Prospect Roundup: Jokiharju, Sikura off to hot starts

On Mondays, chicagoblackhawks.com will highlight players who stood out for their minor-league, junior, college or European teams in the previous week's action. All prospect/system stats will be updated weekly throughout the season.
1st Star: D Henri Jokiharju, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
The Line: 3GP, 3G, 3A
Two weeks into the Western Hockey League season, the Blackhawks' 2017 first-round pick has been an impact player for Portland. Last week Jokiharju picked up six points in three games, including a four-point outing (2G, 2A) in a 10-5 road win over Seattle on Saturday. He shares sixth among WHL defensemen with eight points in six games so far this year.
2nd Star: C Dylan Sikura, Northeastern (NCAA)
The Line: 2GP, 2G, 3A
Sikura returned to Northeastern for his senior year with high expectations after a breakout 2016-17 season, and he began the campaign with five points (2G, 3A) against Sacred Heart over the weekend. The 2014 sixth-round pick contributed a pair of helpers in Friday's 7-3 win and tallied the game-winner in a three-point effort the next night.
3rd Star:LW Tomas Jurco, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
The Line: 1GP, 1G, 2A
Jurco, one of the last cuts the Blackhawks made during training camp, began the American Hockey League campaign with a statement game, posting a goal and two assists in Rockford's season-opening 4-0 win at Cleveland. The Slovakia native added three shots on goal in his IceHogs debut.

Around the system:
- Andrei Altybarmakyan tallied two goals and added an assist in three games with SKA-Neva in the Supreme Hockey League (VHL) last week. The 2017 third-round pick now has seven points in 12 VHL games this season, while also playing at the KHL and Junior Hockey League (MHL) levels … Tim Soderlund, the Blackhawks' fourth-round pick in 2017, posted his second goal of the season on Thursday in Skelleftea's 3-0 win over HV71 and now has three points in seven games this season … Defenseman Joni Tuulola picked up his eighth helper of the season on Thursday in a 4-1 win over HIFK; the 2015 sixth-round pick leads team defensemen with 10 points in 12 games so far this year.

• In more Hockey East action, Boston University defenseman and 2016 second-round pick Chad Krys logged a helper on Sunday in a 3-2 overtime in at Quinnipiac … Northeastern sophomore Ryan Shea, a 2015 fourth-round selection, picked up his first point of the season with an assist in Friday's win over Sacred Heart.

• The Big10 began their schedule last weekend, and three Blackhawks prospects found the scoresheet for their teams. Minnesota junior Jack Ramsey netted his first goal of the season in a 4-3 overtime loss to Minnesota-Duluth on Friday; he totaled just one goal over his first two collegiate seasons … Notre Dame defenseman Dennis Gilbert tallied a goal to help the Fighting Irish defeat Alabama-Huntsville 5-3 on Friday … Wisconsin defenseman Joshua Ess notched his first collegiate point on Saturday with an assist in a 3-2 win over Ohio State.

• Matthew Highmore contributed a goal and an assist in Rockford's season opener, collecting his first professional points after signing as a free agent out of the QMJHL's Saint John Ice Dogs … Defenseman Ville Pokka also picked up a tally and a helper on Saturday; he shared the team lead among defensemen with 30 points in 76 regular-season games last year … Netminder J-F Berube also made an impressive debut with Rockford on Saturday, stopping all 32 shots he faced in the 4-0 win. The free-agent signing won the 2015 Calder Cup with the Manchester Monarchs.