The Blackhawks? worst fears were realized on Wednesday when tests showed Martin Havlat needed surgery on the right shoulder he injured in Tuesday?s win at Nashville.
The Hawks were keeping their fingers crossed that Havlat wouldn?t need an operation, but he will undergo an arthroscopic procedure that is expected to keep him from working out until August.
The good news is Havlat should be ready for the start of training camp in early September.
Havlat?s shoulder popped out of place in the first period against the Predators after he was checked by defenseman Shea Weber. Hawks coach Denis Savard said Nashville?s team doctor popped the shoulder back in place.
?Weber kind of stood him up at the blue line, and it was just a clean hit,? Savard said. ?He said he hit the glass, but he didn?t hit it very hard.?
It?s the same shoulder Havlat had operated on in November of 2005 while he was with the Ottawa Senators, forcing him to miss 58 games.
?The most important thing now is to get this right,? Savard said. ?I want to have him healthy for next year because he means so much to our team.?
Havlat finished his first season with the Hawks with 57 points in 56 games and will be the team?s leading scorer. Havlat scored his 25th and final goal of the season in Sunday?s win over Edmonton, which was his first in 14 games.
Earlier in the year Havlat missed 19 games with a high right ankle sprain.
Help wanted: Forward Michael Holmqvist also hurt his shoulder at Nashville and will miss the rest of the season.
Down two forwards for tonight?s game against Detroit at the United Center, the Hawks were hoping to recall at least one player from Norfolk.
But Norfolk is in a battle for first place in its division and played Wednesday with another game Friday.
?We want to make sure we have a team we can win with here, but at the same time Norfolk is fighting for first place and we want to see our kids in the playoffs, and the longer the better,? said Denis Savard.
Winger Peter Bondra is unavailable because of his neck injury and won?t play again this season as well.
Tip-ins: The Hawks sent defenseman Dustin Byfuglien back to Norfolk to play in Wednesday?s game for the Admirals. ? Byfuglien likely would come back today if Adrian Aucoin can?t play for the second game in a row because of a sore groin. ? With two games to play (both against the Hawks), the Red Wings need just 1 point to claim the Central Division title.
Tonight?s faceoff
Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.
TV: Comcast SportsNet.
Radio: WSCR 670-AM.
The skinny: The Red Wings are on a roll and appeared headed for the first seed in the Western Conference for the playoffs. They need just 1 point in the next two games (both against the Hawks) to clinch the Central Division title. Detroit defensemen Niklas Kronwall (broken pelvis) is out while Mathieu Schneider (elbow) and Nicklas Lidstrom (back) are questionable. Winger Henrik Zetterberg has missed the last 15 games with back problems. Detroit leads the season series 6-0 and has outscored the Hawks 21-9.
Player to watch: Chris Chelios. Is this the last game in Chicago for the 45-year-old defenseman? Not a chance. The ex-Hawks captain has no intention of retiring.
The Hawks were keeping their fingers crossed that Havlat wouldn?t need an operation, but he will undergo an arthroscopic procedure that is expected to keep him from working out until August.
The good news is Havlat should be ready for the start of training camp in early September.
Havlat?s shoulder popped out of place in the first period against the Predators after he was checked by defenseman Shea Weber. Hawks coach Denis Savard said Nashville?s team doctor popped the shoulder back in place.
?Weber kind of stood him up at the blue line, and it was just a clean hit,? Savard said. ?He said he hit the glass, but he didn?t hit it very hard.?
It?s the same shoulder Havlat had operated on in November of 2005 while he was with the Ottawa Senators, forcing him to miss 58 games.
?The most important thing now is to get this right,? Savard said. ?I want to have him healthy for next year because he means so much to our team.?
Havlat finished his first season with the Hawks with 57 points in 56 games and will be the team?s leading scorer. Havlat scored his 25th and final goal of the season in Sunday?s win over Edmonton, which was his first in 14 games.
Earlier in the year Havlat missed 19 games with a high right ankle sprain.
Help wanted: Forward Michael Holmqvist also hurt his shoulder at Nashville and will miss the rest of the season.
Down two forwards for tonight?s game against Detroit at the United Center, the Hawks were hoping to recall at least one player from Norfolk.
But Norfolk is in a battle for first place in its division and played Wednesday with another game Friday.
?We want to make sure we have a team we can win with here, but at the same time Norfolk is fighting for first place and we want to see our kids in the playoffs, and the longer the better,? said Denis Savard.
Winger Peter Bondra is unavailable because of his neck injury and won?t play again this season as well.
Tip-ins: The Hawks sent defenseman Dustin Byfuglien back to Norfolk to play in Wednesday?s game for the Admirals. ? Byfuglien likely would come back today if Adrian Aucoin can?t play for the second game in a row because of a sore groin. ? With two games to play (both against the Hawks), the Red Wings need just 1 point to claim the Central Division title.
Tonight?s faceoff
Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.
TV: Comcast SportsNet.
Radio: WSCR 670-AM.
The skinny: The Red Wings are on a roll and appeared headed for the first seed in the Western Conference for the playoffs. They need just 1 point in the next two games (both against the Hawks) to clinch the Central Division title. Detroit defensemen Niklas Kronwall (broken pelvis) is out while Mathieu Schneider (elbow) and Nicklas Lidstrom (back) are questionable. Winger Henrik Zetterberg has missed the last 15 games with back problems. Detroit leads the season series 6-0 and has outscored the Hawks 21-9.
Player to watch: Chris Chelios. Is this the last game in Chicago for the 45-year-old defenseman? Not a chance. The ex-Hawks captain has no intention of retiring.
