Blackhawks: Will Ian Mitchell do the unthinkable?

The Chicago Blackhawks have one top-level prospect that they are going to need if they want to upgrade their blue line next year, but there might be an issue when it comes to getting in the United Center.

Ian Mitchell has not signed with the Blackhawks yet, the 2017 second-round pick opted to play out his senior year with the University of Denver, but now the Blackhawks are on the clock to get him under contract. Mitchell is going to have the option to sign anywhere he wants soon on an entry-level contract. Although we have already talked about when Mitchell will sign with the Blackhawks we have to start entertaining the idea that he might not sign at all.

Mitchell would not be the first high-level prospect to walk away from the Blackhawks and choose to sign someplace else. Ryan Shea recently spoke out that he would not sign with the Blackhawks, maybe Mitchell will be the next one to do so.

Chicago needs Mitchell, but Mitchell really does not need us. They have not shown much improvement in the past three seasons to make the city appealing to Mitchell. While we do have some great veteran leadership that won multiple championships, our current management has shown they are not afraid to trade away young pieces to make something happen.

If I was Mitchell I would look at this team and see all the young players who have been traded, like Henri Jokiharu, Ryan Hartman, Dominik Kahun, John Hayden, and Nick Schmaltz, and reconsider signing a contract.

Do not get me wrong, I want the Blackhawks to sign Ian Mitchell as much as the next Blackhawks fan. Without him, we do not stand a chance with our blue line. Mitchell is going to be a rather large piece of our team’s future, but I do not know if Stan Bowman can make a commitment to a player and not toss them aside the next time he sees something better.

Only time will tell whether or not Mitchell signs with Chicago. Here is to him helping make the Blackhawks the best they can be sometime in the future, otherwise, I hope we can score four or five goals a game!