The Chicago Blackhawks announced on Dec. 8 that they sent defenseman Sam Rinzel and forward Landon Slaggert to the Rockford IceHogs.
This news comes after a road trip in which the Blackhawks went 1-2-1, and it benefits everyone involved.
Slaggert Gets More Ice Time
Let’s start with Landon Slaggert. Head coach Jeff Blashill has recently talked about his ice time, especially given his age, and about knowing the 23-year-old is best suited to play every day. The problem was, it just wasn’t on the Blackhawks.
He was sent to the IceHogs at the beginning of November. He was recalled to the Blackhawks shortly after for depth purposes amid injuries and illness, as Andre Burakovsky was ill when they first recalled Slaggert, and his playing status was unclear. But since being recalled on Nov. 12, he has only appeared in five of 13 games, and was a healthy scratch for the entirety of their four-game road trip. Players have returned to the lineup, clouding his spot.
Blashill said about Slaggert on Dec. 6, “Yeah, for sure, it’s something we’re cognizant of. We don’t want to let him sit for a long, long periods of time. You know, whatever that means. And ultimately, you know, he had a It was unfortunate for him in training camp. He missed a lot of training camp because of injuries. And so, you know, it’s been really hard, I think, to be able to gain traction. And when you don’t play on a regular basis, and when you do play, you don’t play very many minutes. So it’s something we’ll look at and evaluate as a coaching staff and with our management group.”
Slaggert will be an everyday player on Rockford and have better minutes. He has 26 points in 42 career games in Rockford and will be an asset.
Rinzel’s Game Will Continue to Progress
I think one of the most glaring things about development is that defensemen, especially, take time. Sam Rinzel shows this. The 21-year-old defenseman started the season on a high note. He was with Alex Vlasic on the top pair. He even played over 25 minutes in their season debut against the Florida Panthers (which Blashill noted was too many minutes and tweaked it). He was third amongst rookies in ice time at one point, while also being a staple on special teams.
But he has faced some struggles. On Nov. 12, Blashill took him off the top pair with Vlasic and made him the seventh defenseman in their 11/7 lineup. He was then made a healthy scratch on Nov. 15 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When he returned, he was still the seventh defenseman, and the Blackhawks shielded him. He was moved from the top power play unit to the second. His ice time also decreased. Now, he is 13th among NHL rookies in ice time (16:32 minutes). Scott Powers of The Athletic noted that he played only 7:49 minutes through two periods against the Los Angeles Kings on Dec. 6. Rinzel also played only one shift in the third period against the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 2.
Blashill was asked about Rinzel getting one shift in the third period against Vegas, “Well, you know, he’s actually done some good stuff. Last game, he had made a few kind of defensive things that we want to make sure he gets correct, and sometimes that results in not playing. But overall, honestly, I think he’s played more good hockey than not, and it’s just part of the process.
Blashill continued, “I think when he’s at his best, he’s controlling the puck, and it’s learning how much time and space you have at this level. And it’s just something as he gets stronger, I think will help him too, but he’s still kind of figuring some of that out. And then I just think body position defensively is a big one for him. Like, when his body position is good defensively, you just ultimately don’t give up as many kind of easy chances. So I expect him to have a good game here tonight. Again, I think he’s played more good hockey than not.”
Related: Evolution of Blackhawks’ Youngsters Leading to Team Success
That whole quote encompasses everything. Rinzel is a very talented defenseman and is a big part of their future. He has the size, instincts, and skating ability. But development has its highs and lows, and as the organization keeps preaching, they want their players to “thrive and not just survive.”
Rockford has been key with the Blackhawks. Most players who have spent time in Rockford have come out much improved, like Wyatt Kaiser, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore. So, this is a good opportunity for him to continue developing his skill set and become an even better defenseman.
As my colleague Gail Kauchak also noted, Rinzel’s move to Rockford indicates the end of the Blackhawks’ 11/7 lineup. Which is something to watch, too.
Blashill mentioned before, “I think development and winning go hand in hand.”
Rinzel and Slaggert’s assignments to Rockford are another example of this- helping the players and the team in the long run.
