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Brandon Saad signs entry-level deal with Chicago, gets to start on first line

2011 NHL Entry Draft - Portraits

ST PAUL, MN - JUNE 25: 43rd overall pick Brandon Saad by the Chicago Blackhawks poses for a portrait during day two of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft at Xcel Energy Center on June 25, 2011 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

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Chicago’s Brandon Saad has had a training camp to remember in Chicago. We’ve talked about him a lot here and about how he’s the 2011 second round pick is making the most of his opportunity to break through with the Blackhawks. Now he’s got a contract after signing his three-year, entry-level deal with Chicago.

Saad won’t be starting his season making time on the third or fourth line, however, as he’s getting to make his debut on the top line alongside Patrick Sharp and captain Jonathan Toews.

Well that shouldn’t be nerve-racking at all for the 18 year-old fresh out of junior hockey. For what it’s worth, everyone in Chicago is talking big about him, including GM Stan Bowman, as CSNChicago.com’s Tracey Myers shares.

“The competition has gone up each time and he’s responded to the challenge. He’s earned a spot,” Bowman said in announcing Saad’s deal. “He’s excited to go and that’s a good story for us. We put him in a position to succeed and he seized it.”

Saad has earned a huge opportunity thanks to both his play and injuries for Chicago in camp. Viktor Stalberg was originally slated to be the guy to play alongside Toews and Sharp, but with Stalberg battling back from an injury in camp, the job is Saad’s to make sure Chicago gets off to a solid start.

Whether Saad gets more than the nine game audition will be up to the Blackhawks, but for now it’s all on him to make it so that it’s impossible for Chicago to send him back to Saginaw in the OHL or not. He’s getting a huge stage to start off on and when the Hawks open against the Dallas Stars on Friday night, all eyes will be on him to see how he embraces life in the pros as the guy with first round talent that everyone passed on in the draft.