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.

Crevier has spent time with both the Blackhawks and IceHogs this season but the bulk of his time has been spent with Chicago.  He has one assist in 11 games with Rockford while suiting up in 23 NHL contests where he has three goals and an assist along with 34 blocks and 47 hits in 17:48 of playing time.  He last played on February 1st before suffering a concussion so the assignment to the minors will give him some time to get back to form before likely being recalled for the stretch run.

As for Dickinson, he has been out since suffering a lower-body injury on February 5th so his placement on IR should come as no surprise.  Assuming it’s back-dated, he’ll have already missed enough time and thus can be activated as soon as he’s cleared.  The 29-year-old hasn’t been able to duplicate his breakout performance from last season which saw him score 22 goals but he has 16 points in 53 games in just under 16 minutes a night of playing time.

With these roster moves, Chicago now has two open roster spots and only the minimum number of healthy forwards available.  With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a recall or two from them in the near future.

The Blackhawks have reportedly been contacted by multiple teams interested in acquiring Jones, but his lofty contract is a wedge in any negotiations. He’s in year three of an eight-year, $76MM contract signed on the same day he was traded to Chicago in July of 2021. His $9.5MM cap hit makes Jones the seventh-most expensive defender in the NHL, but his 26 points in 38 games this season ranks 14th in points-per-game among defensemen. Jones’ stat-line is rounded out with a minus-12, 16 penalty minutes, and 55 hits – continuing to paint him as a high-offense, low-defense puck-mover.

Jones has stood as Chicago’s number-one defenseman through each of the last four seasons, rivaling an average of 25 minutes of ice time in every year. He’s totaled 145 points in 255 games with the Hawks – the third-most of any Chicago defender since 2000, behind Blackhawks legends Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Jones hasn’t led the team to the same heights as his company, but he has provided a consistent, veteran presence in front of a rebuilding Chicago lineup. The Hawks haven’t helped Jones along too much either. They’ve finished seventh or eighth in the Central Division and ranked in the bottom-four of NHL scoring in every year he’s spent with the club. Jones has been vocal about the emotional weight of that persistent losing in the past, telling Pope last season that the losing nature isn’t fun for anyone involved.

A timely trade to a playoff contender could go a long way towards spurring the 30-year-old Jones. He’s still a productive scorer capable of filling important roles at even-strength and on special teams. If a team can work around his hefty cap hit, Jones could be a quick way to boost the blue-line on a playoff hopeful. Chicago will likely need to retain part of his salary to make that happen, and may need convincing before they part ways with their clear-number-one. But top prospects like Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel are both commanding more respect in Chicago’s pipeline, and could be apt replacements for Jones should his top-end role open up.

