If you’re a Chicago Blackhawks fan that doesn’t know who Brandon Saad is - that might change very soon.
After playing in two regular season games and two playoff contests with Chicago in 2011-12, Saad took part in this summer’s Blackhawks prospect camp. It’s just the first step on the road to making the 2012-13 edition of the Blackhawks, but he’s made the most of it by impressing coach Joel Quenneville.
“He looks like he’s ready to play,” Quenneville said, according to CSNChicago’s Tracey Myers. “He can maybe not just make our team, he can do more than that.”
In addition to his brief stints with Chicago last season, Saad scored 34 goals and 76 points in just 44 OHL games. He’s got the potential to be a good top-six forward and you might see him in that role as early as next season.
Of course, that will be a difficult task as Saad will be facing stiff competition. He’ll need to have a strong showing in training camp to secure a significant role with Chicago next season, but he’s capable of doing just that.