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Ben Smith “day to day” with concussion while Brendan Smith will meet Shanahan in person

Dave Bolland, Brendan Smith, Ben Smith

Chicago Blackhawks’ Dave Bolland (36) approaches Detroit Red Wings’ Brendan Smith, front center, after Smith knocked out the Blackhawks Ben Smith, left, with a hit to the face as the referee calls a penalty in the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game in Chicago on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Cherney)

AP

The update on what’s going on after last night’s Smith-on-Smith crime from last night is pretty straight up. CSNChicago’s Tracey Myers gets the update on Ben Smith’s condition from coach Joel Quenneville and it’s mysterious at best.

Quenneville reports that Smith is doing OK but he’s “day to day” with what’s presumed to be a concussion. The hit from Detroit’s Brendan Smith that knocked Ben Smith out on the ice was a vicious blow to the head not unlike those we’ve seen in the past to other players that put them out for a spell with a concussion.

As for Detroit’s Smith, he’s set to have a face-to-face meeting with NHL player safety disciplinary czar Brendan Shanahan later today. Face-to-face meetings tend to indicate that a suspension of more than five games is on the way and given how Shanahan has done things already in the preseason, Smith is going to get a sizable suspension. The Shana-ban is coming.

Even though Smith has no prior record and is likely headed back to the AHL, he violated Rule 48 and delivered an awful hit to the head of an opponent that led to an injury. He’ll get a big suspension.