Chicago Blackhawks Defenseman Brian Campbell's Season Could Be Over

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell was checked by Alex Ovechkin into the end boards during Sunday's overtime loss to the Capitals, resulting in a broken clavicle and ribs. 

WGN-AM is reporting that these may be season ending injuries.

So what does this mean for the Hawks? Well, the Hawks were already down two men before the Campbell incident, after finally being at full strength for the first time all season.

Marian Hossa missed Sunday's game with an upper body injury and was declared day to day by Quenneville. He will accompany the team on the road trip. Kim Johnsson also has an upper body ailment and should be on the trip as well.

Meanwhile, the Hawks lost a game they should have won. That they couldn't put the Caps away despite a 3-0 lead is a concern.

Blame the goaltending if you must, but it's been more the turnovers and poor defensive play that have doomed the Hawks. For some reason they can't seem to put three periods of hockey together.

As for Campbell, he doesn't play defense in the truest sense of the word, one of the reasons he wasn't on the Olympic squad like Seabrook and Keith.

But he was having a good season, and they will miss him; I didn’t think Hendry played too well today in place of Kim Johnsson .

Ovechkin was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. Seeing how many of Campbell's teammates were vocal in their displeasure with the hit, the penalty probably saved him from getting pummeled.

It was a stupid and reckless hit by Ovechkin, yet despite this being his third game misconduct this season, he will likely not get suspended because the penalties were not assessed for the same infraction.

His last game misconduct was handed out for a knee-on-knee hit on Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes, but he has been cleared because it was assessed more than 41 games ago.

Meanwhile, let's hope WGN-AM radio is wrong and that Campbell can make it back this season.