Oilers Place Colton Dach On LTIR, Recall Max Jones
The Oilers added some grit to the bottom of their lineup earlier this month when they acquired Colton Dach from Chicago (along with Jason Dickinson for Andrew Mangiapane and a first-round pick). However, they’ll have to wait a while yet for him to really make his mark. The team announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve placed Dach on LTIR. In a corresponding move, winger Max Jones has been recalled from AHL Bakersfield.
Dach sustained the injury on Tuesday against Colorado, exiting after just two shifts. He played in three games after the swap, recording an assist in his second game with Edmonton. The 23-year-old played in 53 contests with Chicago before the move, notching three goals and six assists along with 189 hits in a little under 12 minutes per game.
It’s unclear how long Dach’s undisclosed injury will keep him out for but the LTIR placement means he’ll miss at least 10 games and 24 days, backdated from when the injury occurred. That means he’s out for the remainder of the month at an absolute minimum, hardly ideal as he’s set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Dach’s LTIR placement gives Edmonton an extra $825K in its LTIR pool. That, coupled with the minimal space they already had, was enough to add Jones and his $1MM price tag to the roster. However, their LTIR pool is down to just $300K of full-season space, per PuckPedia.
This is the second recall of the season for Jones and his first of 2026, with his previous stint coming back in December. The 28-year-old had a goal and an assist in eight games on the fourth line over that first stint, meaning he’s only two appearances away from needing to clear waivers again to return to Bakersfield. Jones, a pending unrestricted free agent, has been reasonably productive with the Condors, potting ten goals and eight assists in 38 games so far this season.
Oilers Acquire Jason Dickinson, Colton Dach
9:50 p.m.: Both teams have now officially announced the trade, with the terms corresponding with what had been previously reported.
The conditions on the 2027 first-round pick received by the Blackhawks are as follows: if Edmonton’s 2027 first-rounder is inside the top-12 of the draft order, Edmonton may choose to transfer its 2028 first-round pick to Chicago instead, to be declared prior to the commencement of the 2027 draft. Should Edmonton choose to trade its 2028 first-rounder before the 2027 trade deadline, the 2027 first-round pick will automatically transfer, unconditionally.
7:30 p.m.: Friedman reported that young Blackhawks winger Colton Dach “is another part of this trade conversation to Edmonton.” His inclusion in the deal has not yet been confirmed, but it would help explain how the Blackhawks have managed (alongside the financial aspect of the deal) to land a first-round pick in the trade.
Dach, 23, is an Edmonton native who Bowman selected No. 62 overall in the 2021 draft. The 6’4″ pivot is the brother of Kirby Dach, a Montreal Canadiens center who Bowman selected No. 3 overall at the 2019 draft. Dach has broken into the NHL as a full-time player over the last calendar year, scoring seven points in 25 games last season and nine points in 53 games this season.
Entering the season, he was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Chicago’s system by the team at Elite Prospects, and No. 10 by The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who projected him as a future middle-six winger. Dach has averaged 11:40 time on ice per game this season.
6:18 p.m.: The Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks are discussing a trade that would send veteran center Jason Dickinson to Edmonton, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The move comes in the wake of today’s news, via Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 Edmonton, that veteran center Curtis Lazar of the Oilers is set to miss up to four weeks with an undisclosed injury.
According to Frank Seravalli of Frankly Hockey, the deal is currently still being discussed, but would involve Andrew Mangiapane heading the other way, to Chicago. Moving out Mangiapane and his $3.6MM cap hit is likely viewed as necessary for the Oilers to have the breathing room to add Dickinson’s $4.25MM cap hit to their books.
Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported that the Blackhawks will retain 50% of Dickinson’s deal, meaning the Oilers should be able to comfortably fit in their new player’s cap hit with Mangiapane heading to Chicago.
In addition to those two pieces, Seravalli said the “framework of what’s been discussed” between Edmonton and Chicago includes “another piece” heading to the Oilers, and a conditional draft pick heading to Chicago. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun has added that as part of the deal, the Blackhawks will receive a top-12 protected 2027 first-round pick from Edmonton in exchange for Dickinson.
Undoubtedly, the Blackhawks’ decision to take on the full freight of Mangiapane’s contract, as well as retain half of Dickinson’s deal, has contributed to the significant asset they were able to extract from the Oilers.
