What Happened
The Chicago Blackhawks announced they recalled forward Dillon Boucher from the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on Tuesday. The move came after Patrick Kane was set to miss a few games with an upper-body injury. In a corresponding transaction, Chicago placed defenseman Bowen Byram on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. According to Scott Powers of The Athletic, the Blackhawks first wanted to recall Nick Lardis, but he is dealing with an undisclosed injury.
Key Details
- Boucher signed his first NHL contract with Chicago last summer after playing on an AHL deal.
- He had three goals and eight points in 53 games for Rockford last season, with 114 penalty minutes.
- Byram has been out since mid-October and is eligible for activation whenever healthy.
- Byram has one assist and a -7 rating in six games, averaging 24:42 of ice time.
- Powers reported Boucher is unlikely to play while Kane is out.
What It Means
The recall gives Chicago forward depth while Kane is unavailable, though Boucher may not see game action. Byram's IR placement does not change his timeline because he was already sidelined; it is a roster formality. Byram, acquired from Buffalo in the offseason, has struggled early with one assist and a -7 rating in six games.
What's Next
Byram can be activated once healthy; Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported he was seeing a specialist to clear the last hurdle. Kane is expected to miss a few games. Boucher could make his NHL debut if needed.