Saad left midway through Friday’s win over the Oilers. Following Friday’s contest the Blue Jackets traveled to Philadelphia and Saad did not travel with the team. With Saad out, Rene Bourque is expected to be in the lineup on Saturday.
Saad will not travel to Washington for Friday’s game against the Capitals. Thankfully for the Blue Jackets, Ryan Johansen will return and replace Brandon Saad in the lineup. Monitor Saad’s status prior to Saturday’s game, at home vs. the Jets.
Saad missed this afternoon’s practice with an illness. His absence this morning suggests he could miss Friday’s contest, which would be unfortunate because the Blue Jackets will be getting Ryan Johansen back.
Saad, who has just one goal in the first nine games of the season, played just 15:08 on Tuesday and is skating on Chicago's fourth line with Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith this morning. It has been a rough start for the 22-year-old, who's value certainly takes a hit when he is not playing none of the Blackhawks premier players (Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa and Richards).
Saad served as a healthy scratch in Sunday's win over the Blues. Head coach Joel Quenneville called the scratch a "coach's decision". Saad has just one assist in his last nine games, so the Hawks were likely giving him the night off to recharge so he is ready to go come playoff time.
Saad hasn't played since suffering an upper-body injury against the Detroit Red Wings on March 16. He is tied for second on the Blackhawks with a plus-29 rating and is sixth on the team with 44 points. He has 19 goals and 25 assists in 68 games this season.
Saad will miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury that he suffered on Sunday. With Patrick Kane out, Saad will likely see an expanded role when he returns to the lineup, but that will not be tonight. He remains day-to-day.
Saad will not play tonight vs. the Flyers, but the injury is not serious and he could be back in tomorrow.
Saad suffered an upper-body injury against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period on Sunday and missed the remainder of the game. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Sunday he did not believe Saad's injury was serious. Saad was expected to be re-evaluated on Monday. Saad has not missed a game this season. He is tied for first on the Blackhawks with a plus-29 rating and is sixth on the team with 44 points. He has 19 goals and 25 assists in 68 games this season.
With Hossa out 2-3 weeks, the Hawks will start by giving Saad the chance to play with Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews. Saad has 18 goals and 23 assists (41 points) and a plus-27 rating already, but a spot on the top-line could help inflate those numbers even further.
Saad had some success on the top line last season and is worth keeping an eye on.
“I’m a born winger,” Saad said. He struggled in the faceoff circle going 9 for 38 in his two games at center, so he was back on the wing on Sunday. Saad likely will play on the third line, where he spent most of the playoffs. “He’s playing on your top two [lines], then all of a sudden if he plays on your third line, that line is a very dangerous line offensively,” Quenneville said.
It was not previously reported but Saad will also be out of the lineup tonight.
Saad can only be called back up with an emergency making him have no fantasy hockey impact on one-year leagues.
Saad skated on the fourth line, an indicator he may be scratched or demoted next game. He was held pointless over his first two games and could be sent back to Juniors following his ninth game.
Saad figures to start the season on the top line and could very well stay there if he produces. Once projected to go in the top 10, the 43rd overall pick of this year's draft is one of the biggest surprises of the preseason. Last season, the 18-year-old scored 27 goals and 55 points in 59 games with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL.
