There’s a decent list of Chicago Blackhawks updates and news items to sort through on this Monday afternoon, so let’s get into it.
Up first: Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek, who was placed on injured reserve with a groin strain over the weekend, likely won’t be back until November.
Luke Richardson thought it could be 1-2 weeks for Petr Mrazek (groin strain).
“It’s probably at least a week, could be two weeks, but it’s hard to tell with a goalie with a lower-body strain. I think with his history we’re just making sure that we do the right way for him.”
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) October 24, 2022
Mrazek was appeared to sustain that injury late in the second period of Friday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings and did not play in the third or in overtime.
Here’s a look at the final seconds of the second period. Petr Mrazek looked a little uncomfortable on that last save but skated off on his own. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/wK5aOHCH0l
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 22, 2022
Alex Stalock handled the rest of that game, all of Sunday and will be the primary option going forward. Arvid Soderblom should factor in over the weekend, though:
Luke Richardson said the tentative plan is for Alex Stalock to start Tuesday and Thursday, and Arvid Soderblom likely gets one of the back-to-backs over the weekend.
Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy are good to go after having maintenance days at practice. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 24, 2022
As mentioned in the tweet from Roumeliotis above, veterans Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy did not practice on Monday but should be in the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers.
Forward Boris Katchouk, who was injured in the preseason, was a full participant in Monday’s practice but isn’t quite ready for a return to game action yet:
Katchouk needs a few more practice days before he’ll be cleared, Richardson said, but it sounds like he could return within a week or so.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 24, 2022
Speaking of returning to action, coach Luke Richardson said that there will be a shift in personnel on the blue line for that Panthers’ game on Tuesday:
Like Richardson says Caleb Jones is in for Filip Roos tomorrow. Dickinson and Murphy are good to go. Stalock starts vs Panthers.
— Greg Boysen (@GregBoysen) October 24, 2022
That move feels a touch on the side of annoying because Roos has looked pretty good in the first four games of his NHL career this month. Roos averaged 16:45 of ice time and has some of the best 5-on-5 possession stats on the team: 52.0 percent share of shot attempts (third among Chicago defenseman), 63.7 percent share of expected goals (second) and 73.68 percent share of high-danger chances. He’s also doing this with an offensive zone start percentage of 46.67 percent, which is fifth among Blackhawks defensemen, meaning that he’s not just benefitting from heavily sheltered minutes.
It’s early, though. So we’ll just keep an eye on this as the season progresses.