For the second consecutive year, a top Blackhawks' front-office assistant is headed elsewhere.

Marc Bergevin will be introduced Wednesday as the new general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, according to NHL.com. Bergevin has spent the past seven seasons with the Hawks, including his most recent role as assistant general manager to Stan Bowman.

Bowman released a statement Wednesday wishing Bergevin well.

“While it is never easy to lose someone of Marc Bergevin’s caliber, both professionally and personally, it is a tremendous opportunity for him and his family," Bowman said. "He has played a significant role in our success over the last several years as a member of the front office and coaching staff, and his roots in Chicago stretch to 1983 when he was drafted by the Blackhawks. I want to personally thank him for his dedication to our organization and certainly wish him all the best in Montreal."

Last season, the Winnipeg Jets hired ex-Hawks assistant general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff as general manager.

-Tom Musick

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Friday that he and the rest of the coaching staff would discuss which player to start in goal in Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.

In other words, wait until Saturday to find out whether Corey Crawford will earn another chance.

Crawford has allowed overtime goals in back-to-back games to put the Hawks at a 3-1 disadvantage in their best-of-seven series against the Phoenix Coyotes. The Hawks will travel to Phoenix today in preparation for Game 5 with their season hanging in the balance.

If Crawford is benched, veteran goaltender Ray Emery will earn the start. Emery has not played during this postseason, but he has a 20-15 record with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage in 36 career playoff games with the Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks.

In four playoff games this season, Crawford is 1-3 with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage. His opponent, Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith, is 3-1 with a 2.17 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage.

-Tom Musick

Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa is taken off the ice on a stretcher after being hit by Phoenix's Raffi Torres during the first period of Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series Tuesday night at the United Center. The Hawks lost, 3-2, in overtime. (Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com)

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Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres has been suspended indefinitely and has a hearing set for Friday with league officials, the NHL announced Wednesday.

Torres will be subject to an in-person hearing, which suggests that his suspension will exceed five games. At the very least, he will not be available for Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinals on Thursday night at the United Center.

Torres' suspension follows a vicious head shot that he delivered in Game 3 against Hawks winger Marian Hossa. Torres left his skates and drilled his shoulder into the side of Hossa's head, and Hossa needed to be placed on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to the hospital.

The Hawks announced late Tuesday that Hossa had been released from the hospital and was recovering at home. No timetable was set for his return, but teammates acknowledged that he likely would miss a significant amount of time.

-Tom Musick

Some positive news emerged regarding Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa after Tuesday's overtime loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Hawks released a statement on Hossa's condition after the Hawks' 3-2 loss to Phoenix. Hossa was taken off of the ice on a stretcher after Coyotes forward Raffi Torres leveled him with a blow to the head in the first period.

"Marian Hossa suffered an upper-body blow in the first period of tonight's game," the Hawks' statement said. "After initial evaluation on the ice, he was taken by ambulance to the hospital for further testing, which yielded encouraging results. He has been released from the hospital and we are monitoring him closely at home. We anticipate a full recovery in a timetable yet to be determined."

The Hawks will practice Wednesday before returning to the United Center for Game 4 on Thursday.

-Tom Musick

Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw has been suspended three games for his hit on Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith, the NHL announced Tuesday afternoon.

Shaw received a five-minute penalty for charging and a game misconduct for his hit on Smith, which came about halfway through the second period of Game 2 on Saturday. Smith remained in the game but missed practice Monday, and Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said his goaltender was a game-time decision to play in Game 3 after he skated Tuesday morning.

NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan explained the reasoning for Shaw's suspension on the league's website.

"As is specifically defined by NHL rules, the goal keeper is not fair game just because he is outside of the goal crease area," Shanahan said.

For unknown reasons, the NHL required two days to make a decision regarding Shaw.

Upon final review, Shanahan said, the infraction was obvious.

"The contact Shaw makes with Smith is not incidental," Shanahan said. "Rather, it is a forceful blow delivered by Shaw's shoulder to Smith's chin. In our opinion, Shaw does not make a reasonable effort to avoid such contact."

Shaw will not be available to return until Game 6, if necessary.

-Tom Musick