Blackhawks pick Mitchell will return to Denver for junior year

Ian Mitchell's made up his mind - he won't be signing with the Blackhawks just yet and has decided to go back to the University of Denver for his junior year.

Mitchell, a right-shot defenseman the Hawks drafted 57th overall in 2017, believes another season is critical to his development.

"Watching the end of the season and the NHL playoffs, I didn't feel that I was in a position to be able to step into the National Hockey League and play full time," Mitchell said after wrapping up his development camp session at Fifth Third Arena on Tuesday. "I didn't feel that my game was there quite yet. I just felt that another year playing in college was going to help me a lot."

Mitchell, who scored 6 goals as a sophomore, wants to become a difference-maker offensively.

He plans to sign when Denver's season is over. If that happens, he might be able to play with the Hawks in March and April - and possibly beyond if they make a deep playoff run.

"My goal is I want to be one of the best players in college hockey next year," Mitchell said. "I feel if I can meet those goals, I can make the step."

Tongue-tied:

As the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, expectations surrounding Kirby Dach are sky high - and he knows it - but that doesn't mean the 18-year-old won't get a bit star struck when meeting the Hawks' most high profiled players.

"(Monday) I got to meet Jonathan Toews and got a little bit tongue-twisted and didn't know what to say to him," Dach said. "He's a guy I looked up to when I was little.

"I was 10 years old when he was winning the Stanley Cup, so it's something I want to do here and it's awesome to be around those guys and learn from them."

Dach said several veterans reached out after the draft, welcomed him to the team and told him to reach out any time.

Before camp began, Dach went out to dinner at Chicago Cuts with several other prospects.

"It was awesome to get out and see the city a little bit," he said.

Still recovering:

Evan Barrett, a third-round pick in 2017, is working out off the ice this week as he recovers from a hip surgery in April.

"I'm feeling really good and I'm really happy that was the decision I made," said Barrett, who scored 16 goals in 32 games for Penn State last season. "It kind of bothered me for a little while and I knew it was something that might have to get done."

Barrett's 0.5 goals-per-game average was tied for 14th best in the country. He will go back for his junior season in the fall.