The Chicago Blackhawks spent part of Sunday trimming the roster, and the latest move sends Landon Slaggert and Dominic Toninato to waivers with the goal of getting them to Rockford.
That came after the club first loaned Dillon Boucher and Drew Commesso to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. By the afternoon, Slaggert and Toninato were the next names out of the NHL group, with both put on waivers for assignment to Rockford as well.
There is always some risk in a move like this, and Slaggert is the more obvious name to watch. But this is the kind of business that has to get done during cutting season.
The effect on the Blackhawks’ forward picture is immediate. With Slaggert and Toninato removed from the mix, Chicago is down to 14 forwards in the NHL group. That could mean the organization is leaning toward keeping both Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro with the team for now.
Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel haven’t impressed management as much as it wanted, which opens the door for Korchinski and Del Mastro after their strong showings. Holding onto all of them would also give Kyle Davidson, Jeff Blashill, and the rest of the decision-makers more time to sort through the group as the season begins.
Slaggert’s waiver move also matters because of the competition he was already in. He had been fighting for one of two spots in a four-man battle that included Jordan Greenway, Teuvo Teravainen, and Andrew Mangiapane. That doesn’t even count players like Sacha Boisvert or AJ Spellacy, who are expected to spend significant time in the AHL first.
For Greenway, Teravainen, Mangiapane, and even Slaggert if he clears waivers, the competition is far from over. They’ll keep pushing for longer-term roles, and these are exactly the kinds of calls that come with a team getting better.
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