CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks steadily are getting healthier as the regular season winds down.

They got forward Brandon Saad back from an upper-body injury Sunday against the Nashville Predators and forward Bryan Bickell is getting close to returning from an upper-body issue.

Bickell joined the Blackhawks for the morning skate Tuesday at United Center, prior to playing the Dallas Stars, and hopes to return to the lineup later this week. He'll make the upcoming three-game road trip and be reassessed at some point during it.

"I'm excited for that," Bickell said. "I wish I was playing now, but [the] reason I'm not playing is to get better. There are a long couple of months coming up [in the Stanley Cup Playoffs], and I need to be 100 percent to help out this team."

CHICAGO -- Brandon Saad will return to the lineup Sunday night for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Nashville Predators at United Center (7 p.m. ET, FS-TN, WGN).

The 21-year old Saad, in his second full season, missed three games with an undisclosed upper-body injury. His versatility and skill have become valuable assets to coach Joel Quenneville, who's played him on both wings and on each of the top three lines.

Saad has scored 19 goals and has 25 assists in 68 games.

Forward Bryan Bickell (upper body) and defenseman Michal Rozsival (lower body) are not healthy enough to return, and Chicago will again make 19-year-old Finnish rookie forward Teuvo Teravainen a healthy scratch.

CHICAGO -- Nashville doesn't have a lot of Swedish cuisine options, but the Music City is getting a proliferation of Swedish hockey players.

The Nashville Predators now have four on their roster after recalling 19-year-old forward Filip Forsberg from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Swedish rookie forward Calle Jarnkrok made his NHL debut for Nashville on Friday at the Calgary Flames, picking up his first career assist in the 6-5 win, and the Predators already had forward Viktor Stalberg and defenseman Mattias Ekholm.

Forsberg was called up to help with a shortage of forwards going into the game Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks, who've won two straight games and hope to chase down the St. Louis Blues for the top spot in the Central Division.

CHICAGO -- The first game without forward Patrick Kane in the lineup will be an even bigger challenge than it normally would be for the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday at United Center.

When Chicago faces the Carolina Hurricanes, the Blackhawks also will be without forwards Brandon Saad and Bryan Bickell, each of whom is out with an upper-body injury, and defenseman Michal Rozsival, who has a lower-body injury. All three are considered day-to-day.

The Blackhawks, who won't have Kane for the rest of the regular season because of a lower-body injury, also won't suit up 19-year old rookie forward Teuvo Teravainen, who arrived in Chicago on Thursday from Finland.

"It is what it is," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said after the morning skate. "Everybody has issues, healthwise, over the course of a season, and I don't know if there's any good time that you've got to deal with it, but we've been fortunate as far as that's gone throughout most of the season. Right now we're dealing with a little bit of it, nothing of the serious end. Missing [Kane] really gives you a lot of different things that you can try right now, and hopefully some guys absorb and take advantage of that situation."

CHICAGO -- Forward Brandon Saad will not play for the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues at United Center.

The Blackhawks are hoping Saad, who missed a 3-2 overtime loss Tuesday at the Philadelphia Flyers with an undisclosed upper-body injury, could play Friday here against the Carolina Hurricanes.

"See how he is [Thursday]," coach Joel Quenneville said prior to puck drop against St. Louis. "Good chance [he returns] by the weekend. Fingers crossed for Friday."

CHICAGO -- The Detroit Red Wings were hoping to sneak up on the Chicago Blackhawks and steal a victory Sunday at United Center (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN2, NBCSN).

Instead, the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks (38-15-14) are searching for the smelling salt and their snarl after losing two straight games and falling to third in the Central Division.

"I wish they had won 10 in a row so they would be taking us lightly," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told reporters in Detroit on Saturday. "They've dropped a couple in a row here and that's part of the business. Real good teams have some lulls in the season and then they usually get rolling again, and without question I'm sure they will."

CHICAGO -- Forward Marian Hossa is close to returning from an upper-body injury for the Chicago Blackhawks, who are looking to get hot during the stretch run of the regular season.

Hossa participated in the morning skate Friday at United Center prior to their game against the Nashville Predators and hopes to return to the lineup Sunday against the Detroit Red Wings or Tuesday at the Philadelphia Flyers.

"Hopefully it's one of those two games," Hossa said. "You're never happy when something like this happens but it's part of our sport. You want to be back right away but it takes some time. Hopefully the time will come in those two games, Philly or Detroit, and I'll be back."

DETROIT -- David Legwand has been inside the Detroit Red Wings locker room at Joe Louis Arena before, but never with his nameplate over one of the stalls.

That changed Thursday morning. Legwand, originally from suburban Detroit, rekindled some of his childhood dreams by pulling on a Red Wings uniform for the first time.

After spending his entire 15-year NHL career in the Music City for the Nashville Predators, the 33-year old Legwand took part in his first morning skate in the Motor City as a Red Wing.

"I think every kid growing up here is a Red Wings fan, as they should be," Legwand said. "The tradition, the history, the players that have been here from the past, they’ve meant a lot to the city and to the team."

CHICAGO -- A combination of skill and versatility make Brandon Saad a valuable asset for the Chicago Blackhawks, who are prepared to lean heavily on the second-year forward to fill in for injured Marian Hossa.

Saad's two-way style is even starting to resemble Hossa's, so it's not too surprising he'll get the first look to fill the Blackhawks' vacant spot at right wing on the top line Tuesday night at United Center in a big game against the Colorado Avalanche.

After playing all of last season on the left side of that line, Saad has shifted around the lineup this season. He's played on both wings, on the second and third lines, and even dabbled a bit at center in training camp. That experience could now pay off in a pinch for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who expect to be without Hossa for 2-3 weeks.

"It's huge to have depth on a team," Saad said following Chicago's morning skate. "Injuries are going to happen, so I think with the team we have and the depth we have, it's why we had success before. To be able to fill those roles or take [people's] places as best you can, it's a huge help to the team."

CHICAGO -- Those wondering if the Chicago Blackhawks will counter the blockbuster trade pulled off by the St. Louis Blues on Friday can stop now.

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman provided an answer Saturday night at Soldier Field before his team faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in the final game of the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series.

Rather than making a move in response to the Blues acquiring goalie Ryan Miller and center Steve Ott from the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, Bowman said the defending Stanley Cup champions plan to stand pat heading into the NHL Trade Deadline on Wednesday afternoon (3 p.m. ET).

"I think you can't be reactionary that way," Bowman, who's been at the helm for Chicago's Stanley Cup titles in 2010 and 2013. "Those guys haven't even played a game yet in St. Louis. You kind of have to see how it all shakes out, but we're more focused on what we can do. We have to play good hockey."