Blackhawks' First-Round Pick Sam Rinzel Taking Game To Next Level In USHL

The Chicago Blackhawks selected defenseman Sam Rinzel 25th overall at the 2022 NHL Draft, banking on his big upside. The first-rounder returned to the USHL this season to sharpen his game and take it to the next level with the Waterloo Black Hawks.

Rinzel sat down with FloHockey to talk about the thrill of being drafted, why he returned to the USHL, what he's working on and where he can go next.

Waterloo Black Hawks head coach Matt Smaby and Chicago Blackhawks Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Doneghy also detail what makes Rinzel a special player and what he's going to be getting out of this season before moving on to the University of Minnesota in 2023-24.

Rinzel will be representing the United States later this week at the World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall, Ont.