Blackhawks Patrick Kane Out 12 Weeks After Surgery
The Chicago Blackhawks’ chances of winning their third Stanley Cup title since 2010 have taken a huge hit.
Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane underwent surgery to repair what the team is calling a “left clavicle fracture’’ on Wednesday. The 26-year-old is expected to miss the next three months, which puts a return before the end of the Blackhawks’ 2014-15 campaign in serious doubt.
“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.’’
Kane was injured in the first period of the Blackhawks’ 3-2 shootout win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. Cross-checked by Florida’s Alex Petrovic, Kane appeared to lose his balance and fell awkwardly into the boards. He got up and slowly skated off the ice favoring the left side of his upper body.
Kane was placed on long-term injured reserve on Wednesday, giving the Blackhawks around $5 million in salary cap space with the trade deadline coming up on March 2.
The right wing was tied with Philadelphia’s Jakub Voracek and Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom for the league-lead in points before the injury; he’s scored 205 goals with 352 assists in his eight-year NHL career. His absence leaves a big hole for the Blackhawks to fill, with Kane earning a point on 37.2 percent of Chicago’s goals this season.
Kane, a native of Buffalo, is also one of the young stars for Team USA, playing 12 games for the US in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, scoring three goals with six assists.
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