This season the Blackhawks have rarely been fully healthy. When one player gets close to returning, almost always another player or players can't play.
The Hawks will get one key player back Friday against the Avalanche, but they will be without two other important contributors.
Corey Crawford will get the start in net for the first time since undergoing an appendectomy on Dec. 3 while Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa will both miss the game because of upper-body injuries.
It will be the third straight game Anisimov has missed and the first for Hossa, who was injured Tuesday. Anisimov was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 18, meaning he is eligible to play Tuesday if healthy enough.
"I don't think we've had a big number of injuries but they've been key and it looks like as soon as you're healthy something else pops up," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "I think everybody deals with it."
With Anisimov and Hossa injured the Hawks were down to only 11 healthy forwards before recalling center Tanner Kero from Rockford.
Kero will play Friday and skated on a line with Andrew Desjardins and Jordin Tootoo at practice Thursday. Kero leads Rockford with 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) and played in 17 games with the Hawks last season.
"I've been keeping track of them and watching the games," Kero said. "They've been playing really well. You can tell their confidence is getting a lot higher and they're getting more comfortable. That's what you want to do. You want to play hard, play smart, but still try to play your game and be as comfortable as you can.
"You try not to think too much about it. You just go out every shift and try and work hard and prove that you earned that spot here and you belong."
Quenneville said there has been a silver lining amid all of the injuries. The Hawks' depth has been able to help them keep getting points while players heal and it has given an opportunity for the younger players on the team to step up in big minutes. Of late, Vincent Hinostroza, Ryan Hartman and Tyler Motte have all scored goals. The three skated on the same line at Thursday's practice.
"It was good to find out about some of the younger guys in some different situations with different players and the lines were constantly in flux," Quenneville said. "You learn a little bit about your players. You learn about your team as well. I think that's helped us out as we've gone through this and some of the tests have been passed in a good way."
