Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman kept busy during the NHL pause and at the start of the Hawks' Phase 3 training camp that will lead up to the league's 24-team postseason.
Bowman officially signed defensemen Ian Mitchell and Wyatt Kalynuk, along with forward Pius Suter on July 16. Mitchell had agreed to sign with the Hawks in April but there was too much uncertainty at the time during the pause and ahead of the ratification of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Here's what the GM thinks of the additions:
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Ian Mitchell: 21-year-old defenseman from the University of Denver:
"He dominated the games I saw at Denver this year. He's such a good skater, very involved in the play. He [did] a little bit of everything for that team as their captain. I think it bodes well [for] how he's going to transition to the NHL. I think his game lines up with exactly how we want to play. He's a fun player to watch." - Bowman on Jan. 7, 2020
Related: Why new Blackhawks defenseman Ian Mitchell wants to play with Duncan Keith
NHL
Wyatt Kalynuk: 23-year-old defenseman from the University of Wisconsin:
"Very talented defenseman, one we watched closely since his draft year. Obviously Philadelphia drafted him but we kept in touch. His progression at Wisconsin was noticeable. His best attribute would be his mobility, his skating. Really exciting offensive defenseman. Really brings a lot of different elements to the table. He’ll complement our group. We have a lot of young defensemen with his skill set. He's pretty unique. Left-handed shot, complements nicely with guys on the right." - Bowman on July 21, 2020
Related: Why Patrick Kane, Blackhawks will want to play with Wyatt Kalynuk
Pius Suter: 24-year-old forward from ZSC Lions of Switzerlands' National League-A:
"He was someone we followed pretty closely, on the team in Zurich, we also had a little inside info. (Marc) Crawford (currently a Hawks assistant coach) coached him back when he was the coach in Zurich. At that time, his first experience with the men’s team. Marc saw something in him as a young player, gave him a chance. Certainly, felt a comfort level with Marc Crawford and how he helped his career. Actual skill set: scored a lot of goals, had more goals than Dominik (Kubalik). So you could see his offensive potential. Probably different style than Kubalik, don’t play the exact same style, but in looking for an offensive player, ability to make plays, it's important to have talented guys who can make plays and be offensive contributors, and that’s what we expect from him." - Bowman on July 21, 2020
Related: Who is Pius Suter and where does he fit into Blackhawks' plans?