NHL News: Pro Sports Daily

Leighton suffers a high ankle sprain in loss to Preds

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March 17

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers' season may hinge on goalie Michael Leighton's injured left ankle. The goalie, a waiver-wire wonder this season, suffered a high ankle sprain early in Tuesday's 4-3 shoot-out loss to Nashville. He will have an MRI Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury. "I just went out to get the puck and it got away from me, and I kind of went back on my leg and felt my leg pop, my ankle," Leighton said. "It's just the way I fell backwards. I felt something pop and it didn't feel good." Brian Boucher replaced Leighton and played admirably, allowing one goal the rest of the way and helping the Flyers salvage an important point. "Once he has settled in, he has played really ..."

Brian Campbell will likely avoid surgery, to be out 7-8 weeks

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March 17

Chicago Sun-Times

"Life without defenseman Brian Campbell officially began for Blackhawks on Tuesday. The team announced Campbell will be out seven to eight weeks with a fractured collarbone and rib after being shoved into the boards by Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin in the first period of the Hawks' overtime loss Sunday at the United Center. ''He will likely avoid surgery, and we anticipate a full recovery,'' Hawks team physician Michael Terry said. Ovechkin received a five-minute boarding penalty and a game misconduct for the hit. He was suspended two games by NHL, which deemed it a ''reckless hit'' on Monday. ''I am very sorry that Brian was injured, and I hope he is able to return to his team ..."

Ducks' Selanne expects to play

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March 17

Orange County Register

"Teemu Selanne doesn't want to miss another game, and neither do Ducks fans. Selanne said he expects to play Wednesday against Chicago after he suffered a minor shoulder sprain on Sunday. The Ducks desperately need the winger as they try to keep faint postseason hopes alive, but the juicy subplot cannot be ignored: Selanne is one goal shy of career goal No.600. The Ducks have three games remaining on their home stand, so the probabilities of reaching the milestone in front of home fans are high. "That would be a dream come true," Selanne said. "But it's not that big a deal. But obviously I would like to share that with all the fans.""

Lightning left wing Ryan Malone out 10-14 days after knee surgery

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March 17

St. Petersburg Times

"The Tampa Bay Lightning announced Tuesday that left wing Ryan Malone will be out 10 to 14 days after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The team said Malone will continue to undergo treatment for a separate upper-body injury that has kept him out of three of the past four games."

NHL trying to modify headshot rule before playoffs

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March 17

TSN.ca

"After the National Hockey League's general managers put forward a recommendation for a rule change to address hits to the head, it now appears the league is moving to make a change before the end of the current season. According to reports in the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star, the NHL is attempting to implement the GM's proposal immediately and will be releasing a DVD to help educate teams on the potential new rule . "It's a process that has never been done before in the season. But this is so important an issue that if we can possibly avoid just one concussion, we should do this," stated the NHL's senior vice-president of hockey operations Colin Campbell to the Globe and Mail's online ..."

Malkin won't bedevil Devils

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March 17

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Penguins center Evgeni Malkin will not play tonight against the New Jersey Devils. He suffered a bruised foot late in the second period Sunday in the Penguins' 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning."

Stamkos expects to play against Coyotes tonight

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March 17

Tampa Tribune

"Sophomore center Steven Stamkos did not skate Tuesday morning, but intends to be ready to play tonight. Stamkos suffered a lower back contusion Sunday against Pittsburgh, and though he played the entire game after being hit on the opening shift, he woke up with a stiff back on Monday and received two hours of treatment. Stamkos intended to skate on this morning, but was held off the ice for precautionary reasons and received more treatment. "We've got another six or seven hours before the game and Mully (team trainer Tom Mulligan) felt it was better to get him more therapy," Lightning head coach Rick Tocchet said. "It's obviously an important part of the season and he's a big part of our ..."

Paul Martin will make Devils return against Penguins

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March 17

Newark Star-Ledger

"Their meeting took place on the Prudential Center ice at the conclusion of Wednesday's morning skate. Coach Jacques Lemaire skated over to Paul Martin and asked the defenseman about his left forearm and wrist. "He asked me how it felt and I said, 'Good.' That was about it," Martin said. The Devils get their best defenseman back for Wednesday night's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Martin has missed 59 games since he suffered a fractured left forearm when struck by a Bill Guerin shot Oct. 24 in Pittsburgh. "I didn't really know until after the morning skate, but I had a good idea yesterday that I'd play," Martin said. "It felt good. We had a good day on the ice shooting the puck. It ..."

