Chicago Blackhawks’ Jake McCabe out 10-12 weeks after spine surgery

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jake McCabe will be out for the next 10-12 weeks after successful cervical spine surgery.

McCabe has dealt with his fair share of injuries so far in his career, particularly in the 2020-21 season where he missed 43 games with the Buffalo Sabres. His current recovery timeline has him missing the first couple months of the season, and he’ll likely return at the end of November or beginning of December.

McCabe joined the Blackhawks in the 2021 offseason after signing a four-year deal with a $4 million cap hit and will start the second year of that deal this season. He was solid offensively in his first season with Chicago, with four goals, 18 assists, and 22 points in 75 games with the team.

Normally a reliable defensive defenseman, he struggled with Chicago in 2021-22, finishing the year with a 42.01 percent shot attempt share and 44.65 percent expected goal share at even strength. Some of that can be attributed to his defense partners, as a majority of his minutes came playing with Connor Murphy and Seth Jones. Both defensemen tend to struggle in this regard and usually play over their heads in the lineup.

McCabe will be missed on the Blackhawks blueline in 2022-23, even with his struggles last season. However, the team seems to be aiming to tank this season with how many pieces it traded away or let walk to free agency in the offseason, so while McCabe’s absence will hurt them in the standings, it still might help them towards their eventual goal.

The Blackhawks also announced that Jalen Luypen had his rotator cuff repaired and will miss the next 14-18 weeks. Luypen was the team’s seventh round pick in 2021 and signed an entry-level contract with the Blackhawks in August. He had 29 goals, 35 assists, and 64 points in 66 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL last season.