The Athletic’s Scott Powers reported earlier today that the Blackhawks “don’t see a point” in trading Dickinson for a marginal return. If Dickinson is indeed dealt to the Oilers, it will be the second time this week that Edmonton has added a veteran player from Chicago. The Blackhawks traded veteran defenseman Connor Murphy to the Oilers on Monday, and it’s possible that, in the process of negotiating that trade, the possibility of a Dickinson deal was also discussed.
A key factor here is the presence of Oilers GM Stan Bowman. Bowman was the one who acquired Murphy back in 2017, during Bowman’s tenure as GM of the Blackhawks.
While he was no longer GM in Chicago when the team added Dickinson, he would undoubtedly still have many connections within the team’s hockey operations infrastructure, and therefore would potentially have more detailed information on Dickinson than another GM might have access to.
The fit for Dickinson in Edmonton is relatively easy to identify. While he’s not a right-shot center like Lazar, there are stylistic similarities between the two players. Dickinson, 30, is a 6’2″ true center who is a veteran of 549 NHL games. A pending UFA, Dickinson is playing out the final year of a $4.25MM AAV deal.
Early in his tenure in Chicago, it looked as though Dickinson was reaching new heights as an offensive producer. He scored 22 goals and 35 points in his debut campaign with the Blackhawks, riding a career-high 17.5% shooting percentage to a career year, one that landed him down-ballot Selke Trophy consideration.
In the last two seasons, Dickinson’s offensive production has evaporated. In 106 NHL games over the course of 2024-25 and 2025-26, he has managed 13 goals and 29 points. But even though he hasn’t been able to sustain his prior levels of production, he remains a valuable contributor in the specific role he occupies. Dickinson wins just about half of his faceoffs, provides a physical edge, and anchors the Blackhawks’ penalty kill as its top center. When Chicago is defending a late lead or has a big defensive zone draw, more often than not, its Dickinson who hops over the boards first.
That’s the kind of set of skills Edmonton is likely looking for in advance of what it hopes will be another deep playoff run. With two of the game’s best scorers already on the roster, and one of the best offensive defensemen manning the blue line, the Oilers don’t need Dickinson to be his 22-goal, 35-point self for him to provide value in their lineup. If he can maximize his current role as an Oiler, trading for him will be more than worth the cost for Edmonton.
With Lazar’s health uncertain, it certainly makes sense to target a player of Dickinson’s mold. The two forwards occupying top spots on the depth chart with Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, are not exact stylistic fits for when an injury is suffered by a defensive bottom-sixer. (Both Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson are more offensively-oriented.)
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston noted an aspect of the trade that relates to a seemingly unrelated team – the San Jose Sharks. Per the terms of last season’s Jake Walman trade, in which Edmonton surrendered a top-12 protected 2026 first-round pick to San Jose, that pick would become unprotected if Edmonton were ever to trade its 2027 first-rounder. Because they have now done so, Edmonton’s 2026 first-round pick is now owned by the Sharks without restriction.
This is likely a moot point as Edmonton is well on course to secure a playoff spot. It’s nonetheless worth noting that in the event the Oilers endure a shocking fall down the standings, the Sharks are poised to profit.
In any case, the exact details of the trade are yet to be determined. What is clear, at least, is that Bowman isn’t done trying to add veteran help to his roster, and it appears the next area of interest is adding a bottom-six, penalty-killing center.
Photos courtesy of Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Evening Notes: Panarin, Kaiser, Dach, Marchenko
As the dust settles from today’s blockbuster in which the Rangers dealt Artemi Panarin to the Kings in exchange for top prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round pick, more details on the other suitors have emerged.
It was noted yesterday by TSN’s Chris Johnston on Insider Trading that a team had offered as much as $40MM, and the mystery club may now be revealed. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the Seattle Kraken made a strong effort to acquire the superstar, offering him an extension in the 3-4 year range, worth what Pagnotta said is “north” of $12MM per year. The contract could have doubled term compared to what Panarin promptly signed with Los Angeles, a two-year extension worth $11MM each year.
Despite proving not enough to sway Panarin into waiving his no-trade clause to head up to Washington, the effort is commendable from Kraken GM Jason Botterill as his team is in Wild Card range, hungry to make a splash to earn their second playoff berth in their fifth season as a franchise. It’s curious to imagine if former fourth overall pick Shane Wright could have been off to New York. One week ago, it was reported the Kraken were open to dealing him for a “dynamic top-six scoring winger”, and the “Breadman” certainly fits the bill.
