The Chicago Blackhawks have taken a hard fall in recent weeks. Since returning from the Olympic break, they have recorded a 7-8-1 mark headed into their Thursday night home game against the Minnesota Wild.
Last year's stellar championship run now seems almost like ancient history.
The Blackhawks have been hit with a spate of injuries, most notably lower-body damage to Patrick Kane and upper-body issues (arm/shoulder) for captain Jonathan Toews.
Neither player is going to play in the remaining regular-season games, although head coach Joel Quenneville says that both will be back by the start of the postseason in two weeks.
Other injuries to defenseman Michal Rozsival (missed eight games) and left wing Bryan Bickell (six games) have left the team further depleted.
The Blackhawks are safely in the playoffs, but no longer among the regular-season elite. They will either finish second or third in the Central Division, and that means a playoff date with the Colorado Avalanche is on the horizon. If they can survive that, they will likely get the St. Louis Blues.
Chicago would need to be at ...
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Article written by Steve Silverman
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