Between the Circles

DENVER – No Dave Bolland Friday night against the Avs because of his nagging back problem that is starting to become a concern for the Blackhawks.
Winger Bryan Bickell was recalled from Rockford to join the lineup. Coach Joel Quenneville has the option of playing Tomas Kopecky, Patrick Sharp or Kris Versteeg at center in Bolland’s spot.
Jonathan Toews and Ben Eager are also out of the lineup again, but all signs point to a Monday return for both of them when Los Angeles comes to the United Center.
Antti Niemi starts in goal vs. the Avalanche for the first time since Oct. 21.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Blackhawks need to wake up and snap out of it starting Friday night in Denver. A pretty good start to the season has turned into an ordinary 8-5-1 record.
The Red Wings had a bad month of October and yet here they are tied with the Hawks with 17 points, 1 behind first-place Columbus.
What's happened to the offense?
The Hawks have scored 11 goals in the last six games and not more than 3 in a game since Oct. 14. And it's not all because the power play is 2-for-32 after a 0-for-6 performance in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Coyotes.
Only Patrick Sharp (6) and Dustin Byfuglien (5) have scored more than 4 goals.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews won't be in the lineup Thursday night against the Coyotes, which was to be expected since the captain returned to practice only Wednesday.
Toews suffered a concussion Oct. 21 and the Hawks want to give him a few more days to get into game shape.
Toews will skate again Friday morning in Denver before a decision is made on him playing against the Avalanche that night.
If Toews doesn't play Friday night in Colorado he would almost certainly be ready to go Monday against Los Angeles at the United Center.
"It's only been two days I've been back on the ice so it's more than just feeling good," Toews said following Thursday's morning skate at Jobing.com Arena. "It's getting your game back and getting your legs back under you.

Talk about an overreaction.
A blogger writes the Blackhawks are on the verge of making a major trade, citing a reliable source, and all heck breaks loose Wednesday.
I think somebody needs to check his reliable source.
Toronto defenseman Tomas Kaberle is the player the Hawks are supposed to covet. Who wouldn't want Kaberle, a terrific defenseman and a power-play quarterback? The Hawks need both.
But how's this for a reliable source: Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, who said in an e-mail to the Toronto Sun and relayed to the Daily Herald about Wednesday's rumor, "No legs. Have never discussed Kaberle with either team."
That other team would be the Carolina Hurricanes.

Ben Eager was back at practice for the Blackhawks on Sunday, but coach Joel Quenneville said it would be optimistic to think the left winger would play as soon as Thursday at Phoenix.
Eager has missed the last 11 games with a concussion but said it was nothing caused by playing in the first two games of the season against Florida in Finland.
“It wasn't so much a concussion, I just didn't feel right when I came back (to start training camp)," Eager said. "I tried to play through it, but I didn't feel myself."
Quenneville said he wasn't aware Eager wasn't feeling himself as he went through camp.

The NHL likely will review Andrew Ladd’s high hit on Montreal’s Matt D'Agostini for a possible suspension.
Ladd received a five-minute major and game misconduct for elbowing early in the first period of the Hawks’ 3-2 win from referees Stephane Auger and Dan O’Halloran, who told coach Joel Quenneville Ladd was ejected because D’Agostini was hurt.
D’Agostini left the game and didn’t return.
“I thought it was a good hit,” Quenneville said. “I thought it was a clean hit, that’s my view of it.”
Replays showed Ladd did not leave his feet until AFTER the impact with D’Agostini. It was also questionable as to whether he hit D'Agostini with his elbow or shoulder.
It will be interesting to see how the NHL rules in light of all the recent talk about hits to the head.

The Blackhawks lost left winger Andrew Ladd 3:48 into Friday’s game against Montreal when he was ejected for elbowing the Canadiens’ Matt D’Agostini.
In addition to his game misconduct, Ladd received a five-minute major penalty for elbowing and a minor for roughing when Montreal’s Kyle Chipchura challenged him. Chipchura got four minutes for roughing.
D'Agostini had to be helped off the ice to the dressing room.
Too bad D’Agostini wasn’t Willie Mitchell, huh?

Brent Seabrook returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since suffering concussion-like symptoms last week.
Jonathan Toews was not at practice, meaning he will miss his third straight game Thursday at Nashville with his concussion-like symptoms.
Marian Hossa practiced with his teammates for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery in July. While his teammates wore red and black jerseys, Hossa was in white making him off limits for contact.
The Hawks still hope Hossa can join the lineup perhaps a bit ahead of schedule in mid-November.

The health status of Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook will be the first thing Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is asked about after practice Wednesday.
Of course, we may get our answer sooner if either Toews or Seabrook is on the ice for the workout.
Quenneville is probably getting as tired of the Toews/Seabrook questions as we are of asking them.
It's a long season, not even November yet, so there should be no reason for the Hawks to rush Toews and Seabrook back into action.
In fact, the smart thing would be to hold them out the next two games on Thursday and Friday against Nashville and Montreal, take your chances and let them shoot for a return on Nov. 5 at Phoenix.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said two hours before the drop of the puck against Minnesota that Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook won't play for the second straight game.
In fact, it sounded as if both players weren't progressing as well Monday from their concussion-like symptoms as Quenneville said they were a few days ago.
"Right now they're not doing much," Quenneville said.
No activity while recovering from a concussion is not normally good news, but Quenneville still hopes to have one or both of his stars for games Thursday at Nashville and Friday against Montreal.
"We're still on that track with short term," Quenneville said. "Hopefully this week they're ready to go."