The Blackhawks loaned forward Matej Chalupa to Mountfield HK in the Czech Extraliga, the Czech Republic’s top league, on Saturday.
Chalupa signed a two-year, $1.85 million contract May 29 with the Blackhawks as a European free agent. The contract begins with the 2020-21 season.
The 22-year-old scored seven goals and 24 points in 50 games this past season with Mountfield HK. The 6-foot-2, 194 pound left-handed shot also had five goals and two assists in 12 games during the team’s surprising run to the Champions Hockey League final, where they fell 3-1 to Swedish powerhouse Frölunda HC.
“He’s got good puck pursuit, so he’s what you’d call a busy or active player,” Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said in June. “A little bit of a later bloomer, so he’s just starting to see some of his best hockey right now, and it’s time to get him over to North America. I liked the potential, and we’ll see how quickly he adapts.”
Chalupa will see significant playing time with Mountfield HK before likely being recalled back to North America when NHL training camp begins in November. He’s expected to play with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL for the 2020-21 season.