With the Blackhawks on ice for practice on Monday, good news continued to pour in regarding the development of Kirby Dach, who still hasn’t played a game this season after sustaining a wrist fracture in December.
Dach joined his teammates in practice drills and took physical contact:
Jeremy Colliton says there’s no exact timeline for Kirby Dach, but they’re giving him more and more. He has been cleared for some contact.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) March 22, 2021
Dach continues to progress from that wrist injury suffered just before Christmas and seems ahead of schedule in terms of rehabilitation. It’s good to see him out playing with the team:
Dach appears to be allowed full go in practice. pic.twitter.com/B5CqGx8pOf
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) March 22, 2021
Being able to take some contact is yet another sign that he’s inching towards a return to game action, although coach Jeremy Colliton remained noncommittal on any specific timeline for Dach’s potential comeback:
Colliton says there’s still no timetable on Kirby Dach but he is “definitely taking some contact.”
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 22, 2021
In addition, several of the Blackhawks’ collegiate prospects will take part in the Men’s Division I hockey tournament, the Frozen Four bracket.
The bracket is set! 🏒
➡️ https://t.co/SDGOmRcy4D
#NCAAHockey pic.twitter.com/uJJoIUHPb0— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) March 21, 2021
Landon Slaggert plays for Notre Dame, while Alex Vlasic, Jake Wise and Drew Commesso play for Boston University.
Notre Dame plays Boston College at Noon (CT) on March 27 and Boston University plays St. Cloud State at 5:30 p.m. the same day. ESPN will host both games.
Finally, the Blackhawks made some roster moves on Sunday, promoting some players from the Rockford IceHogs to the taxi squad and sending some taxi squad members down to the AHL.
#Blackhawks roster moves
– Mikael Hakkarainen, Brandon Pirri, John Quenneville and Alec Regula were reassigned from the Rockford #IceHogs of the #AHL to the taxi squad.
– Reese Johnson, Nicolas Beaudin, Madison Bowey, Lucas Carlsson and Wyatt Kalynuk were reassigned to the AHL.
— Brandon Cain (@brandonmcain) March 21, 2021
This is Alec Regula’s first stint on the taxi squad. All five players sent down to Rockford — Reese Johnson, Nicolas Beaudin, Madison Bowey, Lucas Carlsson and Wyatt Kalynuk — have played at least one game with the Blackhawks this season.
The Blackhawks play the Panthers at 7 p.m. Tuesday.