Hawks expect Sharp to return before playoffs
Losing Patrick Sharp for the next few weeks is a bitter pill for the Blackhawks to swallow, but the news Tuesday could have been far worse.
“It could have been another Jordan Hendry,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said in reference to losing the defenseman for the season with a torn ACL.
Quenneville wouldn't say whether Sharp sprained or strained his left knee in Sunday's win over Phoenix when he collided with defenseman Rostislav Klesla, but the good thing for the Hawks is they expect to have their leading goal scorer back in the lineup before the end of the regular season and certainly for the playoffs.
The Hawks have 10 games to play with their last game April 10 against Detroit.
“We hope to have him back before the end of the regular season,” Quenneville said. “That's where he's at right now.
“It's not long term. He feels better the last couple days and we'll see where he's at in the next little bit.”
The timing of Sharp's injury hurts a Hawks team already without second-line center Dave Bolland and fighting for its life to make the playoffs in the Western Conference.
Viktor Stalberg will take Sharp's spot at left wing on the first line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, although Quenneville has other options such as Troy Brouwer and Tomas Kopecky depending on the game situation.
“The last game we put a couple guys in that spot and I thought Viktor did a good job,” Quenneville said. “We have other options as well, but that line has been such an important part of our team and our recent success.
“That line has been very productive in a lot of ways, and Sharpie has been effective all year long for us. I still think our checking part of our game has got to be the area we have to reinforce our team game with. I don't think that we have to replace Sharpie with goals. We should be thinking about checking in that position and our whole team game as well.”
Stalberg knows he is not going to be asked to be the scorer Sharp was with Toews and Kane.
“I don't think anyone expects me to go out there and replace Sharpie,” Stalberg said. “I'll try to do everything I can to bring something else, and hopefully I'll be able to get a lot of pucks in their hands and go to the net hard.
“We have to find a way to score by committee and fill the void for him.”
The Hawks might get injured defenseman Brian Campbell back tonight against Florida. Campbell practiced on Tuesday and said he would see how he feels again in the morning skate.
“I'm a little winded and my timing was off, but overall I feel pretty good,” Campbell said. “If I can play, I'll play. We'll see how it is and go from there.”
While Bolland remains out indefinitely with a concussion, prospect Marcus Kruger will join the team today from Sweden and could be in the lineup against the Panthers.
Kruger is a Bolland-type player with a strong all-around game. He could slide into the third-line center spot behind Toews and Michael Frolik.
With the playoff chase in the West waiting for no injured players, the Hawks understand they must keep gathering points no matter who's in the lineup.
“We just have to step it up and find a way,” Toews said. “That's what we've done all year. No matter what we've faced we've struggled through it and found a way, and that's what we're going to keep doing.”
Ÿ Follow Tim's Hawks reports via Twitter @TimSassone, and join the conversation with Blackhawks fans on his Between the Circles blog at dailyherald.com.