Transactions: two announcements made by the Chicago Blackhawks Kyle Davidson

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Joshua Deeds
July 11, 2024 (11:18)

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The Chicago Blackhawks have announced two major signings today as they have re-stocked their depth.

Today, forward(s) Marcel Marcel and Jackson Cates have re-signed with the Blackhawks and are back in Rockford.

"We are excited to see the steps that Marcel will take in his development as he enters his second season in the AHL," said IceHogs President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Mark Bernard. "His work ethic and attitude are exceptional, and we are confident that he will continue to build on his game and take steps forward."

20 year old forward, Marcel posted five assists in the AHL, after his first appearance in Rockford on November 4th in Manitoba.

The 6'4", 243 lb forward would skate in 6 games with the ECHL's Indy Fuel scoring 3 points(1 G, 2 A) and before signing an AHL contract, with selected by the Blackhawks in the fifth round(131st overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

The Pilsen, Czech Republic product recorded 32 points(14 G, 18 A) in 54 QMJHL games for the Gatineau Olympics in 2022-2023. And would represent Czechia in the 2023 IIHF World Championships, winning a silver medal, while scoring 6 points(2 G, 4 A) in 7 games.

And they're bringing back Jackson Cates this year as well, as the 26 year old scored 25 points( 11 G, 14 A) in 50 games with the Rockford IceHogs.

"We are very excited to have Jackson back with us this year," said IceHogs President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Mark Bernard. "From the moment he joined us last year, he proved to the staff to be a reliable player no matter where he played or what situation it may have been. Off the ice he has all the attributes we look for, and he will continue to be a great mentor for the young prospects."

He would also score 1 goal in 4 Calder Cup playoff games. The Center arrived in Rockford originally on PTO on December 11th, and would formally sign a standard player contract in Rockford on December 29th.

He originally was on a PTO with the Bridgeport Islanders, notching only a point, pushing him to a career-high 51 points in the AHL.

Cates originally started his career in the Philadelphia Flyers organization and would jump between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Philadelphia Flyers. Cates career totals in the AHL: 59 points( 25 G, 34 A) in 164 games, while scoring 2 points( 1 G, 1 A) in 20 NHL games.

Before he turned pro, he played in the NCAA at the University of Minnesota-Duluth capturing a national championship in 2019, along side his brother Noah who is currently a Philadelphia Flyer.