Chicago Blackhawks’ 10 Burning Questions Heading Into Training Camp

Will any youngsters surprise?

While there was not a ton of buzz coming out of the Blackhawks’ prospect camp for players that may crack the opening night roster in October, the ‘Hawks certainly have some young prospects with a good amount of talent and a roster with a few spots of uncertainty.

Could a player like Alex DeBrincat or Alexandre Fortin find himself a roster spot when the 2017-18 season begins? While it certainly seems like a long shot from an outside perspective, the ‘Hawks have been making moves all summer to become younger and faster.

Could a younger player find his way into the lineup to gain valuable experience throughout the regular season while also providing a spark and a little extra speed in the lineup? It is always a possibility, even if a slim one.

It will be very interesting to see how some youngsters invited to training camp perform and if any of them can shine when playing alongside the veterans. Keep an eye out to see if anything special starts happening at camp, as the ‘Hawks would probably love nothing more than to find the answer to a lineup void through their affordable youngsters.

How hot are Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville’s seats?

We will probably not be able to answer this question through camp alone, but throughout the summer fans and writers alike have speculated if Quenneville and Bowman are on the hot seat if the ‘Hawks cannot perform well this coming season.

There was plenty of talk when Bowman fired assistant coach Mike Kitchen, a friend and trusted assistant of Coach Q. Are there ripples in the relationship between Bowman and Q? Is this the first sign of bigger moves to come with the coaching staff and the front office?

While we may not be able to get any closer to an answer in training camp, keep an ear open to interviews from both Bowman and Quenneville during camp and pay attention to any roster moves and lineup changes that you see. Are both men moving forward in the same direction and with a similar plan? Does there seem to be any animosity from Quenneville over the team that has been built for him?

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It will certainly be hard to get a full answer (if even any kind of clue) from camp alone, but there is no doubt that entering into training camp and the 2017-18 season there are some questions on the long-term status of these two men.