One week after being shut down for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, the Blackhawks announced Friday that forward Zack Smith underwent successful back surgery and is expected to be cleared for action in three-to-four months.
Smith was briefly sidelined in training camp by a lower-back injury and it's something that had been nagging him all season long. It finally reached a point where both Smith and the Blackhawks felt more work needed to be done.
Acquired by the Blackhawks over the summer, Smith turned into a dependable fourth-line forward who could play wing or center and also contributed to a penalty kill that went from historically bad to Top 10. He registered 11 points (four points, seven assists) in 50 games this season and had a plus-2 rating.
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Smith is expected to be ready for training camp in September.
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