PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
January 10, 2026Â Â (12:43)
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The Chicago Blackhawks’ flu bug sparks a goalie shuffle; Stanislav Berezhnoy has been recalled from the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs as Drew Commesso gets the start on Saturday night against the Nashville Predators.Chicago announced Saturday that they recalled goaltender Stanislav Berezhnoy from Rockford. Berezhnoy is 22, and he has gone 4-4-1 with a .889 save percentage and 3.23 goals against in nine AHL games.
The recall feels tied to the sickness ripping through the room this week, because it has not just been one guy. Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom were both impacted, and several skaters also dealt with it Friday.
That is how we got the sudden Drew Commesso start on Friday night, with Chicago needing a fresh body in the crease fast. Reports around the team described it as a stomach bug, and it forced a scramble right before puck drop.
Stanislav Berezhnoy recalled by the Chicago Blackhawks
As a fan, I can live with a loss, but I hate when a game feels decided before the anthem. Commesso basically walked into chaos on Friday, and that is a brutal way to learn the league in just his third NHL game.
If Berezhnoy makes his first ever NHL start on Saturday against the Predators, if Commesso for some reason isn’t good to go, this will certainly be an interesting scene.
“The Blackhawks called up goalie Stan Berezhnoy earlier this morning.
He’s a prospect they like, but if he’s forced to play in Nashville tonight because Knight and Soderblom are still sick, he would be one of the least qualified goalies to start in modern NHL history.”
Commesso is 23, a 2020 second-round pick, 46th overall, and he had only two NHL appearances in 2024-25. Friday became his third NHL appearance and his first career home start, not his second game ever.
Washington made it ugly early in a 5-1 Blackhawks loss, and Commesso gave up three goals on the first six shots. He settled after that and finished with 19 saves on 24 shots.
With Chicago heading into Saturday in Nashville, having Berezhnoy available is simple survival.
Berezhnoy is a big goalie at 6-foot-4, and he already showed calm in his AHL debut with 29 saves on 31 shots back in October. Now the next milestone is just getting healthy enough to run a normal lineup again.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider
POLL
7 HOURS AGOÂ Â Â |Â Â Â 38 ANSWERS
Chicago Blackhawks recall 6-foot-4 goaltender from the AHL’s IceHogs in the midst of a team flu bug
Who should start next for the Chicago Blackhawks, Stanislav Berezhnoy or Drew Commesso?