Daniel Carcillo's five-minute boarding penalty and ejection was enough to send the Blackhawks spiraling to a loss on Monday night. As of Tuesday, it has bounced him from the lineup for the foreseeable future.
The NHL suspended the winger indefinitely for the hit on the Oilers' Tom Gilbert, pending a hearing with the league's player safety czars. This on top of the left leg injury Carcillo suffered on the hit that had Hawks coach Joel Quenneville hedging on Carcillo's status post-practice.
"We're talking and looking at all situations on that regard," Quenneville said. "But I think we might need a player."
As for what Carcillo could have done differently on the hit in question, Quenneville offered a measure of defense for his player.
"It's a quick moment when you're going for a counter-hit when you're fighting for a puck, and he probably had better leverage than the other guy," Quenneville said. "His intent certainly wasn't what happened."
Carcillo had played two games after a six-game absence and now faces another injury-related setback plus the apparently now-inevitable league discipline for the hit on Gilbert.
"He's been fine," Quenneville said. "You appreciate what he brings, his intensity, he's got some skill that will complement his aggressiveness. We still want him to play with energy and he's got some track record that doesn't help. His leash is definitely a lot shorter than most or every player in the league. It's tough finding that right balance, but from our perspective, he's doing everything we want."