The Chicago Blackhawks still have two games left on their current road trip, but the team stopped in Chicago for the past few days to rest and recuperate after a few tough losses in a row.
There is some good news that has emerged from the layover however, as Kris Versteeg skated with the team during Thursday’s practice.
Wearing a non-contact jersey, Versteeg participated in the workout with the team, and said that he’s targeting a return early next week for the Blackhawks when they return home for a lengthy homestand.
According to reports, Versteeg will travel with the team to Winnipeg and St. Louis for the Hawks’ next two games, but he won’t participate in either contest. Instead, he’ll continue practicing with the team and working his way back into game shape.
While it would be silly to panic about the Hawks’ lack of offense the last two games (defensively, it’s another story), getting Versteeg back is going to restore a good amount of balance to the lineup.
Even if he’s put onto their third line along with Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell, Versteeg still adds a scoring element to that line, and he’ll help alleviate some of the pressure on his linemates to score, and that can only be a good thing for Chicago’s offense.
