BLOG: Hall Returns to Lineup, Vlasic Aims for Quick Comeback 

Ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks’ tilt against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, head coach Luke Richardson announced that Taylor Hall will return to the lineup after he missed some time due to a shoulder injury.

After practice on Friday, Hall admitted that he felt he returned too early after he sustained the injury in the team’s first meeting against the Boston Bruins. Now, Richardson understood the safety measures the veteran forward took before his return.

“I think he took a little more precaution this time and took the extra steps to make sure he's ready to go,” Richardson said.

For Connor Bedard, he described the advantage this gives the team’s offense with his return.

“It’s a huge lift for us and, obviously, he's special player,” Bedard said. “He does so much for us, so we're all super excited to have him back.”

In Saturday’s matchup, Hall will start the matchup on the team’s third line along with Jason Dickinson and Tyler Johnson. From there, he’ll see how the line will progress throughout the night to see if any other changes need to be made. 

As for now, the second-year head coach wants to keep the first line of Bedard, Nick Foligno and Philipp Kurashev together due to the strong chemistry they built together. 

With a strong start together since the team faced the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 27, Richardson wants to see them continue to thrive. If not, then he knows he can make an easy switch to place Hall back on the top line. 

“I thought Nick, Connor and [Kurashev] were really good, so let's start the game and see if we can get some more magic out of them,” Richardson said. “If not, it's an easy switch to get Taylor back up with Connor.”

The rookie felt that his current line is producing well due to their different playing styles that help complement each other on both defensively and offensively. 

“Nick’s so good at going against the clock and beating guys in battles and everything and Kurashev is a smart player,” Bedard said. “I try to read off them as best I can, but I think it's gone pretty good in these first few games.”

VLASIC HOPES FOR QUICK RETURN

Another player that hopes to return soon is Alex Vlasic, who started the season off with a strong performance within the defensive zone. 

He rejoined the team in practice on Friday in his first full participation with the team since his injury in Vegas. After morning skate on Saturday, he felt prepared to rejoin the team sooner than expected. 

“I felt pretty good,” Vlasic said. “Today was like my last day of contact, so I think I should be good to go.” 

The defenseman exited the game against the Vegas Golden Knights early after he endured a hit that placed him in concussion protocols. From there, he left the team’s two-game road trip early and returned to Chicago for more tests. 

For him, this was his first experience with a possible concussion in his hockey career. While it gave him and his family a small scare, he is happy to be able to practice once again. 

“All things considered, it could have been a lot worse,” Vlasic said. “I was only out just a little over a week. So, I’m definitely fortunate to be able to kind of be back as quickly as I as I am.”

KAISER TO WEAR NECK GUARD IN SATURDAY’S GAME

During the team’s morning skate, Wyatt Kaiser sported a new piece of equipment after a tragic event shook the hockey community last week. Former NHL player Adam Johnson passed away after he endured a scary accident that occurred in a game. 

The Minnesota native skated with Johnson over the summer due to their Minnesota-Duluth connection. While it hit close to home for the young defenseman, he knew it was a no brainer to start wearing the protective piece in practice and in Saturday’s game. 

“Adam Johnson was a Duluth guy and I skated with him this summer,” Kaiser said. “So, it just wasn't worth the risk. I haven't even noticed it and it was just a no brainer.” 

Kaiser is currently the only Blackhawks player to wear a neck guard in practice but spoke to some teammates who also sparked some interest in it. One of those players includes Bedard who admitted that he thought about it as well. 

“What happened is a tragedy and it definitely makes you think,” Bedard said. “My first thoughts about it were about the person and the family and everything, but seeing some guys put it on, especially Wyatt out there, you definitely think about it for sure.”