Blackhawks Notes: Injuries, Lardis, Boisvert

The Blackhawks were without a pair of players for their game tonight against Colorado.  Head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters including Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link) that winger Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Louis Crevier were both injured on Thursday in Minnesota.  There’s no word on how much time either player might miss.  Mangiapane has a goal and an assist in seven games since coming over in a trade from Edmonton earlier this month while Crevier has held his own as a full-time NHLer this season.  He has 17 points in 66 games along with 73 blocks and 107 hits while averaging a little under 17 minutes of ice time per night.

More from Chicago:

• When Chicago recalled winger Nick Lardis after the trade deadline, it looked like he was in line to get an extended look down the stretch. However, he has averaged just 10:33 per game of ice time since the promotion.  That led Pope to question how the team has used the 20-year-old.  While Blashill has talked about trying to see how Lardis fares in a more limited role to give him a better opportunity to establish himself in the NHL, the youngster has averaged just shy of a point per game in the minors this season and could use a boost in their top six.  Giving him a chance in that role could have longer-term benefits than showing that he can handle a fourth-line role if needed.
• Prospect Sacha Boisvert’s NHL debut will have to wait a little longer. Scott Powers of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that the 20-year-old’s visa paperwork has yet to be processed.  Accordingly, it’s more likely that he debuts next week on Chicago’s road trip.  Boisvert, a first-round pick in 2024, recently signed his entry-level contract and is burning the first year of that down the stretch.  He won’t play enough to accrue a year of service time toward UFA eligibility and if he doesn’t play in at least 10 games down the stretch, Boisvert wouldn’t be eligible for an offer sheet in 2028.