Blackhawks Lose Andrew Mangiapane Week-to-Week as Brutal Start Continues

The Chicago Blackhawks are already having a miserable start to the season, and the hockey gods have decided to pile on. According to Daily Faceoff, veteran winger Andrew Mangiapane is officially out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

In the NHL, a "lower-body injury" could mean a bruised shin or a leg that is currently detached from the torso. The week-to-week timeline usually means he will be wearing a suit in the press box for the foreseeable future while the medical staff figures it out.

"Daily Faceoff reported Mangiapane is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury."

This is brutal timing for a Chicago team that looks completely lost on the ice. The Blackhawks just wrapped up a miserable stretch where they got rolled by Vegas 5-2, absolutely blanked by Utah 6-0, and then dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker to Buffalo.

Mangiapane was brought in to provide some actual NHL-level stability and two-way play to a roster desperately trying to insulate Connor Bedard. Taking him out of the lineup makes a thin depth chart look practically transparent.

If you are looking at Chicago on the puck line or eyeing their team totals, this is the kind of roster subtraction that matters. Losing a reliable forward means more minutes for guys who probably should not be playing top-six minutes in the first place.

The Blackhawks have to figure out a patch job quickly before they host the St. Louis Blues. Until Mangiapane gets back on the ice, Chicago is going to have a very hard time keeping their heads above water.