NEWSLETTER
After an off-day Wednesday, the Chicago Blackhawks made their return to the ice on Thursday, and with it came a bevy of roster moves.
First, after missing all of training camp due to immigration issues, Carl Söderberg joined the team on the ice for his first practice. The 35-year-old was unable to join the team and go through the required seven-day quarantine prior to the start of the season and missed the four-game road trip in Florida:
First look at Carl Soderberg in a practice drill. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/pbUwcojTpX
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 21, 2021
Moving onto the Taxi Squad were forwards Reese Johnson and MacKenzie Entwistle.
Both players were at training camp for the Blackhawks, but were sent to the Rockford IceHogs once camp ended. Entwistle and Johnson both played their first professional season with the IceHogs in the AHL last year.
ROSTER MOVES: Forwards MacKenzie Entwistle and Reese Johnson have been added to the taxi squad. @Enterprise | #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/FiisLNExCM
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 21, 2021
The Blackhawks also placed veteran forward Brandon Pirri on waivers, with the purpose of sending him to the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL. Pirri played in the season-opening game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played 11:28 minutes, had two shots on goal and lost a faceoff in his only appearance with the Blackhawks. Pirri has since been replaced in the lineup by Philipp Kurashev.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are still carrying all three goalies (Kevin Lankinen, Malcolm Subban, and Collin Delia) on the NHL roster and it’s very possible that Lankinen gets the start on Friday night. For him to continue playing, Chicago will continue to carry all three goalies, unless they are willing to expose Delia or Subban to waivers in order to send them to the Taxi Squad.
Likely the reason that Pirri is being moved from the NHL roster.
Carl Soderberg first subbed in for Philipp Kurashev. Then Dylan Strome. Then Dominik Kubalik.
Unclear who could come out of lineup based on that rotation. #Blackhawks https://t.co/oofzaXeQQO
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 21, 2021
It will be very interesting to see what the Blackhawks end up doing with the addition of Söderberg to the lineup, especially after the positive play of rookies Kurashev and Pius Suter early on this season.
