Blackhawks CHL, USHL prospect update for 11/28: Samuel Savoie on a scoring binge
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
More positive signs emerging from north of the border. Just like last time, we’ll skip alphabetical order and get right to the main attraction for this Chicago Blackhawks prospect update.
WHL
Kevin Korchinski, Seattle Thunderbirds
Stats: 23 points (3 G, 20 A), 47 SOG in 18 games
Korchisnki’s pace has cooled a bit, with just four points (1 G, 3 A)in the seven games since the last update. He had a goal and in an assist against the Spokane Chiefs on Nov. 11, with that goal coming after Korchinski found some open space while trailing the play:
Post-goal stick twirls means Kevin Korchinski was v happy with his third of the season. @SeattleTbirds | @NHLBlackhawks pic.twitter.com/RytAh4z7bR— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 12, 2022
It’s very easy to see a similar scenario playing out with at the United Center in the not-too-distant future, wouldn’t it?
Nolan Allan, Seattle Thunderbirds
Stats: 14 points (5 G, 9 A), 36 SOG in 20 games
The biggest piece of news to emerge since the last update was Allan being traded from the Prince Albert Raiders to the Thunderbirds, which made him a teammate of Korchinski’s. Seattle immediately put the two Blackhawks teammates together on the top D pairing:
Lineys!!!#BestintheWest | Kent, WA pic.twitter.com/Uds4jBCY5l— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) November 20, 2022
In five games with Seattle since the trade, Allan has one goal and two assists — all of those points coming on Friday night against the Portland Winterhawks. Here’s the goal:
First as a @SeattleTbirds for @NHLBlackhawks prospect, Nolan Allan! pic.twitter.com/qXya8EdkQi— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 26, 2022
Seattle’s probably the No. 1 team to keep an eye on for the rest of this hockey season, to see if any chemistry develops between Allan and Korchinski.
Another potential team to watch? Team Canada at the World Juniors. The projection below from TSN’s Craig Button has plenty of Blackhawks prospects on it:
With #WorldJuniors camp about a month away, @CraigJButton makes his early roster projection. And while the WJC is often seen as a '19' tournament, Connor Bedard, 17, and Adam Fantilli, 18, will lead the offence as Canada looks to win gold: https://t.co/k41b6w8xN7#TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/FXm2mLRgfG— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) November 8, 2022
Colton Dach, Kelowna Rockets
Stats: 14 points (7 G, 7 A), 43 SOG in 10 games played
The good news is that Dach has stayed healthy this month, a welcome change from the way his season started. The bad news is that he still missed a game while serving a suspension for an illegal check to the head.
Still, Dach has four goals and five assists while playing seven games this month. He had a pair of multi-point games over the weekend, tallying a goal and an assist during games on Friday and Saturday. This is the goal Dach scored on Saturday night:
This ain't over!Colton Dach evens the game for the @Kelowna_Rockets.@NHLBlackhawks pic.twitter.com/2BEUCJ94Bd— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 27, 2022
Here’s the goal from Friday night:
Shooters gotta shoot Colton Dach #Blackhawks @jax_desouza pic.twitter.com/F5edA3Uxxg— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) November 26, 2022
Also, Dach is a big pierogi guy:
Get to know Colton Dach, who is apparently powered by perogies. #MeetTheRockets x #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Kvn0byh7h4— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) November 23, 2022
Same here, Colton. Same here.
OHL
Ethan del Mastro, Mississauga Steelheads
Stats: 17 points (2 G, 15 A), 28 SOG in 20 games played
He’s remained on the top D pairing for Mississauga as recently as Sunday’s game against the Kingston Frontenacs:
Today’s lineup versus the @KingstonFronts #MadeofSteel pic.twitter.com/j3RAvyooQP— Mississauga Steelheads (@OHLSteelheads) November 27, 2022
In the last eight games, del Mastro has racked up five assists, with three of them coming against the Kingston Frontenacs on Nov. 13. Not much else to report on del Mastro from the last few weeks, although — once again — that’s not necessarily a bad thing for a defenseman.
