Blackhawks make moves in wake of Carcillo injury, suspension

Daniel Carcillo had a Marion Barberesque hand in causing defeat for the Blackhawks Monday in what now looks like his last game for them for quite a while.

With the Hawks leading the Oilers 1-0 in the second period, Carcillo hit Edmonton's Tom Gilbert, causing Gilbert to crash into the boards. I didn't get a good look at it — I was at the United Center, but sitting on the other end of the arena — but Gilbert and Carcillio both had to be helped off the ice. Carcillo was assessed a five-minute major penalty for boarding. The Oilers scored just 16 seconds into the resultant power play and again before it ended, sparking them to a 4-3 regulation victory.

Coach Joel Quenneville didn't seem to think Carcillo's hit was purposeful in postgame comments I later saw, but with Carcillo's less-than-stellar reputation, further discipline seemed likely. On Tuesday, the NHL announced that the forward had been suspended indefinitely. Further hampering Carcillo's chances of getting back on the ice any time soon is the knee injury he suffered during the play. There's too much smoke about Carcillo needing surgery for the injury, it seems, for there not to be fire.

If the Carcillo situation wasn't enough, the Hawks have placed F Marcus Kruger and D Steve Montador on injured reserve. Kruger is having setbacks as he tries to come back from a concussion, and it sounds as if he may be out for quite a while. Quenneville is saying Montador will be back soon from an undisclosed upper-body injury. If he's on the verge of returning, though, why'd the Hawks IR him today?

To fill some of their suddenly numerous voids, the Hawks promoted rookies Dylan Olsen, a defenseman, and Andrew Shaw, a winger. They're joining a lineup that already includes another recent callup in Jimmy Hayes, who scored his first goal Monday. Hayes has looked good in limited action thus far, but then Ben Smith looked liked the second coming of Denis Savard last spring, and he's out of favor now.

I'm guessing that GM Stan Bowman's desire to make an addition or two through trades just got a whole lot more serious. Montador and Kruger aren't stars, but they've both been fairly valuable role players for the Hawks. As for Carcillo, I won't be holding my breath awaiting his return. You can find physicality (look at Jamal Mayers) without it being accompanied by the reckless stupidity that defines Carcillo — the same reckless stupidity that lost the Hawks a game Monday and has him currently hurt and suspended.