The 19-year-old left winger suffered serious thigh injury late in the second period when he lost his balance and slammed into the boards while chasing down a loose puck.
Blackhawks prospect Sam Savoie suffered a serious thigh injury late in the second period of Chicago's preseason game at Minnesota on Saturday night when he slammed into the boards while chasing down a loose puck with Wild defenseman Alex Goligoski.
Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson told reporters after the game that Savoie was being evaluated for a lower-body injury. The 19-year-old forward remained hospitalized in Minnesota overnight.
Savoie's junior team, the QMJHL Gatineau Olympiques, said in a post on Sunday morning he underwent successful surgery on his right femur. The Olympiques said Savoie would out for an indeterminate time and be re-evaluated regularly.
In a statement later on Sunday, Blackhawks team physician Michael Terry confirmed the surgery and that he expects Savoie to make a full recovery. No timeline was given.
Savoie tried to squeeze around Goligoski, but lost his balance and slid feet first into the boards. The native of Moncton, New Brunswick was clearly in pain and had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher. See the play from NBC Sports Charlie Roumeliotis at: https://x.com/CRoumeliotis/status/1708279900262576357?s=20
Because he's only 19, the feisty and well-liked Savoie was probably headed back to the Olympiques for a fourth season. Under an agreement with the Canadian Hockey League to prevent talent poaching, 19-year-olds can't be sent to pro minor league teams. Chicago's farm club is the AHL Rockford IceHogs.
The Blackhawks drafted the 5-foot-11, 202-pound Savoie in the third round (81st overall) in 2022.