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

 

Calgary Flames

Lance Bouma (leg) is still on course to return in the near future. Bouma will miss his fourth straight game on Thursday, but he might be back on Sunday or Monday. "He looks good," Flames coach Bob Hartley. "It’s just a matter of the stitches don’t come off. It’s more precautionary than anything else. He’s doing good, skating well, he’s ready to go. We just want to make sure it’s fully healed." - Calgary Sun

 

Florida Panthers

Erik Gudbranson (upper body) is slated to practice today and if everything goes as expected, he will be in the lineup against Chicago on Friday. - Miami Herald

Willie Mitchell (undisclosed) may not be available to play Friday night. He is suffering from some lingering issues and didn't skate Wednesday. - Miami Herald

 

Ottawa Senators

Mike Hoffman (undisclosed) is a game-time decision for tonight's contest against the Devils. - TSN

The Senators have recalled forward Matt Puempel from Binghamton (AHL) and reassigned defenceman Fredrik Claesson. - TSN

Kyle Turris wasn't able to practice on Wednesday and has been listed as a game-time decision for tonight's game vs. the Devils. - Senators.nhl.com

 

St. Louis Blues

Magnus Paajarvi has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury. He skated Wednesday but still needs more time before he is able to return. "I have to heal a little bit more, that's for sure," Paajarvi said. "I need some more time. ... I'm not 100 percent, but it's nice to be able to be out there and be with the boys." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jaden Schwartz skated with his teammates Wednesday for the first time since he fractured his ankle back on Oct. 23. He may be able to return shortly after the All-Star break. - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Carl Gunnarsson was ready to play Wednesday, but he wasn't taken off injured reserve in time to be active to play against Detroit. Blues GM Doug Armstrong called it a "miscommunication in the staff," so Gunnarsson had to be scratched. Gunnarson sat out four games with an upper-body injury, but he should be in the lineup on Friday. - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

 

Toronto Maple Leafs

James Reimer starts tonight for the Leafs after winning his first game since Nov. 20 on Tuesday. Reimer ranks second in the league with a .934 save percentage. - TSN

Brad Boyes plays in his 800th career game. - TSN

Toronto beat Carolina 2-1 in their only previous meeting this season. - TSN

Projected lines vs. Hurricanes:

Forwards
Grabner - Kadri - Komarov
Matthias - Bozak - Parenteau
Lupul - Holland - Boyes
Winnik - Froese - Clune

Defence
Gardiner - Phaneuf
Hunwick - Rielly
Marincin - Polak

Goaltender
Reimer

Out: Robidas (knee), Spaling (upper-body), van Riemsdyk (foot)
Projected Scratches: Corrado, Leivo

 

Winnipeg Jets

Ondrej Pavelec (knee) has been doing light workouts on the ice, but he hasn't resumed practices yet. "Every day he comes in and there certainly hasn't been a setback," coach Paul Maurice said. "There hasn't been a day where he’s been overly sore or (more) sore than we thought he would be. We'll just keep adding to it." Pavelec will sit for a 26th time tonight and the Jets still haven't given an indication on when he could be ready to return. - Winnipeg Free Press

Projected lines vs. Predators:

Forwards
Ladd - Little - Wheeler
Armia - Perreault - Ehlers
Thorburn - Burmistrov - Halischuk
Lipon - Copp - Peluso

Defence
Enstrom - Myers
Trouba - Byfuglien
Stuart - Chiarot

Goaltender
Hellebuyck
Hutchinson

 

Waivers

San Jose Sharks place winger Ben Smith on waivers.

