Blackhawks Send Ethan Del Mastro Back to Rockford After First Taste of NHL

The Chicago Blackhawks assigned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on Monday. Del Mastro, who joined the NHL club for a pair of weekend games, returns to the IceHogs as they prepare for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Blackhawks initially recalled Del Mastro on April 11 and he made his debut on April 12 against the Nashville Predators. He also suited up Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes and averaged 18:35 of ice time during his brief first NHL stint.

The 21-year-old spent most of the season with Rockford and scored 37 points (seven goals, 30 assists) in 66 games. Del Mastro now returns to the IceHogs for their final three regular-season games and postseason run.

With Del Mastro no longer in the mix, Jaycob Megna or Nikita Zaitsev figures to draw back into the Blackhawks' lineup for their final two games of the season. Chicago visits the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday for a 9 PM CT puck drop. The game will air exclusively on ESPN+/Hulu.