There were some eyebrows raised when the Chicago Blackhawks selected defenseman Sam Rinzel 25th in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Rinzel wasn’t an unknown, but the Blackhawks jumped further ahead to take him than most teams would have. It did help that the Blackhawks had already made two first-round selections and were in a position where they could be extra patient. Blackhawks director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey described Rinzel as being on “the longer path” of development at the draft.
And now, after allowing Rinzel that longer path, the Blackhawks are ready for him to take that next step. Rinzel has decided to forgo his final two years at the University of Minnesota and sign with the Blackhawks, according to a league source. He’s expected to make his NHL debut this season. The Blackhawks are also signing his Minnesota teammate and 2023 first-round pick Oliver Moore, a league source said.
The Blackhawks drafted Rinzel in the first round because they thought his skating and size had the potential to make him an elite defenseman. His game was raw, but they thought another year in the USHL and in college under Minnesota coach Bob Motzko would get him where he needed to be. He also needed weight and muscle. That took more time, but it finally started to arrive last season. He added about 10 pounds and is at about 190 pounds to go with his 6-foot-4 frame.
“The big stride for him was what he did in the offseason,” Motzko said earlier this season. “The players that we deal with, they’re all different shapes and sizes, but they’re boys. They’re not men yet. That’s the greatest thing we got going. We’re working with these talented young players who are going from boy to man strength. It’s just how genetics work. Some come sooner and some take time. The great thing for him is he’s got great genetics, and it’s coming. And then you watch as more confidence grows in his game. Fearless to make plays with the puck. We’re just scratching the surface. He’s got a whole ’nother level to hit yet. That’s what’s exciting when you look at these young players, you know they’re going to get even better.”
Rinzel’s confidence took off this season with that added weight. He wasn’t knocked off the puck as easily. He was more aggressive going in for puck battles. His offense also elevated. He played with the puck as if he felt he could control the game.
Rinzel’s numbers support that, too. His offense declined late in the season, but he was near the top of college hockey in defenseman goals and points for much of the season. At the time of Minnesota’s elimination from the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, he sat tied for eighth among defensemen with 10 goals and sixth with 32 points.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said earlier this season that Rinzel was turning into what they envisioned back in 2022.
“Sam was the target player for us,” Davidson said. “And he was someone that we had a ton of interest in that draft. And so, we had high expectations, high beliefs for what he could become based on his skill set and his tools. I was really excited about getting him at the time, and I knew he was going to be a little bit of a longer-track prospect. And we’re really seeing him take some big strides here this year.
“He had a really strong year last year, but he just looks like a totally different player again this year, and I think that comes with growing into his skill set, growing into his body and then just a ton of confidence. He’s done a great job preparing himself to keep making those strides.”
In The Athletic’s 2025 top 100 drafted NHL prospects ranking, released in February, Rinzel ranked 54th. He’s the Blackhawks’ fourth-ranked prospect.
Scouting report
Rinzel’s appeal is all about potential because it has always felt like he’s just scratching the surface, but some of that is starting to be scratched now. He found another level after returning from the 2024 World Juniors in Gothenburg and hasn’t looked back, climbing a steep incline in his progression to become one of the top defensemen in college hockey as a sophomore.
He’s a long, right-shot defender who thrives in transition, has room to fill out his frame, has already quickly played catch-up with his peers and has time (thanks to a late June birthday) to do even more of that. He’s a fluid skater with an active stick and an eager approach to playing offense and defense that keeps him involved in all three zones (which comes with some good and bad, but more good than bad). His game used to be a little haywire, his play selection needed some buttoning up and he’d occasionally get burned, but all of those things have started to fall into place as he has gotten more reps and his skill and talent have taken over.
You can see the tools, and he’s starting to figure out how to deploy and utilize them in a more cohesive way. You can see his confidence building in real time as he starts to look like more than just his length and skating, too. He can impact play when he’s reading the game well.
While he was a work in progress when he was drafted and still has plenty of development in front of him, he’s already much less raw. He projects as an interesting top-six defenseman with real upside.
(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)