The Chicago Blackhawks have started trimming their training-camp roster, and Sunday’s moves sent three prospects back to the Ontario Hockey League.
Ryan Roobroeck, Parker Holmes, and Ty Henry were all loaned to their junior clubs for the 2026-27 season, the team announced Sunday afternoon. Roobroeck is headed back to the Guelph Storm, Holmes to the Sarnia Sting, and Henry to the Erie Otters.
All three had been in camp after taking part in last week’s Rookie Camp and the 2026 Prospect Showcase against the St. Louis Blues.
Roobroeck got the most prominent look of the group, skating on Chicago’s top line with Sacha Boisvert and AJ Spellacy in both games against St. Louis.
He also worked on the top power-play unit, though he didn’t register a point.
For Roobroeck, the move sends him into his fourth OHL season, but with a new team after three years with the Niagara IceDogs. The 35th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft has built a reputation as a finisher, piling up 71 goals in his last 113 regular-season games.
That scoring touch has already shown up in a big way. In 2024-25, his 17-year-old season, he finished tied for sixth in the league with 41 goals, one of just eight players to hit the 40-goal mark. He managed 30 goals in only 49 games last season before a lower-body injury in February ended his year and kept him out of the final two months and the playoffs.
Holmes and Henry had quieter showings at the Showcase, which was expected. Holmes, a 2025 fourth-round pick, is also changing scenery this fall after spending the last two years with the Brantford Bulldogs. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound winger figures to slot into a bottom-six role with Sarnia, where his physical game and willingness to drop the gloves can make an impact.
Henry’s path has been more stop-and-start. He missed all of the 2025-26 season after suffering a serious leg injury in Blackhawks camp last year, when he lost an edge and slammed into the boards.
Now healthy again, the 2024 sixth-round pick will play his final junior season in Erie before moving on to the NCAA at St. Thomas University.
Chicago’s roster is down to 47 players, including 27 forwards, 15 defensemen, and five goaltenders. More cuts could come after Monday’s preseason game against the Minnesota Wild at the United Center.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Defense Battle Is Putting Real Pressure On Ethan Del Mastro
Training camp has turned the Blackhawks blue line into one of the more interesting battles on the roster, and Ethan Del Mastro is right in the middle of it. Chicago has eight defensemen who can make an NHL case for themselves, but only six openings in the lineup, which makes every preseason shift matter a little more than usual. Del Mastro helped himself in the first preseason game, and the organization has already shown faith in him by extending his contract, so this is no longer just about making an impression. It is about forcing his way into a real role.
For Del Mastro, the path forward is tied to the details that can separate an NHL regular from a depth option. He has been working on his skating and defensive mobility to make himself harder to play against, and those improvements could be what keeps him in the conversation as camp tightens. The Blackhawks like the potential enough to keep testing him, but with the numbers game already crowding the defense, every practice and exhibition game is adding pressure to prove he belongs. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Cut Leaves Veteran Defenseman In Roster Limbo
The Blackhawks latest training camp cuts have pushed Derrick Pouliot into roster limbo, with the veteran defenseman now waiting to see where he lands after being moved out of the NHL picture. Pouliots arrival in the organization gave Chicago another experienced blue-line option, and his game has still shown enough offensive touch to matter, even as his scoring rate has trended downward in recent seasons.
For now, the next stop appears to be Rockford, where Pouliot is expected to play a major defensive role for the IceHogs in the 2026-27 season. It is a familiar kind of pivot for a player at this stage of his career, one who can still help an organization depth-wise even as the path back to Chicago becomes less certain. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Give Fans A Real NHL Look As Camp Battles Heat Up
The Blackhawks are using Mondays preseason meeting with the Wild to give fans a closer look at what this roster might actually look like once the games start counting. After opening the exhibition slate with a lighter feel, Chicago is expected to lean more NHL-heavy this time, while Minnesota is bringing a younger, AHL-heavy group into the matchup. It should offer a better read on where the Blackhawks stand as camp battles start to sharpen.
For Chicago, that also means several notable names will be on the ice in a setting that should matter more to the coaching staff and to a fan base looking for real signals rather than early exhibition noise. The game will air locally on AM 720 WGN and CHSN, giving supporters a chance to track the latest lineup decisions as the Blackhawks continue sorting through the mix ahead of the regular season. [Read more 🡒]