The Chicago Blackhawks have made a move to fortify their blue-line. Top prospect Sam Rinzel has been recalled to the NHL, putting him on the Blackhawks roster for the first time in 2026. This move comes amid a quiet spell for fellow top youngster Artyom Levshunov, who was on the ice for five goals against in Thursday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Attention will hone in on which young defender Chicago decides to roll out with three games left on their schedule before the Olympic break. Levshunov has struggled through much of January. In 15 games since the new year, he has been on the ice for 16 goals-against, while only posting three points of his own. The only Blackhawk to see more goals is Levshunov’s defense partner, Wyatt Kaiser, who has been on the ice for 17 goals-against.
Levshunov has recorded 21 points and a minus-27 in 52 games on the year. His scoring is up, but his plus-minus is down, from the six points and minus-13 that Levshunov recorded in 18 games last season. Even with the pit he’s in, Levshunov has still averaged 19 minutes of ice time each game, emphasizing that Chicago hasn’t lost faith in their former second-overall talent.
With this move, Chicago will open the door to potentially resting Levshunov for the short-term, while giving Rinzel another chance to stamp his spot in the NHL lineup. The Blackhawks assigned Rinzel to the AHL after he scored just eight points in 28 games to start the season. His first stint in the minors got off to a roaring start – with Rinzel scoring seven points in his first four AHL games – but it has quieted down as of late. Rinzel has scored only three points in his last 15 games, bringing his totals with the Rockford IceHogs up to 10 points and a minus-10 in 19 games. It’s another cold spell that Chicago is hoping to snap with this roster move. Rinzel scored five points in the first nine games of his NHL career at the end of the 2024-25 season. He has shown strong sparks that could help lift Chicago out of their recent four-game losing streak.