Return Of Veteran Forward A Huge Boost For Blackhawks
Before Tuesday night’s big win over the Avalanche, the then-9-20-1 Blackhawks were a struggling team, to say the least. On a four-game losing streak, the squad had suffered extensive injuries and had an IR list that seemed to grow with every game.
After beginning the season on IR while recovering from a sports hernia surgery he underwent in March, forward Colin Blackwell finally returned to the lineup for Tuesday’s game. He didn’t miss a beat – the 30-year-old was the most energetic player on the ice all night. He skated hard and fast and seemed to invigorate the whole team.
Though Blackwell initially faced a recovery timeline of 12 weeks from his surgery in late March, he suffered a series of what he called “setbacks”, which made it so he couldn’t resume everyday activities without significant pain. His path to getting back on the ice was an emotional one, and Blackwell says he leaned on his loved ones for support.
Blackwell’s excellent game Tuesday didn’t go unnoticed by head coach Luke Richardson and his staff. With the Blackhawks leading 3-2 with under two minutes left in the game, the veteran was on the ice, a clear sign of trust from the coaching staff. In his first NHL game in nearly 10 months, that’s great news for the rest of his season.
The veteran also provided Chicago with the biggest moment of the night when he crushed Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon against the boards at the end of the game:
Blackwell is currently finishing out a two-year deal with the Blackhawks with a $1.2 million AAV. He doesn’t exactly fit the timeline of the team’s rebuild at 30 years old, but he’s certainly a great asset to the team for the remainder of the year. From what we’ve seen in one game for the veteran, he should be able to give the Blackhawks a nice boost.