Sharp Undergoes Appendectomy; Will Miss Preseason

Blackhawks alternate captain Patrick Sharp was felled by some sharp pains in his abdomen and underwent an emergency appendectomy Monday evening, according to the team.

"Patrick Sharp underwent an emergent surgical appendectomy this evening after experiencing some abnormal abdominal discomfort," team doctor Michael Terry said in a statement. "The surgery was successful and I anticipate a full recovery in approximately three to four weeks."

Sharp, who may split duties as the second line center or the first line winger in the upcoming campaign, will sit out all of the preseason. It is unknown whether or not Sharp will miss any regular season action, though it is safe to assume this setback will cause Sharp to be a little rusty whenever he starts his campaign.

Sharp's toughness has never been questioned; after sustaining a knee injury in a game versus the Phoenix Coyotes on Mar. 20, Sharp missed only seven games when it was expected he would sit for the remainder of the season. Last year he managed to rack up 34 goals and 71 points and play through the pain of his knee injury to help lead the Hawks to the brink of eliminating the eventual Western Conference Champion Vancouver Canucks after trailing the series three games to none.

The explosive appendix of one of hockey's most explosive players does cause some concern for the Blackhawks' already tenuous depth at center. Unless center Mark McNeill, the Hawks' first pick in the 2011 draft, dominates training camp it is a safe bet that he will start the season back in Prince Albert of the WHL. McNeill, who is only 18, cannot yet join the American Hockey League because he came from major junior hockey. Major junior players must be 20 years old to join the AHL.

With Sharp, who played at center during the Hawks' Cup run in 2010 out for the opening days of the season, expect to see Marcus Kruger anchoring a forward line to start the season.