Chicago Blackhawks top prospect AJ Spellacy was once a NCAA college football recruit as a linebacker

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Joshua Deeds
August 23, 2024 (11:02)

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AJ Spellacy has a family history of sports, as his father played linebacker at Marshall University, and his mother ran track. Both aunts played NCAA basketball at Marquette and St. Louis. His brother John Jr played center at East Carolina University, and his uncle played at Canisius.

As a three-star safety Spellacy could've been recruited into the NCAA, as he fielded a call from Nick Saban, but would move on from Division I football scholarships. He'd leave the football team at St. ignatius high school, instead to pursue Hockey as a sophomore.

The sport wasn't unfamiliar for the family, as John and his three-brothers played it for fun. His cousin Aiden, played at St. Cloud state and played pro hockey in England.

However, in West Lake, Ohio the main sport is football, not hockey. Both John and AJ would play catch in the living room, as John would throw the ball and AJ would sprint, dive, and catch. But amazingly, last year was the 1st year Spellacy played hockey full-time.

He would train full-time under Ryan Richmond at T3, a strength conditioning coach, where he once trained for football. Growing up he'd only play hockey with his youth team until December 1st, and then would play travel basketball and then play baseball all summer.

«AJ played everything and I wanted them to play everything as long as they could and find out what they love as they go along. And it came a little sooner than I thought for AJ because I figured he would just keep playing football and he really had a good sophomore year,» John said. «I'm a big believer that every sport makes you a better athlete.»

That was the Spellacy way.

«Going all the way back, my dad, he felt sports was the answer to a lot of problems because it kept the kids out of trouble and taught you so many lessons,» John said. «So all my family of six, everybody played something. Same thing with my five. It doesn't matter whether y

AJ wouldn't meet his agent and skills coach, until he was 15, at the University of Michigan, the coach? Kenny Ryan, a 2009 2nd round NHL draft pick. Prior to being drafted by the Windsor Spitfires during his 16-year old rookie year, he was busy getting scholarship offers from such schools as Central Michigan, Iowa state, Toledo and Illinois State.

He would go on an unofficial visit to OSU and then change his mind:

«(Hockey) was one of those things that I just did for fun when football was really what I focused on,» AJ said. «But once I grew older, I started to really love hockey. I think I just had God-given abilities for hockey and I started to really love the game so I thought if I really worked at it that I could be a longtime player in the NHL.»

AJ and Ryan Richmond would skate 4-5 days a week, after his shifted gears, working together at 6:30 am every day and on video calls.

«I'm not sure what his ceiling is but where his floor right now is is a great starting point compared to other kids who've played for 10-12 years year-round,» Ryan said. «I think AJ's barely scratching the surface of what he's going to be. His skating is world-class. (But) he never really put his time and training into hockey. He's got so much untapped potential that he's actively working to tap into. As long as he continues to apply himself, I'm sure he's going to chase down whatever he sets his mind to.»

Casey Torres, his coach with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires referred to him as "our physical specimen" in a pre-draft phone call. He'd receive accolades for being the Spitfire's fastest skaters, from Liam Greentree at the draft as well.

His first season in the OHL would see him post 17 points in 47 games, earning him a "C" from NHL Central Scouting. His second season would see him score 38 points in 67 games, and earn him the 72nd spot of all American skaters from NHL Central Scouting's draft rankings.

Spellacy has said to model his game after Tom Wilson, an infamous power-forward in the NHL. And it's nice to hear, as the Blackhawks need some players with a lot of grit.

«(Wilson's) a mean power forward, guys on the other team are scared of him and nobody wants to play against him. I'm a force out there when I'm playing hard playing that power forward, that mean and physical role,» AJ said. «Not too many guys play that way so being one of those guys who plays that way, it's pretty intriguing. Everyone needs someone like that so that's what I have to keep focusing on.

He belives his background in football, has helped him on ice, and gave him a ferocious mindset on ice. It will definitely earn him some favor in the AHL when he arrives. But when?