The Chicago Blackhawks’ top draft pick this year in defenseman Adam Boqvist, 2017 first-round pick Henri Jokiharju and forward Dylan Sikura will headline the team’s roster for the annual prospect tournament in Traverse City, Michigan, the team announced Wednesday.
The tournament will be Sept. 7-11 at Centre Ice Arena. The other teams in the tournament include the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues. The teams are split into five-team divisions and face each team once with the top two teams from each division playing in the championship game on the final day.
The Blackhawks’ prospect team includes 25 players: 14 forwards, eight defenseman and three goaltenders. The team will be coached by the Rockford IceHogs’ coaching staff, led by head coach Jeremy Collition.
Boqvist, who turned 18 years old earlier this month, signed a three-year entry-level contract with Chicago on July 1. The No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft scored 14 goals with 10 assists in 25 games last season with Brynäs IF in Sweden’s under-20 Super Elite league. He will leave his native Sweden to play for the London Knights in the OHL next season.
Jokiharju signed a three-year ELC with the Hawks after posting career highs in goals (12), assists (59) and points (71) in 63 contests for the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. The right-handed defenseman expected to content for a roster spot this fall.
Sikura, 2014 sixth-round pick, tallied three assists in five NHL games with Chicago this past season after finishing his senior season at Northeastern. He scored 54 points (22 goals, 32 assists) in 35 games for the Huskies.
Nicolas Beaudin, who Chicago selected 27th overall this year, will also compete. Forward Victor Ejdsell and defenseman Blake Hillman both played in the NHL last season, and will suit up for the prospect tournament as well.