Blackhawks Prospect Spotlight: Ian Mitchell

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Jared
May 25, 2022 (0:27)

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Ian Mitchell is one of the most intriguing defensemen in the Blackhawks' pipeline. Praised for his speed, skill with the puck, and offensive potential, Mitchell was a widely sought-after prospect before committing to Denver University. Mitchell was a standout at Denver University, posting 89 points in his collegiate career. Mitchell burst onto the scene in his freshman season, tallying 30 points in 41 games. Mitchell was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks after his breakout freshman season in the 2nd round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Mitchell stayed at Denver for the next two seasons, working his way up to the role of «Captain» during his final season.

Like most prospects drafted under the Stan Bowman regime, Mitchell was thrown right into NHL without taking time to adjust to the quality of play gap between the NCAA and the AHL/NHL. Mitchell signed his entry level contract with the Blackhawks on April 13th of 2020, making his NHL debut on January 13th, 2021, during the COVID shortened season.

While it was probably necessary to see how Mitchell squared up to NHL talent before deciding his timeline, there was no reason to have him up on the main roster for 39 games before demoting him with all his confidence lost. Mitchell turned some heads early, but ultimately was not ready to play full time at the NHL level. In his first NHL stint, Mitchell tallied 7 points in 39 games. While the offensive production wasn't jaw dropping, Mitchell showed his skill set and played solid minutes in a variety of different situations. However, his defensive game was less than ideal, finishing the stint with a +/- -10.

This past season, Mitchell went back and forth between Rockford and Chicago. Mitchell played 8 games in Chicago, totaling 1 point in 8 games and a +/- -3. With his defensive game still not up to par, Mitchell was sent to Rockford. It was in Rockford where he focused primarily on upping his defensive game. With the mentality of playing defense first in the forefront, his offensive game surprisingly shined through. Mitchell had the best year of his career, tallying 35 points in 57 games. There is an old saying in hockey that «tight defense opens up the offense», which applies perfectly to the season Mitchell had. Mitchell and the IceHogs fell to the Chicago Wolves in the Calder Cup Playoffs, but his confidence is high and he is ready for another shot in the NHL.

With the rebuild under way and Mitchell regaining his confidence, look for him to make an impact at the NHL this season. There are going to be openings on the blueline this season, leaving the door wide open for Mitchell to prove that he is capable of being an NHL defenseman. At only 23 years old, this upcoming season could be a fresh start for the young defenseman and the beginning of excellent NHL career.