• The Hurricanes announced they’ve promoted defenseman Riley Stillman from AHL Chicago. While he’d been off the roster for a few days already prior to the break, he’s been a frequent traveler between Carolina and Chicago this season. He was last rostered for a game on Jan. 28 against the Rangers – his season debut, in which he recorded a fight and a shot on goal in 7:40 of ice time. A routine healthy scratch/extra defenseman, Stillman is close to requiring waivers again to head to the minors after clearing them in November. The 26-year-old has 2-3–5 with 41 PIMs and a minus-three rating in 20 AHL contests this year.
• The Stars announced they’ve recalled defenseman Lian Bichsel from AHL Texas. He was quietly shuttled down on Feb. 8 after making eight straight appearances for Dallas leading into the break. The 2022 first-rounder has 2-3–5 and a plus-six rating through his first 16 career NHL games, all coming this season, and will continue in a regular role for the time being with Miro Heiskanen and Nils Lundkvist on the shelf.
• The Canucks announced they’ve promoted all of center Nils Åman, forward Arshdeep Bains, and defenseman Elias Pettersson from AHL Abbotsford. They also added goalie Arturs Silovs from the Baby Canucks on an emergency loan and will have Nikita Tolopilo around as a practice goaltender until Kevin Lankinen is ready to return from representing Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off, although the latter won’t take up a roster spot. Åman and Pettersson were sent to Abbotsford on Feb. 8, but this is Bains’ first recall since late November. The 24-year-old winger had one goal and a minus-four rating in 11 games earlier this season but has remained a near point-per-game threat in the minors, posting 7-20–27 in 32 AHL games. He’ll now get another crack at NHL minutes in the final season of his entry-level contract. Silovs, who’s struggled to the tune of a 1-4-1 record and .847 SV% in seven NHL appearances this season, will come up to serve as Lankinen’s No. 2 with Thatcher Demko still dealing with the undisclosed injury that caused him to leave Vancouver’s last pre-break game against the Maple Leafs. Tolopilo’s stay will be brief, and the 24-year-old will return to Abbotsford as soon as Lankinen is available.
• The Penguins called up winger Emil Bemström and goalie Joel Blomqvist from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and returned netminder Tristan Jarry to the minors in a corresponding transaction, the team announced. It’s a pure reversal of the moves Pittsburgh made after their last game on Feb. 8. Bemström has no points and two shots in two games since being recalled for the first time this season on Feb. 7, while Blomqvist has a 3-8-0 record with a .896 SV% and 3.54 GAA in 11 appearances on the year. The 23-year-old has struggled since taking over for Jarry on the roster, posting a .868 SV% in three starts since the veteran was waived in mid-January. The 29-year-old Jarry will continue to bide his time in the minors as he awaits another NHL chance, knocking on the door with a .924 SV% and 2.11 GAA in nine games.
• The Rangers announced they’ve recalled goaltender Dylan Garand from AHL Hartford. The 22-year-old comes up to serve as Jonathan Quick’s backup with Igor Shesterkin not ready to return from the upper-body injury that kept him out of New York’s final game before the break. He’s sporting a .914 SV%, 2.73 GAA, three shutouts, and a 13-7-5 record in 25 showings with Hartford this year.
• The Blackhawks summoned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro from AHL Rockford, a team announcement states. Chicago sent the 22-year-old down at the beginning of the break for additional playing time in the minors, where he posted three shots and a plus-one rating in four games over the past couple of weeks. He has one assist in six NHL games since first being called up in late January and will continue competing for bottom-pairing minutes while Louis Crevier is on injured reserve with a concussion.
• The Bruins recalled defenseman Michael Callahan, center Matthew Poitras, and left-winger Riley Tufte from AHL Providence – the latter coming up under emergency conditions, per the team. Goaltender Michael DiPietro will also practice with the team while Jeremy Swayman remains with Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off but won’t count against the active roster. Callahan’s and Poitras’ recalls are reversals of pre-break assignments, with the former’s recall serving as confirmation that Hampus Lindholm won’t be ready to come off LTIR before Saturday’s game against the Ducks. Tufte’s recall is his first since November, and his inclusion is a solid indication that Charlie McAvoy will be IR-bound after sustaining an upper-body injury and subsequent infection at the 4 Nations.
• The Jets announced they’ve recalled Kaapo Kähkönen from AHL Manitoba to serve as a practice player with Connor Hellebuyck slated to start for the Americans in Thursday’s 4 Nations championship. He’s played one NHL game since signing a one-year, $1MM deal in Winnipeg last offseason – although it was for the Avalanche, who claimed him off waivers in October but lost him back to the Jets on the wire the following month. The 28-year-old has taken a tumble in Manitoba with a .885 SV% in 20 games – a worse save percentage than he posted on last year’s league-worst Sharks.
• The Sharks announced they’ve recalled forward Collin Graf and defenseman Jack Thompson from AHL San Jose. They were both assigned to the minors after their final pre-break game, although notably, veteran Andrew Poturalski remains in the minors after being demoted along with Graf and Thompson. The rookies are both likely to play next Sunday against the Flames.
• Utah announced they’d recalled winger Josh Doan from AHL Tucson after the previously reported summons of goaltender Jaxson Stauber. His reinstatement to the roster suggests Logan Cooley won’t be quite ready to return from his lower-body injury this weekend against the Kings, but general manager Bill Armstrong said yesterday he’s not expected out for much longer. Doan has 4-5–9 in 25 NHL games and 11-15–26 in 28 AHL games this year.
• The Blues will have goaltender Will Cranley join them for practice while Jordan Binnington remains with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the club announced. Cranley, 22, was a sixth-round pick of 2020 and is in his second season of pro hockey. He’s spent almost all of his time in the ECHL, where he has a .911 SV% and 2.28 GAA in 16 appearances with the Florida Everblades this year.
• The Predators recalled goalie Matt Murray to join them as a practice player while Juuse Saros returns from repping the Fins at the 4 Nations, Emma Lingan of The Hockey News reports. Murray has yet to appear in a game for Nashville after spending the past few years in the Stars organization but has been recalled a few times as injury insurance this season. The 27-year-old has a sparkling .930 SV%, 2.17 GAA, two shutouts, and a 17-7-6 record for Milwaukee.
• The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Gage Goncalves and Gabriel Fortier to join as practice players. Goncalves has served as Tampa Bay’s extra forward for much of the year. His NHL career is still young, and his one goal and seven points in 33 games with the Lightning marks the first scoring of his career. Goncalves has also scored 18 points in 14 AHL games this year. Fortier has spent his whole season in the minors and scored 10 goals and 17 points in 37 games. He ranks third on the Syracuse Crunch in goals and seventh in points.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

