Blackhawks send Wyatt Kaiser to Rockford as season begins winding down

The Blackhawks would have had to send rookie defenseman Wyatt Kaiser back down to Rockford at some point anyway, so with veteran Connor Murphy ready to return, they might as well not wait. In fact, he was arguably the Hawks' sharpest defenseman in their lackluster loss Sunday against the Wild, and coach Luke Richardson praised him after the game. "He's been really good since he's been back, skating out of trouble and making quick plays," Richardson said. Kaiser will finish the season with seven points (all assists) in 32 NHL games, including three points in nine games during this most recent stint.