Additionally, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan mentioned the Hurricanes, Lightning, and Capitals as among the “several teams circling at the end”, however, Panarin told management that he was set on Los Angeles. Crossing off another major city in his career after stops in Chicago and New York, Panarin’s preference limited Rangers GM Chris Drury’s trade leverage considerably. He has caught criticism for the return, but as noted by Kaplan, the Rangers feel they plucked the Kings’ best prospect in Greentree, and time will tell.
The break is nearly upon us, and although Panarin’s new team plays tomorrow night in Vegas as their final pre-Olympics action, Kings Manager of Editoral Content Zach Dooley confirmed that he won’t be rushed into duty. It seems likely he could make his highly anticipated debut in their first game back, at home for a Golden Knights rematch on February 25.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Chicago Blackhawks have had a rough go tonight in Columbus, as first the team announced that defenseman Wyatt Kaiser wouldn’t return, followed by forward Colton Dach, both due to injury. Kaiser’s status is concerning, as Zach Werenski of the Blue Jackets landed in his knee area awkwardly. The 23-year-old has yet to miss a game this season, averaging 19:28 a game across 56 so far. It’s still a work in progress for Kaiser, who doesn’t stand out on the stat sheet, however the lefty already plays a top four role for Chicago as his game develops. Meanwhile, Dach was pinned to the boards by Erik Gudbranson, and it’s not as immediately clear what happened to injure the grinder, who has nine points in 51 games this year.
- Shortly before tonight’s game against the soon-to-be short benched Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda shared that Kirill Marchenko would miss his second straight game due to illness. The 25-year-old leads all Jacket forwards with 46 points in 50 games, continuing to emerge as a star after last year’s 74 point breakout. Marchenko will utilize the Olympic break to get healthy, but in the meantime, Columbus has maintained their surge under new Head Coach Rick Bowness.
Blackhawks Assign Colton Dach To AHL
Colton Dach’s first NHL season came to an early end when he suffered an elbow injury last month. However, it appears that injury has healed as the Blackhawks announced that the forward has been assigned to AHL Rockford. The assignment couldn’t have been made until he received a clean bill of health.
The 22-year-old was a second-round pick by Chicago back in 2021, going 62nd overall. After injuries took out most of his final WHL season, Dach was limited to just 48 games in his first professional season, spent entirely with the IceHogs. Nonetheless, he put up a respectable 11 goals and 16 assists in those outings.
This season, Dach got off to a strong start with Rockford, earning himself a recall in early January. Aside from a pair of brief stints in the minors after that, he spent the bulk of the second half with the Blackhawks, getting into 25 games where he had two goals and five assists while logging a little over 12 minutes a night. Meanwhile, with the IceHogs, Dach had a strong half-season, tallying 12 goals and 14 helpers in 33 outings.
Dach was papered down at the trade deadline, keeping him eligible to play in the minors for this very reason. Rockford took the opener of its best-of-three series on Wednesday and will look to punch their ticket to the next round with a win on Friday.
West Notes: Norris, Girard, Ohgren, Dach
While Ottawa ultimately moved center Josh Norris within the division when they traded him to the Sabres on trade deadline day this month, that wasn’t the only team they had serious talks with. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported earlier this week that the Sens held trade talks with the Canucks and Predators before the deadline but obviously, neither move materialized. Nashville certainly had ample salary cap space to absorb his $7.95MM cap charge along with three first-round picks but didn’t have the young impact center to send that Buffalo did in Dylan Cozens. Vancouver, meanwhile, would have been able to cover Norris’ cap charge as well (though longer term, it would have been a challenge) but also lacked the core center to go the other way with Elias Pettersson pulled out of trade talks before the deadline.
More from out West:
- Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard won’t play tonight against Montreal due to a lower-body injury, notes Corey Masisak of The Denver Post (Bluesky link). The 26-year-old suffered the injury late in Wednesday’s game against Toronto and was out the following night in Ottawa. Already missing Josh Manson, Colorado’s recently strengthened defensive depth is certainly getting tested. Girard has 22 points and 94 blocked shots in 66 games this season while averaging just under 21 minutes a night.