The trade interest isn’t just because of hasty buyers either. Donato is having a career year, scoring 19 goals and 18 assists in 53 games which has already topped his previous high of 31 points in 74 games during the 2021-22 season.

Typically a pending unrestricted free agent averaging 0.70 points per game on an affordable $2MM salary would command a first-round pick or a pair of seconds. However, there is some reason for pause when considering Donato as a potential trade deadline pick.

Since January 1st, Connor Bedard, Taylor Hall, or Teuvo Teräväinen have assisted on six of Donato’s eight goals. Additionally — those three players have contributed to just over half of his total points this season. Now it’ll become a question about who exactly is contributing more to who’s success.

Given that Donato is having an offensive breakout in his eighth season, and his average ice time has jumped from a career average of 12:46 to 15:03 this season, he’s most likely benefiting from Chicago’s poor supporting cast. The Blackhawks have given Donato more responsibility than he’s ever had at the NHL level, allowing him to play with the game’s young star in Bedard and one of the best passers in Teräväinen.

If interested parties begin to believe this, it could limit what they’re willing to spend on Donato. It’s likely the probable reason why Chicago is entertaining an extension rather than giving Donato away for less than their asking price.

The comparable deal for Donato in recent history is the trade that sent Tyler Toffoli from the New Jersey Devils to the Winnipeg Jets last trade deadline for a 2025 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick with the Devils retaining the remaining 50% of his contract.

Toffoli had 26 goals and 44 points in 61 games for the Devils before the trade — similar to Donato’s production this season. Should the Blackhawks want more than a second and third-round pick for their highest-goal scorer, they might be better served in signing him to a two- to three-year extension.

Maroon previously spent four seasons with the Lightning, starting in their Stanley Cup-winning season of 2019-20. He set his standard of play quickly in Tampa Bay, recording 23 points and 61 PIMs across 64 games in his first season. He continued the bruiser role into the shortened 2020-21 season, then ramped it up in 2021-22 by posting 27 points and 134 PIMs in 81 games. The Lightning returned to the Stanley Cup Final at the end of that year and, after losing to the Avalanche in six games, the burly Maroon decided to add yet another layer to his enforcer role in 2022-23. He scored just 14 points that season – a career-low up to that point – but managed a career-high and league-leading 150 PIMs in 80 games. The performance made Maroon one of just 44 players to eclipse 150 PIMs since 2010, and his 14 points tied for the 20th-highest among that bunch.

Maroon signed a two-year extension with Tampa Bay in February 2023, but the Lightning opted to send him to the Minnesota Wild for a sixth-round pick on the second day of free agency the following summer to clear cap space. Maroon found slightly more of a scoring touch in Minnesota with 16 points in 49 games, prompting the Wild to bank on his trade value at the 2024 Trade Deadline. They dealt him to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Luke Toporowski and a sixth-round pick. Maroon would go on to play just two regular season games and 13 playoff games in Boston before moving to Chicago on a one-year deal this summer.

Now, the league’s 12th-oldest forward could be headed for another move. He’s recorded 13 points and 71 PIMs in 49 games for the Blackhawks this season – an 82-game pace of 21 points and 119 PIMs. He may be in his golden years, but Maroon eclipsed 25 goals and 40 points at his career-best eight years ago. He’s amassed three Stanley Cup rings in his 14 years and 829 games in the NHL and eclipsed 1,000 career PIMs earlier this season. His tough, physical role and ability to control the net front haven’t diminished in his late 30s. Those traits could prove desirable for teams hoping for long playoff runs, though a trade likely won’t net Chicago a very lofty return.

General manager Kyle Davidson isn’t as sold as moving on from Donato as he was from veteran Taylor Hall, who they sent to the Hurricanes for their own 2025 third-rounder in last month’s three-way Mikko Rantanen deal, Powers reports.

