Blackhawks send forward Nick Lardis back to minors

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CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks assigned forward Nick Lardis to Rockford of the American Hockey League on Monday.

The 20-year-old Lardis, one of the team's top prospects, made his NHL debut on Dec. 13. He had five goals and two assists in 21 games with the Blackhawks.

“I think he's done a solid job,” coach Jeff Blashill said of Lardis before the move was announced. “He came in and early on probably was trying to find his way a little bit. I thought he got more confident. So I think he's done a good job of making a first impression to the coaching staff.”

Teuvo Teravainen is expected to return for Tuesday night's game at Minnesota. The veteran forward has been sidelined by an upper-body injury since Jan. 12.

Lardis was selected by Chicago in the third round of the 2023 draft. He had 71 goals and 46 assists in 65 games last season with Brantford in the Ontario Hockey League.

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