Blackhawks' Hall week-to-week with upper-body injury
Blackhawks forward Taylor Hall is considered week-to-week after he suffered an upper-body injury during Chicago's 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, head coach Luke Richardson announced, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope.
Hall headed down the tunnel after taking a hit from Bruins defenseman and former teammate Brandon Carlo in the second frame. The 31-year-old winger returned for one more shift but was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the game.
Richardson wasn't pleased with what he saw from Carlo on the play.
"That's a blindside hit. That's a guy coming across the ice," he said. "That's what the game is trying to get rid of."
The Blackhawks acquired Hall and veteran Nick Foligno from the Bruins in June in exchange for defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula. Hall put up 16 goals and 36 points in 61 games for Beantown in 2022-23.
The 2018 Hart Trophy winner's absence is a big blow for Chicago. Hall had been skating on a line with 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard and assisted on the youngster's first NHL goal prior to his departure from Wednesday's contest.
"It was unfortunate. We just have to plow through," Richardson said, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "He was playing really well for us."
Richardson said Lukas Reichel is an option to take Hall's place next to Bedard, per The Athletic's Mark Lazerus.