Injury Bug Bites Chicago Blackhawks Hard and Early

The Chicago Blackhawks have already been hit with multiple injuries.

On the first day of training camp, the Chicago Blackhawks were dealt a serious blow. 2019 first-round pick, Kirby Dach, was sidelined with a concussion and will be in concussion protocol. As of now, there is no timetable for his return.

Dach likely sustained the concussion in the 7th place game at the Traverse City Prospects tournament. He took a nasty hit into the boards from a Minnesota Wild prospect.

This concussion likely diminishes Dach’s already slim chance to make the Blackhawks out of training camp.

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Management should focus on making sure Dach’s health is priority number one over him making the NHL at 18 years old.

No player should ever rush back from a concussion and the approach with Dach should be even more measured, as he is an integral part of the Chicago Blackhawks future.

Although Dach seemed a long shot for the team in 2019-20, his skills were on full display at Blackhawks’ development camp and the rookie tournament. He had many believing he had a real shot coming out of camp.

It is just disappointing that his shot at making the roster was derailed by a 7th place game in Traverse City.

The Blackhawks also announced that fellow prospect, Phillip Kurashev, will also be out with an injury, specified as a knee and shoulder injury.

Like with Dach, Kurashev also sustained the injury during the 7th place game at the Traverse City tournament.

Kurashev could also be a dark horse to make the Blackhawks out of camp as he has impressed at the junior level. In his short stint with the Rockford IceHogs and at the World Championships.

Although Kurashev was part of the injury report to kickoff camp, he did skate prior to the morning practice today and it appears as though he won’t miss much time at camp.

The final name on the injury report was an expected one, with Calvin de Haan, who is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.

We did, however, get a time frame for when de Haan would return. His time table is listed as 2-3 weeks. Three weeks from today would be the season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers in Prague on October 4th.

That would make it a bit tight. I think it is likely that de Haan will make his Blackhawks debut at home, against the San Jose Sharks on October 10th, barring any setbacks.

We are only one day into 2019-2020 training camp, and there have been a few setbacks, but we are still three weeks out from the start of the season in Prague. It has been a wild start, but there is still more to come as the NHL season gets into full swing.