Suppose that’s the best offer they get for Donato. In that case, Powers said, there’s a strong chance they’ll opt to reap instead the benefits of him sticking around as a support player for the rest of the season to avoid overtaxing younger players’ development before engaging in extension talks.

But a first or second-round pick, whether in 2025 or 2026, likely makes it a more prudent move for Davidson to part ways with the winger. As Powers writes, the prospect of Donato sticking around in Chicago is murky. Now 28 and amid a career year, Donato has played for five clubs since entering the league in 2017 and will likely prioritize security on the open market this summer. The Blackhawks, cautious of overcommitting term to veterans outside of a potential big-fish splash in free agency, would rather keep a long-term slot open for one of their developing players rather than give Donato a four- or five-year commitment. If he’s willing to accept a short-term, higher-AAV deal, an approach Chicago has taken multiple times recently with players like Andreas Athanasiou and Jason Dickinson, that fits their short-term outlook.

Donato has already set career highs in goals (19) and points (37) and tied a career-high in assists (18) through 53 games. He’s also spent far more time down the middle than in the past, taking 335 faceoffs with a 46% win rate. The 6’0″ forward also has utility on either wing and plays a more physical game than his reputation begets, ranking third on the team with 89 hits.

Since Mikael Granlund and Marcus Pettersson have already fetched first-rounders on the rental market this year, there’s strong reason to believe Chicago could fetch a second for Donato. A first remains unlikely – Pettersson is arguably a top-10 shutdown defenseman in the league and subsequently agreed to a six-year extension in Vancouver. At the same time, Granlund has produced at a 72-point clip over the past two seasons on a profoundly flawed Sharks roster.

Even then, it’s questionable whether Chicago needs the draft capital more than quality talent to continue supporting players like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar down the stretch. The Hawks have two second-rounders in this year’s draft and three in 2026. An already-drafted prospect would likely be more enticing to Davidson, but it’s unclear if any Donato suitors would be willing to part ways with one.

• The Predators announced they’ve reassigned wingers Joakim Kemell, Ozzy Wiesblatt, and defenseman Kevin Gravel to AHL Milwaukee. They now have three open roster spots, two of which could go to IR-bound Mark Jankowski and Jeremy Lauzon in the likely event they’re ready to return from injury when their schedule resumes on Feb. 22. The most notable of the trio is Kemell, who made his NHL debut across Nashville’s Friday-Saturday back-to-back and managed eight shots on goal across the pair of games. However, he’s still looking for his first NHL point. The 2022 first-rounder has 9-16–25 in 38 AHL contests this season.
• Wild winger Liam Ohgren will return to AHL Iowa over the break, per a team announcement. The fellow 2022 first-rounder has bounced between Minnesota and Iowa this year but spent the past couple of weeks filling in the Wild’s top six with Marcus Johansson and Kirill Kaprizov missing time. It hasn’t been an overly productive first look in the NHL for the Swedish winger, who’s managed 2-4–6 in 23 appearances since debuting late last season. He’ll likely be back up after the break, with Kaprizov still set to miss another couple of weeks following lower-body surgery.
• The Sharks reassigned forwards Collin Graf and Andrew Poturalski and defenseman Jack Thompson to AHL San Jose, the club said. Their post-break returns likely depend on the health of Nikolai Kovalenko, Jan Rutta, and Nico Sturm, all of whom enter the break on injured reserve with day-to-day designations. If all three are ready to return, the Sharks will need those roster spots to activate them, as they were carrying a full roster before this morning’s moves.
• The Blues sent forward Zachary Bolduc down to AHL Springfield this morning. It’s just the second time this season he’s been assigned to Springfield, and the first was a one-day demotion before opening night to help St. Louis optimize their LTIR capture. The 21-year-old has 6-12–18 through 46 games and will return to the NHL following the break. In the meantime, the 2021 first-round pick will continue to get reps in Springfield amid a promising sophomore campaign in the majors with good possession numbers.
• Blackhawks rookie defenseman Ethan Del Mastro is back down with AHL Rockford, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The 22-year-old lefty has one assist and 13 hits in six games since being recalled on Jan. 23. His 52.0 CF% at even strength is far above team average and is a promising sign for the 2021 fourth-rounder’s prospects at making the opening night roster next year. The 6’4″, 210-lb active defender has eight assists in 38 showings with Rockford this year, along with a plus-four rating.
• The Rangers returned goaltender Dylan Garand to AHL Hartford after his services were needed to backup Jonathan Quick in last night’s 4-3 win over the Blue Jackets. The 22-year-old will only be back up after the break if Igor Shesterkin, who missed the game due to an upper-body injury, isn’t cleared to return. The 2020 fourth-rounder is coming off an appearance in the AHL All-Star Classic and has a 2.68 GAA, .913 SV%, three shutouts, and a 12-7-4 record in 23 showings for Hartford.
• The Utah Hockey Club has assigned Josh Doan to the minor-leagues per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. This move is likely intended to keep Doan on the ice while the club prepares for their two-week break. Doan has been in the NHL roster routinely since January 10th. He has five points in 15 games in that span, including two in his last two games. He’s been highly impactful even despite modest scoring totals, and should get a chance to continue carving out a role when Utah returns on February 22nd.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Despite a litany of veteran additions this summer, the Chicago Blackhawks have once again found themselves competing with the San Jose Sharks for dead-last in the NHL. It’s been a stressful season for the team’s young stars, with 19-year-old Connor Bedard playing the most minutes among Hawks forwards, while Landon Slaggert and Frank Nazar fight to step up and support the third-lowest scoring team in the NHL. Chicago’s Trade Deadline will focus on building the support around those burgeoning prospects, as they try to craft a roster that can climb to long-term success.

