Blackhawks forced to put two players on COVID-19 protocol list

According to Chicago Blackhawks Beat Reporter Ben Pope, the team has placed forward Alex DeBrincat along with defenceman Adam Boqvist on the COVID-19 protocol list.

This is devastating news for a Blackhawks team which is dealing with multiple injuries and is already very thin on paper. Prior to this announcement, they were already without Brent Seabrook, Jonathan Toews, William Nylander, and Kirby Dach. As of now, they are sitting fourth place in the Central Division with a 2-3-1 record. Despite sitting fourth however, things aren't looking good for early on as both the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars trail them by just one point despite playing in four fewer games.

DeBrincat, 23, was off to a solid start this season, with six points in six games. Despite having a down season last year where he recorded just 45 points, he showed everyone in 2018-19 just how good he is capable of being when he scored 41 goals and 76 points in 82 contests. Boqvist, 20, was also off to a good start this season, recording three assists in six games. The 20-year-old appeared in 41 games with the Blackhawks as a rookie last season, registering 13 points. He also suited up for eight playoff contests but was held pointless.

While it isn't known yet how long DeBrincat and Boqvist will miss, fans will certainly be hoping it is short term given their upcoming schedule. The Blackhawks have four games over their next seven days, which starts with a back-to-back set against the Nashville Predators tomorrow night and includes two games against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday and Sunday.

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