Nov. 20--Trevor van Riemsdyk, who came out of nowhere to win a job with the Chicago Blackhawks with a strong training camp, will be sidelined three to four months with a left knee injury.
The defenseman will undergo surgery Thursday to repair a left patella fracture after taking a shot off his left knee from the Dallas Stars' Trevor Daley during Sunday night's game.
"We anticipate a full recovery in three to four months and look forward to his return," Hawks team physician Michael Terry said Wednesday.
The 23-year-old van Riemsdyk had one assist in 18 games this season and was a steadying factor along the blue line despite his limited NHL experience. Van Riemsdyk originally was credited with a goal in the Blackhawks 5-2 win over San Jose on Nov. 9, but the goal was later credited to Kris Versteeg.
Van Riemsdyk, whose older brother James plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, was signed by the Hawks as an undrafted free agent out of the University of New Hampshire.
The Hawks recalled fellow rookie Adam Clendening from Rockford on Tuesday to replace van Riemsdyk on the roster for the six-game road trip that begins against the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
