On Wednesday, following their first preseason game of the season, the Chicago Blackhawks announced their first wave of roster cuts. It is a small one, as they sent four players back to their respective major junior teams.
• F Nathan Behm (Kamloops Blazers/WHL)
• F Parker Holmes (Brantford Bulldogs/OHL)
• F Jack Pridham (Kitchener Rangers/OHL)
• F Marek Vanacker (Brantford Bulldogs/OHL)
Pridham and Vanacker each played a limited role in the first preseason game, while Holmes and Behm will go back to junior without any NHL preseason action for this year.
This is all a part of the process for these four players, who all have bright futures in pro hockey ahead of them. The Blackhawks will continue to make roster cuts as camp goes along.
Marek Vanacker and Parker Holmes will be teammates with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, which has become a prominent team for the Blackhawks organization lately, as they’ve had a handful of Blackhawks prospects come through.
Nathan Behm, who the Blackhawks drafted at the 2025 NHL Draft, will play for the Kamloops Blazers this season before playing for Arizona State in 2026-27. Behm announced his decision to move onto the NCAA after this year on his social media.
Jack Pridham was supposed to play college hockey this year at Boston University, but he de-committed to stay with the Kitchener Rangers, where he feels more comfortable in his development.
Following these cuts, Chicago’s roster now sits at 49 players (26 forwards, 17 defensemen, and 6 goalies).
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Read the full article here
