Chicago Blackhawks: Top 10 Prospects Entering 2018

10. Carl Dahlstrom, D [23 years old]

Stats:

Chicago Blackhawks – 11 games played, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points.

Rockford Ice Hogs (AHL) – 64 gp, 3 g, 25 a, 28 p (13 playoff games played, 3 g, 6 a, 9 p). 1 power play goal (3 assists), 98 shots on goal, .44 points per game [2 playoff power play goals (1 A), 26 SOG, .69 playoff points per game].

Carl Dahlstrom is a two-way defensive presence, someone who can stop plays at one end and get the puck going the other way. He was an AHL All-Star Game selectee this season and did quite well in the playoffs, which shows what he could still be.

Still, at 23, it’s likely his potential is not as high as other players on this list. Dahlstrom projects to be a bottom-pairing caliber defenseman, albeit a very solid one.

A dangerous offensive blueline is why the Rockford Ice Hogs got as far as they did in the AHL playoffs (reaching the Conference Finals) and Dahlstrom was a major part of that.

He tied for 33rd in regular season defensive scoring, 22nd in assists, but became more dangerous in the playoffs. In the postseason, Dahlstrom was fourth in assists, fifth in scoring, and tied for third in goal scoring and tenth in points-per-game.

A dangerous offensive blueline is why the Rockford Ice Hogs got as far as they did in the AHL playoffs (reaching the Conference Finals) and Dahlstrom was a major part of that.

Still, Dahlstrom wasn’t the best offensive blueliner on the Ice Hogs and didn’t get much of any power play time (getting just four points) and his bigger frame (6’4″, 231 pounds) likely means he’ll be a battle winner and defensive force in Joel Quenneville‘s system, should he play more than the 11 games he got this season with the Chicago Blackhawks.