On the Chicago Blackhawks …
Mark Lazerus: The Blackhawks will make defenseman Brent Seabrook a healthy scratch tonight. Coach Joel Quenneville didn’t give Seabrook specific reasons as to why he was being scratched, only told him he has to be better.
Chris Stevenson: Coach Quenneville on making Seabrook a healthy scratch: “I just felt, we felt, the other guys were deserving of playing tonight’s game, and we think it’s a very limited experience for him tonight.”
Mark Lazerus: “The Blackhawks Nos. 2-6 defensemen tonight come with a combined cap hit of $7.1975 million. Their No. 7 defenseman tonight (Brent Seabrook) has a cap hit of $6.875 million. This is not ideal.”
Mark Spector: “Was always told that Seabrook was the de facto captain of those great Blackhawks teams. Healthy scratching him tonight would be the result of much discussion inside CHI organization. Not done lightly.”
Bob McKenzie: Defenseman Cody Franson clears waivers.
Greg Wyshynski: Surprising and weird that Franson cleared waivers given his contract and the needs of other teams in the league.
Mark Lazerus: “Cody Franson might have lost a step speed-wise, but he’s an effective offensive player with a big shot. Surprised nobody claimed him.”
Scott Powers: The Blackhawks recalled Erik Gustafsson and reassigned Cody Franson to the AHL.
On the Ottawa Senators …
Ken Warren: Forward Matt Duchene will be a game-time decision.
On the Tampa Bay Lightning …
Joe Smith: Defenseman Dan Girardi is a game-time decision tonight.
Caley Chelios: Girardi on his injury: “Very fortunate that it hit me in the spot that it did. Obviously necks a little sore, considering what happened I’m pretty lucky.”
On the Vancouver Canucks …
Dan Murphy: Defenseman Chris Tanev wore a full cage mask at practice this morning.
Forward lines at practice …
Michael Smith: Carolina Hurricanes lines: Aho-Staal-Teravainen, McGinn-Rask-Williams, Skinner-Ryan-Lindholm, Nordstrom-Kruger-Jooris.
Mark Lazerus: Chicago Blackhawks lines: Saad-Toews-Hinostroza, Hartman-Schmaltz-Kane, Sharp/Jurco-Kampf-DeBrincat, Bouma-Wingels-Panik.
Brent Wallace: Ottawa Senators lines: Dzingel-Brassard-Stone, Hoffman-(Duchene)-Ryan, Smith-Pageau-Pyatt, Burrows-White-Dumont.
Caley Chelios: Tampa Bay Lightning lines: Kunitz-Stamkos-Kucherov, Palat-Point-Johnson, Killorn-Namestnikov-Gourde, Brown-Paquette-Callahan.
Kristen Shilton: Toronto Maple Leafs lines: Hyman-Matthews-Nylander ,Marleau-Kadri-Komarov, van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner, Martin-Gauthier
-Brown. Moore, Leivo.
JJ Regan: Washington Capitals lines: Ovi-Backstrom-DSP, Vrana-Kuznetsov-Wilson, Connolly-Eller-Oshie, Stephenson-Beagle-Burakovsky.
Ken Wiebe: Winnipeg Jets lines: Connor-Wheeler-Laine, Perreault-Little-Ehlers, Matthias-Copp-Armia, Roslovic-Hendricks-Dano.
Defensive pairings at practice …
Michael Smith: Carolina Hurricanes pairings: Slavin-van Riemsdyk, Dahlbeck-Faulk, Hanifin-Pesce.
Brent Wallace: Ottawa Senators pairings: Chabot-Karlsson, Phaneuf-Ceci, Harpur-Claesson, Boroweicki-Oduya.
Caley Chelios: Tampa Bay Lightning pairings: Stralman-Hedman, Sergachev-Girardi, Coburn-Sustr, Koekkoek-Dotchin.
Kristen Shilton: Toronto Maple Leafs pairings: Rielly-Hainsey, Gardiner-Carrick, Borgman-Polak, Dermott.
JJ Regan: Washington Capitals pairings: Orlov-Niskanen, Djoos-Carlson, Orpik-Bowey.