The Chicago Blackhawks have three of their first-round picks still playing in the NCAA, and that’s not a bad thing.
The NCAA offers a different experience and development than the CHL to the AHL or by playing overseas and a player like Frank Nazar took the route of the NCAA and came out looking amazing.
The Blackhawks have 2022 first-round pick Sam Rinzel, 2023 first-round pick Oliver Moore, and 2024 first-round pick Sacha Boisvert all playing in college this season and doing well.
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Rinzel was taken 25th overall and is in his second season at the University of Minnesota. The talented defenseman has really stepped up his game from his rookie season. He has eight goals and 19 points in 18 games and it is a big improvement on an impressive rookie season where he scored two goals and 28 points in 39 games.
Since the defense is so crowded right now for the Blackhawks, there is a good chance Rinzel either goes back for another year at the University of Minnesota or he will have to adjust to professional hockey and head to the AHL first. He is one of many great pieces on the back-end.
Moore, drafted 19th overall, is also on the University of Minnesota and has five goals and 16 points in 18 games. He should once again be heading to the World Junior Championship and playing for Team U.S.A. as he did last season, scoring one goal and three points.
University of Minnesota
This is Moore’s second year at Minnesota as well and he has shown some improvement considering he scored nine goals and 33 points in 39 games. There is a chance that this is his last season at university as there’s more space for him next season on the Blackhawks if he’s ready. If he does choose to turn pro, he could get some games in for Chicago at the end of the season like a couple of players that turned pro last season.
The 18th overall pick from last year’s draft, Boisvert, doesn’t play for the same team as Rinzel and Moore. Boisvert attends the University of North Dakota and is in his rookie season after coming out of the USHL.
This means Boisvert will stay and play at least another year at North Dakota after this one and he’s looking very good already. He has seven goals and 15 points in 17 games and is another young forward the Blackhawks hope can make a big difference in a couple of years.
The prospects and young players in the Blackhawks organization are one of the league’s best and the hope is that the majority of them reach their potential.
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