PROSPECTS: Mitchell Hopes to Lead Blue Line into Next Generation

Ian Mitchell might've just signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks last week, but he's about as well-versed in the last decade-plus of Chicago hockey as any diehard fan. It's even more impressive when you consider the defenseman hails from the heart of Oil Country in St. Albert, Alberta.

"I think just growing up I was a big fan of hockey," the 21-year-old said on Wednesday. "Them becoming a good team at that time, you just paid more attention in the playoffs when they were winning series. They were an exciting team to watch, so you wanted to tune in when they were playing."

As a young blueliner himself, Mitchell said he idolized soon-to-be-teammate Duncan Keith's grit and determination when it mattered most.

"Especially in the playoff time when he'd log almost 30 minutes a night and has his teeth knocked out and come back five minutes later, as a hockey player that's pretty much as cool as it gets," Mitchell said. "You become a fan through that. Growing up it was definitely a team you kept your eye on for sure."

Now, Mitchell appears poised to share the ice with the Blackhawks veteran as soon as next season, though admitted he would "probably be a bit star struck" when he first meets one of the players he modeled his own game after.

At now 37 years old, Keith, along with veteran Brent Seabrook, have played 15 seasons together as core staples of the Blackhawks blue line. With 1,100 games played and a trio of Stanley Cup rings each, it's understandable why Mitchell stands in awe of their accomplishments.

He also sees a similar trajectory among he and the other young defensemen in Chicago's prospect pool, carrying that torch forward to a new generation when the time comes.

"It's definitely exciting," he said. "Maybe it could be not so dissimilar to 2009, 2008 when they were building for the three Cups. They had a lot of young defensemen in the pipe then with Keith, Seabrook, Johnny Oduya and Brian Campbell and guys like that."

Only time will tell whether long-touted names like Mitchell, Adam Boqvist, Nicolas Beaudin -- and even newer additions like Alec Regula, Video: Mitchell on signing in Chicago and Video: Mitchell on signing in Chicago -- can measure up the players before them, some whose numbers will surely hang over their heads in the United Center rafters in years to come.

"We can be that kind of next wave that Hawks fans have seen before," Mitchell said. "We definitely have a lot of work to do and big shoes to fill in order to make that happen ... I think there's an opportunity there for all of us for sure."