- After being recalled on Tuesday on an emergency basis, the Wild announced (Twitter link) that winger Liam Ohgren has been returned to AHL Iowa. The 21-year-old got into the lineup on Wednesday but with Marcus Johansson returning today against Buffalo, the emergency conditions no longer existed, necessitating his demotion or conversion to a regular recall which would have counted against their post-deadline limit of four. Ohgren is in his first full season in North America and has five points in 24 games with Minnesota but has been quite productive on the farm, tallying 14 goals and 14 assists in 28 outings with Iowa.
- Blackhawks winger Colton Dach won’t play tonight against St. Louis due to an elbow injury, relays NHL.com’s Tracey Myers (Twitter link). The 22-year-old has been a regular for Chicago since being recalled in early January, getting into 25 games. In those outings, he has two goals and five assists along with 86 assists while averaging a little over 12 minutes a night in his first taste of NHL action.
Minor Transactions: 3/7/25
Similarly to the NHL, AHL playoff rosters are also due today before the trade deadline. Any player currently rostered in the AHL is eligible for the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, regardless of a future call-up. Today’s list will continue to grow until the 3 p.m. deadline.
- According to a team announcement, the Dallas Stars have reassigned defenseman Lian Bichsel to their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. Although the reassignment came with a formal announcement from the team, it should only serve as a paper transaction for Bichsel to ensure he’s eligible for the Calder Cup playoffs. The rookie defenseman has scored two goals and three assists in 20 games for the Stars this season, averaging 14:54 of ice time per night. He’s made his presence known by averaging over four hits a game, but he’s been on the wrong end of some highlight videos early in his NHL career. Dallas confirmed it as a paper transaction later, recalling Bichsel quickly after the deadline.
- As alluded to yesterday, the Philadelphia Flyers have confirmed the reassignment of netminder Aleksei Kolosov to their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Given that he’s been Philadelphia’s third-string option for much of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kolosov’s reassignment extend beyond the trade deadline. The second-year netminder has a 4-8-1 record in 15 games with the Flyers this season with a .870 SV% and 3.45 GAA. His performance hasn’t been any better with AHL Lehigh Valley as he’s recorded a 2-4-1 record in seven AHL contests with a .874 SV% and 3.59 GAA.
- The Calgary Flames are making Adam Klapka available to their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers, for the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, per a team report. Similarly to Kolosov, this reassignment may extend through the deadline. Klapka has spent much of the year in AHL Calgary, scoring 13 goals and 25 points in 31 contests. He’s been far less utilized by the Flames, registering one goal in 13 contests and averaging 8:10 of ice time per game.
- According to Andy Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey, the San Jose Sharks are expected to reassign defenseman Jimmy Schuldt and Jack Thompson to their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. As a minor contextual update, Max Miller of The Hockey News believes Thompson’s reassignment is a paper transaction to make him eligible for the AHL postseason. Despite low scoring output, Thompson has been an effective defenseman for the Sharks this season, averaging a 92.1% on-ice save percentage at even strength, the best on the team among defensemen with more than 20 games played.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they’ve reassigned forward Joseph Labate to their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. As one of the most feel-good stories of the 2024-25 campaign, Labate took the ice in the NHL for the first time in eight years this season. The 31-year-old winger had spent the last several years bouncing around on AHL contracts with a one-year pitstop in the KHL. He scored six goals and 13 points in 33 games with AHL Cleveland before being elevated to an NHL contract with the Blue Jackets.
- After announcing that defenseman Colton Parayko would miss the next six weeks due to a knee injury, the St. Louis Blues were expected to make a recall on defense. The team announced that recall this morning, sharing that they’ve brought up Matthew Kessel from their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Phoenix, AZ native has already spent time as a seventh defenseman for the Blues this season, tallying three assists in 27 games while averaging 13:05 of ice time per game.
- Strictly as a paper move, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Chicago Blackhawks have reassigned forward Colton Dach and defenseman Ethan Del Mastro to their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. Both players will remain in the Blackhawks’ lineup for the rest of the season before they are returned to AHL Rockford at the end of the season, should they qualify for the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs. Dach has scored two goals and six points in 18 games with Chicago, while Del Mastro has registered two goals and three points in 12 contests.
- As expected, the Detroit Red Wings have placed forward Carter Mazur on injured reserve one day after his debut. Mazur suffered a dislocated elbow approximately one minute into his NHL career, and he’s likely done for the regular season. In a corresponding transaction, the Red Wings have recalled forward Dominik Shine from their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Shine is only a couple of weeks removed from signing the first NHL contract of his career, tallying one assist in four games for Detroit in late January.
