Central Division
- Dave Bolland’s back is bothering him, so Hawks coach Joel Quenneville has moved Kris Versteeg to center. In other injury news, Jonathan Toews and Ben Eager are expected to return to the Hawks lineup tonight. “In all the years we’ve been involved in hockey, it’s one thing for me to look back on my career of 23 years and all the wonderful things that happened to me, but to be able to have your son be considered one of the greatest to ever play the game and one of the greatest goal scorers in the history of the game, that’s a Hull of a moment,” said Bobby Hull about his son Brett’s inductment into the Hall of Fame tonight.
- Are the Blue Jackets winning because of Jason Chimera’s new mustache? Meantime, Derek MacKenzie has become a favorite of Ken Hitchcock in Columbus. The Blue Jackets will be looking for revenge against the Red Wings on Wednesday night.
- With Steve Yzerman being inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight, the Detroit Free Press has republished Mitch Albom’s and Michael Rosenberg’s goodbye column to the great captain from 2006. Yzerman was a standout player from a very young age, says former NHL netminder Darren Pang. It appears winger Jason Williams will be out at least eight weeks with a leg injury. With Williams added to the injury list, some suspected Ken Holland would make a move for some reinforcements, but so far that is not the plan.
- “The thing just darted left on me,” said Blues goaltender Ty Conklin after allowing a long shot to Ron Hainsey with little time remaining in his team’s game versus Atlanta. The Blues are struggling but tonight is a special night for John Davidson.
Northwest Division
- Craig Conroy is clearly frustrated that he has yet to score a goal this season, but the always positive center hopes for better things to come. So far in Calgary, the team’s second line has been better than its first. Did you know the Flames have alternating alternate captains?
- The Avalanche’s second ranked penalty killing unit took a beating against the Oilers man advantage last night. Milan Hejduk didn’t suit up for last night’s contest because of a bad back.
- The Oilers’ new power play units both gelled, as the team defeated Colorado 5-3 on the back of four power play markers. Liam Reddox ws ecstatic to be called up to the big club and made a good impression with his play last night.
- Wild netminder Niklas Backstrom has come a long way to be one win away from 100 for his NHL career.
- The Canucks were hoping Roberto Luongo would return this week from injury, but the flu may push that return date back. Speaking of the flu, Steve Bernier is feeling a lot better after a recent flu scare. If Daniel Sedin practices well today, he will return to the lineup tomorrow night.
Pacific Division
- With a difficult four-game road trip ahead of them, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle knows his team won’t have it easy. “This isn’t a picnic we’re going on next week,” said coach Carlyle.
- Tonight is a special night for Dallas Stars fans, as sniper Brett Hull will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- He may have been called Lucky “Luc” Robitaille, but Helene Elliot of the L.A. Times says the Hall of Fame inductee was anything but lucky over his long and illustrious career. Robitaille’s former team in Los Angeles has a five-game road trip ahead of them, so Terry Murray didn’t want to put his players through a tough practice.
