Joining the Chicago Steel was a tempting option for John Dahlstrom.
The Steel are coming off a Clark Cup championship season in the USHL, they’re known for developing players, and they’re in the backyard of the Blackhawks, who own Dahlstrom’s draft rights.
Ultimately, though, Dahlstrom turned down the Steel, determining that playing in Chicago now wasn’t the best route to get him playing in Chicago later. Instead, he accepted an offer to play for Almtuna IS in Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second division.
Since being drafted by the Blackhawks in the seventh round in 2015, Dahlstrom, a 20-year-old forward, has carefully chosen his career path while trying to gauge what’s best for his future.