a gap to operate with he has the ability to outmaneuver opponents. Hayes isn't a huge crash and banger, but shows a plus physical projection because of his strength and size. He shows fine work ethic and will work to cover his checks defensively.

The Bad: Hayes' skating could use some work. The tool isn't truly below-average and it's closer to fringe-average but he could use some work on his lateral movement and top gear. His reads also need some attention as he doesn't always process the play quickly enough. He doesn't have enough offensive creativity to project onto a pro top six.

Projection: An average third line winger who can likely project as a below-average third line to above-average fourth line winger.

---

8. Dylan Olsen, Defense
Date of birth: 01/03/1991
Age: 20
Height: 6'3''
Weight: 220
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 42 GP, 0 G, 4 P (Rockford-AHL)
Acquired: First round, 28th overall in 2009 by Chicago

The Good: Olsen took a very early jump to the AHL after leaving college halfway through the season. Olsen is still a project prospect, but one who impresses scouts with his tools. He shows fringe-average to decent mobility that's above-average for a defender his size but with good straight-line movement though some of the finer aspects of his four-way mobility doesn't look pro-average. He's a decent puck-mover who is able to carry the puck on top of moving it at a pro-level and like the skating, he has above-average puck skills for a player of his size. Olsen has a notably hard shot from the point and he has a good one-timer. Despite his low counting numbers in the AHL this season, Olsen does have average offensive upside and was a key offensive player for Minnesota-Duluth. He's a big guy who's not afraid to use the body and projects as a plus physical player.

The Bad: Olsen is a very raw player who has a ton of work ahead in regards to his three-zone awareness and decision-making on top of his overall defensive game. He had a rough transition into the AHL and the jump from college to the professional game was apparent in his play. His overall hockey sense looks fringe if not below and consequently he is a ways away from forcing his way into the next level.

Projection: Possibly an average second pairing defenseman, but that looks highly unlikely and a realistic projection is an average third-pairing defender.

---

9. Brandon Saad, Left Wing
Date of birth: 10/27/1992
Age: 18
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 208
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 59 GP, 27 G, 55 P (Saginaw-OHL)
Acquired: Second round, 43rd overall in 2011 by Chicago

The Good: Saad's most appealing tool is his skating ability, as he can reach above-average straight-line speeds and when combined with his physical assets makes it very easy to see him in an NHL uniform. His puck skills are decent, with his contributions in that area coming from good puck protection along the sideboards in the cycle game and having moderate passing ability, be it from pushing the puck up or operating from the perimeter on the power play. He leans into his shots well and has the ability to score goals from mid-distances although I'm not sure if I ever see the tool being better than above-average if that. Saad has a good frame and doesn't shy from going to the physical areas of the ice and his battle effort is notable. Saad's hockey sense is decent and I'm not swung either way by it. He can excel defensively due to his natural tools such as on the penalty kill where his skating, aggressiveness and frame help him pressure puck-carriers and fill lanes effectively.

The Bad: Saad is not a very offensively creative player, and I don't think he has any sort of true above-average offensive ceiling. Injuries and a disappointing year in the OHL have left questions about how his development has gone.

Projection: Ideally, an average second line winger, but I could easily see him as a below-average second to above-average third line winger.

---

10. Kevin Hayes, Left Wing
Date of birth: 05/08/1992
Age: 19
Height: 6'3''
Weight: 205
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 31 GP, 4 G, 14 P (Boston College- Hockey East)
Acquired: First round, 24th overall in 2010 by Chicago

The Good: Hayes is a toolsy forward prospect who is still a project, but there's enough to his package to think he has a chance to be a player. He's a decent skater for his size with a fluid stride and nice acceleration, but it's not pro-average. Hayes also has solid puck skills that's above-average for his size. He has the ability to be able to do things in open ice, be a player who can bring the puck up ice, and can be a decent distributor. While his defensive game needs work in the finer aspects, he shows commitment to play the defensive game. He shows flashes of a player who can be an above-average forward at the highest level.

The Bad: This wasn't the best season from a development standpoint for Hayes. He suffered a knee injury which set him back and playing on a loaded program like Boston College didn't get him the ideal amount of ice time Chicago would've liked to see. He's still very raw and it showed during the season as the jump from prep school to a top NCAA division wasn't easy for Hayes and he was regularly behind the play with his reads. He still has to improve his physical game as while his frame is moderately filled out and he has the physical assets to dominate in that aspect, he simply doesn't do well in the physical game. It will be a number of years until Hayes has any chance to make it to the league.

Projection: At best, Hayes projects somewhere between a below-average second line to above-average third line winger. The likely projection is somewhere in a bottom-six, although it's really hard to tell where. He has the abilities to surpass that ceiling, but it's tough to envision that possibility right now.

---

The Sleeper: I love the tools 2010 second round pick Justin Holl has. The young defenseman had trouble adjusting to the college game as a freshman and was scratched regularly, but when he's on the ice, his skating, puck skills and poise have the ability to control a game and there is huge sleeper potential here.

Extra Notes: Stephen Johns is a very talented defender. He has good size and has the skating, puck skills and top-end physical edge to his game that could project him to be a top prospect, but his hockey sense is just so bad that it drags so much of that potential down. Igor Makarov has a chance to make the Hawks next year. He's not an above-average prospect by any means, but he will be a fine energy player who forechecks well, plays a good physical game and kills penalties. Philippe Paradis gets regular praise for his top-end physicality and just needs to improve his defensive game to get his NHL projection into a low-tier role on track. My report on Phillip Danault can be found here, Michael Paliotta's can be found here, Maxim Shalunov's can be found here, while Klash Dahlbeck and Adam Clendening's can be found here.

Corey Pronman is an author of Hockey Prospectus. You can contact Corey by clicking here or click here to see Corey's other articles.