Wednesday Morning NHL Papers (Eastern Conference): John Tortorella getting defensive, Flyers hoping players-only meeting pays off and Rick Tocchet’s evolution as a coach

Tonight is the IllegalCurve.com Radio Show live at 7pm Central time.

Atlantic Division

• Everybody was focusing on Martin Brodeur’s shutout record, and rightfully so, but the Devils were also very excited to have defated the Penguins for the third time this season–all at the Mellon Arena.
• Newsday has an update on Rick DiPietro’s injury status.
• Rangers veteran defenseman Michal Rozsival has improved his game as of late, writes Arthur Staple.  Another Rangers player has also slowly improved his game, and that’s Brandon Dubinsky.  Looks like John Tortorella has changed his system to become something closer to what the Rangers played under Tom Renney.
• The Flyers coaches and players are thinking a road trip may be just what the team needs to come together.  Mike Richards is hoping that Monday’s players-only meeting will affect the way the team plays.
• Evgeni Malkin has been struggling this season, but he wants people to know that his lack of production is not injury-related.  One Penguins player is injured, as Mark Eaton is expected to be out for a week.  The Penguins hate losing and generally show that by bouncing back after bad losses.

Northeast Division

• As reported yesterday, Milan Lucic wants to return by January 1st, but he will make sure he is 100%.  Marc Savard has been in a scoring slump lately and he thinks one of the reasons why is his lack of skating.
• Tim Connolly has stayed healthy this season, which is why his scoring slump is so unexpected.  Tyler Myers is okay, although he was given a maintenance day by the Sabres coaching staff on Tuesday.
• Marc-Andre Bergeron expects to play tonight for the Habs in what will be Benoit Pouliot’s Montreal debut.  Don’t tell the Habs, but the team hasn’t won a game on December 23rd since 1945.
• Both Pascal Leclaire and Chris Neil return to the Senators lineup tonight.  Bryan Murray was not happy about NHL officiating.
• Tomas Kaberle is one pace to be the first Leafs defenseman to ever lead the team in scoring.  With Viktor Stalberg injured, Rickard Wallin checks back in for the Leafs tonight.  Ron Wilson has an idea why the Leafs haven’t played well in overtime.

Southeast Division

• Tobias Enstrom is quiet by nature, but the young defenseman sits fourth in NHL defensemen scoring and has already set a Thrashers franchise mark on his career.
• With the Hurricanes season basically lost, the team is starting to work in its young players, writes Chip Alexander.
• The Panthers power play and penalty kill hasn’t been that good over the course of the season, but lately it has been one of the driving forces behind the team’s success.  An even bigger factor in the team’s success has been the play of Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss.
• Lightning coach Rick Tocchet says it is more tiring to coach than it was to play.  GM Brian Lawton gives Tocchet all the control of his roster that he needs.
• The Capitals are doing some nice things for children in the community this holiday season, writes Corey Masisak.  Here is an interesting article on the NHL’s injury disclosure policy.

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