The Blackhawks are turning to Drew Commesso for backup help in net, and they’re doing it before the waiver window even closes on Arvid Soderblom.
Chicago announced Tuesday that it has recalled Commesso from AHL Rockford, while winger Patrick Kane was placed on injured reserve retroactive to November 2nd to create roster space.
Commesso, 24, was selected by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2020 draft, going 46th overall. Chicago has long viewed him as a potential goalie of the future, but his play hasn’t matched that projection just yet.
After leaving Boston University following his junior season, Commesso has spent most of his pro career in the minors since 2022-23. He’s worked primarily with the IceHogs, and last season his save percentage slipped from .911 to .901 across 37 games.
That number has dipped again early this year, with Commesso posting a 2.74 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage in seven appearances. He has also logged five NHL games over the past two seasons, putting up a 2.61 GAA and a .901 SV%.
The move comes as Chicago has been leaning hard on Spencer Knight early in the season. Knight leads the league in goals allowed and shots faced, and he’s on pace for 65 starts, a workload that clearly isn’t sustainable. Soderblom’s struggles pushed the Blackhawks toward this change, and the hope is that Commesso can give them steadier minutes and keep Knight from carrying such a heavy load, at least for now.
Kane’s IR stint is tied to an upper-body injury. The veteran is back in Chicago for the first season of a two-year, $16MM deal he signed over the summer, and he’s produced a goal and eight assists in 15 games while averaging a little over 18 minutes per night. Because the move was made retroactive to November 2nd, he’ll be eligible to return in time for Thursday’s game against Buffalo.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Had Connor Bedard Sounding Defeated After Carolina Rout
Connor Bedard did not sugarcoat the Blackhawks latest setback after Carolina rolled to a 9-2 win, and the captains postgame tone matched the lopsided result. Chicagos young centerpiece has 14 points in 12 games this season, but the numbers have not softened the frustration around a team still searching for consistency, especially after he recently committed long term with a five-year contract extension.
Bedard made clear the room remains together, but he also stressed that camaraderie only goes so far when the results keep going the wrong way. For a Blackhawks team trying to build around its franchise player, the challenge now is turning that frustration into something more tangible before another rough night starts to feel familiar. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Make A Big Goalie Change After Another Rough Night
The Blackhawks are making a change in goal after Arvid Sderbloms uneven stretch finally pushed the issue to the front of the roster picture. Chicago put the young netminder on waivers, a sign the club is looking for a reset after a season in which his save percentage has lagged and the goals-against numbers have climbed.
If Sderblom clears, the next stop could be a stint with the AHLs Rockford IceHogs, giving him a chance to regroup before his contract expires this summer. It also opens the door for Chicago to look at Drew Commesso in the backup role, a move that would say plenty about where the organization thinks the crease stands right now. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Suddenly Have A Bigger Bowen Byram Problem Than Expected
Bowen Byrams start with the Blackhawks has already taken an unexpected turn, and not in the way anyone around the team would have wanted. Signed to a six-year deal this summer, the defenseman has now missed multiple games while dealing with an upper-body injury that Chicago still has not fully explained, leaving his status far murkier than a routine short-term absence.
The latest wrinkle is what makes this situation feel bigger than a day-to-day injury update. Byram remains out even though he has been medically cleared, according to his agent, and he is still waiting to be evaluated by a specialist before any return can be considered. With no timeline in place and coach Jeff Blashill already ruling out one obvious concern, the Blackhawks are left managing both the health question and the uncertainty that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]