Blackhawks’ Cole Guttman: NHL or AHL to Start 2023-24

However, Guttman quickly adapted and scored his first NHL goal in his third game. After that, the floodgates opened, and he became one of the Blackhawks’ most consistent forwards in a small sample size. He was ranked 10th on the team in points per game at 0.429. All the players in front of him had played more than 20 games during the season, besides Bjork, who played in 13 games. Overall, he finished his Blackhawks’ season with six points (four goals, two assists), and was a plus-1 with a 52.07% faceoff percentage (FO%) in 14 games.

Unfortunately, his season got cut short due to needing right shoulder surgery in March. He hurt his shoulder while in Rockford in November 2022 but played through it until it became an issue during his sixth NHL game against the San Jose Sharks. It was a bummer considering he ended his season on a high note with three points in his last three games. You would have never assumed he was injured, which makes him an even more endearing prospect.

It also answered why the Blackhawks did not include him in a paper transaction of sending him back to Rockford, which would have made him eligible for the AHL Playoffs. Although, there was a point that even if he didn’t have an injury, the Blackhawks might have chosen the same route to give him extra rest and training in the offseason because he impressed so much. Alas, he looked like a surefire option on the roster this season, but there will be competition. Yet, his case seems strong already.

But…Should Guttman Start In Rockford?

Something that stands out about the Blackhawks’ offseason is that a lot of emphasis is being put on the bottom six, considering their top six seems set with Bedard, Hall, Raddysh, Reichel, and others. The bottom six is tricky because general manager Kyle Davidson has yet to make any moves to move out the forwards from last season in those spots. So going into training camp, barring any last-minute moves, Colin Blackwell, MacKenzie Entwistle, Reese Johnson, and Guttman look to compete for one position (fourth-line center).

There is an argument that all the players mentioned above deserve the nod. 30-year-old Blackwell is the veteran the Blackhawks signed to a two-year deal in 2022 specifically for that spot. Entwistle has been a staple in the bottom six for the last two years, and with him being only 24 years old, the Blackhawks may want to continue to see growth in his game. Lastly, Johnson has been a favorite amongst the coaches for his hard-nosed style of play. Considering all of those players already have “roots” on the team, it could make Guttman the odd-man out, and it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

As previously mentioned, they gave Guttman a lot of responsibility right out of the gate, and the organization’s stress of being patient with prospects doesn’t just apply to defensemen. If the Blackhawks chose to send him down to Rockford, he could gain more playing time that was missed due to his injury and ease his way back up to Chicago. After all, last season was his first as a professional after signing a contract out of the University of Denver. The Blackhawks are not expected to make much noise this season, so he would be destined to return to the NHL sooner rather than later to give him an extended look.

Conversely, with all the players fighting for that final spot, Guttman brings something that those three don’t: offense. Their games mostly rely on a two-way, physical style game, which is perfectly fine and works in a bottom-six role, but the team’s offense has been broken for so long. With the players they have going into next season, it should be improved, but if they want to see who could be that staple going forward and who could bring some offense in that spot, Guttman would be the obvious choice.

When the news was announced that Guttman needed surgery, head coach Luke Richardson quickly said, “He wanted to keep playing, but the decision was the right thing to do it now, to get ready for next year, because he has shown he can play here. So he wants to have a chance to be ready [and] 100% for training camp to show that he can again.”

“Show that he can again” are the keywords there. Training camp is a different ballgame; you never know how players will perform on arrival, and everyone looks to bring their A-game. IceHogs’ head coach Anders Sorensen mentioned on July 3 that whether Guttman starts the season in Rockford or Chicago will be determined in camp. Although there are pros to him beginning with either team, I believe the choice is clear. Unless he completely falters in training camp, then he should start in Chicago, but knowing the stakes with the other players, this is definitely a storyline to watch.