Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun: Hockey Night in Canada is considering removing the Toronto Maple Leafs from it’s national coverage on Saturday nights. It wouldn’t happen for at least a couple weeks since the Leafs play Canadian teams. Those in the Ontario region would still be subject to the pain.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Globe and Mail: In other HNIC news, Al Strachan will no longer appear in the 2nd intermission show, “The Hotstove”. CBC is also not happy with the cover of Strachan’s best seller book about the Maple Leafs, as he used the HNIC logo without their permission.
Elliotte Friedman on CBCsports.ca: With cap issues in Boston, Savard could end up in Toronto next season. Friedman also mentions, “enough with the Kovalchuk-to-Boston rumours, for now.” Not sure what that one was.
Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette: It appears Sergei Kostitsyn is back with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs after being suspended for the 2nd time by the Canadiens. Kostitsyn packed up after Tuesday’s game and reportedly gave the ultimatum that he’d leave for the KHL if he wasn’t traded. Gainey has said a trade is possible, but so is a return to Montreal.
Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Sergei Gonchar could miss up to 6 weeks with a broken left wrist. The Pens are off to a great start and will miss Gonchar, but they will be okay without him, as they were for most of last season.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Jason Spezza has an undisclosed nagging injury that might cost him a couple games. He left yesterday’s practice early and is listed as ‘probable’ for tonight’s game.
Steve Gorten of the Sun Sentinel: Dmitry Kulikov could be the next 2009 draft pick to stick with the big club. The Panthers have 2 more games to decide if they are going to send him back to the QMJHL or keep him in the NHL. Kulikov was drafted #14 by the Panthers last year.
Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune: Jonathan Toews was hammered with an open-ice hit from Willie Mitchell, and left the game. First thought is that it’s most likely a concussion, though for the NHL’s sake, we’ll call it an ‘upper body injury’. Toews will be re-evaluated today.
