Blackhawks Send Rookie Nick Lardis to AHL Amid Scoring Drought
In a bid to inject some life into their struggling offense, the Blackhawks have sent rookie forward Nick Lardis back to the American Hockey League (AHL). The 20-year-old, who had five goals and two assists in his first 21 games with the team, was reassigned to Rockford on Monday as part of a line-shuffling move.
Lardis's demotion comes after a scoring drought that has seen the Blackhawks go nine games without finding the back of the net. The team is in dire need of a spark, and coach Jeff Blashill is hoping that by giving Lardis more ice time and responsibility in Rockford, he can rediscover his form.
Lardis's departure from the NHL roster was not due to poor performance, but rather a decision made by general manager Kyle Davidson. The team has struggled with a surplus of forwards, which has forced them to make some tough decisions about player development.
"I thought [Lardis] got more confident early on," Blashill said. "He's done a good job of making a first impression to the coaching staff." However, the rookie has averaged only 12 minutes and 39 seconds of ice time per game, which is not enough for him to make an impact.
Meanwhile, Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar are set to join Teuvo Teravainen on the team's top line, while Jason Dickinson will slide down to the third line alongside Oliver Moore. Andre Burakovsky has been demoted to the third line due to his struggles with turnovers and miscues.
The Blackhawks' forward lines have been a source of frustration for the team, who are struggling to score goals consistently. However, Blashill remains optimistic that he can get the unit to gel and start producing more offense.
"We're fast not only because we can skate fast," Dickinson said. "But [also] because we can play fast together when we're connected and we understand our routes and we're predictable to one another."
The Blackhawks have a tough week ahead of them, with three games against the Wild, Penguins, and Blue Jackets on the horizon. They will need to find some consistency in their play if they hope to turn their season around.
In other news, Jason Dickinson has expressed his openness to being traded before the March 6 deadline. However, he remains committed to the team and wants to see them succeed.
"I love those kids," Dickinson said. "We've got a great group of guys here, and I'm excited to see what we can do this season."
Connor Bedard, on the other hand, is struggling to find his footing since returning from shoulder surgery. He has only four points in eight games and was held in check again Sunday in a 5-1 loss to the Panthers.
The Blackhawks' next game is against the Wild on Tuesday. They will need to find some consistency and come out swinging if they hope to turn their season around.
In a bid to inject some life into their struggling offense, the Blackhawks have sent rookie forward Nick Lardis back to the American Hockey League (AHL). The 20-year-old, who had five goals and two assists in his first 21 games with the team, was reassigned to Rockford on Monday as part of a line-shuffling move.
Lardis's demotion comes after a scoring drought that has seen the Blackhawks go nine games without finding the back of the net. The team is in dire need of a spark, and coach Jeff Blashill is hoping that by giving Lardis more ice time and responsibility in Rockford, he can rediscover his form.
Lardis's departure from the NHL roster was not due to poor performance, but rather a decision made by general manager Kyle Davidson. The team has struggled with a surplus of forwards, which has forced them to make some tough decisions about player development.
"I thought [Lardis] got more confident early on," Blashill said. "He's done a good job of making a first impression to the coaching staff." However, the rookie has averaged only 12 minutes and 39 seconds of ice time per game, which is not enough for him to make an impact.
Meanwhile, Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar are set to join Teuvo Teravainen on the team's top line, while Jason Dickinson will slide down to the third line alongside Oliver Moore. Andre Burakovsky has been demoted to the third line due to his struggles with turnovers and miscues.
The Blackhawks' forward lines have been a source of frustration for the team, who are struggling to score goals consistently. However, Blashill remains optimistic that he can get the unit to gel and start producing more offense.
"We're fast not only because we can skate fast," Dickinson said. "But [also] because we can play fast together when we're connected and we understand our routes and we're predictable to one another."
The Blackhawks have a tough week ahead of them, with three games against the Wild, Penguins, and Blue Jackets on the horizon. They will need to find some consistency in their play if they hope to turn their season around.
In other news, Jason Dickinson has expressed his openness to being traded before the March 6 deadline. However, he remains committed to the team and wants to see them succeed.
"I love those kids," Dickinson said. "We've got a great group of guys here, and I'm excited to see what we can do this season."
Connor Bedard, on the other hand, is struggling to find his footing since returning from shoulder surgery. He has only four points in eight games and was held in check again Sunday in a 5-1 loss to the Panthers.
The Blackhawks' next game is against the Wild on Tuesday. They will need to find some consistency and come out swinging if they hope to turn their season around.
The Blackhawks are really struggling this season, I mean, who doesn't love watching a good hockey game? But seriously, it's like they're stuck in neutral and can't seem to get that spark they need. Sending Nick Lardis back to the AHL might just be the push they need, you know? Like, sometimes you gotta take a step back to move forward, right?
. It's not like he's underperforming or anything, he's just not getting enough ice time to make an impact. The team needs some fresh blood and a spark, and sending him down to the AHL might be just what they need 
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I get that he's struggling, but trade him now? That's gonna hurt his confidence and reputation for sure 
. And Bedard's shoulder surgery really seems to have set him back... he was so promising before that, and now he's just not getting it done 
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. One bad game can get you benched or even sent down to the AHL. But at the same time, they need to step up their game if they want to compete with these top teams 
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. They gotta get back on track and start playing some hockey 
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So the Hawks are trying to fix their offense issues by sending Lardis back to the AHL 
The team needs some spark and if they can get him to score again, that'd be great 
And what's with Dickinson wanting to be traded? 
He seems like a solid player, but I guess you never know... 
and now they've sent one of their rookies back down to the AHL... i think that's a decent move tho? 
so fingers crossed they can turn their season around 
. like, what's the point of having a top draft pick if you're just gonna dump him in the AHL? Lardis was doing okay at first but then things gotta change and now he's the one getting benched... poor kid 
. connor bedard is having a tough time since coming back from injury, hopefully he gets some more time on the ice and can find his rhythm 
& Jason Dickinson's all like "i'm open 2 be trad" 
. Guess only time will tell if he can turn it around in Rockford 
. Coach Blashill's trying to shake things up, but sometimes you gotta let guys develop before throwing them into the fray. And Jason Dickinson is like, "Hey, I'm open to being traded"... yeah, 'cause that never ends well 
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! and who knows maybe he'll rediscover that form coach Blashill is talking about 
... I hope it's not a sign of things to come for the team 
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can't say I'm surprised though... team needs a spark and coach is trying different lines hoping it'll work out 
not sure if anyone will take him at this point 
! He's got that fire in him and I know he's gonna make an impact on this team. And Teuvo Teravainen on the top line?