Jeff Blashill just revealed that Patrick Kane has an upper-body injury and will miss at least a couple games for the Blackhawks.
The news lands on a night the Blackhawks lost 5-2 to the Avalanche at home. It's another hit for a team that was already searching for answers.
Ben Pope relayed Blashill's update on the injury and the minimum timeline.
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The next game on the schedule is Wednesday at Florida. Beyond "at least the next couple games," there's no firmer timeline on the table.
Kane had 1 goal and 8 assists through 14 games before tonight's game, along with a -15 rating. Those aren't the numbers of a first overall pick from 2007 who has 1409 career points.
| GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | |
| 2026-27 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 9 | -15 |
| Career | 1383 | 509 | 900 | 1409 | -16 |
But the production wasn't the only problem in Chicago. Before tonight, the Blackhawks sat at 4-9-1 with a -24 goal differential, and they had yet to win on the road, going 0-5-1 away from home.
Blashill was already frustrated. He called the 4-1 loss in Detroit a step backwards for the Blackhawks and pointed at players who weren't skating.
Who fills the void on the Blackhawks' top six
Blashill didn't say who moves up, and the sheet doesn't give us lines. That matters, because Kane's 9 points were still among the few sources of offense for a team that has scored 33 goals.
Without him, the Blackhawks have even fewer ways to create. A club already giving up far more than it scores can't afford to lose a veteran who drives its power play and its top line.
General manager Kyle Davidson was already reported to be shopping for scoring wingers with size. Kane's absence makes that search look more urgent, and it's the clearest sign the roster has a hole on the wing.
Chicago also has to keep the schedule in mind. This team is winless on the road, and the next stop is Florida.
The real question for Blashill is who gets the minutes Kane leaves behind, and the answer should come when the lines are skated in Wednesday's pregame.
Should the Blackhawks be patient with Patrick Kane's recovery, even while the losses pile up?
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