Adam Clendening is regarded as one of the Chicago Blackhawks top prospects, especially on the blue line. The 21-year-old - drafted 36th overall at the 2011 NHL Draft - scored 12 goals and added 47 assists in 74 games for the AHL Rockford IceHogs this past season, and believes he's more than ready to make the jump to the big club as early as 2014-15.

In fact, he's been keeping an eye on the team's Capgeek page and taking note of the current overage, wondering if a higher-priced defenseman will be moved for relief while also opening a roster spot.

"I'm always hopeful, even if they weren't over the cap or anything," he told the Daily Herald. "But it's pretty easy to find out that they're over. Just pop on your phone and somebody will tell you. You look at it and somehow they get underneath it, a spot opens up, you obviously follow it and you want to play for the Hawks."

Either way, he's set to build on a season that saw him finish second among all AHL defensemen in scoring, whether it be in the NHL or back in the minors:

Personally, yeah, I do (think I'm ready). I've played two years in the American League and that time there has really helped me; worked on my defensive side of the puck and got to play against the other team's best players for two years and some of those guys are now playing in the NHL. So it's there, I guess, for the taking. If a spot opens up, it opens up. If not, just time to get better in the American League.

Clendening also played for the US Under-20 team at the 2012 World Junior Championship, scoring one goal and four assists in five games.