Artemi Panarin is expected to miss the first few preseason games because of an upper-body injury.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Monday the rookie forward would be out a few days, but didn’t say how or when the injury happened. Panarin participated in the team’s practices during the three-day training camp at Notre Dame, but was absent during the scrimmage Monday at the United Center.
The Hawks signed the Russian winger to a two-year deal in May. He led SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL in scoring — ahead of Ilya Kovalchuk — with 26 goals and 62 points in 54 games. He added 20 points and 20 playoff games during SKA’s Gagarin Cup championship run.
Chicago will also be without Marcus Kruger on Tuesday when they take on the Detroit Red Wings. Kruger could arrive one day late due to visa issues that kept in out of the team’s camp. The 25-year-old Swedish forward re-signed with the team in September on a one-year contract worth $1.5 million.