- The Montreal Canadiens announced they’ve reassigned forward Owen Beck and goaltender Jakub Dobes to their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, for eligibility in the Calder Cup playoffs. Beck has been an extremely effective forward for the Rocket this year, scoring 13 goals and 32 points in 47 games. Meanwhile, Dobes has made a name for himself in Montreal, managing a 6-2-1 record in 10 games with a .909 SV% and 2.63 GAA, including one shutout.
- The Los Angeles Kings aren’t entirely sold on Brandt Clarke‘s future with the team. A report from Greg Wyshynski of ESPN this morning indicated the Kings were shopping Clarke on the trade market, and they’ve now reassigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, along with Samuel Helenius (Twitter Link). Both players should be back on the NHL roster tomorrow, with the move signifying they’ll be eligible for the AHL postseason. Still, it’s a notable development as it indicates Los Angeles may want Clarke in the AHL for the Reign’s postseason run rather than their own.
- According to a team announcement, the Carolina Hurricanes have reassigned defenseman Riley Stillman to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Stillman filled in for Dmitry Orlov in last night’s contest but didn’t make it through the full game due to getting his face cut by a skate. He finished last night’s contest against the Boston Bruins with zero points after skating in 18 seconds of the game’s action.
- In addition to Schuldt and Thompson, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News shares that the Sharks have reassigned defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and forward Collin Graf to AHL San Jose. They’re both expected back on the Sharks’ roster later today or tomorrow, but the roster move will make them eligible for the AHL postseason. Mukhamadullin and Graf have both spent much of the year with the Barracuda. In short order, Pashelka reports the Sharks have recalled both players back to the NHL roster.
- Due to another injury to netminder John Gibson on Wednesday, the Anaheim Ducks were expected to recall another goaltender. Anaheim announced they’ve recalled Ville Husso from their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, to fill the void left by Gibson. It’s Husso’s first call-up with the Ducks since being acquired from the Red Wings on February 24th. He posted a 1-5-2 record in nine games in Detroit this season with a .866 SV% and 3.69 GAA.
- For the fifth time this year, the New York Rangers have assigned defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Ruhwedel has primarily played for AHL Hartford this season in his first extended stay in the AHL since 2016-17. The veteran defenseman has recorded three goals and 12 points in 36 contests with a +8 rating.
- After a flurry of trade activity over the last couple of days, the Seattle Kraken are making a small roster move for the benefit of their AHL roster. The Kraken announced they’ve reassigned forwards Jacob Melanson and Ben Meyers to their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, and have recalled John Hayden in a corresponding transaction. The former debuted in the NHL last night, notching four hits and one takeaway in 9:53 of ice time.
- In a major boost to their playoff chances, the AHL’s Providence Bruins will have several players available for the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs. Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal reports the Boston Bruins have papered down Marat Khusnutdinov, Vinni Lettieri, Patrick Brown, Ian Mitchell, Riley Tufte, and Matthew Poitras to the AHL for their postseason eligibility. All six players are expected back on the Bruins roster by this evening or tomorrow morning.
- As expected, the Buffalo Sabres have papered down forward Jiří Kulich to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Kulich has been an impressive player for AHL Rochester over the last few seasons and should continue to be in the postseason. He’s scored 53 goals and 94 points in 123 games on the Americans’ roster. Later in the day, the Americans announced that forwards Isak Rosen and Joshua Dunne were recalled on an emergency basis so they won’t count toward the post-deadline limit.
- According to a team announcement, the Edmonton Oilers have returned defenseman Cam Dineen to their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, from his emergency recall. Unlike many of the roster moves on today’s list, Dineen has a solid chance of playing the remainder of the year with AHL Bakersfield. The 26-year-old defenseman has scored five goals and 29 points in 45 games for the Condors this season while only registering one game with the Oilers.
- In addition to recalling Emil Andrae, the Philadelphia Flyers are also making two more player recalls to their NHL roster. The team announced they’ve recalled forwards Olle Lycksell and Rodrigo Abols to the NHL roster for Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. Abols has scored one goal and one assist in nine games for the Flyers this season, while Lycksell has gone scoreless in six contests.
