The Chicago Blackhawks recalled defenseman Sam Rinzel from the Rockford IceHogs on Jan. 30 ahead of their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The move gave fellow rookie defenseman Artyom Levshunov a beneficial break, giving him “a chance to reset some foundational things,” according to head coach Jeff Blashill.
Rinzel came back to the Blackhawks during a tough stretch on a current five-game losing streak, but his presence has already brought positives.
I got a chance to speak with the 21-year-old at practice on Feb. 1 about his recall.
Rinzel’s Growth in Blackhawks Return
Rinzel started the season with the Blackhawks, playing 28 games and recording eight points. Chicago sent him to the Rockford IceHogs on Dec. 8 in what Blashill mentioned, in part, was get his “swagger” with the puck back.
In Rockford, he recorded 10 points in 19 games as part of their top defensive pairing. It had the effect the Blackhawks were hoping for.
In his first game back against Columbus, he was paired with Wyatt Kaiser, playing 22:16 minutes, and quarterbacked the top power-play unit. He had three shots on goal. Blashill praised his game afterward, saying, “I thought Sam played good… I thought he had an impact skating, moving the puck with less kind of big errors than maybe when he left. And I think that’s something we talked about, just making sure that, you know, at the end of the day, you got to judge the positives versus the minuses. And it’s really hard if you have a whole bunch of minuses. And I thought today, outside of maybe one decision on kind of a late kind of step in the o-zone, I thought he played well.”
I asked Rinzel about the message he got from the team when he got sent down. He replied, “Kind of a little bit of my defensive game, just working on it; defensive zone and corner battles, and limiting mistakes a little bit, not letting guys get behind me or whatever it is, being on the right side of the puck. Yeah, and then just get my confidence up a little bit. You know, obviously, I always have confidence, but being able to play more minutes and whatnot, I think it was good for me, and good for my development.”
He also went on to explain about the Rockford team in general, “It’s a great group of guys.
Obviously, it’s a different dynamic with, you know, it’s a little younger there. But guys are unbelievable, welcoming me and whatever it was. But, you know, when I got there, I got to know them pretty quick, and they seemed like guys that I knew for years and kind of grown up with and were friends with. So, I was able to be myself pretty quick right off the hop. So, it was good…”
All the lessons and positive experiences from Rockford came together at the right time for Rinzel.
After the Columbus game, he talked about his takeaways from Rockford. “You know, a lot of things- the big part is kind of the defensive aspect of the game. And then I think just part of it is realizing that 90 percent of the game is just 50/50 shifts. And you know, it’s just about winning those 50/50 shifts. So, yeah, nothing has to be flashy or crazy. It’s, I think, just learning to play with my brain and to kind of use my brain to beat guys, and whatever it may be.”
Blashill expounded on Rinzel’s brain at practice, “Well, the one thing that we’ve talked [about] for sure, and I think anytime you’re undersized in any way, so meaning whether you’re kind of smaller in stature, shorter, or whether you’re thinner… And again, he definitely hasn’t reached his peak strength. You have to use your brain. And so the guys learn, and that’s part of what this whole thing is with our young defensemen, is learning what they can get away with, what they can’t. How they can combat maybe a size difference or strength difference, and that comes with experience. So, he’s definitely trying to find kind of those little tricks of the trade that way. No different than Wyatt Kaiser is. You know, probably Grizz [Matt Grzelyck] has probably learned it over the years. And you know, when you get in those types of battles, you got to, a lot of times, use your brain as much as your physical attributes.”
Related: Blackhawks’ Artyom Levshunov Could Benefit From Some Time in the AHL
Rinzel is a highly touted prospect who they know is a big part of their future. Even though it is a small sample size with only one game since he returned to the NHL, it is encouraging to see the growth.
It also helps to inject new energy into the lineup. Blashill mentioned before that the Mother’s Trip this past week “breaks up the monotony of the season.” You could view Rinzel’s arrival in the same way. Someone who is excited to be back, is confident, and wants to prove himself. He will be a player to watch with two games remaining before the Olympic break.
Rinzel said about his return, “Yeah, obviously excited. You know, anytime you can be in the NHL, it’s an honor and a privilege. I mean, I just want to help the team win. You know, watching from Rockford and everything you see. So yeah, whatever it is, I just want to come help contribute wherever they need me.”
