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Niklas Hjalmarsson will have to sit out Chicago's season opener. USATSI

When the Chicago Blackhawks open their season against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 12, they will be missing one of their top defensemen.

On Monday, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced that Niklas Hjalmarsson is suspended for the remainder of the preseason and one regular-season game for his "high, illegal hit" on Blues forward Ty Rattie in Saturday night's preseason game between the Central Division rivals. Chicago has just two preseason contests remaining, so this amounts to a three-game ban for the hit.

According to the department, Hjalmarsson was guilty of charging after launching into his hit on Rattie. The Blackhawks defenseman received a match penalty for an illegal check to the head, which was delivered with just over a minute remaining in regulation in Saturday's game.

Rattie was shaken up, but did not sustain an injury. Additionally, Hjalmarsson has been suspended one time previously in his career. Both of those facts were among the considerations for the suspension length.

Here's a look at the NHL's full explanation for the suspension:

For the Blackhawks, this puts them in a tough spot in their season opener. No. 1 defenseman Duncan Keith has yet to play in the preseason, but is expected to skate opening night. Hjalmarsson would normally be skating on the top pairing with Keith.

Meanwhile, the team has multiple defensemen battling for one open spot on the roster. It appears that offseason acquisition Michal Kempny and prospect Gustav Forsling have the inside track on winning a job on the everyday roster. One of those two will have a really good shot to be in the opening-night lineup now with Hjalmarsson out. Other defensemen battling for spots include Viktor Svedberg and Cameron Schilling.

They certainly have the bodies to make up for the loss, but it will be tougher for Chicago to start the season off on the right foot without their primary shutdown defenseman.