The Chicago Blackhawks announced that they were committing to a youth movement, but one of those players won’t be available for a while.
The team announced that 22-year-old forward Alex Nylander underwent knee surgery Monday and will be sidelined four-to-six months.
“Alex Nylander sustained a knee injury during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs,” the team said in a statement. “He initially rested and trained conservatively; unfortunately, his symptoms came back when he started to skate. Alex had successful surgery on Monday to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee.”
Nylander is a former first-round draft pick (eighth overall) of Buffalo in the 2016 draft who didn’t live up to expectations with the Sabres. The Blackhawks acquired him for defenseman Henri Jokiharju in 2019 hoping to unlock his potential. He has shown glimpses of being a top-six forward and was looking at a bigger opportunity this season.
Last year, he finished with 10 goals and 16 assists in 65 games.