The Chicago Blackhawks concluded their 2026-27 prospect showcase Tuesday with the second of two games against the St. Louis Blues at USG Arena.
The games were extra physical, with tons of hard hits and dropped gloves. Game 1, a 3-1 Blues victory Monday, had its share of punches thrown. The 5-2 Hawks win in Game 2 featured several fights.
Hawks coach Jeff Blashill watched the young skaters compete in a semi-audition before training camp begins Thursday. Here are three prospects who made noise this week.
AJ Spellacy, right wing/center
The 20-year-old speedster arrived at prospect camp as the fastest player on the ice. It seemed to have caught the Blues hopefuls off guard as he skated on the top line with Sacha Boisvert and Ryan Roobroeck.
Spellacy used his size and suave skating to create a plethora of scoring chances, leaving Blues defenders wondering what happened. He didn’t score in Game 1 — one of his many shots dinged the crossbar — but earned his due in Game 2 with two goals.
The forward’s physicality was on full display. Whenever there was a hit to be laid, Spellacy was there to make a Blues skater pay.
“It’s a big part of my game — that’s what I try to do,” Spellacy said. “I try to fly out there, play the body, make it hard to play against me.”
Blues prospect Colin Ralph took exception and hit Spellacy late in Game 1. Hawks defenseman Ashton Cumby stood up for his teammate by dropping the gloves and winning a back-and-forth scrap — to Spellacy’s delight.
“That was awesome,” Spellacy said. “That just shows how good of a teammate he is. That was an unreal job from him. I was grateful for that.”
It was a near-perfect audition in front of Hawks staff. Perfectly timed, too, as Spellacy prepares for his first professional season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
“He’s taken a big step,” IceHogs coach Jared Nightingale said. “It’s always another season of maturity. A guy like Spellacy can stand out.”
Martin Misiak, wing
Misiak’s first season in Rockford didn’t go as planned. It’s always a big step to go from juniors to the pros, but the offense he displayed with the OHL’s Erie Otters was mostly absent.
The 21-year-old wing had just 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 63 games for the IceHogs after totaling 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) in 60 regular-season games in Erie in 2024-25.
He’s looking to get his flair back in his second professional season, and three goals in the showcase — including two in Game 2 — should help.
“I feel like I play a 200-feet game now,” said Misiak, who skated on the second line with Jiri Felcman and Marek Vanacker. “I can protect my puck (and) play more pro-style hockey.”
Added Nightingale: “(Misiak) did a really good job in collecting the fruits of his labor. It’s good seeing kids like that get rewarded, but it’s only the beginning of the journey for him.”
Taige Harding, defenseman
The 6-foot-7, 236-pound Harding towered over prospects from both teams while skating alongside Jake Furlong in the top defensive pair.
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Nightingale focused on active sticks during the prospect practices, and it’s safe to say Harding learned a thing or two. He blocked multiple Blues shots while using his large frame to push through defenders when he had the puck. Harding also played on the top penalty-kill unit.
Harding, 24, was the most experienced player in prospect camp, hence his donning of the captain’s patch. He’s set for his third season in Rockford in 2026-27.
“Wearing the crest is an honor, so to be captain of the rookie team was something I didn’t take lightly,” Harding said.