Kirby Dach a 'smart kid' with 'true talent,' Toews says
Drafted third overall in 2006, Jonathan Toews opted to play a second season for the University of North Dakota before making the Blackhawks roster for the start of the 2007-08 campaign.
After being selected third overall in this summer's NHL Entry Draft by the Blackhawks, Kirby Dach might not have to wait a year to make his professional hockey debut.
So says a fellow centerman - none other than the captain and three-time Stanley Cup champion himself, Toews.
"For me, just talking to him, the first impression you get is he's pretty mature and social for his age, and seems like a smart kid," Toews said Friday night at the Blackhawks convention at the Hilton Chicago. "You see him in the gym, he obviously knows how to prepare, how to get ready, how to take care of his body. But that's just the start."
The 6-foot-4, 198-pound Dach had 73 points (25 goals) playing for the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League last season. He won't turn 19 until January.
"Obviously there's some true talent there," Toews said. "Everyone that watched him in the WHL playoffs this year said he was dominant, playing through teams matching up against him. I think he's one of those guys that probably could step in this year and definitely cause a stir in training camp. I'm excited to see what he can do. I'm not trying to add any pressure on him, but I get the feeling he's got that mindset that he's going to come in and not move over, not get out of the way for anybody, and he's going to want to make our team right off the hop."
De Haan wowed:
New Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan experienced a first this weekend. A veteran of six NHL seasons, he attended his first fan convention, as the Blackhawks took over the Hilton Chicago.
"This is my first time doing something like this," a wide-eyed and appreciative de Haan said Friday night. "It's great to see the support that the Blackhawks have. It's pretty wild for fans to take time out of their Friday night - to not go to the Cubs game (in Milwaukee), not to go out to dinner, not to go out to have a couple of drinks with their buddies. ... This is the pinnacle (of fan conventions)."
Brookbank's new view:
Blackhawks assistant coach Sheldon Brookbank was playing professional hockey just two years ago. Last year, he was coaching for the Rockford IceHogs in the American Hockey League, before being promoted by the Blackhawks midway through the season to assist new head coach Jeremy Colliton.
Brookbank played for four NHL teams, including the Blackhawks from 2012-14. He's learned how to observe the game from behind the bench sans skates and uniform.
"You see (the game) totally different," Brookbank said. "You start noticing every system, every faceoff play. You just see the whole picture. As a player, you just watch the game, look for certain players - that guy's a good player, this guy's a good player. As a coach, you're looking for so much more. You're analyzing the game more, breaking it down, maybe seeing what can I use, is there anything I like about how this team plays."
Great Scotty:
New Blackhawks assistant coach Marc Crawford jokingly calls himself the "gray hair" on 34-year-old head coach Jeremy Colliton's staff, which also includes Sheldon Brookbank, 38. But the 58-year-old Crawford is a pup compared to the Blackhawks' senior adviser of hockey operations, the legendary Scotty Bowman.
Bowman turns 86 in September and is still as sharp as a game-ready pair of CCMs.
"I have been totally amazed by Scotty, how he is constantly, constantly on top of the things," said Crawford, who coached Colorado to a Stanley Cup championship in 1996. "He's my new idol. I want to be like that when I'm his age."