Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville -- after conferring with the CIA consultants the Hawks employ to keep injury and any other organizational info quiet -- emerged after practice Tuesday to inform the world that star Patrick Kane will be out three weeks with a lower body injury.
Not sure where he got the lower body part, but perhaps the fact that Kane couldn't put any weight on his leg gave it away as an issue with his extremity. At least they were honest.
I will not try to sugarcoat this. In a month where the Hawks need an impressive record, losing their most gifted winger is -- as Bart Simpson might say -- icky-pants. Kane is a once-in-a-generation talent, so to think you can make up for that in some way is pie-in-the-sky stuff. Though why would I ever want a pie in the sky?
The Hawks will benefit from Marian Hossa's imminent return, and if he can regain the Hammer of Thor form he showed in the season's first 11 games, this blow will be softened. But if we get the glorified background scenery we saw before Nick Boynton continued his "Buffoon on Ice" act and took him out in practice then the Hawks could be in trouble.
So what's it going to be, Hawks? Is this the latest excuse you grapple on to explain some lackluster play? Or is this what makes you go out there and play as you have to because everyone says you're doomed?
