Feb. 02--When the Blackhawks played the Hurricanes on Jan. 26, captain Jonathan Toews was sick but decided to play. He ended up sitting out the third period in the Hawks' 5-0 loss.
Toews was too sick to participate in Sunday's All-Star Game, which means he must miss Tuesday's game against the Avalanche, per an NHL rule that stirred the ire of Hawks fans. The rule states if a player is too sick or injured to play in the All-Star Game, he must sit out either the game before or the game after the All-Star break.
But Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said he was not sure if Toews could have sat out against the Hurricanes and been eligible to play Tuesday.
"I don't know if that's the rule. I don't know if it's the game prior or the game after," Quenneville said. "I'm not sure exactly what the protocol is."
Toews played in all but one regular-season game last season and missed six games the season before. Quenneville said Toews, who was not at practice Monday, was "recovering" and will join the team Wednesday in Arizona before playing the Coyotes on Thursday.
"We just told him to meet us there and get some extra rest," Quenneville said.
With Toews out, Teuvo Teravainen took Toews' spot centering the top line between left wing Andrew Shaw and right wing Marian Hossa.
No rest for Kane: Patrick Kane practiced Monday even though he could have been excused after playing in the All-Star Game. Kane wasn't aware he could have skipped.
"The coaching staff didn't tell me that," he said.
Despite his busy weekend, Kane said he felt refreshed
"I feel really good, surprisingly good," he said. "It was good for me to get out there, practice with the team, get the body moving. Even though you're in the All-Star Game and skills competition, there's still a lot of sitting around, standing around, waiting for things to happen."
Rozsival ailing: Defensemen Duncan Keith and Michal Rozsival missed practice, though Keith is fine to play Tuesday while Quenneville said Rozsival is questionable because of a lower-body injury.
