Happy Friday!

Tab has been cranking out some excellent Blackhawks prospect coverage during Chicago’s off week for the NHL All-Star Break. If you haven’t checked those out yet, you should bookmark them for this weekend.

Here’s a conversation about Big Ten hockey and why some Blackhawks prospects feel it’s the best experience in the game.

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College hockey is awesome. The rivalries are tremendous; the atmosphere in the barns every night is electric. There are bands in the stands, and the play on the ice is fast and feisty. 

Even years later, when you get in the room with the professionals, there are still guys who chirp each other about school and conference rivalries. Hockey East? The NCHC? The Big Ten? Which conference is better? 

Which college hockey conference is the best? 

This week, I had the opportunity to speak with four of the Blackhawks’ top prospects and asked them if they believe the Big Ten is the best. They’re all obviously biased because, well, they all play in the Big Ten. But the comments from Notre Dame senior captain Landon Slaggert, Michigan sophomore Frank Nazar III, and Minnesota freshmen Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel make strong points on their conference’s behalf. 

“I feel like we get this debate quite a bit,” Slaggert said. “I think it has to be from own experience, just the high end talent. I think second to none in the leagues, but obviously the hockey this year is pretty loaded. The NCHC is always a tough league to play in just a little more gritty style, but I think the high end skill really makes it tough to play in the Big Ten. And I think you're playing the top environments night in and night out, which makes it such a fun league and exciting league. There’s no easy game night in, night out – you're fighting for points, you're fighting for a spot in the standings and I think that's what makes it so special though. It feels like playoff hockey every night.”

“Yeah, I think [the Big Ten is the best conference in the country],” Moore added. “I don't know if there's another conference that can say that they have as many teams as we do [ranked in the top 12 (the Big Ten has four this week)]. So yeah, it's really good hockey too, and just the buildings that you're able to go into and the atmosphere of all the teams really. It's special for sure. It's a great conference.”

“My personal opinion, I think it's got to be up there; it's got to be one or two,” Nazar said. “I think Hockey East is pretty good this year, obviously with BC and BU, but I mean the Big Ten has just kind of flipped the script the last couple of years. I mean, look at Wisconsin, look at Minnesota, look at Michigan State. Notre Dame is never easy to play, too. I mean, look at us. We're on the come up now and, honestly, I think we've got a really good group, so honestly, I think it's got to be up there.”

“I think obviously the Big Ten is one of the top, if not the top conference in college hockey right now,” Rinzel said. “I think just the combination of skill, and we'll work here, and we're not afraid to kind get down and dirty a little bit and grind, but every series is a series that's really important. Obviously, you see kind the standings with the top, all the top battle for it. So I mean, it's a battle every night in this conference, so for sure.”

Yesterday’s Best

CHICAGO BEARS

• Here we go again with the baseless speculation from national sports talking heads. Colin Cowherd said on Thursday that he sees a scenario in which the Bears don’t draft Caleb Williams.

• Luis has you covered on prospects fits for the Bears that you can watch at the Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl!

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

• Blackhawks prospect Frank Nazar’s development continues to excite Hawks and Michigan fans.

• Here’s your Blackhawks prospect viewing guide for this weekend:

CHICAGO BULLS

• Coby White is among the nominees for the NBA’s Player of the Month in January!

CHICAGO CUBS

• Brett has a bunch of information for you on new Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga.

What’s on deck?

The Bulls and the Blackhawks are both off tonight.

The Bulls host the Sacramento Kings at the United Center on Saturday evening. Tip-off is set for 7 PM CT.