Ian Mitchell appears to be ready to participate for the first time this season. The young defenseman has been activated by the Chicago Blackhawks and loaned to the Rockford IceHogs, according to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic.
Because of the wrist injury that kept Mitchell out of the lineup throughout training camp, the Blackhawks will not contemplate placing him in the NHL lineup until he has played in a significant number of minor league games. Because the 23-year-old is still waiver-exempt, his up-and-down motions remain unaffected. Mitchell was expected to compete for a full-time spot with the Blackhawks after scoring eight points in eight games with Chicago and 35 points in 57 games with Rockford the previous season. While that has been postponed, he might be called up soon if he overcomes his rust and plays at the same level as last year.
Mitchell will be a restricted free agent next summer, so this is a critical year for him to establish himself inside the organization. After graduating from the University of Denver in 2020, he turned pro and has eight points in 47 NHL games.
