Photo by Maggie Avila

It is surprising that a rookie in the NHL would fit in perfectly on the number one line of a Stanley Cup contending team like the Chicago Blackhawks. Then again we are not talking any rookie, we are talking Brandon Saad.

The scouting report on Brandon coming out of the Saginaw Spirits of the OHL was that he was a responsible two way player with the potential to be a top six power forward. Good size and good hockey IQ are mentioned often in association with Saad and Blackhawks fans are now seeing why.

Brandon Saad is getting the opportunity that most rookies would only dare to dream of. He is playing on the top line with Captain Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa and has not looked out of step at all. Up until now his stats on the Blackhawks do not indicate the level of his play.

He has been working extremely hard to create chances for his line and himself. Saad is very good with winning puck battles in corners and along the boards and in opening up ice with his deceptive speed. These things are not captured by the stat sheets but impact games none the less.

He was finally rewarded the other day with his first NHL goal against the San Jose Sharks. He was stationed in front of the goals which is where he needs to get to if he can with his 6’2” frame he will get a lot of chances there.

The media and some fans are pleasantly surprised with how well Saad has made the transition to the NHL and his keeping pace with Toews and Hossa and not being awestruck by just playing with those caliber players.

For anyone that saw Saad in the Blackhawks prospect camp it is not surprising at all. He carries himself with a poise and quiet confidence that is way beyond his years. In that regard he reminds you of his linemate Jonathan Toews. There is a maturity and calmness that Saad has both off and on the ice with the puck.

He also is similar to fellow linemate Marian Hossa in that he is a dependable two way player and physically solid. Saad is very defensively responsible and rarely puts himself or his team in bad positions. His hockey intelligence and puck anticipation is way beyond his age.

In prospect camp, all eyes were curious as to what new prospect Teuvo Teravainen was like and were in awe of his offensive skills, rightfully so. Equally impressive though was Saad. One could tell Saad was the most NHL ready as he could not be moved off the puck. He is solid in his skates and has great speed and balance. He is a physical specimen of hockey player.

During the lockout Saad played in Rockford on the Icehogs. He tallied 8 goals and 12 helpers in 31 games.

The only knock on Saad has been consistency but that is the case with most young hockey players and on the Blackhawks that has not been the case. He has played very consistently so much so Coach Quenneville has given him a turn on the power play.

It certainly doesn’t hurt Saad’s development being paired with probably the two best two way forwards in the NHL but credit Saad with taking advantage of his opportunity. The Blackhawks are impressed with what they have seen and will be keeping the rookie up with the big club and he will not be returning to Rockford.

It will be interesting to see what the Blackhawks do when Daniel Carcillo returns from injury. It is one of those good problems to have. No matter what line Saad plays on I for one am very happy he will remain on the Blackhawks roster. I also have to believe the Blackhawks are even happier at how Brandon Saad is developing and helping this team along the way. Congradulations Brandon keep playing your game.

Photo by Maggie Avila

We are two thirds through the preliminary round of the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships and there has been much to cover so far. No one in North America probably would have thought that the best, most competitive hockey being played at this time of year would be in Ufa, Russia but it is.

Every NHL team has prospects on one of the teams if not prospects on multiple teams. The Blackhawks have prospects on teams Canada, Finland and Russia. All of the teams probably have undrafted or 2013 draft eligible prospects that the Blackhawks staffs are scouting as we speak.

Team Canada is currently atop the highly competitive group B which also has the Russian team & team USA. They have nine points in the standings with three wins over Germany 9-3 and a very tough Slovakian team that they had to battle back from behind to win 6-3. Early this morning team Canada had a goaltending duel with the USA and came away with the 2-1 win. That win puts Canada into the next round and if the beat Russia it also secures them a spot in the Semis as leader of group B.

There is no question that the strength of the Canadian team is up front in their skilled forwards like Edmonton Oilers’ Ryan Nugent Hopkins, NY Islanders 2011 prospect Ryan Strome and Florida Panthers top 2011 prospect Jonathan Huberdeau.

Chicago Blackhawks’ 2011 first rd prospects Phillip Danault and Mark McNeill are primarily third and fourth liners and used on penalty kills for team Canada. Neither have broken the stat sheets yet but here are some things to keep in mind and observations from yours truly.

Phillip Danault is logging a lot of penalty kill time due to team Canada taking a lot of penalties. Canada leads all teams in PIM. This has put Danault and most of team Canada in not the best positions. Danault is -1 on the stats which considering he’s out on almost all of Canada’s PK’s is not bad as they have had some 5 on 3’s against them. He is typically centering the third line when not on the PK.

Danault has great finish to his game and there is no quit in this kid. He brings A++ effort every night and has a very strong two way game which speaks to his being utilized on the PK. He always has an active stick. For Blackhawks fans who have not seen Danault, think of Dave Bolland tenacity and grit mixed with Jonathan Toews determination and two –way game only at 18 years old.

