Blackhawks rookie defenseman Wyatt Kaiser had a long summer — the longest summer he has had in years — to prepare for the most important season of his career to date.
On Wednesday, that season arrived. Hawks prospects hit the ice at Fifth Third Arena for the first practice of prospect camp, which will culminate with games against the Wild and Blues’ prospects this weekend in Minnesota.
Kaiser, who turned 21 in July, is the only guy in attendance with any prior NHL experience, having tallied his first three career points in nine games last spring after signing out of Minnesota-Duluth. That experience admittedly gives Kaiser an advantage, but Rockford coach Anders Sorensen — who is overseeing the camp — still liked what he saw from him.
“[With] his reaction [speed], his competitiveness, how quickly he closes in on guys, his ability to just play through hands [and his ability to] cut guys off right away, I was real impressed,” Sorensen said.
Actual hockey! On ice! Blackhawks rookie camp is underway.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) September 13, 2023
Bedard isn’t here yet but is expected to arrive tomorrow… pic.twitter.com/guw87wBIXr
While many of those at prospect camp will treat this weekend like their Super Bowl, since it represents their one chance to play in a Hawks jersey this season before heading back to their junior team, the camp is just an opportunity for a few guys including Kaiser (and Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinski) to get their feet wet before pushing for NHL jobs in main training camp starting next week.
Kaiser said his goal at main camp is “absolutely” to earn a spot on the Hawks’ opening-night roster, and he’ll be given every opportunity to do so.
Seth Jones and Connor Murphy are the only guarantees on the defensive depth chart. Youngsters like Kaiser, Korchinski, Alex Vlasic and Isaak Phillips will battle against depth veterans Jarred Tinordi, Nikita Zaitsev and a possible waiver claim yet to come for the remaining five spots.
Sorensen portrayed Kaiser’s path to a roster spot as fairly straightforward.
“What he showed today is playing to his strengths,” Sorensen said. “The way he played last year up here, he played to his strengths. If he does that, I think he’s in a really good spot.”
Kaiser’s strengths are abundant, too. He’s arguably the most well-rounded defenseman within the Hawks’ up-and-coming generation. He’s smart and athletic, moves the puck well in transition, takes direct angles with good stick positioning defensively and is deceptively strong.
He worked with Minneapolis-based trainer Tommy Powers for a second consecutive offseason this summer. Powers transformed Kaiser physically in 2022, helping him increase his weight on his 6-0 frame from 175 to 190 pounds, and the Hawks loved the resulting difference in Kaiser’s playing style last season.
This summer was less about weight gain but just as much about strength gain, and Powers was yet again pleased with how things went. On the ice, meanwhile, Kaiser continued working on his shot — one rare weakness in his game — while maintaining his stickhandling, passing and skating and reviewing his first 167 minutes of NHL action.
“You definitely get some summer [down] time to think about situations in your head here and there and watch some film,” Kaiser said. “You look at, ‘Maybe you can go there, maybe you can put your stick here.’ There’s always things you can come up with.”
Away from the rink and gym, he also played plenty of tennis — a hobby which may or may not lend skills that translate to hockey but which unquestionably makes him happy.
The end result is Kaiser coming back to Chicago this month feeling comfortable, confident and ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
“You’re only going to play hockey for so long in your life, so [I’ll] just try not to be nervous and enjoy every day,” he said.
