Chicago Blackhawks Colin Blackwell out for season after sports hernia surgery

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that forward Colin Blackwell has undergone sports hernia surgery and the recovery time is 12 weeks. He will miss the rest of the season.

Blackwell, 29, has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 53 games this season, posting a minus-16 rating. Blackwell signed a two-year, $2,400,000 contract with the Blackhawks in July 2022, the contract has a $1,200,000 cap and runs through 2023-24.

The North Andover, Massachusetts product was originally drafted in the seventh round (194th) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft after tallying 33 goals and 66 points while captain of the St. John’s Prep High School team. He spent five seasons in the NCAA with Harvard University. In 2014-15, he was part of the NCAA ECAC champion team alongside Toronto Maple Leafs forward Alex Kerfoot and New York Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey. The following season, Blackwell scored 19 points in 28 games and received the Unsung Hero Award from the NCAA (New England). He totaled 58 points in 94 NCAA games.

Blackwell made his NHL debut in 2018-19 with the Nashville Predators. Since then, he has stopped in New York, Seattle and Toronto. He was selected by the Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft and was later traded to the Maple Leafs. His most productive NHL season came in 2020-21 when he had a career-high 12 goals and 22 points in 47 games with the Rangers. In 191 NHL games, he had 27 goals and 35 assists for 62 points. Blackwell also represented the United States at the 2021 World Championship scoring four goals in 10 games and winning a bronze medal.