2 Chicago Blackhawks prospects added to the Rockford IceHogs roster ahead of the Calder Cup Playoffs

Just one week ago, Nick Lardis put the pen to the paper and signed a three year entry-level contracts with the Chicago Blackhawks.

He is likely to go back to his respective junior team next season, but we will get a glimpse at what he can do at the next level along with fellow prospect, Paul Ludwinski.

It was announced, via the AHL transactions page, that Lardis and Ludwinski signed amateur tryout contracts (better known as an ATO) with the Hawks AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. Since they are still under the AHL's minimum age requirement of 20, they have to join the team on an ATO.

An ATO is a 14-day stint with the club and is a way to bypass the CHL-NHL agreement. Since both play in the OHL, a CHL-sanctioned league, this is the only option for both players.

With Cole Guttman out 3-4 weeks due to an upper-body injury, you have to wonder if Lardis or Ludwinski will get a chance to play on the top line alongside Rem Pitlick and Brett Seney.

Lardis had 29 goals and 21 assists in 37 games for the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL. In the playoffs, he scored four goals and registered four assists over six games. Lardis is talked about as one of the biggest steals in the 2023 draft when the Hawks took him 67th overall.

Ludwinski is having a season of revenge after being cut from Team Canada's World Junior team in December of 2023. He scored 23 goals and passed out 46 assists over 60 regular season games for the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL. In playoffs, he added two goals and four assists in five playoff games. For the coming 14 days, everyone should have tabs on both forwards in the stat line.