FEATURE: Kahun looks to transition his skill to NHL

Dominik Kahun watched the Chicago Blackhawks play even before he knew they were interested in bringing him to North America.
The Czech-born, German player was located in a time zone that afforded him the opportunity to watch their games, especially those taking place on the weekends.
So, when the Blackhawks organization began to court the talented forward, he already had a first impression - and soon the interest became mutual.

Kahun is not some player flying so far under the radar that once he signs with a team the rest of the league collectively asks, "who?"
He set off scouting alarms during a 2011-12 season in which he led Germany's elite junior league (DNL) in scoring with 57 points for Jungadler Mannheim U18. He edged out teammate Leon Draisatil by just one point for the title. Draisaitl is now a rising star for the Edmonton Oilers - after being selected third overall in the 2014 NHL Draft.
Kahun's profile rose even more during the 2018 Winter Olympics. He helped Germany earn an impressive - and surprising - silver medal. The forward scored one goal and added two assists in seven games. His lone tally gave the Germans a 3-1 lead over Sweden in the quarterfinals. They'd hang on for the 4-3 victory over Tre Kronor.
There was legitimate interest building from a handful of NHL teams, with it eventually being narrowed down to three. Chicago quickly moved to the top of Kahun's list.

"Ever since I started talking to them when some scouts were coming to Munich to watch my games, I went to dinner after games with them and everything (felt right about) Chicago," said Kahun. "When I heard about it, I had a great feeling right from the start of it.
"Then, (Blackhawks SVP/General Manager) Stan Bowman came over to Munich to watch a game after the Olympics and we talked. Everything sounded great to me and it was an easy choice for me."
"If people aren't familiar, he's a really fun player to watch," said Bowman, speaking at this summer's Blackhawks Development Camp.
The Blackhawks made the signing of Kahun to a two-year entry-level deal official on May 21, and now he has the opportunity to achieve a lifelong dream.
"For me, it's amazing," he said. "It's a dream come true. I've always dreamed about being in the NHL one day. Obviously, I've signed a contract, but I haven't played a game yet. That's my biggest goal, to make the team and get the games going."
Despite having watched Blackhawks games in the past, Kahun has not scouted the roster in depth. However, he does feel like his skill set can be complementary to what Chicago has - and the Blackhawks agree.
"He's quick, offensive, has good skills," said Bowman. "He's probably more of a playmaker than a goal scorer. He's one of those guys where the puck is off his stick as quick as he gets it. He's moving it to the guy who is open. I think he's going to fit in well with a lot of our forwards, guys who can think the game at a high level."
"It's a skilled team," said Kahun. "When the scouts came to Munich they told me how they play and how it's more skilled and puck protection. They want to keep the puck and that's for sure what I like, and I hope I can fit in."
Can he fit in right away though? That's the biggest question for Kahun heading into his first NHL training camp.

"I think I'm skilled enough," Kahun said. "Always, people tell me I'm too small and too weak. But I feel I'm fast enough and skilled enough that I can do it."
The 23-year-old prospect is not lacking in confidence, but he is lacking in experience - particularly in North America. However, he did play two seasons for the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League from 2012-2014.
"I think the transition for him is just going to be moving up to the NHL level and how quickly he can make that adjustment," said Bowman.
"In Dominik's case, the thing he has going for him is he did play junior hockey in the Ontario League for two years, so he's played on a small rink. That's probably the hardest part for the European players. When the ice gets smaller, everything happens quicker. You have to have the fast hands and the fast brain to see those plays and he does that well. We have to be patient in terms of the NHL caliber and speed, but I think his skill set matches nicely with the way the game is played."
Kahun gets his first opportunity to showcase his skills in a Blackhawks uniform this weekend at the 2018 Traverse City Prospects Tournament. The Blackhawks rookies and youngsters will compete against players from the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues. The tournament takes place September 7-11 at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City, Mich.