The injuries keep piling up for the Chicago Blackhawks. Dylan Strome is the latest to suffer a setback as he is out with a concussion. The player reportedly felt fine for several days after a recent game, but the symptoms eventually revealed themselves and the player then notified staff. The Athletic’s Scott Powers relayed the update from Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton late Monday afternoon.
Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said Dylan Strome got hit a few games ago and wasn't feeling anything out of the ordinary, but the symptoms were late arriving and he eventually spoke up.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) February 22, 2021
Blackhawks Lose Dylan Strom to Concussion
This is a serious loss considering Dylan Strome was having a quality 2020-21 campaign through the first third of the year. The 23-year-old currently has four goals and eight points in 19 games while also sporting a 44.6 faceoff percentage. That isn’t especially good, but it’s important to note that Strome had the second-most faceoff wins and was second in percentage of any skater with at least 100 draws. He was also averaging almost 3:39 per game with the power-play unit. It was shaping up to be a fine year for the young skater when you consider how thin Chicago’s depth chart is.
The Arizona Coyotes originally drafted Strome third overall in the 2015 draft but traded him after several seasons to Chicago in exchange for Nick Schmaltz. Strome has had an uneven career but does have one very good season under his belt. He scored 20 goals and 57 points in 78 games in 2018-19. Most of that came after the trade to the Blackhawks. Overall, Strome has 40 goals and 113 points in 183 games.
How Chicago Replaces Strome
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Forward depth is getting very unsettling for Chicago fans. They lost Andrew Shaw less than two weeks ago, also to concussion-related symptoms. The team has a handful of other forwards on injured reserve as well including Jonathan Toews, who may not skate at all in 2020-21. The Blackhawks are doing very well in the Central Division this year, but they are relying on a roster with multiple rookies and very few proven veterans. It’s not an ideal situation when there are very few opportunities to rest and heal during a 56-game sprint.
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