NHL Morning Papers (Friday Edition): Nashville cannot score, Gary Bettman wants Wayne Gretzky involved in hockey and if the Coyotes win, fans get a free ticket

• Erik Christensen is a talented offensive player who has been a healthy scratch more often than not this season, but he is not letting that affect his work ethic, writes Curtis Zupke.
• Both Ilya Kovalchuk and Nikolai Antropov missed practice for Atlanta yesterday.
• The Bruins are hoping that Dennis Wideman will return to the lineup after the weekend.
• Michael Ryder moves up to the Bruins’ first line tonight to play alongside Marc Savard.

Michael Ryder moves up to the Bruins' top line. (Picture courtesy of tsn.ca)

• Thomas Vanek’s injury wasn’t as serious as initially believed, but he still is not expected to play this weekend, writes Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News.
• The Flames have a veteran core, so it means that time is a tickin’ on a chance to raise Lord Stanley’s Cup.
• If the Flames want to create more offense, they have to go to the net.
• In Carolina, some Hurricanes players really enjoy the shootout.  (Writer’s note: I hate the shootout and always will.  It really has no place in the game and is a gimmicky end to a hard fought game.)
• With his job seemingly hanging in the balance, Cristobal Huet played a solid game in net for Chicago last night against Nashville.  (Writer’s note: I said it before the season and I’ll say it again, I’m not sold the Hawks’ goaltending.)
• Ryan O’Reilly scored the winning goal for Colorado in Montreal only a few months after being selected in the same building at the NHL Entry Draft.
• Chris Stewart and T.J. Hensick were healthy scratches again for the Avs last night.
• Mathieu Roy is getting a chance to prove himself in Columbus because of injuries to his defensemen teammates.
• Mike Commodore is getting close to finally returning to the Blue Jackets lineup.
• So far, so good for Marc Crawford’s new aggressive style in Dallas, writes Mike Heika.
• Mike Babcock says his best forward this season has been Valterri Filppula.
• The Wings looked like a different team last night against Los Angeles, as the team not only won, but saw Nicklas Lidstrom record his 1000th NHL point.

Nicklas Lidstrom recorded his 1000th point last night. (Picture courtesy of yahoo.com)

• Even with last night’s win, the Red Wings have had a slow start to the season, so Mike Babcock is relying on some veterans to stabilize the team.
• “There’s a thousand stats and the one I look at the most is chances, for and against,” said Oilers coach Pat Quinn in a comment that should satisfy some of Oilers Nation.
• Jim Matheson tells us that tonight’s Oilers opponent, the Minnesota Wild, is a team in transition.
• Former UND Sioux defenseman Taylor Chorney has been thrown into the fire in Edmonton.  (Writer’s note: Chorney still needs some work defensively but has the skill set to contribute in certain ways like moving the puck and closing gaps with his speed.)
• Peter DeBoer has demoted Cory Stillman to the Panthers’ third line.
• In other Panthers news, Scott Clemmensen gets his first start for Florida tonight.
• Mikko Koivu and Brent Burns have been putting too much pressure on themselves in Minnesota, and it has led to increased struggles, writes Michael Russo.
• A late goal against spoiled what was a good effort from the Canadiens in the team’s home opener, writes Pat Hickey.
• “The only ones who are going to get us out of this is us,” said Predators coach Barry Trotz after his team’s fourth straight loss.
• The Predators have had trouble scoring goals for a while now, so they need to get their power play in order if they want to help change that.
• There have been some line changes in New Jersey.
• With all the attention of TSN’s broadcast on Dany Heatley, Milan Michalek proved his worth with a hat trick on national television.

Dany Heatley who? (Picture courtesy of the Canadian Press)

• Meanwhile, coach Cory Clouston has some decisions to make with his roster for the weekend.
• The Flyers have been off for seemingly weeks, so the team is jacked up to play back-to-back games this weekend.
• The fans that did show up in Phoenix were subject to quite an entertaining victory, writes Jim Gintonio.
• Well, don’t worry about a lack of fans with the Coyotes’ latest promotion that gives fans a free ticket if the team wins.
• Penguins fans ask where Chris Bourque fits into the team’s plans?
• Late pickup Martin Skoula is biding his time waiting in Pittsburgh.
• Evgeni Nabokov had not allowed a goal by Alexander Ovechkin, well that was until last night, as the sniper almost single-handedly defeated the Sharks.
• “A step in the right direction, but we still weren’t as strong,” said Blues forward David Backes after last night’s overtime loss in Phoenix.
• Meantime, Andy Murray is trying not to overcoach in St. Louis.
• Mike Smith’s number one job in Tampa Bay is not overly secure.
• The Lightning was anything but impressive last night in Ottawa.
• Damien Cox attempt to calm down Leafs Nation.
• With all the team’s struggles, the Leafs are being encouraged to just relax and have some fun.
• Coach Alain Vigneault wants more out of his team’s fourth line.
• The Canucks, especially Roberto Luongo, are not panicking so early in the season.
• The Capitals got back on track last night on the back of the team’s two best players.
• Gary Bettman still wants Wayne Gretzky involved in the game of hockey.