- The Vancouver Canucks have joined in on the mix of teams ensuring their top prospects are eligible for the AHL playoffs. They have assigned defenseman Victor Mancini, forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and goaltender Arturs Silovs to the AHL. Lekkerimaki has three points in 12 NHL games this season, while Mancini didn’t manage any scoring in his sole appearance with the Canucks so far. Silovs has operated as the team’s third-string goalie and has a 1-6-1 record and .858 save percentage on the year. All three players were subsequently recalled soon after the deadline.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they’ve recalled defenseman Jack St. Ivany from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an emergency basis. The 25-year-old has played in 19 games with Pittsburgh this season, recording one assist while averaging 16:22 of playing time per game.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Blackhawks Recall Colton Dach
The Blackhawks announced Monday morning that they’ve recalled forward Colton Dach from AHL Rockford. He was previously up with Chicago for nearly all of January but was returned to the minors early this month. Dach fills one of two open roster spots for the Hawks, who are now carrying an extra forward for their upcoming three-game road swing.
The 22-year-old Dach played 13 games with Chicago during his previous recall, his first in the NHL. He’s in his second professional season after being drafted in the second round in 2021 out of the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. Things are boding well for the younger brother of Canadiens forward and ex-Blackhawk Kirby Dach, who’s broken out for 12-14–26 in 33 AHL games to rank third on Rockford in scoring.
Dach hasn’t looked out of place when given NHL reps, either. He scored a goal and added three assists over last month’s recall, recording 19 shots on goal while averaging 11:35 per game. He likely could have had another couple of points – his shooting percentage of 5.3% was quite low. The 6’4″ pivot got involved physically, leading Chicago this season with 16.32 hits per 60 minutes. Interim head coach Anders Sorensen tossed him into the deep end, starting nearly 60% of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone. That led to understandably poor possession numbers, controlling only 34.7% of shot attempts and 29.6% of expected goals while he was on the ice.
Nonetheless, there were reasons for optimism in Dach’s game. He’ll now get another chance on the roster, although whether he plays Tuesday against Utah is a different question. The Blackhawks are carrying a fully healthy forward group outside of IR-bound Jason Dickinson. While Philipp Kurashev has been a frequent healthy scratch this season and could come out for Dach, he’s played in four straight dating back to before the 4 Nations break and scored in last night’s loss to the Maple Leafs.
Even if he’s sent back to the minors again following Chicago’s road trip, Dach should get an extended look in the NHL following the trade deadline. The Blackhawks are expected to open a roster spot by shipping out recent first-line fixture Ryan Donato and could also ship out pending UFAs Pat Maroon and Craig Smith. Doing so will give the lanky speedster a chance to make Chicago’s opening night roster in 2025-26.
Blackhawks Recall Colton Dach
The Blackhawks recalled forward prospect Colton Dach from AHL Rockford on Wednesday night, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 21-year-old could be in line to make his NHL debut tomorrow against the Canadiens and his older brother Kirby Dach. Chicago had a full active roster, so winger Joey Anderson was reassigned to Rockford in a corresponding transaction after clearing waivers last month.
The Blackhawks selected Dach 62nd overall in the 2021 draft, two years after they made Kirby the third overall selection but one year before they traded the latter to the Canadiens. The former captain of the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets is now in his second season of professional hockey, and he’s looking far more settled into his role with Rockford.
Dach’s rookie AHL season wasn’t bad by any means, but it was marred by injuries. Limited to 48 games in part due to an ankle injury, he posted 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points.
This year has been healthier and thus more productive for Dach. He’s played in all 30 games for Rockford and is second on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points, on pace for 60 in 72 games. He won’t hit that games-played threshold as he’s due to miss at least one minor-league contest during this call-up, but it’s still a much-needed step forward early in his development to give him a legitimate shot at turning into a full-time NHLer.
Checking in at 6’4″ and 196 lbs, Dach is a natural center but also has spent a fair amount of time at left wing. If he makes his NHL debut during this recall, he’ll likely slot in at the latter.
Dach still has one year remaining after this one on his entry-level contract, so he’s locked in at an $825K cap hit for his NHL recalls through 2025-26. He won’t be eligible for arbitration upon reaching restricted free agency in 2026.
Anderson was never sent to Rockford after clearing waivers on Dec. 9, but since he’s been rostered for fewer than 30 days and played in less than 10 games since the waiver placement, he doesn’t need them again to head down to the AHL today. The 26-year-old winger has been a healthy scratch in three straight contests and has just one assist in 18 games this season, coming against the Sharks back on Oct. 17.
