National Basketball Association

Stars struck: Chicago loses Rose, Kane to injuries on same day

Published Feb. 25, 2015 4:12 a.m. ET

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Baseball can't get here soon enough for the city of Chicago.

After the Cubs made headlines early Tuesday by signing Manny Ramirez to be a hitting consultant, the Windy City suffered a double whammy at night as Chicago's two professional teams currently in season each lost its biggest star to injury.

First, the Bulls announced oft-injured 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose will have surgery on his right knee for a second consecutive season. Less than two hours earlier, Blackhawks star Patrick Kane suffered a serious upper-body injury in the first period vs. the Florida Panthers when he was checked into the boards. The Blackhawks would win in a shootout, but Kane, tied for the NHL scoring lead, never returned to the game.

Early reports claimed Kane broke his collarbone.

On Tuesday morning, Chicago's NBA & NHL teams had high hopes for their respective postseasons. The Central-leading Bulls (36-21) were considered one of the top three teams in the East, and the Blackhawks were the Vegas favorite to win their third Stanley Cup since 2010. But by Tuesday night, Chicagoans were wondering, "What just happened and why us?"

Maybe it's the curse of D-Rose.

This is the third major setback for the three-time NBA All-Star, a homegrown talent for the Bulls who has often been criticized for being injury-prone and soft throughout his pro career.

He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Chicago's opening game of the 2012 playoffs vs. Philadelphia, leading to the Bulls — the East's top seed — falling to the 76ers in six games with Rose out. The injury was serious enough to keep the Bulls star out the entire next season — Rose's first under a five-year, $94 million extension signed just months before the knee injury.

Then last season, Rose finally returned ... and played just 10 games before he tore the medial meniscus in his right knee, requiring surgery — the same surgery the 26-year-old will be having this season after Tuesday's MRI exam confirmed the tear.

Rose played Monday night, scoring just eight points in an 87-71 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. While he is averaging 18.4 points and a team-high 5.0 assists in 46 games this season, he struggled in the first three games since the All-Star break, scoring just 10.7 points a game and shooting a lousy 23.5 percent from the field.

Nonetheless, his loss will be felt, and not just in Chicago:

As for Kane, a two-time Stanley Cup champ and the 2013 Conn Smythe winner, he was tied for the NHL lead with 64 points going into Tuesday night. Just 7:49 into the contest, Kane lost his balance, was cross-checked by Florida's Alex Petrovic and crashed into the boards awkwardly.

You can see the play in these highlights:

One source told the Chicago Tribune Kane, also 26, would be out more than six weeks and possibly 10-plus weeks; but the Blackhawks won't know the extent of the injury until Wednesday. Kane leads the Blackhawks with 27 goals and 37 assists.

So while the wind continues to blow off Lake Michigan and the city tries to get through another winter, Chicagoans likely will start thinking baseball a lot sooner than they had hoped.

Sure, the Cubs and White Sox are coming off terrible seasons, posting identical 73-89 seasons last year, but the two made a bunch of noise during the Hot Stove League.

The Cubs signed the top free agent on the market in left-handed ace Jon Lester and managed to snag manager Joe Maddon away from Tampa Bay. They also traded for outfielder Dexter Fowler and catcher Miguel Montero in separate deals.

The Sox acquired former Cubs ace Jeff Samardzija in a trade with the A's, and signed former Yankees closer David Robertson and sluggers Adam LaRoche and Melky Cabrera to boost their lineup.

Yes, Opening Day can't get here soon enough for Chitown.