Blackhawks forwards Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith will be out for the rest of the season due to a concussion and back injury, respectively.
Shaw was placed on long-term injured reserve Dec. 9 after he sustained a concussion against the Avalanche on Nov. 30 in Denver. He had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 26 games before he missed the past 38 games with the concussion.
Chicago re-acquired Shaw with a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft from Montreal on June 30, 2019, for second- and seventh-round picks in the 2020 draft and a third-round pick in 2021. The Blackhawks acquired a 2020 second-round pick back in the Robin Lehner trade Monday with the Golden Knights.
Shaw, who turns 29 in July, has two more years on his contract with a $3.9 million salary cap hit per season.
Smith, who was acquired by Chicago from Ottawa in July in exchange for Artem Anisimov, will undergo season-ending back surgery next Friday. He has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 50 games this season, but has been out of the lineup for seven straight games since his last appearance, skating 10:13 in Chicago’s 3-0 loss to the Canucks on Feb. 12.
Smith, who’ll be 32 in April, is signed for one more season at $3.25 million on a contract that includes a modified no-trade clause.
Shaw and Smith join defensemen Calvin de Haan (right shoulder) and Brent Seabrook (right shoulder/left and right hip) as Blackhawks players out for the season due to injuries. Both de Haan and Seabrook have already undergone surgeries for their injuries and are expected to return in time for training camp next fall.
Note
The Blackhawks recalled forward Brandon Hagel from the AHL on an emergency basis Saturday. Hagel, who leads Rockford with 19 goals and is third in points at 30 in 55 games during his rookie season, did not make his NHL debut in his previous two NHL call ups.
His call up does not count against Chicago’s four NHL call ups after the NHL trade deadline.