 

GAME NOTES

Canucks (49P) at Bruins (53P) - 7PM
BOS is 1-0-0 vs VAN this season, shutout win in VAN
VAN has gone 3-1-0 past 4GP in BOS
BOS (24-16-5):
won 3 straight, 4GA, 14/14 on PK
Bergeron (3G) past 2GP
VAN (19-17-11):
2-0-1 past 3 games, all on the road, 6GA, 6/7 on PK
D Sedin (1A) last 4GP

Senators (50P) at Devils (51P) - 7PM
NJ is 2-0-0 vs OTT this season, both games in OTT
Teams split 2GP in NJ last season
NJ (23-19-5):
won 2 straight, 2GA, 7/9 on PK
Stempniak (1G, 2A) last 2GP
OTT (22-18-6):
won 2 straight, both on the road, 8GF, 2/5 on PP
Ryan (2G, 1A) last 2GP

Flyers (48P) at Penguins (49P) - 7PM
PHI was 4-0-0 vs PIT last season
PHI has won 8 straight vs PIT, 5 of the games in PIT
PIT (21-17-7):
1-1-2 past 4GP, 13GF, 2/13 on PP
Crosby (2G, 4A) 4 game PT streak
PHI (20-16-8):
won 2 straight on the road, 4GA, 5/5 on PK
Giroux 1G, 4A past 4GP

Flames (43P) at Blue Jackets (38P) - 7PM
CBJ were 2-0-0 vs CGY last season
CBJ have gone 5-1-0 past 6GP vs CGY
CBJ (17-26-4):
1-2-1 past 4GP at home, 15GA, 8/11 on PK
Jones (4A) 3 game PT streak
CGY (20-21-3):
0-1-1 past 2GP, 3GF, 2/9 on PP
Gaudreau (2G, 4A) past 5GP

Hurricanes (48P) at Maple Leafs (41P) - 7:30PM
TOR is 1-0-0 vs CAR this season, SOW in CAR
CAR has won 2 of their past 3GP in TOR
TOR (17-20-7):
lost 2 straight at home, 1GF in each game, 0/6 on PP
Bozak/Phaneuf/Kadri, all 2A last 2GP
CAR (20-19-8):
0-1-1 past 2GP, 2GF, 1/7 on PP
Faulk (0P) last 3GP

Blackhawks (68P) at Lightning (54P) - 7:30PM
CHI is 1-0-0 vs TB this season, shutout win at home
TB has won 4 straight at home vs CHI, 3 past regulation
TB (25-17-4):
won 6 straight, 24GF, 2/20 on PP
Kucherov (5G, 4A) 6 game PT streak
CHI (32-13-4):
won 12 straight, 22GA, 28/34 on PK
Kane (5G, 3A) 3 game PT streak

Predators (48P) at Jets (45P) - 8PM
WPG is 2-1-0 vs NSH this season, 1-1-0 at home
WPG has won 2 straight at home vs NSH
WPG (21-22-3):
1-3-0 past 4 at home, 14GA, 9/13 on PK
Wheeler (2G, 1A) last 3GP
NSH (20-18-8):
1-6-2 past 9 road games, 33GA, 23/29 on PK
Johansen (1G, 4A) past 4GP

Oilers (43P) at Stars (63P) - 8:30PM
Teams have split two games this season, DAL 1-0-0 at home
DAL has won 3 straight at home vs EDM
DAL (29-13-5):
0-3-1 past 4GP, 8GF, 2/10 on PP
Janmark (1G, 2A) 3 game PT streak
EDM (19-24-5):
1-5-3 past 9 road games, 19GF, 3/21 on PP
Hall (2G, 3A) 3 game PT streak

Sharks (49P) at Coyotes (49P) - 9PM
SJ was 3-1-1 vs ARZ last season
SJ has gone 4-1-0 past 5 in ARZ (lost last)
ARZ (22-18-5):
0-2-1 past 3GP, 3GF, 1/13 on PP
Boedker (0G, 2A) last 5GP
SJ (23-18-3):
5-0-1 past 6GP, outscoring opponent 24-12, 4/19 on PP
Thornton (2G, 6A) 6 game PT streak

Wild (52P) at Kings (61P) - 10:30PM
LAK are 1-0-0 vs MIN this season, winning at home
LAK have won 2 straight at home vs MIN
LAK (29-13-3):
won 2 straight, both by 1G, 2/4 on PP
Kopitar (3G, 7A) 5 game PT streak
MIN (22-16-8):
lost 5 straight, 4GF, 0/11 on PP
Koivu (1A) last 8GP