Mark McNeill was a last minute substitution when injury occurred to Charles Hudon. Like Danault McNeill is used on PK’s and third and fourth line duties for team Canada. He is alternated between Center and Winger positions. He also has yet to ink the stat sheet and sits with 0 +/- rating.

McNeill  had a rough start in Canada’s game vs Germany he made an inopportune pass in his own zone that lead to a turnover right in front of his goal that resulted in goal for Germany. McNeill has all the physical tools and size to really impact a game and become a power forward ala Marian Hossa. Because of the tight officiating McNeill has not yet asserted his physical game.  This is a great experience for both Danault and McNeill in honing their defensive games and should serve the Blackhawks well in the future.

Team Finland has the Blackhawks’ top 2012 prospect 18 year old Teuvo Teravainen. Team Finland surprisingly sits third/ fourth in Group A and was recently upset by Czech Republic team. They are now tried with the Swiss and could face elimination if they do not defeat Sweden in their next game.

Teravainen has 3 goals, one in the losing effort against the Czechs and two in a come from behind SO win over the Swiss 5-4. He is +2. Teravainen is being used at Center and is an offensive threat every time he is on the ice. He leads his team with shots on goals which lets you know Teravainen is always looking to light the lamp. He is a dynamic player with very slick stick handling and a deceptively heavy shot. He is the Finnish version of Patrick Kane. Look for Teravainen to keep improving as the tournament goes on. He will be the key to team Finlands success.

Team Russia like team Canada is chalked full of offensive talents like Edmonton Oilers’ 2012 #1 overall pick Nail Yakupov and Buffalo’s top 2012 pick Mikhail Grigorenko.  The Russian team has skill and power and are favored in this tourney to win gold. They also have Blackhawks 2011 prospect Maxim Shalunov.

If McNeill got off to a rough start Shalunov got off to a catastrophic start. He took a double minor penalty for highsticking in the waning minutes of Team Russia’s game vs Slovakia which cost his team a point as Slovakia was able to tie the game and push it to OT. By pushing the game into OT it cost team Russia 1 point which is why they currently sit in second behind team Canada in points.

The penalty was a bad one which also cost him being suspended for one game by the IIHF. While the IIHF has been calling these games tight this penalty would have been called in the NHL and he would probably have been suspended in the NHL as well. Highsticks to the face are a big NO NO.

Shalunov has only played in two out of the three team Russia games due to his suspension. He sat out the game against the USA and team Russia could have used his offensive skills as they eked past the Americans 2-1. It was good to see him come back in Team Russia’s trouncing of Germany 7-0 with an assist in a shorthanded situation when he was on a breakaway with team mate Kosov. He made a picture perfect pass to Kosov for him to get a hat trick, very unselfish play. Shalunov is +1 overall.

In viewing these games one has to be impressed with the skills these kids have already. Remember folks this is U20 so most of the players are only teenagers. They still have a lot of learning and to do before they take that NHL step so mistakes are bound to be made. Overall the play has been top notch whether we are all NHL deprived or not. They are the future of the NHL and some will turn their franchises around which makes this event exciting and worth tuning in for. Blackhawk fans when these kids make it to the UC you will be in for a treat.

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Photo by Maggie Avila

Unlike James Bond Teravainen is too young to have martinis let alone a preference of them shaken and not stirred.  He is however old enough and skilled enough to leave his opponents both shaken and stirred.  Bond may have flashy tools like Aston Martins and Walther PPKs but make no mistake Teravainen has lethal weapons at his disposal as well like slick puck handling skills, deceptive speed and a disarming shot.

Teravainen is currently playing for the Finnish team in the IIHF World Junior U20 Championships. Finland, Sweden, Canada and the US have been playing pre-tournament contests in Helsinki, Finland to prep for the WJC in Ufa, Russia.  Early and I do mean early Saturday morning the USA played Finland in one of these tune up games which saw Finland pummeling on the US 5-1.

The US had way to many penalties which could just be an adjustment to European officiating which is called much tighter than in the US and Canada. Teuvo fueled the Finnish power play with a assist and a goal. He has a skating style that is smooth and he has poise with the puck and does not panic.

Finland uses Teravainen on the point in their power play like a quarterback which saw him generating offense with the goal and an assist. Somehow you have to believe that the Blackhawk scouts and brass are delighted as the Blackhawks can certainly use more fire power on their power play.

Teravainen still needs some physical development before he is NHL ready but don’t let his size fool you he is an elusive skater and does not take many direct hits.  He kept up with the more physical USA & Canadian teams.  He has great on ice vision which explains why Finland would have him on the power play. He opens up the ice and his soft hands and stick handling skills are already NHL ready.

