Patrick Kane injury could not have come at worse time for Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are going through a tough stretch, to say the least. The team has lost three in a row, but the latest defeat saw the team lose something more valuable.

Veteran leader and franchise icon Patrick Kane left Monday night’s loss to the Colorado Avalanche with what appeared to be a mysterious injury. The broadcast showed Kane talking to the coaching staff before departing for the night.

Now, what exactly the injury was remains unclear. The belief is that whatever it was, happened on one of these shifts.

Following the game, Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill said that Patrick Kane would miss “a couple of games.” That’s typical coachspeak for a potentially serious injury, but there’s no certainty about how serious the problem could be.

Irrespective of how it works out, Kane’s injury could not have come at a worse time. The Blackhawks are supposed to be looking to take the next step in the rebuild. And that’s why Kane's return to Chicago meant bridging the glory days with the next wave of stars.

However, Kane’s departure due to injury means that the core veteran leader is out of the picture, at least on the ice. And that’s something that could very well impact the team’s overall ability to turn things around.

Patrick Kane injury also affects Connor Bedard

Yes, the Blackhawks lose Patrick Kane’s veteran leadership and his production on the ice, but the loss also affects the team’s captain, Connor Bedard. One of the key points of bringing Kane back was to support Bedard in his growth as a leader. That support was more about helping the 21-year-old team leader ease into a long-term role. Unfortunately, Bedard will have to lean on Kane’s tutelage off the ice.

Beyond Patrick Kane’s influence, the team will be missing his scoring. While Kane is nowhere near the high-profile scorer he once was, the fact is that the Blackhawks need all of the offensive production they can get.

Now, the rest of the lineup will need to pick up the slack. The overall picture looks bullish, and Roman Kantserov and Anton Frondell have looked good so far this season.

But you have to wonder just how much more support the Blackhawks will need to get over the hump this season. Sure, the playoffs may be an unrealistic goal in 2026-27. There is still an expectation that the team can turn a corner and show that the rebuild has begun to bear fruit.

Thus far, it hasn’t been the case. And it could lead to even more impatience from fans in Chicago.

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