Well, folks, it looks like the Chicago Blackhawks are playing a bit of musical chairs with their roster. They’ve waved their magic wand and *poof*, the 36-year-old forward Nick Foligno is no longer chained to the injured reserve; in fact, he’s slated to suit up and hit the ice tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. Gotta love the timing – just a week after the ink dried on his two-year $9 million deal to stick with the Blackhawks, and here he is all ready to thank the hockey gods for healing powers.
Let’s rewind to the moment of glory that landed Foligno on the sidelines in the first place, shall we? On January 5th, he played the hero, standing up for the youngster Connor Bedard by dropping the gloves with the infamous Brandon Smith. The result? A fractured jaw for Bedard and a timeout for Foligno. Talk about taking one for the team!
Ah, but life in Chicago for Foligno has been a bit like a roller coaster at a second-rate amusement park – you’re climbing up with those five multi-point games, feeling on top of the world, and then whoops, down you go with stretches of four plus games where it seems like he can’t find the back of the net to save his life. Despite this, the Blackhawks are betting on him like he’s a prized horse at the Kentucky Derby, no doubt hoping he’ll channel some of that Columbus Blue Jacket magic from days gone by as they slot him back into the top 6.
But wait, there’s more! To make room for Foligno’s triumphant return, the Blackhawks have shelved defenseman Connor Murphy on the injured reserve, casting a rather large shadow over his January 16th. Murphy’s been wrestling with a lower-body nemesis, which has benched him for the past four games. At 30, he’s not exactly a spring chicken, but the guy has managed to participate in forty-three games this season, bagging himself two goals and six assists—never mind that unsightly -19 that’s hanging around his neck like a neon “kick me” sign.
So, when can we expect Murphy’s grand return? Sometime during their current road trip extravaganza, they say. Let’s hope for Chicago’s sake that when he’s back, he puts on a show—sans the minus on the stat sheet, of course. Keep your sticks on the ice, Blackhawks fans. We’ve got ourselves a game to play!