On Jan. 3, it was announced that the Chicago Blackhawks have claimed defenseman Jaycob Megna off of waivers from the Seattle Kraken. The 31-year-old adds veteran depth to a team that is in the middle of a painful rebuild and is looking for players to help keep their young players dialed in during a losing season.
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The Blackhawks are at the bottom of the Central Division with an 11-24-2 record through 37 games, so adding a veteran to their team isn’t a bad idea for both the player and the team. Megna will get more playing time with the club and has an opportunity to find himself a new home in Chicago. In a corresponding move to claiming Megna, the Blackhawks have also placed Anthony Beauvillier on injured reserve.
Megna has only played two games this season, and both of them were in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, where he scored a goal. Over the past several seasons, Megna has been trying to find a home in the NHL but has continued to bounce between the NHL and AHL.
Megna’s Stats Before This Season & Fit With The Blackhawks
Over parts of six seasons in the NHL, Megna has scored four goals and added 21 assists for 25 points through 141 games, which comes out to a 0.18 points-per-game average. He has spent time in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Kraken before being claimed by the Blackhawks but has spent the majority of his professional career in the AHL. Over parts of 10 seasons in the AHL, Megna has scored 18 goals and added 80 assists for 98 points through 370 games.
Megna will likely come in as the Blackhawks’ seventh defenseman, but creating some internal competition on the left side of the blue line is a positive, and it allows the team to run 11 forwards and seven defensemen in a game should they choose to do so. This veteran addition on a team that has been struggling is exactly what they need at this point in the season and should allow Megna to showcase himself as a potential full-time NHL defenseman.
