More Injuries For Depleted Blackhawks: D-Man Nikita Zaitsev to IR

Zaitsev left Tuesday's 2-1 shootout win over San Jose. Joins Connor Bedard and five other Chicago players on IR.

The injury-riddled Chicago Blackhawks placed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev on injured reserve Wednesday with a right knee injury and recalled 6-foot-8 blueliner Louis Crevier from Rockford of the AHL.

Zaitsev was hurt in the second period of Tuesday's 2-1 shootout win over San Jose.  He skated 11 shifts and had 8:46 of ice time before exiting. 

The Blackhawks were already playing without veteran D-man Connor Murphy, who's out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, according to coach Luke Richardson.

The 32-year-old Zaitsev has two goals and seven points in 26 games this season. He's averaged 15:56 of ice time and is a plus-2 on a team that's allowed 60 more goals than it's scored.

Crevier made his NHL debut on Dec. 3 at Minnesota and has played 13 games with Chicago this season. The 22-year-old made mostly a good impression with the coaching staff before being returned to Rockford two weeks ago.

Top NHL rookie scorer Connor Bedard, who suffered a fractured jaw on an open ice hit in New Jersey on Jan. 5, is still several weeks away from returning. The 18-year-old resumed light skating on Monday, however. 

Also on the IR for Chicago are forwards Nick Foligno (broken left finger), Tyler Johnson (right foot), Anthony Beauvillier (left wrist), Andreas Athanasiou (groin) and Taylor Hall (right ACL surgery, out for season).