Forward out with shoulder injury as Chicago's season continues to slide.
The depleted Chicago Blackhawks placed forward Joey Anderson on injured reserve on Monday with a left shoulder injury he suffered in Sunday's 4-3 loss to Vancouver.
Anderson didn't return for the third period against the Canucks. Following the game coach Luke Richardson said the 6-foot, 207-pound winger "was banged up with an upper-body" that was new and would be re-evaluated.
A gritty, straight-line winger, Anderson has been a bright spot for last-place Chicago since being recalled from AHL Rockford on Nov. 24. In 12 games, the Roseville, Minnesota native had five assists and was a plus-5, the best plus/rating among Chicago's forwards.
Anderson had been effective on a line with Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson.
Luckier with Connor Murphy
The Blackhawks apparently dodged a bullet when defenseman Connor Murphy blocked J.T. Miller's shot from close range late in the first period on Sunday. Murphy, the only healthy regular veteran on Chicago's blueline, hobbled off the ice but returned.
Richardson thought Miller's shot had stung Murphy near the knee, but commended the 30-year-old for bouncing back and playing 21:33, second only to Connor Bedard who was double-shifted in the third period and skated a season-high 23:16.
"He's a gutsy leader and performed the rest of the way," Richardson said. "He'll probably be sore, I would imagine, tomorrow. It seems like everybody else on the team is right now." See following video.
When the Blackhawks host the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, they could be without their top three defensemen in terms of minutes played per game. No. 1 D-man Seth Jones is on IR with a shoulder injury, rookie Kevin Korchinski is on non-roster following the death of his father, and rookie Alex Vlasic will be a game-day decision with an upper-body injury.
Chicago has lost veteran forwards Taylor Hall for the season following right ACL surgery and Corey Perry, whose contract was terminated for violating team policy. Speedy forward Andreas Athanasiou is sidelined for an undermined period with a groin injury, as is defenseman Jarred Tinordi, who's in concussion protocol.
Forward MacKenzie Entwistle may be able to play on Tuesday following an illness. Forward Colin Blackwell is making progress from hernia surgery last March, but his return date has not been set.
Chicago, last in the NHL at 9-20-1, has lost four straight and eight of 10 (2-7-1).