The Chicago Blackhawks are currently on a two-game road trip against the Minnesota Wild and the Pittsburgh Penguins, accompanied by a special group: the players' mothers. This "Mothers' Trip" coincides with significant roster adjustments and injury updates as the team continues to battle for a Western Conference playoff spot.

Teräväinen's Return

Teuvo Teräväinen is poised to make his return to the Blackhawks lineup after being sidelined with an upper-body injury since January 12. He has missed the last six games. Teräväinen practiced with the team on Monday, sporting a regular red jersey, a sign that he has been cleared for contact. Head coach Jeff Blashill indicated that Teräväinen is likely to play against the Wild on January 27, but he is reserving final judgment until game day.

Teräväinen's return is anticipated to boost the Blackhawks' struggling power play, which has been in a 0-for-17 slump over the last seven games. His playmaking abilities have been sorely missed, as the team has struggled to generate offense, scoring just 12 goals in their last seven games, with four of those games seeing them score only a single goal. In the 2023-24 season, Teräväinen, who wears number 86, scored 25 goals, had 53 points, 142 shots on goal, and a plus/minus of +15 in 76 games.

With Teräväinen's return, Andre Burakovsky has been moved down from the top line to the third line with Ryan Greene and Moore, and he is now on the second power-play unit.

Lardis Assigned to Rockford

The imminent return of Teräväinen has led to the assignment of rookie forward Nick Lardis to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Blackhawks assigned Lardis to the IceHogs on Monday after practice. Lardis, a third-round pick (No. 67 overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft, had five goals and two assists for seven points in 21 games during his first NHL stint. He was recalled from Rockford on Dec. 13, one day after Connor Bedard suffered a shoulder injury against the St. Louis Blues.

While Lardis showed flashes of his goal-scoring potential, the Blackhawks felt that he would benefit from more consistent playing time in Rockford. A contributing factor to Lardis's reassignment is the upcoming Olympic break, with only five games remaining before a three-week pause, ensuring he remains active with the IceHogs. Lardis was also selected for the AHL All-Star Game on Jan. 15, and he'll now be able to participate in the event.

Mother's Trip

The Blackhawks are currently accompanied by the players' mothers on their road trip. Coach Blashill emphasized the unique and valuable perspective such trips provide. He noted the opportunity to share the NHL experience with their mothers and break the monotony of the season. The Blackhawks organization also shared photos of the mothers on their Twitter account. The team hopes the presence of their mothers will provide a boost as they aim to secure crucial points in the Western Conference standings.