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Report: Blackhawks winger Bryan Bickell will miss 6-8 weeks with wrist surgery

Vancouver Canucks v Chicago Blackhawks - Game Six

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 24: of the Chicago Blackhawks of the Vancouver Canucks in Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center on April 24, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Jonathan Daniel

The Chicago Blackhawks leaned heavily on its big name players during the regular season, but a ragtag line of lesser-known players helped launch them into an improbable run to Game 7. Sure, Chicago’s biggest names made the biggest difference, but the line of Dave Bolland, Michael Frolik and Bryan Bickell scored some big points in this dramatic turnaround.

After a solid 37-point output during the 2010-11 season, Bickell has been a difference-maker in the team’s first round series against the Vancouver Canucks. He scored two goals and two assists for four points in five games, with a point in his last four.

Update: The Blackhawks announced that he will miss 6-8 weeks. Sami Salo’s errant skate blade appeared to cut his wrist in Game 2, but after missing Game 3, he played in Games 4-6 anyway. He won’t play in that penultimate game after undergoing surgery on two tendons in that wrist, though.

It’s unclear who will take his spot in the lineup. While it’s a tough loss for Bickell and the Blackhawks, Chicago has been awfully resilient in this series. A typical playoff series takes around two weeks, so barring an unexpectedly quick recovery, he’s probably done for the postseason whether they repeat as champions or not.