The Blackhawks announced two injury updates — one bad, one terrible — Thursday.
The bad: Connor Murphy is expected to miss 10-14 days with a right hip injury.
The terrible: Andrew Shaw has suffered another concussion and been placed on Injured Reserve.
“It’s the personal part that’s hard to swallow,” a visibly saddened, shaken coach Jeremy Colliton said after morning skate.
“We’ve got to professionally do our job and come in here and play hard. We have a good thing going but we have to earn it every day. Part of it is doing it without your full group. We have to do both: feel for ‘Shawzy’ and get it done anyway.”
Shaw’s NHL career has been dotted with frequent head injuries, and his most recent previous concussion — in November 2019 — kept him out for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.
He returned with rejuvenated spirits for the 2021 season, but said during training camp that his recovery from that concussion last months and was physically and emotionally draining.
“Feeling down and sore and in pain and having headaches, it’s tough to love the game at that point,” he said Jan. 6.
Colliton said Shaw suffered this concussion when he was elbowed in the head during the Hawks’ game Tuesday against the Stars. A hit on Shaw by Dallas’ Joel Hanley in the second period matches the description.
It looks like Andrew Shaw was likely concussed on this elbow-to-the-face hit by Dallas’ Joel Hanley on Tuesday: pic.twitter.com/SlOAPcHvTh
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) February 11, 2021
Murphy has also dealt with numerous injuries in recent years, although none as concerning for his long-term health as Shaw’s.
He missed that game Tuesday and the Hawks dressed two additional defensemen, Lucas Carlsson and Madison Bowey, to fill his large vacated role. They’ll do the same Thursday against the Blue Jackets, Colliton said.
