Here are the main factors at play with this move:
- Signed to a one-year NHL contract this past offseason, Kurtis Gabriel is by all accounts a great human being who deserves to be closer to a real opportunity — which he should be in a rebuilding organization such as Chicago — to receive a few stints in the NHL, as he did in his previous stops in Minnesota, New Jersey, and San Jose. With Curtis Douglas and Rich Clune on the Marlies roster, a third tough guy wasn’t totally essential, and this may clear the path a little bit for other players such as Bobby McMann (five points in 10 AHL appearances) to receive some more opportunity.