Blackhawks get some good news as Stalock, others return to practice

Chicago's earliest sunset of the year happened Thursday at 4:19 p.m. It was a go to work in the dark, come home in the dark kind of day.

The forecast for Chicago over the next week or so is a bit dismal.

But by next Sunday, the sun sneaks out.

The Blackhawks are on about the same schedule with injured players: currently in bleak circumstances and hoping to have them in the clear by next week.

Every team has to deal with injuries, but for a team who needs their core to have a shot at success, the Blackhawks have dealt with tough blows to their lineup.

Defenseman Seth Jones (thumb) and center Tyler Johnson (ankle) were the first ones to go down. Jones is back, but Johnson has been on injured reserve since Oct. 25.

After Johnson's injury, almost every goalie went down. Petr Mrazek injured his groin, and then he reinjured it. Alex Stalock has been dealing with a concussion since Nov. 1, so Arvid Soderblom has filled in for both goaltenders. Defenseman Jarred Tinordi (hip) has been out since Nov. 27, Center Sam Lafferty (back) has been inactive since about the same time as Tinordi, and Jonathan Toews missed their last game against the Devils with an illness.

But Thursday morning's practice at Fifth-Third Arena, it appears that the sun is peeking through the clouds, starting with the goalies.

Goaltenders Stalock and Mrazek, forwards Toews and Lafferty and defenseman Tinordi all hit the ice at Fifth Third Arena, and all but Mrazek were full participants in practice.

Stalock's return was most notable, since his status has wavered up and down since Islanders forward Casey Cizikas decked him back on Nov. 1 and gave him the first concussion of his career.

"We (went) from two to four (goalies)," Luke Richardson said. "We doubled. Didn't have enough nets or shooting drills for them."

Richardson said it was Mrazek's first day back practicing with the team, and Stalock is progressing well from the concussion protocol. Next up, Lafferty.

"If he feels good tomorrow, after going through today, and they're just bumping around after practice, he looked good," Richardson said. "We'll definitely get him back in the lineup tomorrow if he's ready."

Great news. What about Tinordi?

"Tinordi, a little bit more cautious with the hip and just make sure he's feeling OK tomorrow morning," Richardson said. "So, probably not tomorrow. If he feels as good as he did today going forward after practice, then hopefully the next game, which would be Washington."

Lafferty back, Tinordi and Mrazek getting close, and Stalock progressing. Johnson's been out for a month andaa half now. Is he close, too?

"He's on the ice and hopefully he'll join us over the weekend for practice," Richardson said. "Same thing (as Tinordi), may be possible next week but want to see how he's progressing. But I think he's getting close to being back to where he was right before he had a setback."

Toews will be back in the Friday lineup after his one-game absence due to illness.

Friday night's game will be a tough test, seeing as the Winnipeg Jets have outscored the Blackhawks 11-2 in just two games this season, but it'll be a positive to just get one or two of these players back in the lineup.

Even if it's not completely back to normal, it sounds like Blackhawks fans can be hopeful to have a sturdier lineup by the end of next week. Things are slowly getting better.

And when it rains, it pours.