3 Blackhawks Ahl Prospects Still Trying To Collect First Points With Icehogs

On Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks did not have practice ahead of leaving for their road trip. They will begin the trip with a match against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise. Florida is still a very good team and already has a win over the Blackhawks this season. 

For this trip, the Blackhawks will be without Patrick Kane, who was injured (upper body) in Monday's loss to the Colorado Avalanche at the United Center. 

To make sure that they have enough forwards with them on the trip, the Blackhawks called up forward Dillon Boucher from the Rockford IceHogs. To make room on the roster, they placed Bowen Byram on Injured Reserve. The transaction is retroactive to 10/15, so Byram can return at any time. 

Boucher is not someone who is going to come in and help the Blackhawks offensively. He has 0 points in 7 games played with Rockford and has been a healthy scratch over their last few games. He is an enforcer who is not afraid to drop the mitts, but it would be surprising if he dresses at all for the Blackhawks unless there is another injury on the trip.

When Kane went down, the initial plan was to call Nick Lardis back up. Lardis started the year in the NHL after a strong finish last year and a good camp/preseason, but was sent down after a slow start to the regular season. That was unable to be the move due to the fact that Lardis is now injured. Rockford announced on Tuesday that Lardis would miss 1-2 weeks with a lower-body injury. 

Lardis would have been a good call-up, as he has started to get going with his point production in the AHL. He just needed to regain some confidence, and it appears to be back. In 7 games played, he has 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points. 

Boucher being the call-up is surprising, but the Blackhawks likely know that whoever they call up isn't going to play, and there are certain players that they would rather suit up for the IceHogs during that time. 

For one, Dominic Toninato and Landon Slaggert, who are usually the top-two call-up candidates, but there might be something to them helping the IceHogs win instead of sitting in an NHL press box. 

Three prospects, Sacha Boisvert, AJ Spellacy, and Marek Vanacker, entered camp hoping to eventually play in the NHL this season. Boisvert made his NHL debut last spring, while the other two are waiting for that day. 

It hasn't been the start to their 2026-27 AHL season that they had hoped for. They went in trying to force their way up to the NHL, but that hasn't happened. All of them bring something a little bit different, but they are all players who are expected to contribute offensively. The reality is that all three players have a combined 0 points. 

Points are not everything, but the Blackhawks would like their top three AHL prospects to get on the board and start to build a resume worthy of a look in the NHL. Of course, being a sound defensive player is first and foremost when trying to carve an NHL career, but you also have to contribute a little bit if you're going to stick around. 

On Thursday, the IceHogs will visit the Iowa Wild. On Saturday, they will host the Grand Rapids Griffins in Rockford. During this stretch, these three prospects would love to score. That would also help the IceHogs improve on their lousy 4-6-0-0 start. Their 8 standing points already have them 10 behind the Griffins for first in their division. Without contributions from these young players, they will fall way out of it quickly. 

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