On the Montreal Canadiens …
Sportsnet: Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported that Montreal Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty played the month of November with a broken foot, which is now fully healed.
“Max Pacioretty through most of November was playing with a broken foot,” Engels reported. “And I approached Pacioretty with this today and he was very reluctant to admit he was playing with a broken foot. He didn’t want to use it as an excuse.
“He’s a guy who’s always under criticism for not being tough enough, he’s a pretty tough guy and I think he’s poised for a break out. We saw it in Los Angeles he was playing great, we saw it coming back to Montreal with this first period. I think he’s poised to score.”
Eric Engels: Defenseman Greg Pateryn has a fractured ankle. He’ll be out for eight weeks. Pateryn played the entire third period against the Blues with a broken ankle.
On the New York Rangers …
Brett Cyrgalis: Coach Alain Vigneault said that Jimmy Vesey is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
On the Washington Capitals …
Tarik El-Bashir: Defenseman Matt Niskanen is out tonight.
Isabelle Khurshudyan: Niskanen didn’t travel with the team.
“I don’t really have a real good update,” Coach Barry Trotz said after Wednesday’s game. “Obviously, he took that hit. For precautionary reasons, we kept him out. … He took a big hit. He’s an important piece for us.”
On the Detroit Red Wings …
Helene St. James: Forward Andreas Athanasiou has been activated off the IR.
Ansar Khan: Defenseman Alexey Marchenko said he’s close to getting clearance for his shoulder injury. If he’s not ready for tonight, should be ready for Sunday.
On the Buffalo Sabres …
John Vogl: Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov: “I’m at the point where it’s feeling good and I can play now.” Defenseman Josh Gorges on if he could play tonight: “I feel like I could.”
Chris Ryndak of NHL.com: Kulikov is a possibility for tonight. He’s been out for 13 games with a lower-back injury.
Taylor Fedun is day-to-day with a shoulder injury.
Zach Bogosian is out with a MCL sprain and is weeks away.
Josh Gorges is out weeks with a foot injury.
Tyler Ennis has missed the past 14 games and will be out a while after groin surgery.
Nicolas Deslaurier has missed the past 19 games with a knee injury. He’s skating but is still a ways away.
Cody McCormick has been out since January 2015 with blood clots.