Blackhawks Place Derrick Pouliot On Waivers

The latest round of cuts from the Chicago Blackhawks’ training camp included veteran defenseman Derrick Pouliot. He has been placed on waivers, per PuckPedia, for the purpose of assignment to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. Poliout joined the Blackhawks organization in a trade with the New York Rangers ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. That move sent minor-league center Aidan Thompson the other way.

Pouliot scored six points in 16 games with Rockford, bringing his year-long scoring up to 34 points in 68 games. It was a productive year, though far below the scoring pace he managed in either the 2023-24 or 2024-25 seasons when he scored 46 points in 64 games and 53 points in 70 games respectively.

Part of that dip is the result of the quiet offenses Pouliot supported last season. The Hartford Wolf Pack finished the 2025-26 AHL season ranked last in the Atlantic Division in goals (190) while Rockford ranked fifth in the Central Division (196). Neither team made the postseason. Pouliot’s veteran experience earned him a top role on both lineups – but wasn’t enough to will the team’s scoring above their disappointing marks.

Pouliot should return to a key role on the IceHogs blue line for the 2026-27 season, provided no team sees him as a potential seventh-defenseman at the NHL level. In Rockford, the former eighth-overall draft pick will lead an inexperienced blue line built around prospects Tommy Budnick, Ashton Crumby, Taige Harding, and Jake Furlong. Harding is the only one in that group over the age of 22. Pouliot will have the support of former Hartford teammate, and veteran minor-leaguer, Connor Mackey who joined Chicago on a two-year, two-way contract this summer.

Pouliot has the most NHL experience on Rockford’s defense, by a strong margin, with 226 games and 54 points at the top level across nine seasons. He also has 300 points in 478 career games in the AHL. He will try to use that experience to take over the IceHogs’ top defender role ahead of a bounceback year.