Former Waterloo Black Hawk Sam Rinzel has signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, less than two years after the defenseman’s final game at Young Arena.
Rinzel played for Waterloo during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 United States Hockey League seasons. He was drafted by Chicago during the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft.
The NHL’s Blackhawks chose him 25th overall. Rinzel has spent the past two years skating for the University of Minnesota Gophers.
In 2021/22, Rinzel appeared in 21 Waterloo regular season games, primarily after completing the high school season in Minnesota. He notched 10 points (2-8-10) and also was on the ice during all six of the Hawks’ 2022 Clark Cup Playoff games.
That summer, he became the fourth Waterloo player to be selected during the first round of the NHL Draft.
Returning to Waterloo for a full season in 2022/23, Rinzel produced 36 points (9-27-36) in 58 regular season contests and also tallied three points (1-2-3) in three playoff games.
Rinzel’s second USHL campaign was highlighted by three game-winning goals, eight multipoint nights, and a +14 plus/minus differential.
The Chanhassen, Minnesota, native advanced to the University of Minnesota in the fall of 2023. In two seasons with the Gophers, Rinzel played in 79 NCAA games, racking up 60 points (12-48-60). He was named to the Big Ten All-Rookie Team after his freshman year.
Earlier this month during the closing days of his sophomore season, Rinzel claimed the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award. His 31 points in 2024/25 ranked sixth among all college defensemen.
Within his time as a Gopher, Rinzel also represented the United States during the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championships. He returned from the competition with a gold medal.
Rinzel’s three-year contract with Chicago covers the current season. The Blackhawks have nine remaining games during 2024/25, including a matchup tomorrow at the United Center versus the Utah Hockey Club at 3 Pm.
An increasing number of players have skated in the USHL for Waterloo, then in the NHL for Chicago. This season, Craig Smith became the latest former USHL Black Hawk to join the NHL Blackhawks. The former Waterloo captain was traded to Detroit on March 7..
Zach Sanford is also currently under contract with Chicago and has spent the season with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. Vinnie Hinostroza, Blake Hillman, and Rem Pitlick have also played for Waterloo and Chicago.
Last summer, the Blackhawks drafted Waterloo’s top 2023/24 goal-scorer, John Mustard, with the 67th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
A dozen former Waterloo Black Hawks have played in the NHL this season. The group includes Max Sasson, the most recent Hawks alumnus to make his NHL debut. Sasson dressed for his first game with the Vancouver Canucks on November 23rd.