I got a chance to see Teuvo this past summer at the Blackhawks prospect camp and there is no question this guy has all the tools and offensive skills that can help the Hawks. He is the real deal. His skating is very smooth with long strides and his shots are very accurate always making their way to the net. If Teravainen has any areas to work on it is the same as all young players in the defensive zone but he will be a star for sure.

The Blackhawks brass has to be pinching themselves that they were even able to get someone like Teravainen fall to them in the draft where he did. One can only dream what he will do with Toews, Kane, Sharp and Hossa.

Blackhawk fans watch Teuvo Teravainen play for team Finland in the IIHF U20 WJC you will be impressed with his overall game and talents.  Finland just could be the dark horse in this tournament.  Good Luck to Teuvo in the tournament.

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Photo taken by Maggie Avila

The IIHF World Junior U20 Championships are getting ready to being held in Ufa, Russia. The tournament is schedule from 12/26/12 – 1/5/13 in what should be a very skilled, competitive global competition with teams represented from throughout Europe and North America.

The Chicago Blackhawks have several prospects that are currently invited by their countries national junior teams to participate in camps to make their national junior teams. Being invited alone is a great honor and achievement.

Team Canada has invited Phillip Danault of the QMJHL Victoriaville Tigres and Mark McNeill of the WHL Prince Albert Raiders. Both Danault and McNeill if they make the team will probably be team Canada’s third or fourth line centers with a possibility of them being moved to wing.

Danault and McNeill both would bring to team Canada a great two way game and defensive zone work. Both could be instrumental on penalty kills and face-off wins. Danault and McNeill both have had a great year in the CHL so far. With the NHL in current lockout status team Canada  is filled with NHLers so making team Canada will be very difficult for both Danault and McNeill but not impossible given their great two way games.

Danault currently is ranked 20^th in the QMJHL amongst scorers with 40 points 14G & 26 A in 28 games. McNeill currently is ranked 15^th in the WHL amongst scorers with 37 points 12G & 25 A in 32 games. His team the Prince Albert Raiders is currently ranked 1^st in the East Division.

Maxim Shalunov has been invited to camp for team Russia. Shalunov is now playing in the KHL or Russia equivalent to the NHL. He now plays for the Traktor Chelyabinsk but has only played one game so far with no stats.  Prior to that, he tallied in 18 games 2G & 7A for 9 points in the VHL Chelmet Chelyabinsk and in 5 games 3G & 5A for 8 points for the MHL’s Belie Medvedi Chelyabinsk.

Shalunov impressed recently in the Subway Super Series held in Canada. He would have to be characterized in that series as the best Russian forward along with fellow Russian forwards Nail Yakupov,Mikhail Naumenkov and Andrei Sigarev all having 4points with 2 G and 2A.

Teuvo Teravainen  was invited to camp for the Finnish team. Teuvo has just returned from a month long absence due to a broken finger but looks like he has not skipped a beat.  Teuvo has only played in 23 games but has racked up 18 points 8G & 10A. Teuvo’s team Jokerit is currently in 1^st place in the Finnish Elite League.

Congratulations to all the Blackhawks’ prospects on being invited to camp for an opportunity to represent your country in the IIHF World U20 Juniors, you should be proud.  Team Canada’s camp will begin this week. Chicago Blackhawk fans around the world are pulling for you guys to make your teams and represent well. Good Luck boys!

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Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

So draft weekend is behind us and I have some thoughts:

- I was mildly upset that the Blackhawks passed on defenseman Olli Maatta. Being a casual follower of the London Knights, who pump out NHL-calibre players like a pez dispenser, I had ample opportunities to see Maatta play throughout the year and I absolutely love his game. With that being said the Blackhawks certainly didn’t go off the board with their selection of Teuvo Teravainen. According to most scouts and reports, Teravainen was a player that should have gone in the top ten. Some teams even had him in their top five. So why did he slip to 18? Well most likely some teams simply couldn’t get past his size. He reminds me in a lot of ways of the Wild’s 2010 1st round pick Mikael Granlund. Like Teravainen, Granlund is an undersized but highly skilled forward with superb mobility and offensive instincts. Since being drafted, Granlund has spent the last two seasons playing in Finland and has developed into one of the best prospects in all of hockey. However, despite his tremendous talent and promise, Granlund is completely unproven at the NHL level and some still question whether or not his size will be a barrier to success. I feel that Teravainen will go through a similar growth pattern: he will return to Finland for a year or two, develop into an extremely promising young prospect but there will still be doubts about how successful he will be in the NHL. Either way, there’s no question getting Teravainen where the Hawks did was a significant steal. He could very well turn into the second or third best player from this draft class.

