Evan Barratt will return to Penn State for his junior season and not sign with the Blackhawks, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic.
Barratt, a 2017 third-round draft pick by Chicago, scored 16 goals and 43 points in 32 games during his sophomore season, which led him to finish fourth in the nation in points per game (1.34). The forward also tallied one goal in seven games for the United State’s men’s national junior team during their silver medal run at this year’s World Junior Championship.
Powers also notes that Barratt will be out 2-3 months after undergoing an undisclosed surgery, but will be ready to play by next season. That timeline could also keep him out of participating in the team’s prospect camp in July.
In addition to Barratt, there was also a believe that 2017 second-round defenseman Ian Mitchell would sign with the Blackhawks after his sophomore season at Denver, but he opted to stay with the Pioneers for his junior season because he felt it was the best place for his development.
Defenseman Henri Jokiharju remains the lone member from the Blackhawks’ nine-player 2017 draft class to have signed with the team. MacKenzie Entwistle, who was drafted in the third round in 2017 by Arizona, signed with the Blackhawks after being traded by the Coyotes.