Cuts bring Hawks roster to 59
The Chicago Blackhawks will head into its first NHL pre-season game tonight (Sept. 22) at the United Center in Chicago against the visiting Detroit Red Wings. Before that though the team has made its first couple of roster moves since opening camp on Sept. 18.
On Sunday, the Hawks released goaltender Brian Hope, a 21-year-old from Canton, MI who last season posted a 2.93 GAA and and a 19-7-3 record in 32 regular season games wih the Niagara IceDogs and also played six games in Owen Sound, both Ontario Hockey League teams.
The move trims the overall roster to 62 and leaves five goaltenders still in camp. Today, the Hawks released three more players, all forwards from the camp.
Hayden McCool, 18 from Whitby, ON played on the team’s Prospects Team at Traverse City and got the brief invite to camp. Last season McCool split time between Windsor Spitfires and Niagara IceDogs in the OHL and he has returned to the Spits for the 2015-16 OHL campaign.
Radovan Bondra is also 18, from Trebisov, Slovakia and he played last season with Kosice in Slovakia. He is expected to play this season with the Vancouver Giants in the WHL.
Roy Radke, 18, from nearby Geneva, IL was also released. He played last season with the Barrie Colts of the OHL and he is slated to play with the same club this season.
With those moves, the Chicago roster sits at 59, including 33 forwards, 21 defensemen and five goaltenders.
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Born and raised in Ontario, Canada and moved to the state of Wisconsin in my late 30's. I worked at various newspapers and magazines in various sports positions for 25 years before changing careers five years ago. Now I am streamlining my focus on hockey only and in particular, all levels of hockey in the American Midwest.