Chicago Blackhawks News: AJ Spellacy signs his entry-level contract, Ethan Del Mastro recalled

The Chicago Blackhawks have officially added another player who will hopefully develop into a key piece toward turning the franchise into a contender someday.

2024 third-round draft choice AJ Spellacy has signed his entry-level contract.

Spellacy is a fast skater who brings sorely needed size to the club.

Our Ethan Gawronski ranked Spellacy as the Hawks' 22nd-best prospect. He is considered the fastest skater in the OHL.

Spellacy also possesses size that a lot of the Hawks' top prospects lack as he is 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds.

He impressed during the preseason to the point where he might have earned the nine-game free look teams can enjoy with a prospect still in the juniors. Since the Blackhawks want to be patient with their prospects, he was sent back to the OHL where is currently skating for Windsor Spitfires.

He was given a shot to make Team USA's World Juniors roster but did not make the final cut. He currently has 11 goals and 14 assists in 40 OHL games this season. Since he is 18, he is ineligible to go to Rockford, so all this signing does is get Spellacy officially into the fold as he will have to stay in Windsor.

Maybe, he gets a cup of coffee with the Hawks later in the season just to give him a taste of what real NHL games are like, but that is doubtful. He could skate for the IceHogs on an Amateur Tryout later in the season much like Nick Lardis did last season.

However, that might come next year instead as he also cannot skate in Rockford next season as well. Technically, he could try to make the NHL team out of training camp next season like Kevin Korchinski did last year. It is not a crazy thought since Spellacy came close to doing that this year.

Spellacy's deal is for three years with a $975k salary cap hit per year.

Ethan Del Mastro gets called up as Craig Smith goes on IR.

The Hawks are now going to carry eight defensemen after veteran forward Craig Smith went on IR. Smith goes on injured reserve with a back injury that has been bothering him since earlier in the month.

The front office decided to carry eight blueliners as the team wanted to reward Del Mastro for his strong play in Rockford.

Maybe, he gets a sweater for the Hawks' next game against Tampa, however, in practice, he was skating with Nolan Allan as the fourth pair.

Our Ethan Gawronski ranked Del Mastro as the Hawks' fourth-best prospect when the season started. CHGO Blackhawks podcast host and reporter Mario Tirabassi classifies Del Mastro as a level-two prospect. That means he is a quality NHL prospect who should enjoy a long and productive career.

Del Mastro has eight assists in 38 games with the IceHogs this season. He got into two NHL games last season for the Hawks.