Blackhawks Demote Vincent Hinostroza to Rockford

Despite winning four consecutive games, the Chicago Blackhawks are still looking to kickstart their offense, and they have opened up their options on Tuesday as they sent forward Vincent Hinostroza back to Rockford.

Hinostroza, who made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks this season, has played in four games and hasn’t registered a point yet with the Hawks. He was a standout in training camp and in the preseason, and after a brief pit stop in Rockford, he came to Chicago with the hope of winning a permanent spot on the third line.

The Blackhawks didn’t make a corresponding roster move with Hinostroza’s demotion, so they are left with an interesting decision on how they’ll put together their roster. They could simply carry 12 forwards and have Bryan Bickell come back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch for several games, but it seems unlikely that they would go with that option.

A much more likely scenario would have them calling up one of their young forwards from Rockford to get a crack at the team’s lineup. Tanner Kero could potentially get a look for the dormant Hawks’ offense, scoring six goals in seven games so far this season for the IceHogs, and he also has an AHL Player of the Week award sitting on his mantel at home.

The Hawks could also call up winger Marko Dano, who was a bit of a surprise demotion for the team coming out of training camp this season. He has been an excellent facilitator for the IceHogs this season, racking up five assists and adding a goal for Rockford.

Whatever decision the Blackhawks make, they have plenty of cap space, so they could conceivably add multiple pieces.

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