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Blackhawks CHL, USHL prospect update for 11/28: Samuel Savoie on a scoring binge

Just like last time, we’ll skip alphabetical order and get right to the main attraction for this Chicago Blackhawks prospect update.

WHL

Kevin Korchinski, Seattle Thunderbirds

Stats: 23 points (3 G, 20 A), 47 SOG in 18 games

Korchisnki’s pace has cooled a bit, with just four points (1 G, 3 A)in the seven games since the last update. He had a goal and in an assist against the Spokane Chiefs on Nov. 11, with that goal coming after Korchinski found some open space while trailing the play:

It’s very easy to see a similar scenario playing out with at the United Center in the not-too-distant future, wouldn’t it?

Nolan Allan, Seattle Thunderbirds

Stats: 14 points (5 G, 9 A), 36 SOG in 20 games

The biggest piece of news to emerge since the last update was Allan being traded from the Prince Albert Raiders to the Thunderbirds, which made him a teammate of Korchinski’s. Seattle immediately put the two Blackhawks teammates together on the top D pairing:

In five games with Seattle since the trade, Allan has one goal and two assists — all of those points coming on Friday night against the Portland Winterhawks. Here’s the goal:

Seattle’s probably the No. 1 team to keep an eye on for the rest of this hockey season, to see if any chemistry develops between Allan and Korchinski.

Another potential team to watch? Team Canada at the World Juniors. The projection below from TSN’s Craig Button has plenty of Blackhawks prospects on it:

Colton Dach, Kelowna Rockets

Stats: 14 points (7 G, 7 A), 43 SOG in 10 games played

The good news is that Dach has stayed healthy this month, a welcome change from the way his season started. The bad news is that he still missed a game while serving a suspension for an illegal check to the head.

Still, Dach has four goals and five assists while playing seven games this month. He had a pair of multi-point games over the weekend, tallying a goal and an assist during games on Friday and Saturday. This is the goal Dach scored on Saturday night:

Here’s the goal from Friday night:

Also, Dach is a big pierogi guy:

Same here, Colton. Same here.

OHL

Ethan del Mastro, Mississauga Steelheads

Stats: 17 points (2 G, 15 A), 28 SOG in 20 games played

He’s remained on the top D pairing for Mississauga as recently as Sunday’s game against the Kingston Frontenacs:

In the last eight games, del Mastro has racked up five assists, with three of them coming against the Kingston Frontenacs on Nov. 13. Not much else to report on del Mastro from the last few weeks, although — once again — that’s not necessarily a bad thing for a defenseman.

Gavin Hayes, Flint Firebirds

Stats: 21 points (9 G, 12 A), 77 SOG in 24 games played

A quiet stretch for Hayes, with only four points (2 G, 2 A) in the last eight games — although he still maintains his team lead in shots on goal.

As long as those shots keep flowing, Hayes should start scoring more again soon, because he continues to slot in on Flint’s top line:

Paul Ludwinski, Kingston Frontenacs

Stats: 13 points (1 G, 12 A), 30 SOG in 19 games played

The goals still aren’t coming for Ludwinski but he’s been a key part of the Kingston offense for the last few weeks with six assists in the last seven games — including four in the last three. He had a pair of assists on Friday night, earning the team’s “Hardest Worker of the Game” award:

Ludwinski was the No. 2 center in that game and appears to have settled into that role after his late arrival to the team because of an injury sustained with the Blackhawks in training camp:

QMJHL

Samuel Savoie, Gatineau Olympiques

Stats: 24 points (13 G, 11 A) in 22 games played

It’s hard to find a Blackhawks prospect who’s had a better stretch of late than Savoie. He’s up an 11-game point streak, with 10 goals and 9 assists tallied in that span. Five of those games have been multi-point efforts, including a trio of three-point games (all 1 G, 2 A performances) within the last few weeks. Savoie had just 33 points in 64 games last season, so this is appears to be a massive leap forward for Savoie so far.

Here’s one of those goals, scored on the power play on Nov. 16:

Understanding French isn’t required to see that Savoie is skating on the top line for Gatineau, according to this lineup from Saturday’s game:

Savoie and the Olympiques are back on the ice next weekend to see of that torrid scoring pace continues.

USHL

Nils Juntorp, Dubuque Fighting Saints

Stats: 10 points (6 G, 4 A), 29 SOG in 15 games played

Not much to share on Juntrop, who has just a pair of assists in the six games he’s played since the last update. He’s still skating on the second line, according to the lineup from Dubuque’s game on Saturday against the Des Moines Buccaneers:

Sam Rinzel, Waterloo Black Hawks

Stats: 11 points (1 G, 10 A), 51 SOG in 17 games played

In the six games since the last update, Rinzel has a pair of two-assist games that have accounted for all of his points during that stretch. He still leads Waterloo in shots on goal, now up to 51 this season.

While Rinzel still has plenty of USHL action remaining this hockey season, he’ll be playing for Team USA in the upcoming World Junior A Challenge:

Talking Points