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

Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres was suspended 25 games by the NHL on Saturday for a late hit that resulted in the Blackhawks' Marian Hossa being taken off the ice on a stretcher.

The ban ensures that Torres will miss the rest of the playoffs.

The announcement came hours before the Coyotes had a chance to eliminate the Hawks in Game 5 of their first-round series.

Torres left his feet to hit an unsuspecting Hossa during Game 3 on Tuesday, smashing the Hawks' forward into the ice. Hossa hasn't appeared again in the series.

Torres was not penalized during the game for the hit. His suspension is the longest since New York Islanders forward Chris Simon was banned 30 games for stomping on the ankle of Jarrko Ruutu in December 2007.

This is the third time Torres has been suspended by the NHL for a questionable hit in the last 13 months. He had a goal and an assist and averaged more than 19 minutes of ice time for Phoenix in the first three games of the series.

"The ruling is very severe for Raffi and our hockey club," Coyotes general manager Don Maloney said in a statement. "Raffi plays a hard, physical game yet this contact crossed the line on what is acceptable in our game today. We hope Marian Hossa makes a full and speedy recovery as we all enjoy watching him perform."

-The Associated Press

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

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