Blackhawks assigning Linzel and Slagter to Rockford is a beneficial move – Hockey Writer – Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks announced on December 8 that they were sending guard Sam Linzel and forward Landon Slagter to the Rockford IceHogs.

The news comes on the heels of the Blackhawks going 1-2-1 on the road, which is good for everyone involved.

Slagter gets more ice time

Let’s start with Landon Slagter. Head coach Jeff Blashill recently spoke about his time on the ice, especially given his age, and talked about knowing the 23-year-old is best suited to compete every day. The problem is, it’s not on the Blackhawks.

He was sent to the IceHogs in early November. He was recalled to the Blackhawks due to injury shortly after, as Andre Burakovsky was ill the first time the Blackhawks recalled Sluggett and his playing status was unclear. But he has played in just five of 13 games since being recalled on Nov. 12 and performed well throughout the four-game road trip. Players have returned to the lineup, leaving his position unclear.

Brashear on December 6 Day said of Slagter: “Yeah, certainly, it’s something we recognize. We don’t want to sit him for a long, long time. You know, whatever that means. Ultimately, you know, he had an unfortunate time in training camp. He missed it because of injury. A lot of training camp. So, you know, I think it’s really hard to get traction when you’re not playing games on a regular basis and when you’re playing games, you’re not going to get a lot of playing time, so that’s something that we’re going to be thinking about and evaluating as a coaching staff and as a management team.”

Slagter will be an everyday player for Rockford and get better playing time. He has 26 points in 42 career games in Rockford and will be an asset.

Linzel’s game will continue to improve

I think one of the most striking things about development is that defensemen in particular need time. Sam Rinzel demonstrates this. The 21-year-old defender has made a strong start to the season. He is paired with Alex Vlasic as the top pair. He even played more than 25 minutes in his season debut against the Florida Panthers (Brashill noted that too much time and made adjustments). He was the third-leading prospect on the ice at one point and was also a key player on special teams.

But he also faced some struggles. On November 12, Blashhill removed him from the top pairing along with Vlasic, making him the seventh defenseman in the 11/7 lineup. He was subsequently injured on November 15 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

When he came back, he was still the seventh back and the Blackhawks protected him. He moved from the top power play unit to the second power play unit. His ice time also decreased. He now ranks 13th among NHL rookies in ice time (16:32). Scott Powers Competitor Pointing out that he played just 7:49 minutes in two quarters against the Los Angeles Kings on December 6th. Linzel also played only one game in the third quarter against the Vegas Golden Knights on December 2.

Blashill was asked about Linzel’s rotation in the third period against Vegas, “Well, you know, he actually did some good things. Last game, he did some defensive things that we wanted to make sure he did right and sometimes that took him out of the game. But overall, honestly, I think he played better hockey than he didn’t, and that’s just part of the process.”

Brashear continued, “I think when he’s at his best, he’s controlling the puck and learning how much time and space you have at this level. As he gets stronger, I think that will help him as well, but he’s still figuring out some of those things. And then I think physical positioning on defense is important for him. Like, when he’s defending well, you don’t end up giving up a lot of easy opportunities, so I expected him to have a good game here tonight and I thought he was playing better hockey than he was without.”

RELATED: Evolution of Blackhawks’ young players leads to team success

This whole sentence covers it all. Linzel is a very talented defenseman and 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 continues to preach, they want their players to “thrive, not just survive.”

Rockford has been a key figure for the Blackhawks. Most of the players who have been in Rockford have improved greatly, such as Wyatt Keizer, Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore. So this is a great opportunity for him to continue to develop his skills and become a better defender.

As my colleague Gail Kauchak also noted, Rinzel’s transfer to Rockford marks the end of the Blackhawks’ 11/7 lineup. This is also something worth paying attention to.

Blashill has mentioned before, “I think growing and winning go hand in hand.”

Linzel and Slagter’s mission in Rockford is another example of that — helping players and teams in the long run.