- Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Thrashers GM Rick Dudley is actively looking to make a deal as his team is struggling. The Thrashers hold a 1 point lead on the 8th spot,
“As of night, yes ,” Dudley said. “Are we looking to do something? Absolutely. We don’t want to let this go. Obviously we haven’t given up on the season. It would be ludicrous. We haven’t given up on improving either. If it doesn’t come from within, it will come from outside.”
Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd (captain) had a meeting with coach Ramsey about ‘unnamed players’ showing a lack of effort and commitment to winning, which was a consensus with the team.
- Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel: The Panthers have received offers for Stephen Weiss, and missing the playoffs each year may be getting to him. He has expressed that he’d like to remain a Panther.
“There are points where it really wears on you,” Weiss told NHL.com. “But at the back of my mind, I just want to try to play hard and when it does finally work here, it’ll feel that much better because you stuck it out. That’s not to say there haven’t been tough times, but this is where I got drafted and this is where I want to be.
“When the calls stop coming in and nobody wants you, that’s when you’re in trouble,” he said. “If you’re playing the way you should be, the interest will be there.”They would rather trade the expiring contracts of Bryan McCabe, Tomas Vokoun, Cory Stillman or Rostislav Olesz. GM Dale Tallon could be looking for draft picks.
- Jesse Spector of the NY Daily News: Ruslan Fedotenko underwent an appendectomy yesterday and will be out 3-4 weeks. Fedotenko was originally out 2 weeks with a shoulder injury. Vinny Prospal will make his season debut against tonight against the Devils.
- Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Blues have activated Andy McDonald from the IR and will be in the lineup tomorrow night. McDonald was practicing with David Backes and Brad Boyes. Philip McRae was assigned to the AHL.
- Bob McKenzie via twitter: McKenzie agrees that Anaheim is the most likely destination for Ray Emery. Eric Stephen via twitter: The Ducks are looking at Emery, though it would be as a number 3 goalie for the immediate future.
- Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun: Though Ron Wilson wouldn’t say, it’s likely that James Reimer gets the start for the Maple Leafs tonight versus the Huricanes. Mike Brown is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
- Katie Strang via twitter: Rick DiPietro had facial x-rays after getting one-punched by Penguins goalie Brent Johnson, and they came back negative. (it was rumored last night that he might have had a fractured orbital bone)