The Chicago Blackhawks assigned eight players to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League Friday, reducing their roster to 25.
Surprisingly, forward Marko Dano was among the players cut Friday. The 20-year-old was a key piece in the June trade that saw the Blackhawks send Brandon Saad to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Dano, forwards Ryan Hartman, Vincent Hinostroza, Brandon Mashinter, Dennis Rasmussen and Garret Ross and defencemen Erik Gustafsson and Ville Pokka were the final cuts at Blackhawks camp.
Saad, defenceman Michael Paliotta and forward Alex Broadhurst were traded to the Blue Jackets for forwards Artem Anisimov, Jeremy Morin, Corey Tropp and Dano, and a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Dano enjoyed a productive 35-game stint with the Blue Jackets in 2014-15, scoring eight goals and 21 points while skating primarily on a line with Scott Hartnell and Alexander Wennberg.
The Blue Jackets selected Dano with the 27th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft.