Delia makes Chicago’s roster out of training camp

Former Merrimack goaltender Collin Delia made the opening-night roster for the Chicago Blackhawks and has started two of Chicago’s first three games this season.

Delia, 26, has struggled in his first two starts (0-2-0, 5.02 GAA, .848 save percentage) for the rebuilding Blackhawks, who are without a slew of players including Jonathan Toews.

Last season Delia appeared in 32 games for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL, where he posted a 2.66 GAA and a .912 save percentage. Delia appeared in 16 NHL games during the 2018-19 season and he recorded a 6-4-3 record with a 3.61 GAA and a 908 save percentage.

Delia is on a one-way contract with the Blackhawks through the 2021-22 season that pays him an average of $1 million per season. A one-way deal pays the player the same amount even if they’re assigned to the AHL.

Delia played three seasons at Merrimack (2014-17). In his final season as a junior (2016-17) he posted a 2.15 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 21 starts and the Warriors were 9-8-3 in games he started that season.

Coming out of other NHL camps, Brett Seney was assigned to the Binghamton Devils (AHL) by New Jersey, where he’ll be coached by former Merrimack head coach Mark Dennehy. The Binghamton Devils will play out of New Jersey’s practice facility in Newark this season due to COVID. Johnathan Kovacevic has been assigned to Winnipeg’s AHL affiliate in Manitoba.

Seney is on a two-way contract with New Jersey through this season that will pay him $700,000 if he’s in the NHL and $250,000 if he’s in the AHL. Kovacevic is on the second year of his entry-level contract, which is a two-way contract through this season that will pay him $925,000 in the NHL and $70,000 in the AHL.