Knee injury ends Hejda's season

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March 17

Columbus Dispatch

"The most-frustrating season in Jan Hejda's career has met an aggravating end. Hejda, who might be the Blue Jackets' top defenseman, will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed yesterday with a Grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. "This season is not a good one," he said. "I've never had problems with my knees, ever. Now I've had something with both knees. And the play (between the injuries) wasn't very good." Hejda was injured in the first period Monday against Edmonton. As Hejda chipped the puck around Oilers winger Gilbert Brule, a former Jackets teammate, he got pinned awkwardly against the wall. "(Brule) just hit me, and my leg stuck to the ..."

Steve Downie fined $1,000 for hit on Crosby

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March 17

Tampa Tribune

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"Tampa Bay RW Steve Downie said he had a phone conversation with NHL senior vice president Colin Campbell, the league's disciplinarian, on Tuesday morning regarding a play on Sunday in which the leg of Pittsburgh C Sidney Crosby got pinned under Downie as the two fell to the ice on the opening shift. Downie has been reportedly been fined $1,000 by the league for the hit, which he said happened unintentionally when the two were tangled up coming down the left-wing side into the Tampa Bay defensive zone."

Report says Hawks and Thrashers may both be for sale

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March 17

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The Atlanta Spirit ownership group has been disputing reports that it is seeking to sell the Thrashers and that the NHL team might be on the move to another city. Now comes a report that the Hawks also might be on the market. A New York Times story on sports ownership during the recession references both the Hawks and Thrashers as being among franchises that might be for sale. The paragraph in question reads: Now that the economy seems to be on the mend, owners who held off selling during the downturn are seeking to unload their teams. According to sports bankers, the teams thought to be for sale include the Atlanta Hawks, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors and the ..."

Two back, but Fisher sidelined by injury

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March 17

Ottawa Citizen

"For those who saw the glass as half full, the Ottawa Senators welcomed winger Nick Foligno and defenceman Chris Campoli back to the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. For those who saw the glass as half empty, centre Mike Fisher was out, sidelined by an upper- body injury. Coach Cory Clouston didn't elaborate on the extent of the damage to Fisher, except to say it was related to something that had been "nagging" Fisher during the latter stages of the Senators' western Canadian road trip last week. Fisher left Monday's practice early and wasn't on the ice during Tuesday's morning skate, but his injury can't be that serious. He took part in the warmup before the Leafs ..."

Neither team satisfied with Ovechkin suspension

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March 17

Chicago Tribune

"Adam Burish said he considered jumping over the boards to get at Alex Ovechkin after the Capitals star injured Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell with an illegal hit during Sunday's game but didn't because his coach "would have wringed my neck." On the day the team announced Campbell will be sidelined seven to eight weeks with a broken clavicle and rib — but likely would avoid surgery — the Hawks reacted to the news the league had suspended Ovechkin for two games and, not surprisingly, felt the punishment was too lenient. "I don't care if you're dirty or not, or if you have a history or not, if you hit somebody in the head or you injure somebody you need to get suspended for it," Burish ..."

Bogosian MRI negative, returns to lineup

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March 17

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The MRI exam on Zach Bogosian's injured right thumb was negative and the defenseman returned to the Thrashers lineup Tuesday against the Sabres. Thrashers coach John Anderson said the test, performed Monday, did not reveal a fracture. He listed Bogosian as a game-time decision after he participated in the pre-game skate. Bogosian missed his only game this season on Sunday after suffering the injury Friday. With Bogosian back in the lineup, Chris Chelios was scratched of defense. Chris Thorburn and Eric Boulton were the forwards scratched. It marked the first game Thorburn has missed this season. Anderson said following the game that Thorburn felt ill before the game and was held out."

Oilers' Eberle heads to Springfield farm club

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March 17

Edmonton Journal

"As expected, Jordan Eberle is heading to the Edmonton Oilers' farm club in Springfield. Eberle, who turns 20 in May, finished third in goals in the Canadian Hockey League with 50 for the Regina Pats, behind Brian Cameron of Barrie (53), Kyle Beach of Spokane (52) and Jeff Skinner of Kitchener (50). Eberle only played 57 games, however, for the Pats, who didn't make the playoffs. That was at least five games fewer than any of those four. Eberle was second in the country in points with 106, ironically tied with Taylor Hall (Windsor) and Tyler Seguin (Plymouth) — the top two prospects in the June draft. One of those kids will be drafted by the Oilers. Brandon Kozun of Calgary led everybody ..."