It’s been a trying campaign for Anderson, who didn’t receive a qualifying offer from Chicago last summer despite recording a career-high 17 points in 55 games. Nonetheless, he still returned to the Blackhawks on a two-year, $1.6MM deal immediately after hitting unrestricted free agency.
Blackhawks Recall Nine Players, Sign Austin Strand To PTO
While some teams will be dressing close to their full lineups to end the preseason, the Blackhawks will not be one of them. Instead, the team announced that they’ve recalled nine players from AHL Rockford while also signing defenseman Austin Strand to a PTO agreement.
The forwards getting the brief promotion are Colton Dach, Cole Guttman, Frank Nazar, Zach Sanford, Samuel Savoie, and Landon Slaggert. Meanwhile, the blueliners receiving the extra preseason game are Louis Crevier, Ethan Del Mastro, and Kevin Korchinski.
Nazar and Korchinski are the headliners of the group. Both are projected to be key players long-term for the Blackhawks and should see regular NHL action at some point this season. Korchinski spent last season in Chicago as he was ineligible to play in the minors, notching 15 points in 76 games while Nazar was a late-season signing after leaving the University of Michigan. He scored in his NHL debut, his lone point in three contests.
Among the others, five of the seven recalls saw NHL action last season with only Dach and Savoie waiting for their first regular season opportunity at the top level. Of that group, Guttman saw the most action with 27 games (notching eight points) while Crevier had three helpers in 24 contests. Slaggert had four points in 16 appearances, Sanford had four helpers in 18 games after being claimed off waivers, while Del Mastro was held off the scoresheet in two outings.
All of these players had already been cut from training camp and barring any injuries of note in the coming days, are all expected to be returned to the IceHogs, potentially as soon as after tonight’s contest against St. Louis.
Prospect Notes: Heidt, Dumais, Dach, Frondell
Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin didn’t rule out the chances of top prospect Riley Heidt making the opening night roster in an interview with The Athletic’s Joe Smith. Guerin said, “We have guys that still don’t need waivers… If Riley plays so well that he pushes himself on the team, then great. That’s what it’s about. It’s about competition.” Smith went on to acknowledge the hefty jump Heidt would need to leapfrog other prospects like Liam Ohgren and Marat Khusnutdinov – with Guerin acknowledging the former as someone Minnesota expects to make the NHL roster.
Heidt is coming off a dazzling season with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, ranking third in league scoring with 117 points in 66 games. He also ranked eighth with 711 faceoff wins, winning at an effective 51.8 percent. Heidt set career highs across the board but still seems a step behind the NHL lineup. He’d otherwise be bound for a fourth WHL season, though Minnesota could award him up to nine regular-season games to help inform their decision.
Other notes from across the prospect world:
- Top Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Jordan Dumais won’t be taking part in this weekend’s NHL Prospects Challenge, per The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, who shares the winger has been designated with a lower-body injury. Dumais isn’t expected to participate in the start of training camp, either. It isn’t clear if this is related to the lower abdominal surgery Dumais underwent in January, which held him out of the entire second half of the season. He’s been as productive as they come in the QMJHL, recording 325 points across 193 games and four seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads. He’ll get a chance to translate that scoring to the pro level this season – that is, when he’s healed from that’s delaying his pre-season start.
- Chicago Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach shared that he has his sights set on earning an NHL roster spot, telling The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus that he feels he could’ve earned one by now had he not been injured. Dach notably missed extended time with a concussion this season, after a sucker punch from Milwaukee’s Zachary L’Heureux. Small absences cut into Dach’s first pro season, though he still impressed with 27 points in 48 AHL games. Dach has now been heavily limited by injuries in the last two seasons, making a spot on the Opening Day roster a longshot – though Dach could earn his way into an NHL call-up later this year if he continues to stand strong in the minors.
- Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Anton Frondell is set to undergo knee surgery, shares Djugardens IF insider Robin Fredriksson. No timeline for a return has been revealed. It’s Frondell’s second major lower-body injury in as many years, after a separate injury limited his 2023-24 campaign to just 42 league games. Frondell impressed when he did play, notably scoring 39 points in 29 U20 games, and adding seven points in seven games at the World U17 Hockey Challenge. His name has appeared near the very top of early 2025 Draft rankings, though another significant injury could make him an early faller.