When you first join a team, it can be slightly stressful meeting your new teammates. Luckily for Sam Rinzel, he saw a familiar face at Fifth Third Arena — his former Minnesota teammate Oliver Moore.
The Blackhawks had their opening day of rookie camp on Wednesday, which was highlighted by 2024 No. 2 draft pick Artyom Levshunov, Brantford Bulldogs’ Nick Lardis and Rinzel. It was a welcome-to-the-league day for the prospects, as they went through a plethora of 2-on-2 drills.
“We told the guys before (that) you’re going to be tired,” Rockford IceHogs head coach Jared Nightingale said. “It was more of a resilient, kind of a gut-check type of practice.”
Rinzel, the reigning Big Ten defenseman of the year, impressed in his first day out. He blocked a good number of shots in the drills, a continuation of what he did at Minnesota. In his sophomore season, he blocked 41 shots.
Rinzel’s strength is in transition sequences and he is looking to become more of an offensive threat. He skated with the other forward prospects to start the day.
“I like to get in the offense, so whatever it is (I’m able) to pick their brain with other stuff,” Rinzel said. “It’s pretty easy to do, everyone (here’s) a hockey player.”
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov, left, guards center Ryan Gagnier during practice at the Fifth Third Arena in Chicago on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Dominic Di Palermo/ Chicago Tribune)
Those watching probably saw a bigger Rinzel than before. The defenseman credited “a lot of shakes” for that.
“I want to say I was playing around 180ish at the end of the year,” Rinzel said. “I’m up to 195 in the morning right now.”
Skating alongside him was his Golden Gopher teammate Moore. The two played 78 games together in 2024-25, combining to score 65 points (22 goals and 43 assists).
Rinzel was about business today, but he admitted it’s nice to cross paths again with Moore.
“It’s great. In the summer, we are in the same kind of area, so I’m able to see him a little bit,” Rinzel said. “Nothing relatively new.”
Lardis had some familiar company on the ice, too. The left winger is turning pro after a 117-point campaign with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL. The other Bulldogs included 2025 draft pick forward Parker Holmes and 2024 pick left winger Marek Vanacker.
“I got a little train going, me the first year, (Vanacker) and then (Holmes), too,” Lardis said. “It’s cool to share that experience with them and work together here.”
Photos: Chicago Blackhawks practice at Fifth Third Arena
Lardis, at 5-foot-11, is smaller than a typical winger, but that didn’t stop him from having a stellar season in the OHL. He scored 71 goals and 46 assists with a plus-21 rating in 2024-25. His speed on the ice was prevalent, but he’s keeping track of his size.
“185 (pounds) is kind of where I feel I’m really strong and still have that speed,” Lardis said. “As the season goes on, I’ll be maintaining it and keeping my strength.”
Levshunov scored at ease in his first practice. The right defenseman used his shifty stick to get past forwards and goaltenders effortlessly.
It was a good first day of camp in Nightingale’s eyes. He knows that the skaters are playing together for the first time, but he has some things in mind about what will make the Hawks rookie camp a successful one.
“We always want chemistry (but) it’s only three days, (so) we want to play fast, that’s the message,” Nightingale said. “If we can do that and set these guys up for a good training camp, I think we did our job.”