Blackhawks prospect could parlay unforgettable camp into an excellent season

When AJ Spellacy entered Blackhawks camp this season, few thought he’d stick around longer than a couple of games, if that. But he made it into early October before the Hawks reassigned him to juniors. 

While in the NHL, reassignment (or loans) to another league means a player was technically “cut” from the big club, not all cuts are created equal, something that isn’t the same in leagues like the NFL. Every year in pro football, players get cut and many end up on practice squads, where their careers are often in limbo. But being a late camp cut in the NHL should inspire players like Spellacy. 

Drafted with the 72nd pick this past June, Spellacy should have been nothing more than “there for the experience” in Year 1, but he gained more than that, and confidence should be brewing in him right about now. 

No, there was no way Spellacy was making the cut this season, no matter what he did, but that makes things more interesting for his situation. A physical player who, at worst, has a future as a lower-liner in the NHL, didn’t just have the luxury of watching NHL lifers like Pat Maroon, but he also found himself skating alongside the seasoned veteran. 

Blackhawks prospect should be brewing with confidence in 2024-25

While it’s more than an educated guess that AJ Spellacy will end up with the big club at some point in the next year or two, it also wouldn’t surprise me if he earns a “trial” toward the end of the year if his junior team, the Windsor Spitfires, again missed the playoffs and the Blackhawks found themselves out of contention. 

Overall, he hasn’t exactly done much in Windsor to break out, and although lower-liners don’t do much scoring themselves, it doesn’t mean Spellacy won’t enjoy a big season with the Spitfires. Last season, he finished the year with 38 points and 21 goals in 67 games, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we saw him near a point-per-game pace this year. 

Should Spellacy find ways to improve his productivity when his team has the puck this season, an excellent outing in Windsor could set the stage for more eventual success at the NHL level. Teams are always looking for players to provide some depth scoring, but the Hawks may have an answer brewing for them in the OHL. 

There are more than a few prospects worth watching this season in the Blackhawks system, and AJ Spellacy just added his name to the list. Be sure to keep tabs on his progress throughout the 2024-25 campaign, and don’t be surprised if we see him play a few games late in the season with the Hawks.