Record

16-31-6, 8th in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$10.23MM on deadline day, 2/3 retention spots used, 42/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: CHI 1st, TOR 1st, CHI 2nd, DAL 2nd, CHI 3rd, CHI 4th, NYR 4th, CHI 6th, CHI 7th
2026: CHI 1st, CHI 2nd, NYI 2nd, TOR 2nd, CHI 3rd, CHI 4th, OTT 4th, CHI 5th, CHI 6th

Trade Chips

Another down year has put the Blackhawks’ veterans at the center of trade attention. It seems any of their aging options could be available for the right return. That rings particularly true for alternate captain Seth Jones, who’s been tasked with holding down the Chicago blue-line for the last four seasons. The Blackhawks acquired Jones alongside a first and sixth-round pick (turned into Nolan Allan and Dominic James) in exchange for Adam Boqvist, two first-round picks, and a second-round pick (turned into Cole Sillinger, David Jiricek, and Aleksi Heimosalmi) in the summer of 2021. They signed Jones to an eight-year, $76MM extension on the same day, setting him up for to seemingly ride out the rest of his career in the Windy City.

Jones brought his patented all-offense, no-defense style with him – with his 51 points in the 2021-22 season marking the most a Hawks defender had scored since Erik Gustafsson potted 60 points in 2018-19. But Jones has been on a gradual decline ever since then. He scored 37 points in the 2022-23 season, and fell to 31 in the year after – as he struggled to produce on a vacated Chicago offense. He’s improved a bit this year – with 24 points in 36 games, a 55-point pace across 82 games. That could be the turnaround needed to convince teams to take on his daunting $9.5MM cap hit. But that price tag still stands as the wedge between Jones and a likely move. The Blackhawks will almost certainly need to retain a heavy chunk of Jones’ cap in a move – a move made challenging by the fact that they only have one retention spot available after facilitating the Mikko Rantanen trade. A high cost will also likely limit the return the Hawks are able to receive for their high-scoring defender, even if he does offer the potential to play on a top pair.

Should those factors dissuade teams from looking into Jones, Chicago should also have a heap of veteran forwards available. Centerman Ryan Donato tops that list on the back of a red-hot scoring season. He has 32 points, split evenly, through 51 games this year – a full-season pace of 51 points. Donato also ranks third among all Hawks forward with 87 hits. He’s managed those numbers despite a middling role in the Blackhawks lineup, and minimal ice time with the team’s star prospects. The Trade Deadline is often about finding the hot hand rather than the best asset – and Donato’s consistent scoring on a muddling team suggests he could bring a lot to a playoff hopeful.

Chicago can also offer a lofty physical presence through wingers Pat Maroon or Ilya Mikheyev. Maroon has continued to serve in the diligent, fourth-line role he’s carried through tenures with four teams over the last three seasons. He has just 11 points in 47 games, while averaging 11:32 in ice time. But he’s a veteran presence with multiple Stanley Cup rings, and could offer a cheap way for Cup hopefuls to add more size to their lineup. Mikheyev could offer the same, with a bit more scoring and defensive prowess to boot. The Russian winger has 16 points in 51 games, but he’s worked his way into a top-six role alongside Jason Dickinson and Teuvo Teravainen. Mikheyev’s $4.04MM cap hit could pose problems for hopeful – but those issues could be mitigated by a cheap return or added sweeteners.

