Hawks top line player suffered through injury in first round

It’s still hard to believe, but with the 2016-17 version of the Chicago Blackhawks now dead and buried, the extensive season review of just exactly what went wrong is now underway. One thing that didn’t help the Blackhawks, top line winger Artem Anisimov was playing the team’s first round playoff series with an injury that limited his effectiveness.

Blackhawks reporter Mark Lazerus reported this morning that head coach Joel Quenneville acknowledged Anisimov’s injury and admitted that it affected his playing ability.

The good news for Anisimov and for Hawks fans is that it appears the injury won’t require offseason surgery and he should be back to 100% health for the 2017-18 season. He was an abject disappointment, along with the rest of the Hawks, going pointless in four playoff games. This after a 22 goal, 45 point regular season in which he suited up just 64 times. The Blackhawks appear to be a team in transition, but bet on Anisimov being back next season and being part of the solution, not the problem, in Chicago.