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

 

Pittsburgh Penguins

Head coach Mike Sullivan is "optimistic" superstar Evgeni Malkin will be ready to suit up for the playoffs. The 30-year-old has missed the last 10 games with a shoulder injury suffered on Mar. 15 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Malkin has scored 33 goals and added 39 assists over 62 games with Pittsburgh this season. The Penguins are crossing their fingers that he'll return for the playoffs as they found out Wednesday that All-Star defenceman Kris Letang will be lost for the season due to a herniated disk in his neck.

 

Calgary Flames

Goaltender Chad Johnson has been returned to Calgary for further evaluation on his lower-body injury.

The team has recalled goaltender Jon Gillies from the AHL's Stockton Heat on emergency conditions.

The Flames play the L.A. Kings on Thursday. 

 

Montreal Canadiens

Projected Lines vs. Sabres 

Forwards

Pacioretty-Danault-Radulov
Byron-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Shaw-Lehkonen
King-Mitchell-Flynn

Defence

Markov-Petry
Beaulieu-Emelin
Davidson-Nesterov

Goalies

Price
Lindgren 

 

Winnipeg Jets

The team recalled AHL goaltender Eric Comrie from the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday and he will get the start between the pipes Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 21-year-old owns a 17-25-2 record with a 2.98 goals-against average and .906 save percentage with a pair of shutouts over 47 AHL games in 2016-17. Comrie, a 2013 second-round pick, has never played in a NHL game. 

 

San Jose Sharks

Sharks centre Joe Thornton was back on the ice Wednesday after missing the team's last game with a lower-body injury. The veteran sounded pretty confident that he'll be ready to go for the playoffs. - Kevin Kurz, NBC

 

Anaheim Ducks

Sami Vatanen, who's missed the last two contests with an upper-body injury, said he'll be ready to play Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks while fellow defenceman Cam Fowler is out day-to-day with a lower body injury. In other news, defenceman Korbinian Holzer has left the team and returned to his home country of Germany for personal reasons. Also, defenceman Clayton Stoner, who's been out since mid-November following abdominal surgery, has still yet to receive the thumbs up to play. - Team Tweet/Eric Stephens, Orange County Register

 

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have loaned defenceman Sam Morin and forward Colin McDonald to the American Hockey League. Morin, a 2013 first-round pick, played in his first NHL game Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils, recording nearly 18 minutes of ice time with a couple shots on goal. - Team Tweet 

 

Florida Panthers

Veteran forward Jussi Jokinen could be done for the season with an undisclosed injury. Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad and Roberto Luongo won't play in any of the remaining games either. - Craig Davis, Sun Sentinel

 

St. Louis Blues 

Defenceman Carl Gunnarsson skated with the team on Wednesday after missing Tuesday's game with a lower-body injury. Head coach Mike Yeo said "he looked good today and we'll see how he feels tomorrow," after the skate. - St. Louis Post-Dispatch 

 

Buffalo Sabres

Forward Kyle Okposo will likely be sidelined for the last three games of the season due to an illness. - John Vogl, Buffalo News 

 

Chicago Blackhawks 

Chicago recalled defenceman Gustav Forsling from the AHL on Wednesday. The 20-year-old has two goals and three helpers over 36 games with Chicago this season. - Team Tweet

 

Game Notes 

Canadiens (101P) at Sabres (76P) - 730PM

MTL is 2-0-1 vs BUF this season. 1-0-0 in BUF. MTL has won 2 straight in BUF, 3GA

BUF (ROW-30):

lost 3 straight, 5GF, 1/7 on PP
Eichel (1G) last 3GP

MTL (ROW-101):

won 5 straight, outscoring opponent 19-6, 11/11 on PK
Pacioretty (2G, 5A) 5 game PT streak

 

Rangers (100P) at Capitals (114P) - 8PM

NYR are 2-1-0 vs WSH this season. 1-0-0 in WSH. NYR have won 4 of past 5 in WSH

WSH (ROW-51):

8-1-0 past 9GP, 34GF, 11/25 on PP
Ovechkin (1A) last 4GP

NYR (ROW-44):

2-2-3 past 7GP, 23GA, 16/21 on PK
Zuccarello (1G, 7A) last 6GP