Blackhawks Send LeBlanc, Raanta To Rockford In Roster Reduction

Broadhurst, Danault also sent down to IceHogs

The Chicago Blackhawks continued to trim their roster Tuesday morning, when they
sent eight players to the Rockford IceHogs, the team's AHL affiliate.

Hobey Baker Award winner Drew LeBlanc headlines the group sent down to the minors, with goaltender Antti Raanta also being sent down, likely to be the team's starting keeper. Kyle Beach, who was placed on waivers by the Hawks, cleared without being claimed by another team, and will report to Rockford. 

Terry Broadhurst, whose brother Alex is already with the IceHogs, was also sent down, as were Byron Froese and Phillip Danault.

Finally, the Hawks released Brad Mills and Maxim Shalunov from training camp, but both will report to Rockford, according to the team. Mills will play on an AHL contract, and Shalunov will have a tryout agreement with the IceHogs.

The Blackhawks will work on paring down their roster to a maximum of 23 players before the regular season begins on Oct. 1 against the Washington Capitals. Mike Kostka, Theo Peckham and Ryan Stanton could be competing for a spot as the eighth defenseman on the roster, with Sheldon Brookbank likely having a stranglehold on the seventh spot for the Hawks.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Hayes, Jeremy Morin, Joakim Nordstrom, Brandon Pirri, Ben Smith and Brad Winchester are also competing for a spot on the Hawks' roster, with only three of them likely to make the 23 man roster.

The Hawks do have one more preseason game left before then, a Saturday tilt with the Caps at the United Center, which can be seen on CSN Chicago at 7pm.

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