The Chicago Blackhawks have had a week, being ravaged by a stomach virus. They lost two of their last three games and are set to host the Calgary Flames on Jan. 15, but they are hanging in there, only being four points out of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
With that, here is the latest News & Rumors:
Bedard & The Blackhawks Stomach Bug
Connor Bedard couldn’t seem to catch a break. He was out for almost a month with a shoulder injury, returned for two games, and then was sidelined against the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 12 due to illness. But the good news is, he was back in action at practice on Jan. 14.
Bedard spoke about the illness, “Yeah, it’s kind of, I guess, what’s been going around, a little bit. But I tried to kind of get myself up and go. I was trying to… get to the game. But it didn’t work out, unfortunately. So, it sucks to miss, obviously, but [it] is what it is.”
He then elaborated on how the illness hit, “It was a little before [morning skate], and then I went to bed for like 20 to 30 minutes, and then I was good enough, and then skated, and then kind of after that, it started coming. So, you kind of wish it was earlier, so you had a little more time to get it out…”
The illness going around the Blackhawks locker room affected head coach Jeff Blashill, assistant coach Anders Sorensen, Louis Crevier, Arvid Söderblom, Spencer Knight, Ilya Mikheyev, Nick Foligno, and then Bedard.
But they are not clear yet. Sam Lafferty did not practice due to a stomach virus. Jeff Blashill said, “He went down yesterday. So, we were hoping we were out of the woods on it. But as of yesterday, no. So, hopefully we get through tonight clean.”
The stomach bug is something to still keep in mind with the team, but the hope is that it ends with Lafferty.
Teräväinen’s Injury Status
Forward Teuvo Teräväinen only played the first period in the Blackhawks game against the Oilers. Blashill said postgame that it was an upper-body injury and that they would have a better update on Wednesday, as he was being evaluated on their day off [Tuesday, Jan. 13].
Blashill’s latest update on Teräväinen’s status was, “Well, he didn’t obviously practice today. He will not play tomorrow, and I’ll probably have an update for you after that. So, I don’t know about Saturday yet. We’ll see.”
Related: Blackhawks’ Center “Dilemma”: Who Fits Best Down the Middle?
The Blackhawks do not want to be without Teräväinen for too long, as he is a big part of their top-six and special teams. Therefore, they’re hoping for a positive update after the Flames game.
The Blackhawks Look To Rebound
If there is one thing the Blackhawks have been known for this season, it’s how they rebound after losses. Take this past week, for example. They lost 5-1 to the Washington Capitals, and then followed it the next night with a 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators on the road on Jan. 10.
The Hawks did not play the game they expected against the Oilers, losing 4-1. Nothing really clicked that entire night. But if their history tells us anything, it’s that they should perform better against the Flames. Both captain Nick Foligno and Blashill mentioned after the Oilers game that they were looking to have a good practice on Wednesday [Jan. 14].
Therefore, how did Blashill assess their practice?
“I thought it was good. I thought it was really good, actually. I thought it was intense. The attention to detail was really good. The intensity was really good. I thought we got something done. I thought we got better today. So, ultimately, I think this team’s done a really good job of, you know, win or lose in the previous game, coming the next day, and trying to get better. And that’s what we’ve done. That’s what we did today, for sure.”
Whether their practice will translate into their game against the Flames will be one to watch, but it is a positive indication.
Be sure to stay tuned for the latest ‘Blackhawks News & Rumors’ throughout the season.
