Chicago Blackhawks Announce Several Roster Moves
The Chicago Blackhawks will roll out a new look forward corps when they next take the ice on Monday. The team has announced that rookie Reese Johnson has been placed on injured reserve while fellow rookie Mike Hardman has been reassigned to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. Taking their place on the roster will be veteran Brett Connolly and another rookie, Mackenzie Entwistle.
The news on Johnson is a disappointing development for the Blackhawks. It may not show on the scoresheet, but the 23-year-old has been playing well of late, even in his limited role. The team reports that Johnson suffered a fractured right clavicle on Saturday and is out indefinitely. Johnson will undergo further evaluation on Monday, after which the Blackhawks hope to have a more timeline for his return this season.
In the meantime, the Blackhawks could do far worse than bringing in the experienced Connolly. Acquired from the Florida Panthers last season, Connolly played in ten games with Chicago down the stretch but failed to make the team in training camp this year and was buried in the AHL. He has made the most of his time in Rockford, currently second on the team in scoring with 11 points in 16 games. While Connolly may not be the 20-goal threat he once was, the physical winger can still contribute in Chicago.
As for the swap in rookies, Entwistle has done more with his opportunity than Hardman this season. Though a top college free agent who got off to a hot start to his pro career last year with three points in eight NHL games, Hardman has only managed two assists in 19 games with the Blackhawks so far this season. In contrast, Entwistle has three points in 12 games, including a pair of goals.
Injury Notes: Richardson, Hardman, Kase
The Calgary Flames have activated Brad Richardson off injured reserve in time for tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, while moving Glenn Gawdin to the AHL. Richardson will be making his season debut for the Flames after signing a one-year, $800K deal with the team in the offseason.
Remember, the 36-year-old Richardson is another one of Darryl Sutter‘s former Los Angeles Kings and was with the team in 2012 when they won the Stanley Cup. The Flames haven’t been able to put Sutter’s defensive style into practice just yet, allowing eight goals through the first two games.
- Mike Hardman, who suffered a head laceration in Tuesday’s Chicago Blackhawks game when taking a hit from Matt Martin, is also now in the concussion protocol. He won’t play tonight for the Blackhawks when the team takes on the Vancouver Canucks.
- When Ondrej Kase misses practice, speculation immediately goes to the worst possible situation, given his long history of major injuries in the NHL. When he was absent yesterday for the Toronto Maple Leafs, many assumed he’d suffered another ailment that would keep him out of the lineup. Perhaps not, as Kase was back at practice today for the Maple Leafs and appears to be ready to go when they battle the San Jose Sharks tomorrow night.
Mike Hardman, Kevin Lankinen Absent Due To COVID Protocols
While things are mostly back to normal in terms of the schedule and divisional alignment this season, there are some things that haven’t changed. One of those is the continual risk of players being forced to miss practices and games due to COVID protocols. Last year we saw a daily COVID Protocol Related Absences list, which at times grew to dozens and dozens of players. This season may not be as rampant, but already some are missing training time due to league rules.
Today, Mike Hardman and Kevin Lankinen have been ruled out of Chicago Blackhawks’ practice due to the protocol. Both players were present yesterday. As a reminder, being in the COVID protocol does not necessarily mean a player has tested positive for Coronavirus. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Missing a few days at the beginning of camp is not going to derail the Blackhawks’ season, but this is an important reminder that the NHL is not completely back to normal. For Chicago in particular, Lankinen has been replaced by Collin Delia in the first practice group according to Scott Powers of The Athletic. It is unclear how long each player will be held out for.
Chicago Blackhawks Extend Mike Hardman
One of the moves that may have gone overlooked late in the season was the Chicago Blackhawks signing of undrafted college free agent Mike Hardman to an entry-level contract after Boston College was eliminated from the NCAA tournament. The 22-year-old forward managed to get into eight games with the team down the stretch and immediately made an impact with his full-throttle playstyle, scoring a goal and three points. Now, with a year remaining on his entry-level deal, the Blackhawks have decided to lock him up.
Chicago has signed Hardman to a two-year contract extension through the 2023-24 season. The deal will carry an average annual value of $800K. PuckPedia reports that it is one-way, and will pay Hardman $750K in 2021-22 and $850K in 2022-23. That means the young forward will be an inexpensive option for the next three years even if he finds a full-time role on the team right away.
That role certainly isn’t guaranteed, given how many forwards the Blackhawks have brought in to compete for spots. Tyler Johnson, Brett Connolly, Henrik Borgstrom, Adam Gaudette, and Jujhar Khaira have all been added since the trade deadline. Captain Jonathan Toews and young star Kirby Dach are returning from seasons ruined by illness and injury, while even Alexander Nylander will be in competition after missing the entire 2020-21 campaign.
That’s quite the crowded field for Hardman to crack, and given he is still waiver-exempt he may have to start off with some games in the minor leagues. But he’s not there to play for a contract anymore, that part of his professional life has been dealt with early. The undrafted 6’2″ winger is now a part of the Blackhawks organization for the next several seasons, so he can focus entirely on his on-ice performance.