With Connor Bedard officially making his 2026-27 season debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Chicago Blackhawks had to make a transaction to clear enough roster space for their captain. Bedard opened the season on the injured non-roster list but got activated on Tuesday.
Last night, Chicago Hockey Now published a column detailing how Bedard’s return impacts the rest of the Blackhawks forward group. The article specifically referenced Nick Lardis as someone who won’t benefit from the Blackhawks getting healthier collectively, as getting consistent ice time was already challenging enough for him.
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Given Lardis’ unsuccessful start to the season, with no goals, two secondary assists, and a minus-six rating in six games, it wasn’t too surprising to see him utilized as the Blackhawks’ 13th forward during the last two practice sessions. And that was without Frank Nazar, who’s still serving his suspension, being a full participant in line rushes.
Lardis failed to capitalize on the momentum he established in training camp and the preseason, putting his NHL roster spot in jeopardy. Instead of keeping the 21-year-old on the NHL roster as an extra forward, the Blackhawks decided on Tuesday it would be best for him to continue developing in the minors.
Ultimately, Bedard’s return bumped Lardis off the NHL roster, as the Blackhawks assigned the 2023 third-round pick to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.
It’s a disappointing development for all involved parties, but it’s a wise and justified decision by the Blackhawks. Still early in his second pro season, Lardis would benefit more from consistent top-line and top power-play minutes with the IceHogs than fighting for minutes in a third or fourth-line role with the NHL club.
Additionally, Lardis, listed at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, still needs to figure out how to operate as an undersized winger at the highest level, both with and without the puck. A larger opportunity and more ice time in Rockford will help him figure that out more than being a regular scratch for the Blackhawks.
After scoring 10 goals in his first 41 NHL games last season, Lardis proved himself as a capable goal-scoring rookie and appeared ready to take on a bigger role in Chicago this year. Sadly, that hasn’t panned out so far early in his sophomore campaign, but this doesn’t mark the end of the road for Lardis.
With only 82 career pro games under his belt, the Blackhawks should remain patient with Lardis and let him regain some confidence with the IceHogs. If he stuffs the stat sheet like he did last season, with 32 points (18G, 14A) in 35 AHL games, a recall will be waiting for him not too far down the line.
However, it could take an injury or two for Lardis to receive another NHL opportunity that truly fits his offensive-minded skill set. With Bedard, Nazar, Patrick Kane, Anton Frondell, Roman Kantserov, and Tyler Bertuzzi somewhat solidified as top-six stalwarts, there’s nowhere to squeeze Lardis in that group when everyone is healthy.
Most of Lardis’ production in his rookie season came while playing a bottom-six role, and that’s something he might have to get used to, given the Blackhawks’ roster makeup. But to become an effective third-liner long-term, Lardis must become more reliable defensively and cannot be a liability in his own end.
Those issues were too prevalent in his latest NHL stint, and they cost him his NHL roster spot.
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