Blackhawks Trim Roster to 36 Ahead of Game vs. Penguins

The Chicago Blackhawks were expected to make a series of roster moves after their preseason game with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night, but they jumped the gun just a bit, sending eight players on their way and reducing their camp roster to 36 players.

Among the bigger names heading out of town are Adam Clendening, Dlyan Olsen and Mark McNeill, who are all being assigned to the Rockford IceHogs. Teuvo Teravainen was assigned to his Finnish team last week, but that move was made official on Monday as well.

Also heading out were Garret Ross, Alex Broadhurst, Klas Dahlbeck and Kent Simpson, who were all sent down to the IceHogs. Ryan Hartman, 2013 first round draft pick, was sent back to his junior team, the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League.

Finally, the Hawks released defenseman Viktor Svedberg from camp, making him a free agent.

The Hawks' roster is now down to 23 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goalies. The final round of cuts, which doesn't have to be submitted until after the team's final preseason tilt on Sept 28 against the Capitals, will likely see those numbers trimmed down to about 13 or 14 forwards, seven or eight defensemen, and two goalies.

Ryan Stanton, Mike Kostka and Theo Peckham are all angling for the eighth defenseman spot on the Hawks' roster. Meanwhile, Jimmy Hayes, Drew LeBlanc, Jeremy Morin, Brandon Pirri, Ben Smith and Brad Winchester are all fighting for a spot among the team's forwards. It is likely that out of that group, three or four of them will get the nod, with Smith and Pirri being frontrunners and Hayes almost assuredly grabbing one of the remaining spots.

Even with all of the players leaving the training camp roster today, the Hawks still will be running a bare bones lineup on the ice tonight in Pittsburgh. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Brandon Saad, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook will all sit out the game tonight, but are all expected to play for the Hawks in their final preseason tilt on Saturday.