NEWSLETTER
The Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase begins in Minnesota on Sept. 13 — less than two weeks away — with the Blackhawks sending prospects to play against the Wild and Blues. You might recall last year the showcase was only the Blackhawks and Wild and took place at the Fifth Third Arena in Chicago.
The players the Blackhawks can send to the event won’t include college players, but some guys who might head back to junior could be there as well as players eventually headed to Chicago or Rockford. On Thursday afternoon, Michael Russo reported that Connor Bedard is expected to be there.
Last year, the Blackhawks’ top prospect (Lukas Reichel) took part in the games. And he hooked up with Colton Dach for a goal on the first shift of the first game. Unfortunately, both Dach and Paul Ludwinski suffered concussions in the games that cost them time during training camp in Chicago and, eventually, with their junior clubs. Which begs the question: should the Blackhawks send Bedard to the showcase?
Will it be great for whatever money the Wild can make from ticket sales? Absolutely! But I’m fairly confident in saying Bedard will be on the Blackhawks’ NHL roster to start the 2023-24 season. There isn’t much he’s going to show the coaches or front office in this tournament that will change their minds about his NHL readiness.
And, given the veteran additions to the NHL roster this summer, there aren’t likely to be many other players in the showcase who will be in Pittsburgh with the Blackhawks when the regular season begins. I would expect to see forwards including Dach (again, this time heading to the AHL), Antti Saarela, Ryder Rolston, Jalen Luypen and possibly Samuel Savoie and Gavin Hayes in the showcase. They’ll all be in the AHL or junior this season.
The rosters haven’t been officially announced yet, so we’ll see who the Blackhawks send for the full roster. But I have some pause when considering the benefit of sending Bedard to the showcase.
