The Chicago Blackhawks seem like they’re getting a lot healthier going forward.
Most immediately, Marian Hossa and Artem Anisimov are back in the mix against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, according to CSNChicago.com’s Tracey Myers. (Ryan Garbutt may also be in the lineup.)
The more interesting aspect of the morning skate was Duncan Keith’s presence, his admissions about his injury issues and the possibility that he may return fairly soon.
In fact, the ideal situation would be him returning as soon as he can for IR reasons: next Saturday.
Coach Joel Quenneville says he has "fingers crossed" hoping Duncan Keith can return for Saturday's game vs. Blues. #Blackhawks
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) November 8, 2015
The most startling - if not surprising - revelation was that Keith was injured during the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.
Yes, that time he played about half of every game and rightly won the Conn Smythe Trophy.
/waits for you to add this to your “hockey players are tough” files.
Q when told Keith said he talked of suffering injury in finals: "We did not know about it." #Blackhawks
— Tracey Myers (@Tramyers_NHL) November 8, 2015
Keith expands on that situation, which you can read about from these sources.
“It’s just one of those things where you kind of deal with a lot of different little injuries and pains and you don’t think too much of it, really,” Keith said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “When all of a sudden you get back on the ice [and] it’s not better, you’re kind of wondering what the heck happened.”
Even with Keith possibly getting back, the Chicago Tribune reports that the Blackhawks are shopping for defense.