- Wes Crosby of NHL.com: Penguins Sidney Crosby is out with the mumps. He’ll be monitored daily and could return next week. On Nov. 28th he injured a gland on the right side of his neck. He had a CT scan, which showed that there was an injury. He was tested for mumps and it had come back negative. Crosby was put on medication that would help dissipate the swelling, but once he went off the medication, the area beside started to swell up. Further tests and CT scans were done and the Penguins were informed on Saturday night that Crosby had the mumps.
“Sidney was one of the highest on the team protecting him against the virus,” Vyas said. “He had immunizations as well as a booster shot as recently as less than a year ago for the Olympics. He was well protected from his antibody standpoint. He also had no symptoms, such as fever or chills or generalized body aches, but we nevertheless continued to follow him closely.”
“Every indication was that he was well protected against the disease,” Vyas said. “We had made sure that the whole team was checked. We immunized all of the players and staff who had low titers in protection of this. That was done approximately two weeks ago just because of the outbreak of mumps in the NHL.
“We’re trying to stay ahead of it.”
- John Shannon: Rangers Derick Brassard has been sent back to New York with the mumps. Steve Zipay: Rangers coach Alain Vigneault: “Our docs and I’m sure all the teams in the NHL have done everything they’re supposed to. They were tested for whatever at the beginning of the year, some guys are more prone to it than others, they’ve been taken care of. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
- Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Penguins Olli Maatta will get a second opinion this week in hope of avoiding shoulder surgery. Maatta is on the IR. He had surgery last May on same shoulder to repair labrum tear. Scott Harrington was recalled in case Robert Bortuzzo is not able to go.
- Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times: Lightning’s Ondrej Palat (lower-body) is expected to return at some point during their five-game road trip.
- Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: Stars Valeri Nichushkin had hip surgery on Nov. 18th and there is still no timetable on his return right now. He was rehabbing in New Jersey, but is now back with the team. Defenseman John Klingberg had surgery in April and was skating in four month, but it took six months before he felt right.
- Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen: Senators Zack Smith could miss months after dislocating his wrist on Saturday. Chris Neil is expected to be out a couple more weeks with a knee injury. Defenseman Marc Methot is back on the injured list after aggravating his season long injury which is believed to be his lower back/hip area.
- Shawn Mitchell: Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said that he “absolutely” expects that defenseman Ryan Murray (knee) will play at some point this season, but he’s not close to returning.
- Scott Powers: Blackhawks Corey Crawford will likely return next weekend.
- Wes Gilbertson: The Flames put defenseman Ladislav Smid on the IR.
- Chantel McCabe: The Hurricanes got their mumps shots during the same week that the first case was confirmed.