Cam Barker up, Hendry and Hjalmarsson to Rockford
Announced after practice on Sunday, October 26th, the Chicago Blackhawks have assigned defensemen Jordan Hendry and Niklas Hjalmarsson to the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs.
Hendry has accrued four penalty minutes in eight games with the Blackhawks this season while Hjalmarsson has been held scoreless in one contest, missing the last seven due to an upper body injury.
In return, Cam Barker will get the call up from Rockford on Monday, his first appearance with the big club since being reassigned in preseason in what has been assumed salary cap issues. He should be in the lineup for Monday nights game against the Minnesota Wild.
Dustin Byfuglien also got some practice time on defense Sunday after being used on the blue line in overtime against Detroit.
The addition of a bigger body (Barker 6′3″ 213) on the blueline couldn’t hurt. Maybe that is the thought with Byf as well, add some size on “D” and open up a spot for a call up on wing, something we have a stockpile of still labeled prospects.
Which means Seabrook and Sopel are no longer the slowest guys on the blueline, with Big Buff back there.
I am curious on the pairings. I would think the top 2 D lines in Keith/Seabs and Soupy/Johnson stick. So whats the 3rd line – Sopes/Barker. Ugh.
Aaron Johnson has been a real revelation this season…he’s never been more than a jobber, but he belongs with Soupy now.