Why Mark Eaton believes 'sky's the limit' for Ian Mitchell originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Last month, the Blackhawks sent a letter to their fans about wanting to be more transparent regarding the direction of the franchise. The organization wants to inject more young players into the roster, and it will require more patience.
One of the prospects the Blackhawks have been excited about for years is Ian Mitchell. The Blackhawks, selfishly, would have loved to have him in the fold last season but respected his decision to return to college for his junior season and help captain Denver to a national title.
Unfortunately for Mitchell, he never got to complete his junior season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he did take another positive step in his development. He officially signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks in July and is expected to compete for a full-time roster spot out of training camp.
Assistant GM of player development Mark Eaton has been following Mitchell's progression closely and believes the soon-to-be 22-year-old blue liner could solidify an everyday roster spot as early as this season.
"No question," Eaton said on the Blackhawks Talk Podcast. "Don't get me wrong, he has phenomenal hockey skills: his skating, his hockey sense, his compete level are all at a high level. But I think what really gets us most excited about him are his off-ice elements: his character components, the passion, the work ethic, the self-awareness he has, the coachability, the desire to just get better every day and the willingness to put in the work, and then the want to put in the work.
"That's what gives Ian such a high ceiling and it's hard to tell or predict what he might be because I think really the sky's the limit because of all of those intangibles that he possesses. That's what's great about this upcoming season. There's a spot or two on the back end that aren't really solidified, so it's great to have these young players coming up at the same time and having that internal competition. That's what we want to be able to provide, that competition, and let the cream rise to the top and I think that's what's going to happen whenever we get started, hopefully soon."
