The Chicago Blackhawks will need to rely on their younger players as defenseman Alec Martinez and goaltender Laurent Brossoit will be sidelined for at least three more games, according to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.
With three games left on their five-game road trip, neither Martinez nor Brossoit will be joining the team, meaning they could possibly return when Chicago hosts Detroit on November 6. In the meantime, Nolan Allan and Arvid Soderblom are stepping in for them.
Brossoit started the season on injured reserve due to knee surgery performed in late August. He missed all of training camp and the opening game because of this injury, with an initial recovery estimate of four weeks now extending to at least five weeks.
When he does return, it will mark Brossoit’s debut with the Blackhawks after signing a two-year, $6.6M contract this summer. He co-won the William M. Jennings Trophy last season alongside Connor Hellebuyck. While Hellebuyck is an established star, Brossoit has shown great potential, posting a .927 save percentage over the last two seasons and a .911 save percentage in 140 career games, though he has yet to surpass 25 games in a single season.
Upon his return, Brossoit could surpass Soderblom and might contend for a starting spot, especially since current Hawks starter Petr Mrazek has struggled with a .896 save percentage in his first eight games this season.
Martinez’s return will also be significant; he played a top-pairing role in Chicago’s first four games, making an impact despite only recording one assist. Having spent the last five years with the Vegas Golden Knights, he often handled high-stakes minutes when healthy. Over his time in Vegas, he tallied 49 points in 221 games but missed 91 regular season games due to injuries. He will look to break this pattern while taking on significant responsibilities when Chicago returns home.