Gavin Hayes, Flint Firebirds
Stats: 21 points (9 G, 12 A), 77 SOG in 24 games played
A quiet stretch for Hayes, with only four points (2 G, 2 A) in the last eight games — although he still maintains his team lead in shots on goal.
As long as those shots keep flowing, Hayes should start scoring more again soon, because he continues to slot in on Flint’s top line:
Your @HurleyMedical lineups tonight in London!! #FuelTheFire pic.twitter.com/1fw4FAbjt2— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) November 18, 2022
Paul Ludwinski, Kingston Frontenacs
Stats: 13 points (1 G, 12 A), 30 SOG in 19 games played
The goals still aren’t coming for Ludwinski but he’s been a key part of the Kingston offense for the last few weeks with six assists in the last seven games — including four in the last three. He had a pair of assists on Friday night, earning the team’s “Hardest Worker of the Game” award:
Paul Ludwinski was all over the ice tonight. With 2 assists in the game, the fans voted Ludwinski the @BmwKingston Hardest Worker of the Game.#FrontsHockey | @OHLHockey pic.twitter.com/g7r6KkE80q— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) November 26, 2022
Ludwinski was the No. 2 center in that game and appears to have settled into that role after his late arrival to the team because of an injury sustained with the Blackhawks in training camp:
Projected Lines are here! ⤵️#KGNvsSBY | #FrontsHockey | @OHLHockey pic.twitter.com/eY2pkNKT6t— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) November 25, 2022
QMJHL
Samuel Savoie, Gatineau Olympiques
Stats: 24 points (13 G, 11 A) in 22 games played
It’s hard to find a Blackhawks prospect who’s had a better stretch of late than Savoie. He’s up an 11-game point streak, with 10 goals and 9 assists tallied in that span. Five of those games have been multi-point efforts, including a trio of three-point games (all 1 G, 2 A performances) within the last few weeks. Savoie had just 33 points in 64 games last season, so this is appears to be a massive leap forward for Savoie so far.
Here’s one of those goals, scored on the power play on Nov. 16:
2⃣en2⃣ en A.N. ce soir Sam Savoie marque son 9⃣e but de la saison! 2⃣in2⃣ in P.P. tonight Sam Savoie scores his 9⃣th goal of the season!CHA 0 | 2 GAT#goOLgo♠️ pic.twitter.com/TQeJ1xlMf8— Olympiques de Gatineau (@OlympiquesGAT) November 17, 2022
Understanding French isn’t required to see that Savoie is skating on the top line for Gatineau, according to this lineup from Saturday’s game:
Vos Olympiques en uniforme pour le match de cet après-midi ⬇️Your Olympiques lineup for this afternoon's game ⬇️#goOLgo♠️ pic.twitter.com/OthXW7bnlU— Olympiques de Gatineau (@OlympiquesGAT) November 26, 2022
Savoie and the Olympiques are back on the ice next weekend to see of that torrid scoring pace continues.
USHL
Nils Juntorp, Dubuque Fighting Saints
Stats: 10 points (6 G, 4 A), 29 SOG in 15 games played
Not much to share on Juntrop, who has just a pair of assists in the six games he’s played since the last update. He’s still skating on the second line, according to the lineup from Dubuque’s game on Saturday against the Des Moines Buccaneers:
Looking to keep things rolling vs. @bucshockey!#HailToTheHalo pic.twitter.com/HPSKZ7uEr3— Dubuque Fighting Saints (@fightingsaints) November 27, 2022
Sam Rinzel, Waterloo Black Hawks
Stats: 11 points (1 G, 10 A), 51 SOG in 17 games played
In the six games since the last update, Rinzel has a pair of two-assist games that have accounted for all of his points during that stretch. He still leads Waterloo in shots on goal, now up to 51 this season.
While Rinzel still has plenty of USHL action remaining this hockey season, he’ll be playing for Team USA in the upcoming World Junior A Challenge:
Blackhawks first-rounder Sam Rinzel (Waterloo), Islanders pick Quinn Finley (Madison) among top USHL players selected to play for Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge. See who else will be heading to Cornwall, Ontario next month: https://t.co/UNwDDaGBtT— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) November 16, 2022
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