The Chicago Blackhawks got some bad news on Friday as head coach Joel Quenneville said that forward Marian Hossa will not play against the New Jersey Devils.
The game will be the third straight contest that the winger has missed after he suffered a lower body injury in a game last week against the Minnesota Wild. In that span the Chicago offense has surged, scoring nine goals in two games, but they hold a 1-0-1 record in those contests.
Quenneville said that Hossa didn’t make the trip to New Jersey with the team, but he is hopeful that the veteran will return on Sunday when the Hawks take on the Edmonton Oilers at the United Center.
With Hossa out, it appears that Ryan Garbutt will once again skate with the top line in his place, with Artemi Panarin on the left wing and Jonathan Toews skating at center. Garbutt did sit out during the morning skate, but Quenneville indicated that the forward was getting some extra rest.
The team will also slot in Viktor Tikhonov on the right wing side of the third line, with Ryan Hartman having been sent back down to Rockford earlier this week. Tikhonov will skate with Tanner Kero and Marko Dano.
