Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
For the first time publicly, Chicago Blackhawks forward Taylor Hall began skating on his own on Friday at Fifth Third Arena after he underwent ACL surgery on his right knee on Nov. 27.
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Hall, who was wearing a green non-contact jersey, did some light work and nothing too intense with the organization's skills coach Brian Keane, but it's a positive step in his recovery process nonetheless.
"He said he felt really good," Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said. "He looks like a machine. He’s built like an Adonis. It’s going to be great to see him when he’s feeling great. He mentioned he may not even be needing a knee brace anymore, to have a little more freedom out there with his speed and his veteran leadership. I think that’s going to be big."
Richardson confirmed on Friday that Hall won't return this season, which is no surprise. He's not even expected to take contact before the season ends. It'll be a gradual process.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks have really missed Hall's presence, even more-so when you factor in the ridiculous amount of injuries the team has dealt with this season.
"It's a big loss for us and for a guy like Connor Bedard playing with him, not just 5-on-5 but the views on the power play and the way that we kind of struggled at times this year entering on the power play," Richardson said. "With him, he was like an automatic when he was in New Jersey and in places, when he was really going. So we lost that. And we're starting to get better at it now but it took a lot of reps a lot of the season to get to that level without a guy like that."