Sam Rinzel "more comfortable" going into his second season with Blackhawks

Sam Rinzel is one to watch heading into the season, considering he had a development year between the Rockford IceHogs and the Blackhawks last season. The 22-year-old remains a significant part of the defense going forward, so his progress is especially intriguing.

Going into his second season, there are a couple of things that should have a positive effect on him.

Here are two highlights from our quick chat during the Blackhawks first day of training camp on Sept. 17.

The vibe for 2026-27

Rinzel did a lot of learning last season between the NHL and AHL, as they worked with on his defensive game and worked with him to get his "swagger" with the puck back.

This season should definitely be more settled for him, and he said as much.

When I asked Rinzel about the vibe this year compared to last season, "Obviously you're excited, but... I think for me, it feels more comfortable. You feel like the game kind of slows down a little bit for you and whatnot. So I think that wise a little bit, and the energy's so high on our team, and like we're young, we're excited, and it's a new season. So anytime you have a new season, anything can happen, and we want to win. So that's what we're pushing for, and that's our standard."

He had 14 points in 54 games, averaging 18:16 minutes of ice time, and there is even more upside for the 6'4" d-man.

How the new additions look to benefit Rinzel

When the Blackhawks traded for Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres, and signed Ian Cole from the Utah Mammoth in free agency, they envisioned them being able to help elevate the young defense, which in turn benefits Rinzel.

Both Cole and Byram are Stanley Cup champions, and being able to take notes from them is valuable.

On the first day of training camp, Rinzel was paired with Cole, and with Rinzel still growing in his game, he brought up the impact of the new additions.

I asked him what he was working on over the summer: "Similar to other summers- shooting, getting stronger. I think just little things that I learned kind of from last year, whether it's pre-scanning or whatnot. But I think a shot was a big one, and yeah, it's nothing too much. But you learn things as you go, and as you go through it. So, it's easy to have Bo come in and Ian, and you figure it out. And they have so much experience, so it helps a guy like me just to learn from that and ultimately push them, and they push me."

With the shortened training camp, it won't be a long showing for him or the Blackhawks, but in an important second season for Rinzel, him being more comfortable is a good step for the season ahead.

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