Chicago Blackhawks center Artem Anisimov has been a vital cog in the team’s success so far this season, but now the Hawks will have to play without him for a while as he’s been placed on injured reserve.
Anisimov, who has 14 goals and 13 assists so far this season, suffered a lower-body injury during Saturday’s win over the St. Louis Blues, and he’s missed the team’s last two games. The “injured reserve” designation means that there is no set number of games that he will be required to miss, but it does clear a roster spot for a player to come up to replace him.
That player is Tanner Kero, who has been red-hot as of late for the Rockford IceHogs. The young center has seven goals and 13 assists in 28 games for the IceHogs this season, and he can play both even strength and penalty killing minutes for the Blackhawks if Joel Quenneville is so inclined.
In 17 NHL games last season, Kero had one goal and two assists in his first stint in the big leagues with the Blackhawks.
Kero will likely be in the lineup for the Blackhawks on Friday night when they battle the Colorado Avalanche in their final pre-Christmas break contest. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the United Center.