- The Hawks 3rd round pick of Chris Calnan was fantastic. He’s a physical, hard-nosed forward. He excelled at the combine. He’s JR’s nephew. He’s going to Boston College. What more do you need? His game needs some fine tuning in all areas, so he’s certainly a few years away but I think the Hawks definitely have something with Calnan. Potential bottom six contributor for sure.

- The Hawks could have another version of Andrew Shaw with Garret Ross, one of two 5th round picks. By most accounts he’s a really scrappy player who had the pleasure of playing alongside Brandon Saad when he was tearing up the OHL. While that may have inflated his numbers a bit, the scouting reports on him say he’s still a talented forward capable of scoring goals and making plays. There’s an outside chance Ross ends up in Rockford next year if he impresses in prospect camp this summer. We’ll definitely keep an eye on him.

- The Hawks took two goalies in the 7th round, but the one to keep an eye on is Brandon Whitney from the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL. Central Scouting had him ranked as their #2 goalie in North America behind Malcolm Subban and he was projected to go somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd round, so to get him in the 7th round is a huge steal. At 6’5″ he is a monster and covers so much net when he goes down into the butterfly and he’s a quick for a goalie with that kind of size. He definitely has a lot of upside and there’s a chance we’ll see him play for Team Canada at the World Juniors in the next few years.

Some other notes:

- A friend of mine asked me where I expect Ryan Suter to be next year. If I had to handicap it I would say 40% Detroit, 25% Pittsburgh, 20% Chicago, 10% Minnesota, 5% Nashville. I think his time in Nashville is finished and the chances of him resigning there are slim to none. Most sources say that geography will play a huge role in Suter’s decision of where to sign, because of his desire to be close to his hometown in Wisconsin. Therefore, I think there’s a good chance we see Suter go to one of the Midwest teams, most likely Detroit, who can offer Suter a big contract, a No. 1 role, proximity to his hometown and an opportunity to win a championship. However, rumors are circulating that Pittsburgh is aggressively pursuing Suter’s rights and will present him with a big offer on July 1st. Minnesota is possible, but unlikely. And I think there’s an outside chance he signs with the Hawks, who probably won’t give him the biggest financial offer but can give him an opportunity for a championship, as well as good location. Additionally, his uncle and former Hawks Gary Suter is still close with the organization and could have some pull with Ryan. We’ll monitor the situation and keep you updated.

- It seems like its become a “whoever draws their gun first” scenario with the Sharks and Rangers in the battle for Rick Nash. However my money is on the Rangers. For one, Glen Sauther has a reputation for making headscratching deals and I think is more likely to meet Scott Howsons demands than Doug Wilson. Plus, the Rangers have more attractive assets.

- It looks more and more like Zach Parise will resign with the Devils.

- I would expect the Hawks to make at least one trade this week. A lot of different sources are reporting that numerous teams are showing interest in Niklas Hjalmarsson, so theres a good chance something happens with him. Ottawa and Edmonton are strong possibilities.

- Thank god Luongo refused to waive his NTC to come to the Hawks. Now we can all stop speaking of such nonsense.

That’s all for today. Check back over the course of the week. Hopefully I’ll have some free agency previews, including a small list of players that Hawks should be looking at.

Thanks for reading!

June 22, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Teuvo Teravainen is presented with a jersey after being selected as the number eighteen overall draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2012 NHL Draft at CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

The Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman threw a big major league curve ball when making the Blackhawks first round selection Friday night.  Everyone was hoping it wasn’t Malcolm Subban, but was really looking to hear defense man Olin Maata’s name announced from the podium in Pittsburgh.

Surprise!!! the Blackhawks decided on selecting Teuvo Teravainen with the #18 pick.  He’s a smallish left wing/center with the offensive skills compared to Patrick Kane!  Most experts were stating it was a steal for the Hawks to get this kind of talent at #18 when most thought that Teravainen had top 5 talent.  The selection was announced by Brandon Saad. Is it safe to say that we should be seeing Saad playing on United Center ice on October 13?!?

Teravainien will play with Jokerit in Finland next season. Last season in 40 games, Teravainen had 11 goals and 7 assists for Jokerit.  For the second straight season the Hawks have drafted a talent that has “slid” down the draft and picked up a steal. Last season’s draft it was Saad that was the steal.  It is way better having experts say that you have stolen talent then reached for it especially in the early rounds!!

The rest of the 7 draft picks that the Hawks have will be made today, with Bowman saying even though he didn’t make any moves Friday, that there was a probability of moves being made today or in the coming week, with  Niklas Hjalmarrson, Steve Montador, and Michael Frolik the ones being dangled as bait allegedly.

Quick Blackhawk notes:

-Marian Hossa health is improving nicely and without any set backs should be ready to play come training camp.

- Coach Quenneville should have his other assistant named pretty soon.

-@BlackhawkUp has  you covered on Twitter for instant analysis and commentary throughout the rest of the draft!