Other trade chips: Philipp Kurashev, Craig Smith, Alec Martinez, T.J. Brodie

Team Needs

1) Future Capital: The Blackhawks have a lot of options to move this Deadline, but none seem poised to bring in a massive return. Even trading Jones would require strategic negotiating from Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson, as he tries to convince teams to take on a lofty salary cap. With seemingly light trades on the horizon, Chicago’s focus will need to be on continuing to build out their future through the acquisition of draft capital and low-grade prospects. Plenty of teams seem one addition away from pushing for playoff, or even Stanley Cup, contention – and Chicago could find a trade partner with plenty of expendable future capital in a team like the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, or even the Detroit Red Wings. All three teams are within sparring distance of the Eastern Conference’s second wild card, and could be convinced to spend a bit more to round out their lineup and hedge their bets.

2) A Binding Center: If Chicago is looking for roster players on the open market, they should be looking for more support down the middle. Both Luke Richardson and Anders Sorensen have awarded veteran center Jason Dickinson prime minutes this season, largely thanks to his ability to win faceoffs and hold down the defensive zone where young players like Bedard and Nazar struggle. But Dickinson has recently fallen to injury, and even then – his 16 points in 53 games are at the core of Chicago’s struggles to score. Finding another veteran center who can fill middle-six minutes and support Dickinson would go a long way in giving Bedard, Nazar, and Slaggert a sturdier platform to perform from. Philadelphia Flyers center Scott Laughton seems a sure bet to bring modest offense, defense, and leadership to a Hawks lineup in need – though the Flyers have previously said they’d need a hefty return to move Laughton. Should Chicago get priced out, they could also turn towards the Nashville Predators, who have options like Thomas Novak, Michael McCarron, or Colton Sissons up for grabs. All three players have faced their own unique struggles this year, but would again bring an air of physicality and gumption to a Chicago lineup lacking in both regards. Adding a center, even if he may retire before Chicago reaches their next prime, could prove the rich lineup support the team needs.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

That’s relieving news after Dicksinon seemed poised to miss the long-term. He hasn’t racked up the points this season, with just seven goals and 16 points in 53 games – but Dickinson has returned to his role as one of Chicago’s top defensive centers. He leads all Blackhawks forwards with 137 minutes of ice time on the penalty-kill, and ranks fourth on the offense in xGA/60 (expected goals-against per-60) per Evolving Hockey. Dickinson’s stout defense has earned him top minutes, centering a top-six line between Teuvo Teravainen and Ilya Mikheyev – the two players above him in xGA/60. His role would have been tough for the Blackhawks to replace for an extended period, but with this news the team can rest assured that he’ll be available when they return from break.

Headed to the West Coast, the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda have signed veteran forward Rem Pitlick to a minor-league contract for the rest of the season. Pitlick hasn’t played this season, but spent last year split between the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Rockford IceHogs. He accumulated 57 points in 59 games between the two squads, and got called up for nine appearances with the Chicago Blackhawks – though his stat line read no points, two penalty minutes, and a minus-seven. Those appearances brought Pitlick up to 132 career NHL games over the course of his seven-year pro career. He has totaled 21 goals, 54 points, and 54 penalty minutes. A deal with the Barracuda will mark a chance for him to rediscover his red-hot minor league scoring, and try to show his worth to a San Jose Sharks club that currently ranks dead-last in the NHL.

Across the Conferences, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ President of Business Operations, Kevin Acklin, has stepped down from the squad per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Acklin had been in the role since 2022, and previously served as a Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the team. In his presedential role, Acklin oversaw the day-to-day business operations, strategic planning, corporate partnerships, and marketing and communication of the Penguins brand. He also supported the development of a live music venue in Pittsburgh’s Lower Hill District, and supported maintenance of the former site of Civic Arena – the Penguins’ home rink from 1967 to 2010.

