- Ryan Porth: Predators Pekka Rinne hasn’t been fully cleared by doctors and is still in “rehab mode.” He is limited in drills but feeling great.
- Bob McKenzie: Hurricanes Joni Pitkanen April 3rd injury prognosis was for three months, but healing has been slow. Update coming this morning. Chip Alexander of Raleigh News & Observer: GM Jim Rutherford on Pitkanen’s injury,
“We’ll look at what our options are for a possible replacement for Joni, if he’s out a long time,” Rutherford said. “We don’t know how long it’s going to be that he’ll be out. Will it be a couple of weeks, a month, a half a year, a whole year? I don’t know. … But I’m getting prepared for the worst at this point.”
Rutherford said that if Pitkanen is out for an extended period of time, they might look to make a trade or sign a free agent.
- Harvey Fialkov: Panthers GM Dale Tallon is optimistic that Ed Jovanovski, Kris Versteeg and Sean Bergenheim are on pace to return for the start of the season. Will have a better idea when they meet with doctors later this week.
- Helene St. James: Red Wings Darren Helm didn’t skate yesterday, but they are not concerned.
“It’s going to be half a year,” Babcock said of Helm’s full recovery. “It’s going to take him some time to get to be Darren Helm, just strengthwise. There’s no way you can be who you are if you’ve been off as much. But he’s got to feel good about himself. The times I’ve talked to him, he feels good and getting better.”