The Captain also spoke for the first time in several weeks
A bunch of team updates came up ahead of the Tuesday night game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars.
The Blackhawks made a roster move Tuesday morning to recall Alex Vlasic from the Rockford IceHogs. If Vlasic plays against the Stars, it’ll be his first game of the season.
Everyone welcome back Alex Vlasic ‼️ pic.twitter.com/krVKDlSQnm
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 28, 2023
Vlasic is indeed expected to play, as is Wyatt Kaiser.
Now onto injury news time!
- Philipp Kurashev is done for the season due to the shoulder injury suffered in the Washington Capitals game last Thursday. He had been wearing a sling, so it’s not surprising he’s being shut down for the final nine games. He does not need surgery — just time to heal.
- Jarred Tinordi may play again this season, listed as “day-to-day” with a hip injury, though he hasn’t been skating.
- Austin Wagner is recovered but they’ll allow for some conditioning time before he’s back in the lineup.
Kurashev is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
Tinordi is day-to-day with his hip injury — doesn’t seem long-term.
Austin Wagner’s hand infection has healed and he’s cleared, but needs to get up to speed.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 28, 2023
Not an injury, but Jujhar Khaira missed the morning skate due to a non-COVID illness and will be a game-time decision for Tuesday night.
I don’t see Jarred Tinordi (hip) or Philipp Kurashev (upper-body injury) on the ice for morning skate.
Jujhar Khaira is also not on the ice because of a non-COVID illness. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 28, 2023
And in the biggest news of the day: Jonathan Toews was back on the ice with the team practicing at morning skate after a prolonged period of time. He won’t be playing against Dallas, but he definitely wants to get into a game before the end of the season.
News – Jonathan Toews has joined Blackhawks morning skate: pic.twitter.com/deNf4CvQfk
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 28, 2023
It is great to see Toews looking like himself: shooting the puck absently, talking strategy with Reese Johnson, roughhousing Seth Jones, chatting with guys on the bench.
It won’t be tonight, but this makes it seem pretty likely he will play again this season.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 28, 2023
After practice, Toews had a lot to say about his long COVID symptoms, his future as both a Blackhawk and an NHL player in general, and even briefly spoke about the Patrick Kane trade.
Sounds like he started really struggling in January.
“When day after day you’re just pushing through pain, it’s like, to what end?”
“I’m at that point where it feels like more damage is being done than is a good thing.”
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 28, 2023
Jonathan Toews: “Regardless of what happens in the future this summer, it’s definitely on my mind that this could be my last few weeks here in Chicago as a Blackhawk.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 28, 2023
Jonathan Toews says he’s feeling better, but he also realizes this could be his final weeks with the Blackhawks. He was pretty open about not knowing if he’ll play beyond this season, too.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) March 28, 2023
Jonathan Toews on the Patrick Kane trade: “I would say, for myself, personally, probably, I was definitely shocked. … You see him in a New York Rangers’ jersey. It kind of looks good on him, to be honest with you. I hate to say that.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 28, 2023
Jonathan Toews on seeing Patrick Kane traded to the Rangers:
“It kinda looks good on him, to be honest. I hate to say that.”#Blackhawks #NYR pic.twitter.com/cug5UNvlRT— CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) March 28, 2023
Just to note, there were no official lines at practice, but here is what they were against the Wild. The lineup for Tuesday night’s game shouldn’t be too different, minus some injury swaps and Vlasic drawing in for Tinordi. Alex Stalock is the expected starter in net.
Blackhawks lines in warmups vs. Wild:
Reichel-Athanasiou-Entwistle
TJohnson-Dickinson-Raddysh
Katchouk-Khaira-Anderson
Hardman-RJohnson-RobinsonCJones-SJones
Tinordi-Murphy
Kaiser-ZaitsevStalock
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 25, 2023
Alex Stalock is working in the starter’s net this morning. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/MsJCOTwrNE
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 28, 2023
As for the Stars, their lineup during the morning skate looks to be pretty similar as it was against the Vancouver Canucks Saturday with a couple of tweaks:
- Forward Radek Faksa was with Max Domi and Tyler Seguin on the third line, while Ty Dellandrea was shifted down to the fourth line.
- Veteran defenseman Joel Hanley will also swap places with sophomore Nils Lundkvist on the blueline.
- Jake Oettinger will be back as the starter in net.
Oettinger in goal. Hanley in for Lundkvist.
Expected lines:
Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski
Benn-Johnston-Dadonov
Domi-Faksa-Seguin
Kiviranta-Glendening-DellandreaHeiskanen-Miller
Lindell-Hakanpaa
Suter-HanleyOettinger
— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) March 28, 2023
Saturday was the second birthday of Robertson—Hintz—Pavelski being assembled. Now, they’re arguably the best two-way line in hockey.
Diving into why and how they’re so good, what each guy brings and more!
(Last few days to subscribe for $1/month!⤵️)https://t.co/Nt9fWljeZt
— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) March 28, 2023
Former Blackhawks forward Max Domi took some time to chat with his former teammates. Unlike some of his other teams where Domi left on less-than-positive note, he was obviously quite popular in the Chicago locker room.
Lots of love for Domi from his former teammates pic.twitter.com/kVIpF8chEp
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) March 28, 2023