The Blackhawks announced they’ve assigned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro to AHL Rockford. As expected, he’ll finish the season in the minors after playing his first two NHL games over the past week.
Chicago recalled Del Mastro, 21, for his NHL debut last Thursday. He didn’t record a point but excelled in shutdown usage, posting a 45.2 CF% and +0.3 expected rating in a pair of losses to the Predators and Hurricanes. The Hawks were outshot by a combined total of 70-42 in those contests.
The 2021 fourth-rounder is in his first professional season with Rockford, where he’s settled in as their number-one defenseman with seven goals, 37 points, and a +15 rating. All of those are team highs among blue-liners. It’s a promising early sign for the former OHL All-Star, who also took home gold with Canada at last year’s World Juniors. With veterans, Jaycob Megna, Jarred Tinordi and Nikita Zaitsev on expiring NHL deals, Del Mastro may be playing his way into an opening night roster spot next October.
Two seasons remain on his entry-level contract, with a cap hit of $856K. He’ll be an RFA in 2026.