The update on Philipp Kurashev from Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson wasn’t ideal on Tuesday before Chicago hosts Detroit in preseason action. It sounds like the young forward’s regular season start might be delayed by injury.
“I think he’ll probably be another week,” Richardson said. “But we’ll know more by his next appointment. I think he’s going to start skating, which is good. And then hopefully at some point when the season starts, add him to the team practice.”
[Checks calendar.] The Blackhawks begin the 2023-24 season in seven days. So this update from Richardson certainly sounds like Kurashev might be delayed in starting the new year.
We haven’t seen Kurashev on the ice since the Blackhawks’ first preseason game. He was good that night, scoring the Blackhawks’ first goal of the preseason and adding one hit, one blocked shot and two takeaways in 17:57 on the ice.
Kurashev went to arbitration with the Hawks this summer and was awarded a two-year deal with a $2.25 million AAV. His 2022-23 season ended prematurely because of a shoulder injury, so beginning the new year with physical issues is far from what anyone wanted.