Newly acquired defenseman Tim Erixon will make his Blackhawks debut tonight as Chicago plays host to the Calgary Flames.
Erixon was acquired Sunday morning from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Jeremy Morin.
Erixon said he was woken up by Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who broke the news he had been dealt.
“I just got a phone call in the morning, woke me up. Just tried to pack up as quick as possible and get to the airport,” said Erixon. “Of course your’e surprised, I just woke up. I wasn’t really aware what was going on.”
Though he was surprised to be dealt, he knew a move was coming.
“I knew something was going to happen. We (had) nine, 10 (defensemen) there so something was going to happen,” he said. “I didn’t know if it was going to be me or who it was going to be, but I knew... I figured something had to happen.”
According to the Blackhawks, Erixon will be partnered on the left side with Michal Rozsival tonight.
The 23-year-old had a goal and five assists in 19 games with Columbus this season.
Originally a first-round pick (23rd overall) of the Calgary Flames in 2009, Erixon has appeared in 70 career NHL games with the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets where he has one goal and 13 points.
In a corresponding move, Chicago returned defenseman Klas Dahlbeck to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League. Dahlbeck appeared in four games for the Blackhawks registering his first career NHL goal Thursday night against the Boston Bruins.