AJ Spellacy was a major surprise in training camp this season for the Chicago Blackhawks. The 2024 third-round pick lasted as long as Kevin Korchinski and Frank Nazar, two high first-round picks from past years.
He was sent back to the OHL in the recent cuts from the Blackhawks, but he will be back. There were a few reasons for him sticking around so long, but without a doubt, the 18-year-old is well on his way to becoming a piece of the future.
Before being returned to the Windsor Spitfires, Spellacy said that “I expected that I was going to be sent back. I wasn’t sure when, but I just had the mindset of putting my best in and see where that takes me. I think I’ve done that, so just keep doing my best.”
Prior to Spellacy’s last look in training camp this year, head coach Luke Richardson noted, “He’s had a great camp. Give him another look as we get closer to the real thing and bigger, fuller lineups. Give him that experience before he heads back.” The more action Spellacy got closer to the regular season means he got more playing time against what is mostly NHL talent.
Richardson said, “He’s a big guy, skates well. He looks good here in the NHL, but he’s probably got some things to work on. We just thought he’s earned an opportunity to play in a game closer to the regular season.” Even though the team lost by a wide margin, management and scouts all got a great look at Spellacy in his last game of the preseason. He wasn’t playing any big minutes, but he used his size as he can.
Richardson made it clear that Spellacy earned the right to be at training camp as long as he was. The young forward also expressed his thoughts on what he thought the staff wanted to see from him in that “(The coaches) have really liked what they’ve seen from me and they want me to keep learning. I think me sticking around here for however long just helps me learn.”
Spellacy was asked when he started to feel comfortable against NHL players. He explained, “I think after the first couple of practices, the first scrimmages, I felt like I belong in this speed and the game. It was a good transition, but nothing I couldn’t handle.”
Related: Korchinski Surprisingly Part of Blackhawks’ Latest Cuts
Spellacy is coming off an OHL season where he scored 21 goals and 38 points in 67 games and was drafted this year. While he was described by Richardson as someone that caught the attention of the Blackhawks because of how quickly he picks things up and can improve, nobody saw this impressive camp from the 18-year-old third-round pick coming.
It might be a faster than normal rise for the exciting and talented forward. Spellacy is someone to keep an eye on moving forward as he’s deservedly earned the attention.
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