Note: The following tweet is from a year ago.
Jonathan Toews out indefinitely with medical issue.
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2020
MORE: https://t.co/mUoOQEZVA7 pic.twitter.com/k4fVb6kTC7
Way before the puck dropped in the Hawks season opener in Tampa Bay to face the Stanley Cup champion Lightning, it was announced that captain Jonathan Toews would sit out the entire season for an undisclosed health reason. Kirby Dach also fractured his wrist in a WJC exhibition that knocked him out until late March.
Another center in Dylan Strome went unsigned until January 3 and many argue he would've been a goner had Toews and Dach not been incapacitated. Additionally, Alex Nylander had knee surgery that wiped out his capacity to play at all. Furthermore, defenseman Brent Seabrook never suited up last season either.
But former head coach Jeremy Colliton had the Hawks winning and in the playoff hunt through what many claimed as "smoke and mirrors" vis-a-vis compete and hustle that masked a porous defense caused by a defensive scheme that the players struggled to implement as it was more rote memorization than instinctual fundamentals.
Then March came and the wheels flew off. The beginning of this season was a disaster, too, as a winless streak got Colliton the boot. With a surge to kick off the Derek King tenure as interim head coach, the Hawks are now a .500 hockey team. Yet, the pandemic reared its ugly head again by forcing mass cancelations.
At time of print, tomorrow's New Year's Day game against the Predators in Nashville and Sunday's game at home versus the Flames are still on as scheduled. Fingers crossed that plans go unchanged especially with CDC clarification on quarantine time, enhanced league COVID measures, and the reintroduction of taxi squads.
Just like 2020, 2021 can't end soon enough. Hope and pray for a less tumultuous 2022.
Have a festive and safe New Year’s Eve and here’s to a healthy new year.
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Roster Updates
Borgstrom & Khaira
MEDICAL UPDATE: Henrik Borgstrom (non-COVID related illness) and Jujhar Khaira (concussion protocol) have been activated from injured reserve. pic.twitter.com/0VsWtWWgkd
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 30, 2021
DeBrincat - Borgstrom - Kane Hagel - Toews - Strome Kubalik - Dach - Kurashev Carpenter - Entwistle - Khaira
Slavin & Regula
The #Blackhawks have recalled defenseman Alec Regula and forward Josiah Slavin from the @goicehogs and assigned them to the taxi squad.@enterprise | 📝 âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/bY7ijTBI1e pic.twitter.com/wVKUg4OQw5
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 30, 2021
So on the one hand, that's odd from a merit standpoint that Regula is up over the aforementioned D prospects also on the farm. But on the other hand, his assignment to the taxi squad -- and the assignment of any other player for that matter -- may be based on different criteria that management has that's not solely on merit.
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IceHogs Updates
Games Postponed
IceHogs Games Postponed: Due to AHL COVID-19 protocols, our games vs. @Chicago_Wolves on Friday (NYE) at the BMO and at Chicago on Sat., Jan. 1 have been postponed.
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) December 30, 2021
Details and Ticket Info ⤵ï¸https://t.co/fjWYeuuUk5 pic.twitter.com/OfTLSF1PSx
McKay & LeGuerrier
Hogs on the Move: We have reassigned Riley McKay and Jacob LeGuerrier to the @IndyFuel https://t.co/pkMt0i10vL pic.twitter.com/ljZztU1ySn
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) December 30, 2021
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See you on the boards!