The Chicago Blackhawks made a roster move ahead of the Olympic break, sending defenseman Sam Rinzel back to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs after a brief but noteworthy NHL stint. Rinzel suited up for three games during this latest call-up, and while he only found the back of the net once, what really stood out was how much trust the coaching staff placed in him.
His ice time climbed significantly compared to his previous NHL action, and in his final game before reassignment - a matchup against the Blue Jackets - he logged nearly 26 minutes. That’s a heavy workload for a young defenseman still finding his footing at the NHL level.
The move to bring Rinzel up in the first place came on January 30, as Chicago looked to shake things up on the blue line. The timing wasn’t coincidental.
Fellow top prospect Artyom Levshunov had hit a rough patch - and not just a bad game or two. Over the last 15 games, Levshunov was on the ice for 16 goals against while contributing just three points.
His defensive partner, Wyatt Kaiser, has had it even tougher, with 17 goals against during that same stretch.
Levshunov’s season has been a mixed bag. On one hand, the offensive production has taken a step forward - 21 points in 52 games is a solid bump from the six he posted in 18 games last year.
But the plus-minus tells a different story. He’s sitting at minus-27, a steep drop from the minus-13 he posted a season ago.
Still, the Blackhawks haven’t pulled back on his responsibilities. He’s averaging 19 minutes of ice time per night, a clear sign that the coaching staff still sees him as a key piece of the rebuild.
That said, the Rinzel recall gave the team a chance to reset. With three games left before the Olympic break, Chicago had the opportunity to give Levshunov a breather and see if Rinzel could inject some energy into a lineup that’s been struggling - especially on the back end. The Blackhawks have dropped four straight, and the defensive lapses have been a big part of that slide.
Rinzel’s journey this season has had its own ups and downs. After putting up just eight points in 28 NHL games to start the year, he was sent down to Rockford.
He responded with a strong initial burst - seven points in his first four AHL games - but things cooled off quickly. Over his last 15 games with the IceHogs, he’s managed just three points, bringing his AHL totals to 10 points and a minus-10 rating in 19 games.
Still, there’s reason to believe Rinzel has more to give. He showed flashes of high-end ability during his first taste of NHL action at the tail end of last season, when he recorded five points in nine games. That kind of production, paired with his size and skating, gives Chicago a reason to keep circling back to him as they try to build a more stable and dynamic defensive core.
For now, Rinzel heads back to Rockford with another valuable NHL experience under his belt. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, continue to search for answers as they navigate the growing pains of a young, evolving roster. The Olympic break offers a chance to regroup - and when the games resume, it’ll be worth watching which young blueliner gets the next shot to solidify his place in Chicago’s future.