After stops at each region of the States, we head North for our final update – where the Edmonton Oilers have assigned forward Noah Philp to the AHL for the duration of the 4-Nations break. Philp has been one of Edmonton’s top call-up options this season. He received his NHL debut on October 31st and has since played in 12 games with the Oilers lineup, including their most recent nine outings. Philp has just two assists so far, and is still searching for his first NHL goal. He’s been much more productive in the minors, where his 17 points in 28 games places him fourth in points-per-game (0.60) among players with 20-or-more appearances. Philp will now get a chance to build on those totals while the Oilers are away.

11:22 AM: Blackhawks winger Craig Smith will return to the lineup Wednesday against the Oilers, Scott Powers of The Athletic reports. Chicago has a full active roster and will need to make a corresponding transaction to activate him from injured reserve.

Smith, 35, has missed the last 11 games with a lingering back injury that also held him out for eight games in December. The 958-game veteran is nonetheless chugging along as a serviceable fourth-liner in the Windy City, posting six goals and five assists for 11 points in 30 games when healthy while averaging 11:41 per game, his highest usage in three years.

Signed to a one-year, $1MM deal over the summer, Smith has spent nearly all of his time as the team’s fourth-line right winger with Pat Maroon on the left side and either Ryan Donato or Lukas Reichel down the middle. The latter is Chicago’s second-most-common line combination this season, and for good reason. They’ve controlled 50.4% of expected goals together, per MoneyPuck, one of three of nine Blackhawks forward lines with over 60 minutes together to be in the black.

He’ll return to that role against Edmonton, Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio 720 reports. 22-year-old rookie Colton Dach, who has a goal and three assists through his first 13 NHL games, will come out of the lineup. Smith has also suited up on the Hawks’ second power-play unit at times, although only one of his 11 points have come with the man advantage.

Reassigning Dach is one of the multiple transactions the Blackhawks can make to open up a roster spot for Smith. The other likely option is demoting 2024 second-overall pick Artyom Levshunov, who the club recalled for “development purposes” on Monday but isn’t expected to see any game action.

Levshunov was the undisputed top defensive prospect entering last summer’s draft. The Michigan State University product scored nine goals and 35 points in 38 games in his only year with the Spartans leading to a bevy of individual rewards. The Zhlobin, Belarus native secured bids on the All-Big Ten First Teams and All-Big Ten Freshman Teams, was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and was named to the AHCA West Second All-American Team.

His size and explosive skating ability already made him an intriguing defensive prospect to start but his ability to be an offensive threat put him in a different category altogether. Shortly before the start of training camp, Tracey Myers of the NHL listed Levshunov as the top prospect in the Blackhawks’ organization.

Initially, his transition to professional hockey has been challenging. Levshunov decided to skip his sophomore season at Michigan State to pursue a professional career, and the Chicago organization insisted that he begin the year in the AHL. This approach is consistent with their new strategy for other top prospects, as they avoid rushing players too quickly into the NHL.

Still, he’s not expected to play in any games for the Blackhawks before their break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Tracey Myers reported that Levshunov’s recall is for development purposes only, and he’ll only practice with the team while the AHL is on their All-Star break.

He has scored three goals and a total of 13 points in 38 games for Rockford this season, which places him tied for 13th among rookie defensemen in scoring. Although Chicago was likely expecting more offensive production from their young defenseman, they will have the opportunity to evaluate him more closely in the NHL during practice.

Unfortunately, Levshunov’s recall comes with bad news. Reports indicate that Crevier suffered a concussion during the recent game against the Florida Panthers, resulting in his placement on injured reserve.

Crevier may not have the same prospect pedigree as Levshunov, but he came very close to reaching his career-high for games played in a single season, getting hurt just two games short. This year, he has scored three goals and one assist in 23 games with the Blackhawks, averaging 17 minutes and 48 seconds of ice time per game.

The 31-year-old is in his eighth season with Chicago (12th overall) and has more or less played the same role with them for the majority of that time.  Murphy has played in 38 games so far this season, picking up a goal and 12 assists along with 93 blocked shots and 70 hits in 20:33 per night of playing time.

Murphy has one year left on his contract after this season with a $4.4MM cap charge.  Given his long-standing reputation as being a quality shutdown defender, it wouldn’t be surprising if GM Kyle Davidson was fielding interest from around the league about his potential availability.  Notably, Chicago has one retained salary slot remaining with the other two being used on Jake McCabe and Mikko Rantanen while Murphy can veto a trade to ten teams.

Chicago had an open roster spot so no corresponding move needed to be made to bring Murphy off injured reserve.