This may seem like a footnote as an inconsequential minor league transaction, but the signing of Cody Franson to an AHL deal has implications for how the Blackhawks may be on the right track for rebuilding the organization from the ground up.
No, it’s not because Franson is the missing link for elevating the Hawks back to contender status again. That’s just crazy talk. He isn’t expected to be a recall candidate this season, which would necessitate him needing to ink an NHL contract anyway.
Rather, the significance of the Franson signing is best explained by what IceHogs head coach Derek King had to say about him:
"Cody is going to be a great addition to our squad and it will be like adding an extra coach for us. He may not have known it, but I kept an eye on him during his first time with us and he’s been coaching the younger players ever since. He’s a tremendous addition to our defensive core, the team overall, and willing to take younger players under his wing to show them how to be a good professional." (quote courtesy of Second City Hockey)
Whether you want to call it a retool or a rebuild, the Blackhawks are incrementally integrating youth into the lineup. The youngsters need not only coaches to help them develop the right techniques and strategies to be effective pro hockey players but also mentors to guide them on and off the ice. This mentorship can make a difference.
Part of prospect development is helping young players translate the talents that got them drafted or acquired in the first place into results at the pro level. However, not all prospects are high-end players yet many still become impact players as bottom 6 forwards or bottom pair defensemen in the big show.
What then is the common denominator that sets them apart?
A lot of the time it’s the finer things that do.
--
GETTING THE JUNIOR OUT
In interviews King often talks about “coaching the junior” out of prospects. What he is referring to is switching a prospect’s mindset from being the go-to player who -- before the pros -- may have cranked out gaudy offensive stats because the puck was always on their blade to being an all-around player who can be a constant factor with or without the puck.
Brandon Hagel was one such player who King used that phrase as a description of his growth curve. In four seasons with the Red Deer Rebels where he was a point-per-game player or better after his rookie year, Hagel proved he could be an offensive driver. This was especially evident in his final season when he scored 41 goals and 102 points.
One way to get the junior out of players like Hagel is to have them improve their defensive play specifically and general play without the puck. In his last season with Red Deer, Hagel dedicated himself to honing his defense. That commitment to two-way play may have been pivotal in Hagel earning a cup of coffee in his first year of pro hockey.
--
PUSHING THE PACE
Jeremy Colliton and King both have said that what would push Dylan Sikura over the top to stake his claim for a spot on the Blackhawks roster is if he pushes the pace more -- again, particularly without the puck. Sikura even admitted that this lesson was key to earning that coveted spot in the varsity lineup.
Sikura learned by his second pro season that he needed to realize that he wasn’t going to be the offensive force he was in the NCAA and not get down on himself if he doesn’t dent the scoresheet. Instead, focus more on contesting every puck, being reliable in all zones, and making every play count for something productive.
The goal drought to start his NHL career was no doubt an albatross to Sikura and a point of frustration for fans. But if you watch his game closely, you can see the dedication he has to the details of forechecking and backchecking. And thanks to his hockey sense, he makes quick fundamental plays and supports his teammates up and down the ice.
--
BUILDING STAMINA
King is also cognizant of building up the endurance of new pro players over the course of a longer season that can also have 3-4 games a week in the AHL. So when a young player is a healthy scratch, many times it’s not because of poor performance. Instead it’s to grant adequate rest and gradually build up the energy and resilience needed to get through the longer pro seasons.
Once a player has sufficient rest and knows how to methodically use energy, then it allows for getting the most out of each shift. Matthew Highmore and David Kampf are perfect examples. There are no wasted efforts with either of them.
Role players who play limited minutes also need to avoid getting stale sitting on the bench for long stretches. This requires another kind of stamina, one that relies on focus and observation so the next jump over the boards results in immediate execution rather than taking time to catch up with game action.
--
STAYING EVEN KEELED
Making mistakes as a young professional can be self demoralizing. Many rookies, though, will often compliment the veterans in keeping them centered and reminding them to not get too high when things are going well as that can breed arrogance and not get too low when things are not going well as that can deflate confidence to perform the rest of the game.
During the Flyers playoff run this season, goalie Carter Hart talked about the importance of this balance:
"In playoff hockey, you can find yourself down or find yourself up. There are always a lot of those ups and downs, you just have to find a way to stay even keeled, stay as consistent as possible...You’re going to run into some speedbumps in the regular season and the playoffs. The Isles were the better team but going forward, I think we made a lot of right steps." (quote courtesy of The Morning Call)
--
BEING A PROFESSIONAL
Kris Versteeg and Phillip Holm were brought in last season and could have been mentors for the young Hogs team. However, both of them abandoned ship part way through the season.
For Versteeg, he had a noble reason for departing as he desired to end his career fulfilling a lifelong goal to play pro hockey with his brother Mitch in the Slovakian Extraleague.
Holm, on the other hand, saw no apparent path to get to the NHL again and terminated his contract to play in Switzerland instead.
While the Hogs did have veterans like Tyler Sikura, Nick Moutrey, and Garrett Mitchell, none of them have ever played in the NHL.
This is where the Franson signing starts to make sense. He likes to take the younger players under his wing and coach them. What Franson does well is something King often says is their collective role as the minor league affiliate: help the prospects become professionals.
Being a professional does include preparing for games and knowing how to act on the bench, on the ice, and in the locker room. Just as important, though, are forming healthy habits away from the rink such as diet, nutrition, and sleep as well as managing tasks like grocery shopping, paying bills, and living on your own.
--
These finer things matter. Something that also matters is when and where you learn them.
Many argue that Alex Nylander may be better off developing more in the minors than have a roller coaster experience in the NHL. When he was in the Sabres organization, he did play 3 seasons in their minor league system with the Rochester Americans. Was that enough time to marinate, though?
Again, it’s not just the amplification of his raw talent that would benefit from additional time in the minors but more so the finer things that don’t seem to be present yet. Those elements could propel him to the next level of performance.
Then there’s Dylan Strome. He played one season for the Tucson Roadrunners while in the Coyotes organization. Like Nylander, was that enough time to fully bake? Even though he has produced at a 0.75 PPG pace for the Blackhawks, perhaps Strome is also lacking in those finer things given his struggles.
Despite it being unlikely that Nylander or Strome will ever spend time in Rockford, the Blackhawks organization seems to be making the appropriate choices needed to put their prospects in the best environment to grow the right way so they can deliver immediate dividends when it’s their turn in Chicago.
--
READERS Q&A MAILBAG
Calling all readers! If you have any questions you want to ask about the draft and/or free agency, please send me a private message or email me at
[email protected].
Thank you to those who have reached out already! All questions will be answered and featured in a mailbag blog due out on October 5 which is the day before the 1st round of the draft.
--
See you on the boards!
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»