The Chicago Blackhawks assigned forwards Joakim Nordstrom, Dennis Rasmussen and Garret Ross, defensemen Adam Clendening and Klas Dahlbeck and goaltender Scott Darling to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on Monday.
"They’re always tough," Quenneville said of meeting with players who are being assigned to the AHL. "The players, they really listen to you and you know it’s never a good situation. But certain guys receive it differently and have different views when they leave. But we try to be as direct as we can.
"A lot of the situations we’ve felt guys we’ve talked to in camp were positive messages, knowing we liked the way they played in camp. We’ve seen progress in their games and see them progressing where they could get called up in the right situation. So, a lot of guys enhanced their positions from last year to this year, and from the organization standpoint, that’s encouraging. But the players are very attentive and you understand their emotions and how it can really upset you."
The Blackhawks' active roster now includes 30 players, including 18 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders.
The Blackhawks must still get under the salary cap before the regular season begins. They need to reduce by about $1.3-2.2 million to be cap compliant.
The Blackhawks have two preseason games remaining.
