- Joe Yerdon: Lightning’s Steven Stamkos has been cleared for light contact.
- Adrian Dater: Avalanche’s J.S. Giguere is dealing with back issues.
- Brett Cyrgalis: Islanders Travis Hamonic, Lubomir Visnovsky and Evgeni Nabokov all skated yesterday morning and could play on Wednesday. Nabokov is probable to be a backup on Monday and play at Yankee Stadium.
- Helene St. James: The Red Wings are getting healthy. Darren Helm, Jonathan Ericsson and Daniel Alfredsson should be back this week. Johan Franzen and Joakim Andersson are likely for Sunday or Tuesday. GM Ken Holland said Franzen will be back today. He hasn’t played since December 15th.
- Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press: Red Wings Pavel Datsyuk (groin) practiced yesterday but won’t go today. He hopes to return this week. He wants to get into some games before the Olympics start.
- Mike Harrington: Sabres coach Ted Nolan had no update on Ville Leino or Drew Stafford and doesn’t sound like they will be able to go on Monday.
- David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News: Sharks Logan Couturehas started testing out his hand after surgery.
“I know the guys were ribbing him,” McLellan said. “I know some of the guys told him it looks like he was almost all the way back with his shot already. That’s them playing games with him obviously, but he looks better every day.”
Couture had the surgery on January 8th, and was expected to be out for three to four weeks.