Blackhawks’ Cole Guttman proving he can be full-time NHL player originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks have to make some tough decisions within the next week as they look to trim their training camp roster and finalize the Opening Night lineup for the 2023-24 season.
One decision that doesn’t appear to be so hard is whether or not to keep Cole Guttman on the main roster. He has all but locked up a permanent spot.
“I feel like I have what it takes,” Guttman said. “I feel like I can bring a lot to this team and I’m confident in my abilities. At this point, kind of just show what I can do.”
Guttman was one of the leading scorers for the Rockford IceHogs in the American Hockey League last season before earning a call-up with the Blackhawks. He made a strong impression when his production carried over to the NHL, where he registered six points (four goals, two assists) in 14 games, and he did so without being 100 percent healthy.
Guttman suffered a shoulder injury in November, he reaggravated it again a month later, and then the final straw came on Feb. 25 against San Jose during his NHL stint. He fought through it for as long as he could before both he and the team decided to shut it down for the season and undergo surgery so that he could be fully healthy for training camp in 2023-24.
Guttman hasn’t felt any restraints, and feels back to his former self.
“I feel great,” Guttman said. “I’ve been skating at a really high pace for a while now, so I feel good. Back to normal.”
Guttman, 24, signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks in August of 2022 as an unsigned college free agent after his rights expired. He was originally selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round (No. 180 overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Guttman has flown under the radar, but the Blackhawks like his game.
“He looks great in camp,” Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said. “He looks like he’s fully recovered and feels great from his season-ending injury last year. We like him. He’s a head’s up hockey player, he’s shown he can play in the NHL. It’s just consistently doing that right now when there are spots available. He looks great.”
Guttman has been centering the third line during training camp, mostly with Tyler Johnson and Taylor Raddysh. At this point, it’s hard not to see him slotted into the third-line role when the Blackhawks play Pittsburgh on Oct. 10 for the regular-season opener.
“I really like playing with those guys,” Guttman said. “I’ve learned a lot from them. They’ve been through a lot in this league, so just try to do what I can every day to get better and learn from those guys.”
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