CHICAGO – Chicago Blackhawks forward Jujhar Khaira will miss the rest of the season after he had surgery on his lower back.
Khaira had the operation on Tuesday, and team physician Michael Terry said Khaira is expected to be sidelined for 10 to 12 weeks. The last game of the regular season for Chicago (18-26-8) is scheduled for April 29.
The Blackhawks also activated goaltender Kevin Lankinen off injured reserve on Wednesday. Rookie goaltender Arvid Soderblom was reassigned to Rockford of the American Hockey League.
Khaira, 27, had three goals and no assists in 27 games in his first season with the Blackhawks. After spending his first six seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, he agreed to a two-year contract with Chicago in July that carries a $975,000 salary-cap hit.
"It's too bad. ... It's not the year he wanted," interim coach Derek King said. "We're a much better team obviously with him in the lineup and the way plays. But sometimes these things happen and you got to deal with them."
Khaira was selected by Edmonton in the third round of the 2012 draft. He made his debut with the Oilers on Nov. 28, 2015, becoming the third player of Punjabi descent to play in the NHL.
Khaira has 27 goals and 39 assists in 285 games.
Earlier in the season, Khaira was taken off on a stretcher after a hit from the Rangers' Jacob Trouba in a game on Dec. 7 and later diagnosed with a concussion. However, he was able to return to the lineup in January and played nine more games before being shut down for the season. It's unclear if the back injury is related to the hit from Trouba.
The Surrey, B.C., native is signed with the Blackhawks through 2022-23.
Lankinen, 26, had been sidelined by a right hand injury. He hasn't appeared in a game since Jan. 22, but King said he was leaning toward playing him Sunday against St. Louis.
--with files from Sportsnet staff
