The Chicago Blackhawks are still without Marian Hossa in the lineup, but the forward is expected to return soon. Hossa has been out with a leg injury, and after travelling with the team for the game against St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, it looks like he will be back on the ice within the next week.
Hossa has been out for the Blackhawks since Feb. 13, but he has been making steady progress in his recovery. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Hossa was "likely" to play on Wednesday against St. Louis, but the Blackhawks decided to hold him out for the matchup.
Hossa practiced on Tuesday and participated in the morning skate ahead of the game on Wednesday with the team. If Hossa felt good after the skate, he was set up to return Wednesday, but the forward said he was not quite where he wanted to be yet.
"I'm still feeling it wasn't there yet and I don't want to rush it," Hossa said. "I'd rather wait an extra couple days. And bag skating also helps to get conditioning back where I want it to be and make sure if I am physically and mentally 100 percent. It's getting there, but I didn't feel like (Wednesday) was the day."
Hossa is a key player for the Blackhawks and when he returns he likely will play alongside Andrew Ladd and Jonathan Toews. The addition of Ladd at the trade deadline has helped things with Hossa out, but the Blackhawks would love to get him back ahead of the playoffs. Hossa has not been as productive this season as he has been in past years for the Blackhawks, but his experience and leadership is hard to replace.
Hossa has 28 points this season, including 10 goals and 18 assists in 54 games. Last season, Hossa did not miss a game for the Blackhawks and recorded 61 points in 82 games played. The team has not suffered much with Hossa out, as the Blackhawks remain in first place in the Central Division standings. The Blackhawks are currently tied with the Dallas Stars at the top of the division standings after earning a point in the shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues.
The game between the Blues and the Blackhawks was a thrilling one, with St. Louis winning in a shootout after the game went to overtime. Kevin Shattenkirk had the winning goal for the team in the sixth round of the shootout.
