Shaw returns to Hawks Wednesday, Danault to Rockford

After missing the opening leg of the circus trip with an upper body injury, Andrew Shaw will be back in the Wednesday night against Colorado.

“He's fine, he's ready,” coach Joel Quenneville said following practice on Tuesday. “He's excited about playing. He's back.”

Shaw will skate alongside Bryan Bickell and Daniel Carcillo, who made a quick trip home to be with girlfriend Ela for the birth of their baby boy, Austin Wolf

With Shaw returning, the Hawks reassigned forward Phillip Danault to Rockford.

Danault, 21, played in two games with the Hawks, including his NHL debut in Edmonton on Saturday.

Playing the Blues?

It looks like Patrick Sharp (knee) could return to action next week against St. Louis.

“Sharpie has been skating; it looks like he's going to be close to be playing here at the end of this trip,” Joel Quenneville told 720 WGN-AM on Tuesday morning. “I would likely see him starting when we've got St. Louis in the next week.”

Sharp has been out of action since Nov. 4.

On the rebound:

Backup goalie Antti Raanta was back on the ice for practice Tuesday, still bummed about missing out on his chance to start in Edmonton due to an illness.

“Of course, I was pretty disappointed,” said Raanta, who has not started a game since late October. “You're feeling pretty bad, and then you don't even get in the game.

“It was tough, but that's how life goes.”

The Hawks have back-to-back games against Anaheim and L.A. this weekend, so Raanta might get his chance, though Joel Quenneville wouldn't divulge his plans just yet.

Making the list:

The Sports Business Journal, in its 10th annual reader's survey, named Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz as the top owner in the NHL.

“It wasn't just local, which is good,” Joel Quenneville said of the poll. “I think people are aware of what Rocky's done. The whole organization has transformed over the years with his vision.”

Also, the Hawks and the L.A. Kings tied for the top spot for teams who over the last five years have shown the most innovation in business practices.

Getting the votes:

The Blackhawks occupy four of the top 10 spots in the first week of All-Star voting.

Forwards Patrick Kane (73,551) and Jonathan Toews (71,734), defenseman Duncan Keith (66,723), and goaltender Corey Crawford (51,212) ranked fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth, respectively.

Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban was the top vote-getter in Week 1 with 100,133 votes.

Hockey net worth:

Forbes on Tuesday ranked the Blackhawks as the NHL's fourth-most valuable team, worth approximately $825 million, up 32 percent from last year.

The Hawks trailed only Toronto, Montreal and the New York Rangers, all of whom were worth over $1 billion.

In another Forbes ranking, Penguins fans were named the best in the NHL with Hawks fans second.

He said it:

“The guys were a little rah-rah ha-ha.”

— Joel Quenneville on the pace of practice Tuesday in Denver