Taylor Hall will miss the rest of the season due to knee surgery, which is a significant setback for the Chicago Blackhawks and for Hall himself, as he was expected to be a key asset on the team and had a future with the Blackhawks.
‣ Taylor Hall will miss the rest of the season due to knee surgery
‣ The injury is a major setback for Hall and the Blackhawks
‣ Cole Guttman and Joey Anderson have been recalled from AHL affiliate to replace injured players
The Chicago Blackhawks announced that forward Taylor Hall will miss the rest of the season due to surgery on his right knee. Hall’s knee injury likely comes from an ugly collision on the boards with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mikey Eyssimont. His absence is far from assured for next season, as he is under contract for another season with the team. This loss is a major setback for the Blackhawks and for Hall, costing him a year he would have likely spent as one of his team’s most heavily used forwards.
Hall is now quite a bit removed from his Hart Trophy-winning 93-point campaign, but there was hope that with injury issues behind him and some more time to build chemistry with players such as Connor Bedard, the points would follow. His injury is unfortunate news for the Blackhawks as the team acquired Hall with the hopes that he’d serve as a key asset to Bedard, the kind of veteran player who was once a highly-touted top prospect and could help guide Bedard as the 2023 top pick navigates the trials and tribulations of his rookie year. Although Guttman and Anderson would undoubtedly prefer to be recalled under different circumstances, the injuries that hit Athanasiou and Hall provide them with a valuable opportunity at the NHL level.
Both players, Guttman and Anderson, have shown impressive scoring numbers at the AHL and NCAA level, and their recall will give them another chance to take a meaningful step forward at the NHL level. However, all parties involved (including those players) would likely prefer if Hall and Athanasiou were healthy, as the Blackhawks will have to move forward with two key scoring options out of commission due to injury.
