Ethan Del Mastro has been recalled by the Chicago Blackhawks. The 23-year-old defenseman will likely play vs the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.
What It Means: Ethan Del Mastro
On Tuesday morning, the Chicago Blackhawks officially recalled defenseman Ethan Del Mastro from Rockford. Ahead of a divisional matchup on Tuesday night, Del Mastro will likely play on the third pairing for the Blackhawks. The move comes after yesterday’s trade that sent veteran defenseman Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a second-round pick in 2028. This is Del Mastro’s second stint with the Blackhawks; earlier this year, he played in two games for the club. So far this season, for Rockford, Ethan has 18 points in 45 games, including two goals.
What It Means: The Chicago Blackhawks
After the departure of Murphy, the Blackhawks started to look thin along the blue line. This was not helped by a mysterious sickness keeping young defenseman Sam Rinzel off the ice. What is surprising, however, is the choice to play Ethan Del Mastro over Kevin Korchinski. Korchinski was called up just days before the Olympics ended and saw extremely limited ice time in his appearances. While “EDM” is a better fit in the Jeff Blashill system, the choice is still odd and could signal a possible trade involving the former first-rounder in Korchinski.
On Tap for the Chicago Blackhawks is a visit to the “Great White North.” The Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets prepare for their third matchup of the season at 7 p.m. CT.