Keep updated on all the injury news and roster moves from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.


Montreal Canadiens 

Jonathan Drouin was on the wing Tuesday at Canadiens practice for the first time in a Habs' uniform. He has been playing centre since the start of training camp. Drouin has six goals and 21 points with a minus-19 rating in 39 games this season. 

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said earlier this month Drouin was likely better suited to play on the wing, but the team needed him at centre.

“Probably a better option would be on the wing but, in the situation we’re in, it’s not possible,” Bergevin said. “In a perfect world, if we had that No. 1 centre, that guy who can make plays, a high-end centre, (Drouin would) probably be on the wing.”

Paul Byron served as the team's first line centre during Tuesday's skate, while Jacob De La Rose centred a line with Alex Galchenyuk and Drouin.

Here were the lines at practice:

Forwards

Pacioretty-Byron-Hudon

Lehkonen-Plekanec-Gallagher

Galchenyuk-De La Rose-Drouin*

Deslauriers-Froese-Carr

Defencemen

Alzner-Petry

Benn-Jerabek

Mete-Schlemko

Morrow

Goaltenders

Price

Niemi

Power play:

Gallagher

Drouin-Pacioretty-Galchenyuk

Petry

 

Carr

Mete-Lehkonen-Hudon

Schlemko

 - TSN's John Lu


Toronto Maple Leafs

Forward Nikita Soshnikov was on the ice Tuesday morning for the Leafs for the first time since he went on IR last month with a lower-body injury. 

Head coach Mike Babcock said the Leafs plan to send him on a conditioning stint in the AHL before he re-joins the big club. 

Once he's ready to be activated, the Leafs will have to make a roster move. They called up Frederik Gauthier and Travis Dermott Monday, giving them a full 23-man roster. - TSN's Kristen Shilton

Frederik Andersen is expected to get the start in the crease. 

Here were the lines at their morning skate:

Forwards

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander

Marleau-Kadri-Komarov

van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner

Martin- Gauthier -Brown

Defence

Rielly-Hainsey

Gardiner-Carrick

Dermott-Polak

Goaltenders

Andersen

McElhinney


Nashville Predators

Forward Vikor Arvidsson was back on the ice for the Predators Tuesday morning after he needed to be helped off the ice during Monday's practice with what appeared to be a lower-body injury. - Adam Vingan

In 42 games so far this season, he has 13 goals and 14 assists. 

Here were the lines at practice Tuesday morning:

Forwards

Sissons-Johansen-Arvidsson

Fiala-Turris-Smith

Hartnell-Bonino-Aberg

Salomaki-Jarnkrok-Watson

Defencemen

Josi-Irwin

Emelin-Subban

Ekholm-Ellis 

Goaltender

Saros


Dallas Stars

Stars general manager Jim Nill said Monday he expects Spezza to return to the team's lineup on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings after being a healthy scratch the day before.

"Like I said I think he knows he can be better too and we need more from him," Nill told Mark Stepneski of the team's website. "I think we got a really good thing going here and he’s a big part of it, he’s one of our leaders and we want him at his best." - DallasStars.com


Boston Bruins

Forward Jake DeBrusk and defenceman Kevan Miller were missing from Bruins practice Tuesday with the flu, while forward Noel Acciari missed the skate with a lower-body injury he sustained during Monday's loss to the Dallas Stars. Head coach Bruce Cassidy said he expects him to play Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens. - Joe Haggerty


Detroit Red Wings

Forwards Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader will not play Tuesday or Saturday, head coach Jeff Blashill said Tuesday. Both were injured during Saturday's loss in Pittsburgh and did not play Sunday in the Red Wings' 4-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. - Detroit Red Wings


Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lighting have recalled goaltender Louis Domingue from the AHL's Syracuse Crunch.

In eight NHL games so far this season, Domingue has a GAA of 4.02 to go along with a save percentage of .870. - AHL.com


Vegas Golden Knights

Head coach Gerrard Gallant said that forward Cody Eakin is day-to-day and will not be in the lineup Tuesday night against the Predators in Nashville. He is expected to accompany the team on their four-game road trip. 

Ryan Carpenter will be back in the lineup. - Vegas Golden Knights


St. Louis Blues

Goaltender Carter Hutton is expected to start for the Blues Tuesday night against the Maple Leafs. - Jim Thomas

In 12 starts so far this season, Hutton has a GAA of 1.84 and a save percentage of .940. 


NHL Game Notes

Leafs Dec 12 to Present

Rec      5-7-2

GF/G   2.7

GA/G  3.1

PP%    20.5

PK%    88.4    

(last regulation win Dec 28th)

 

Kadri Last 16GP

G                     1

A                     0

PPPts               1

+/-                    -4

Shots/Gm        2.9

 

Blues (55P) at Leafs (53P) - 7PM

STL 1-0-0 vs TOR in 17-18, winning at home. TOR 1-0-1 last 2GP at home vs STL

TOR (25-17-3):

2-3-2 last 7GP, 15GF, PP 2/20

Matthews 0P last 2GP, 3 shots on net

STL (26-17-3):

0-2-1 last 3GP, 17GA, PK 7/10

Schenn (0G, 5A) last 10GP

Devils (52P) at Islanders (50P) - 7PM

NYI 1-0-0 vs NJ in 17-18, SOW at home. NYI 8 straight wins at home vs NJ

NYI (23-18-4):

1-2-0 last 3GP at home, outscored 13-5, PP 1/11 (win came in a shootout)

Tavares (2G, 2A) last 3GP

NJ (22-12-8):

0-3-3 last 6GP, 24GA, PK 12/18

Hall (3G, 5A) 4 game PT streak

Flyers (48P) at Rangers (49P) - 7PM

NYR 3-1-0 vs PHI in 16-17, 1-1-0 at home

NYR (22-17-5):

lost 3 straight, outscored 14-5, PP 1/6

Zuccarello (3A) last 8GP

PHI (20-15-8):

won 4 straight, 21GF, PP 7/14

career GP 700 for Giroux, 1G, 7A 4 game PT streak

Stars (53P) at Red Wings (43P) - 730PM

DAL 1-0-0 vs DET in 17-18, winning at home. DET has won 2 of past 3 at home vs DAL

DET (18-18-7):

1-2-0 last 3GP, 7GF, PP 1/15

Larkin (1G, 0A) last 3GP

DAL (25-17-3):

3-1-0 last 4GP, 13GF, PP 1/12

Benn (2G, 3A) 4 game PT streak

Knights (61P) at Predators (56P) - 8PM

VGS 2-0-0 vs NSH in 17-18, 1-0-0 in NSH (SOW)

NSH (25-11-6):

won 2 straight, 4GA, PK 4/5

Subban (5G, 9A) last 13GP

VGS (29-10-3):

2-0-1 last 3GP, 9GF, PK 0/9

Marchessault (6G, 9A) points in 10 of past 11GP

Sharks (52P) at Coyotes (27P) - 9PM

SJ 2-0-0 vs ARZ in 17-18, 1-0-0 in ARZ. SJ 2 straight wins in ARZ, 1GA in each game

ARZ (10-28-7):

0-1-2 last 3GP, 11GA, PK 2/3

Keller (3G, 8A) last 12GP

SJ (23-13-6):

won 2 straight, 10GF, PP 1/2

Thornton (2G, 2A) last 2GP