Jordan Hendry

Hearing the name Jordan Hendry sounds like nails on a chalkboard to some Blackhawks fans. The cringing starts when people do not see his name appear under “Healthy Scratch” before a game.

The Chicago Blackhawks have come to a crossroads—do more to stay under the cap, or settle for what they have now.

As many say, don’t fix it if it isn’t broken. There’s no more big cap trouble now that Jordan Hendry is officially staying with the Blackhawks after signing a one year deal that will send him a yearly paycheck of $600,000.

The Chicago Blackhawks have resigned defenseman Jordan Hendry to a one year deal worth $600,000.

Hendry, 26, appeared in a career high 43 games with the Blackhawks posting eight points and a plus-minus rating of five.

Along with the 43 regular season games, Hendry appeared in 15 playoff games in which he was held scoreless and had a plus-minus rating of minus four.

For half of the season last year Hendry was the "Hawks seventh defenseman." But with the plethora of injuries sustained on the blueline Hendry was thrust into a starting role.

With the recent trade of the newly acquired Marty Reasoner, the Chicago Blackhawks have begun the process of filling a questionable roster.

The Blackhawks did acquire Jeff Taffe, but it's a fair assumption that he'll start with the Rockford Ice Hogs, the AHL affiliate of the Blackhawks.

The transaction allowed for another $600,000 to be possibly used in bargaining with Antti Niemi.

An arbitration hearing is scheduled for Friday, July 29th.

After quite an admirable run at defense for the Chicago Blackhawks' utility man Dustin Byfuglien, it looks as though he will return to right wing during the second round of the NHL playoffs.

While on defense, Byfuglien was held scoreless during the Blackhawks' first-round matchup against the Nashville Preadators and posted a minus-two rating. 

The reason for moving Byfuglien back to wing, the position he played most of the regular season, is quite clear as he was a major thorn in the side of Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo during last seasons playoffs.

I'm writing this late Saturday morning because I needed at least 12 hours to cool down and get some of the Chicago Blackhawks' 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Friday night out of my system.

However, after waiting 12 hours to (in theory) settle down and be more objective, I can't.

It's go time.

After learning earlier today that the Chicago Blackhawks would be without one of their top defensemen Brian Campbell for up to eight weeks, we were also informed after 'Hawks practice that Kim Johnsson will be out of the lineup as well.

Johnsson was held out of the 'Hawks last game against the Washington Capitals with an upper body injury and apparently the same injury will keep him out of the game against Anaheim Ducks.

According to coach Joel Quenneville, Johnsson could return to the Blackhawks lineup as soon as Saturday against the Phoenix Coyotes.