Game-altering lineup news delivered to the Chicago Blackhawks ahead of facing the St. Louis Blues Friday

https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/kyrou-sustains-lower-body-injury-in-ottawa

The Blues confirmed Kyrou sustained a lower-body injury in Ottawa, removing their most dynamic transition threat from the Chicago game. Kyrou, drafted 35th overall in 2016 and now 27 years old, drives St. Louis entries with pace and touch.

Oddly enough, the Blackhawks were named one of four teams interested in acquiring Kyrou from the Blues recently.

Chicago will welcome any edge, because Kyrou's absence changes how St. Louis layers its rush game. Without his acceleration, the Blues often shift toward heavier forecheck sequences that produce fewer controlled entries.

The Blackhawks have struggled containing elite speed this year, so losing Kyrou, who signed an eight-year contract worth 65 million dollars before last season, removes a major coverage stressor. His ability to attack from the right side usually forces Chicago to cheat wide.

I always feel these rivalry games flip on small tactical margins, and Kyrou's injury hands Chicago a real one in the midst of a losing skid.

The Blues may lean heavier on Robert Thomas's playmaking, but that makes their attack more predictable and easier to front.

Chicago still needs cleaner exits, because the Blues forecheck well enough to hide one missing star. If the Blackhawks reverse pucks quickly and hit their centers with pace, they can exploit St. Louis gaps that appear when the Blues chase possession.
Friday becomes an early test of Chicago patience. The Blackhawks cannot rely only on the boost created by Kyrou's injury, but it unquestionably softens a matchup that often tilts fast against them.

The opening is real, and now Chicago must show it understands how to use it in a building that rarely forgives slow starts.