The Chicago Blackhawks recalled defenseman Ville Pokka from the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL and retroactively placed Cody Franson on injured reserve to Dec. 9, the team announced Wednesday.
Franson, who suffered an upper-body injury Friday night against the Buffalo Sabres, is eligible to return for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. The 30-year-old has only one goal and six assists in 19 games in his first season with Chicago. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound blue liner joined the Blackhawks on a one-year, $1 million deal this offseason.
Pokka, 23, has three goals and 12 points in 26 games for Rockford this season. The 2012 second-rounder has played the past three seasons in Rockford, scoring at least 30 points in each season. He tallied 30 points (six goals, 24 assists) in 76 games last season.
Pokka has yet to make to his NHL regular-season debut.
With Franson out due to an upper-body injury and Jan Rutta’s apparent head injury in Chicago’s 3-2 overtime win over Florida on Tuesday, Pokka gives the Hawks seven defenseman.
The Hawks next game is Thursday in Winnipeg.