BLOG: Allan, Dach Looking to Showcase Growth in Development Camp | Day 2

The second day of Development Camp has come to a close, and the energy from the prospects was clear as action continues to pick up in preparation for the games later on in the week.
Here's everything you need to know from Fifth Third Arena before the skates hit the ice again tomorrow.

DACH AND ALLAN BUILDING ON LAST YEAR'S IMPRESSIONS

Bolting down the fresh ice at Fifth Third Arena on Tuesday morning, onlookers would think prospects Nolan Allan and Colton Dach have been with the organization for ages. In some ways, it seems so simply because so much has happened since the defenseman and forward were drafted in the first and second rounds, respectively, in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Yet for the two 19-year-olds, it's primarily due to their confidence--especially considering the fair share of moving around they've experienced since they heard their names called in the virtual Draft just a year ago, including Blackhawks training camp last September.
Allan, a Saskatchewan native, was picked 32nd overall by Chicago and has since spent the majority of his time with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL. Last season, he appeared in 65 games and made significant strides in his game, ultimately leading the team in assists and tallying 41 points in that stretch. He also scored seven goals, proving to come through in the clutch with three being game-winners.
Dach, the younger brother of former Blackhawk Kirby, showed similar growth during his junior season, enough so to finish the year leading all Blackhawks prospects across any league in points (79) and was the only one averaging more than a point per game (1.30 PPG) in the regular season. With the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL, Dach was tied for the team lead in goals with 29 and held the sole lead for assists (50) and points.
The performances of the young Blackhawk prospects in the WHL regular season left organization members in Chicago impressed, and led to a simultaneous call-up to the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs for the playoffs with interim--and now permanent--IceHogs Head Coach Anders Sorenson, who has seen considerable development from the pair in the few months since that point.
"I think they're both starting look like men now," Sorensen said. "I remember seeing them early last year at the rookie tournament, and I think both of them have filled out a little bit. They look a bit more mature, act a bit more mature. Their habits have improved and so I think that they're both very, very good players."
And yet through all of that, this week marks the first time Allan and Dach were able to participate in Development Camp with other prospects their age, giving them a different air of confidence when arriving in Chicago.
"It's pretty cool to come here," Dach said. "Obviously at main camp it's awesome to see all the big-name guys and hang out with Kirby and them, but here it's definitely cool to be in my own element with my age group and showcase myself and see where I'm at with these guys."
Allan expressed a similar sentiment, mentioning that virtual development camp was great to be a part of and all, but nothing beats being on the ice. It's a "totally different feeling," especially being out there with guys he knows, Allan said.
Both Allan and Dach each stressed how valuable of an opportunity Development Camp is for them to showcase their abilities. However, that doesn't mean they come into camp close-minded; rather, it's a time to show just how many tips they can absorb from Blackhawks development staff and implement it into their individual skillsets.
For the pair, they each pointed towards skating as an aspect that can always use some sharpening, and the drills in Development Camp--even in just the first two days--have been helping to make gains in that area.
"Coming out of turns with more acceleration and taking better shots selections is something in June you kind of get away with it shooting the puck when you can," Dach said. "Here, you've got to be a little bit smarter and know that sometimes there's a better pay to be made and you just gotta have that confidence."
More than anything, Development Camp has presented a chance for the Blackhawks staff to get to know Dach and Allan on and off the ice in a way that they haven't yet had the chance to do: in their "comfortable" environment with guys they've grown up playing against and alongside. While Allan said that his experience with the IceHogs in the AHL was great, especially in terms of meeting some guys that are "used to the professional lifestyle in the American League," it more so helped him grow as a person and prepare for the future, such as this year's Blackhawks training camp later on in the summer.
Sitting in their adjacent lockers after Day 2, sweat dripping from Dach's face as his group just got off the ice, he and Allan couldn't help but look around and take it all in. While they'd been in there before, this week is nothing if not another reminder of one thought that has been running through their minds for the past year: I can belong here in the NHL.

WHAT PLAYERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT DAY 2

• Colton Dach:"I think [I've improved in] the maturity aspect, I think that was something that the coaching staff and the management staff told me when I left here last year, was to get bigger. My game is a big, power forward strong game, so that was something that I tried to emulate in my junior career and try to take that step this year."
• Nolan Allan:"Today was great, felt really good. And we have some programs going for off the ice to look forward to, like today is cooking, I think, so it's been fun."
• Nils Juntorp:"When I was drafted, I flew up from my chair and started screaming, the whole family started screaming and crying and everything, so I was very glad and happy. It's amazing, unbelievable. You see the locker room and all the stuff here, it's amazing. I've never been to an organization like this before, so it's a lot of new things, and all of it is so nice. Here, I want to meet new friends and train hard."

ANDERS SORENSEN PRESS CONFERENCE

On the process of getting the job: "I'm excited, proud to be part of what's going on in the organization here and looking forward to everything."
On what he'd like to impart upon the IceHogs players: "I mean, the biggest thing for us is the habits right? What habits do they have that's going to carry them to be able to play in the NHL? Because once they leave us and they go play for Luke [Richardson], it's going to be what habits they have to be able to stay up there and stay in the lineup. So that's going to be the biggest thing for us."
On what the organization would like to see from him moving forward: "We want to be able to develop our players, their habits and what's going to carry them to be able to play in the NHL. To go in conjunction with that, winning as well. And I think there's going to be some balance there."
On Derek King's influence: "He's just a great person. I think his calm demeanor has helped, you know, and I think that his guidance in certain areas. He's a good guy to talk to and he's been around, he's played, he's coached. I can't say enough good things about him. I think he's gonna be great up here [with the Blackhawks] as well. I think he's just a fantastic human being, and I think those people usually do a good job."

WHAT'S COMING UP TOMORROW

Tomorrow marks the third day on the docket at Fifth Third Arena, and it's testing day for the Blackhawks prospects.
The players also have some fun bonding experiences throughout the Chicago area to look forward to in the afternoon, so stay tuned at Blackhawks.com for more.