Del Mastro Debut Gives Blackhawks Fans Something to Smile About

Ethan Del Mastro is a hockey prospect with a bright future ahead of him having made his NHL debut at just 21 in the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 loss to the Nashville Predators.

While fans will be disappointed by the result, the appearance of this promising defender will provide a positive in an otherwise poor season. The Blackhawks currently sit bottom of the Western Conference Central Division, having picked up just 51 points from their 80 games in the wake of their defeat to the Predators.

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The Blackhawks will tie up their season with trips away to the Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings, with many hoping to see Del Mastro given the opportunity to get more experience under his belt.

The 21-year-old was born in Ontario, Canada stands at 6ft 4″ (193cm) and weighs 205 lbs (93kg). He started out with the Toronto Marlboros youth set-up before moving to the Mississauga Steelheads and Sarnia Sting.

In 2021 he was the 105th pick in the NHL Entry Draft and joined the Chicago Blackhawks, moving to affiliate AHL team the Rockford IceHogs.

Featuring regularly for the IceHogs, Del Mastro played 66 games, scoring 7 goals and getting 30 assists.

Ethan Del Mastro’s physicality and reach are big parts of his game, preferring to use his pocket when handling. He has four-way mobility and is also quick to support his partners.

Del Masto’s 18 minutes and 35 seconds of ice time on his debut and a similar time in his second match in the Blackhawks 4-2 home defeat to the Hurricanes. Despite back-to-back home defeats in his first two matches, Del Mastro can be happy with his performances and was even the HockeyStatcards top-rated player against the Predators.

His offensive game will need some work to get to the standards expected of him for the IceHogs, but that will come with time. He will return to the AHL to help the IceHogs in the Calder Cup Playoff after being reassigned following his two NHL games, but the future looks bright for this young star.

Del Mastro will be hopeful that he has shown Chicago Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson enough to put him in contention for next season. Taking the time to learn from more experienced players around him and enjoy the playing time he’s given will be a priority for the rest of this season and potentially some of next, but Del Mastro will be hoping to secure a place in the NHL sooner rather than later.

After signing a 3-year contract in 2022, the Chicago Blackhawks will also be looking to tie down this talented young defender who could become an integral part of any team rebuild in the future.