10 things we learned at Chicago Blackhawks camp, including the pickleball tournament winners

Like every season around this time, training camp has run its course for many of the prospects and tryouts.

Since the weekend, the Chicago Blackhawks cut ties or reassigned the bulk of players from camp, reducing the roster from 49 to 32.

Training camp for some people is a stressful time and a bundle of nerves, but its professional sports, coach Luke Richardson said.

Whoever performs the best when its on the line (are) the guys that deserve to be there.

Thats just the way it is.

Theres always a new kid on the block thats going to take your position.

Some players could return early in the season, while others might have said their final farewells to Chicago.

A few, such as forward prospect (and this years camp darling) AJ Spellacy, have surprisingly stuck around.

Theyve all left impressions in different ways on this years camp, from their hockey journeys to colorful stories.

Preseason photos: Detroit Red Wings 4, Chicago Blackhawks 2 The third-round pick in this years draft looks like a speedster and a thumper and at times, a veteran a combination that has opened some eyes.

Its good, Spellacy said.

Ive been learning a lot, so its good to stick around for however long they want to keep me.

...

I just had the mindset of put my best in and see where that takes me.

I think Ive done that.

Normally, the 18-year-old wouldve been on the way back to his junior team (in his case, the OHL Windsor Spitfires) like a lot of other prospects, but the Hawks want to see more.

The Hawks play the Wild in Minnesota on Tuesday, and nows the time in the preseason when teams start to field lineups that more closely resemble real NHL rosters.

Hes had a great camp, Richardson said.

Give him another look as we get closer to the real thing and bigger, fuller lineups and give him that experience before he heads back.

Hes a big guy, skates well.

He looks good here in the NHL.

Hes probably got some things to work on, but we just thought hes earned an opportunity to play in a game closer to the regular season.

Chicago Blackhawks center Ryan Donato skates back on defense in the third period of a preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings at the United Center on Sept.

25, 2024.

(Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) With more veteran blue-liners in the fold, Richardson could have tweaked the defensive scheme, but hes keeping the same system and focusing on better execution.

If we dont have (the puck) and were tired, we have to be comfortable to stay on the inside.

Maybe squeeze it tighter, he said.

Thats somewhere we can get a little more patient at and realize that, if were a little tired, maybe lets pull back, let them skate around the outside for a few seconds, take your breath and then when its time to strike again, thats when we have to have hard, heavy sticks way more this year than we did last year and have that guy in behind come and scoop that loose puck and go.

Sometimes be comfortable making strong plays if its an icing, its an icing and not get stuck in our D-zone for the long minute, minute and a half shifts.

You lose momentum and you get your players tired.

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski takes a break during the teams NHL hockey camp Thursday, Sept.

19, 2024, in Chicago.

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Since Boris Katchouk was claimed off waivers by the Ottawa Senators in March, that left his old jersey number for Korchinski, who wore No.

55 as a rookie last season.

I was always 14 growing up, and then (head equipment manager Troy Parchman) texted me and said, Hey, you want 14? because they knew that.

And Im like, Yeah, Id love it.

I just always liked it as a kid.

I dont know, I could pick, I always picked 14.

I just liked the look, I guess.

Chicago Blackhawks prospect Drew Commesso makes a save during the first day of training camp at Fifth Third Arena on Thursday, Sept.

19, 2024.

(Eileen T.

Meslar/Chicago Tribune) Off the ice, the goalie prospect has really dived into one pursuit: Ive become an excellent cook, he said.

Yeah, I dont like to brag too much, but I think thats an aspect where Im pretty proud of myself.

Ive taken some good steps in the kitchen this summer, he said.

Commesso said he shuts off his phone, turns up some music and works on perfecting new recipes.

I want everything I do to be the best, he said.

If I make something at dinner thats not great or really good, I think the next night, Im pretty eager to make it even better.

He has cooked dishes such as salmon with asparagus and rice, as well as sirloin steak Ive pretty much perfected those, he said for his hometown friends and defenseman Alex Vlasic, with whom hes living during camp.

He knows Im a good cook.

Ive cooked for us, Commesso said.

Last season it was boxing lessons.

One of this years favorite camp activities was pickleball.

During a tournament of sorts last week, defenseman Austin Strand and forward Philipp Kurashev matched up against forwards Taylor Hall and Tevuo Teravainen in the finals.

Hallsy and Tevuo won, said Strand, who was released from his professional tryout and assigned to the IceHogs on Saturday.

I think Hallsy said he has one in his backyard, and then Teuvo just had that little bit of finesse on his touch.

Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews warms up for a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, and his final game as a Blackhawks player, at the United Center on Thursday, April 13, 2023.

(John J.

Kim/Chicago Tribune) Strand had an encounter this summer with Jonathan Toews in Arizona of all places.

Strand usually spends his offseason training in Calgary, but he tried EVO Ultrafit gym in the Phoenix area on the recommendation of Matthew Barzal, who Strand played with in juniors.

I saw (Toews) there a couple times, even though hes retired, he was coming in, Strand said.

It was cool to meet Toews, he was a really nice guy.

He was talking to me about training, its a really different kind of training.

You wear this machine that stimulates our muscles.

You dont lift heavy but you do a lot of explosive stuff with this machine on.

...

It just helps you with longevity.

Strand tried to get Toews to reveal whether he plans to return to the NHL, but the former Hawks captain was (surprise!) cryptic about it.

I was talking to him about that and he just said he loved Chicago.

I was asking him if he was going to come back (since he was training), ...

he just said, Im just enjoying it.

Chicago Blackhawks center Paul Ludwinski skates back on defense in the third period of a preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings at the United Center on Sept.

25, 2024.

(Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Paul Ludwinski and Samuel Savoie were assigned to Rockford this weekend, where theyll continue to battle opposing forward lines and occasionally each other.

You can say anything to him, Ludwinski said.

Hes really good guy, just like a brother.

Hell do anything for you.

You can do anything for him.

On the other hand, Well go on the ice and battle it out, too, Ludwinski said.

But its just always smiles with him.

Savoie added, Ludsy plays the same way.

We have that grit and that respect for each other on the ice.

They both made strong impressions during camp, particularly playing on a line with Joey Anderson.

Richardson said, They just played a simple game, and they chip pucks behind the defense.

...

Thats usually the way you play in the playoffs ...

But thats the way they play.

They just execute every time or close to it.

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Samuel Savoie practices Wednesday, Sept.

11, 2024, at Fifth Third Arena.

(Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) Maybe its a good thing Savoie isnt playing in Tuesdays game in Minnesota.

Last year, he slid into the board and broke his right femur during a game against the Wild, requiring surgery that kept him shelved until February.

To hear Savoie talk, his leg is farthest from his mind.

Last year was kind of unlucky, he said.

We talk about, in hockey, Control your controllables.

One of his controllables was rehabbing.

I think the hardest part for me, Id say, is when I came back, kind of adjusting to reading pressure and all that.

That was kind of more tough than playing my identity.

Savoie has played rough-and-tumble during camp as well as the prospect tournament that preceded it.

When Im out there, look, if another injury happens, it happens, he said.

Im not too worried about that, so I just try to play my best game and go out there fearless.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Sebastian Cossa blocks the shot of Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard in the third period of a preseason game at the United Center on Sept.

25, 2024.

(Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Luke Richardson has been beating the drum for his players to shoot more, but its the same song he was singing last season, when the Hawks finished second to last in shots per game average (26.3), ahead of the San Jose Sharks (25.2).

He had better hope the preseason isnt an indicator of whats to come.

Of the 11 NHL teams that played three preseason games through Sunday, the Hawks (72) and Sharks (70) have once again bottomed out that list in shots on goal.

Before the weekends game, Richardson was at a loss to explain the Hawks reluctance to put more pucks on net.

I dont know, I think they come in, hockeys about everybody making passes and touching the puck in summer hockey and all the drills, and then you get in a game and were like, Straight line, shoot the puck, and its very simple, he said.

...

I hopefully say it enough that they get sick of it and just start doing it.

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy battle for the puck in the second period of a game at the United Center on Jan.

9, 2024.

(Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Several players have had children in recent months, including defenseman Connor Murphy.

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Yeah, hes been awesome.

Tucker Wayne.

Hes three months now, and hes been like an angel.

He sleeps well, hes smiling, hes happy and healthy, so were happy.

Tucker will get his own hockey stick as soon as he can walk, probably, Murphy laughed.

Murphy has company, Richardson said.

(Goalie Laurent Brossoits) wife is expecting a baby and then Ryan Donato and his wife just welcomed their daughter to the family and the team.

Richardson joked, Lots of babies probably at Christmas skate this year, so thatll be fun.

He also learned one other nugget about Brossoit.

Everybody thought Laurent Brossoit was from Quebec but hes a Western Canadian guy, Richardson said.

Brossoit is from Port Alberni on Vancouver Island.

I dont know if he does (speak French).

That was neat..

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