Turns out the recovery period for Patrick Kane’s fractured left clavicle is longer than first thought.
On Wednesday, the Blackhawks confirmed that Kane underwent successful surgery, but would be sidelined for two months -- a lengthier timetable than the 6-10 weeks some reports suggested earlier.
“Patrick underwent successful surgery today to repair his left clavicle fracture,” Blackhawks team physician Dr. Michael Terry said in a statement. “The procedure went very well and we anticipate a full recovery in approximately 12 weeks.”
Today, the ‘Hawks put Kane on long-term injured reserve to free up cap space for a potential trade. The significance and severity of Kane’s injury will likely force Chicago GM Stan Bowman to alter his deadline approach; in addition to missing the remainder of the regular season, Kane is going to miss a significant chunk of playoff time -- or all of it, depending on how far the Blackhawks advance.
Assuming Kane is able to return by late May or early June, Chicago would likely need to be either in the Western Conference or Stanley Cup Final. Last year, the WC Final began on May 18 and ended on June 1; the Stanley Cup Final began on June 4 and ended on the 13th.