Blackhawks: Brandon Hagel and MacKenzie Entwistle to Miss Time

Two of the regulars in the Chicago Blackhawks lineup are set to miss differing amounts of time with injury. Both were shaken up in the game against Nashville and missed Tuesday night’s game against the Penguins.

MacKenzie Entwistle is set to miss four to six weeks and was added to the Long Term Injured Reserve on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old center has only 3 points in his 12 NHL games this season but has shown physicality by recording 30 hits on the year.

Brandon Hagel was also shaken up against the Predators but fortunately his injury is much less severe with the 23-year-old set to miss two weeks.

Hagel has been producing more than Entwistle recording six points in 13 games including scoring four goals in his last six games prior to the injury. He scored the opening goal in the Hawks overtime win against Nashville before going out with his knock.

Hagel and Entwistle especially earned a spot in the Hawks lineup with strong performances during training camp and preseason and it could have an effect on Chicago’s penalty kill which is tied for 3rd in the NHL right now at 88.89%. The two injured Hawks have skated together on that PK for most of the season.

Reece Johnson has already been called up, most likely to replace Entwistle but the Hawks may call up the red-hot Lukas Reichel to cover for Hagel.

On some positive injury news, Wyatt Kalynuk has been taken off of LTIR and sent to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs to get his skates under him before presumably being called back up to the NHL team. The 24-year-old defenseman played 21 games with the Hawks last season tallying 9 points. His being back among the defensive pairings could eventually help the struggling back line.

The Blackhawks definitely have had a lot of injuries this season so far, but the season continues with a game tonight against the Coyotes.