On the Florida Panthers …
Jeff Paterson: Goaltender Roberto Luongo was on the ice for the second consecutive day yesterday morning. There is some suggestion that he could be looking at next Wednesday in Vancouver as a return date. He’s been out since December 4th.
On the Ottawa Senators …
Bruce Garrioch: Forward Derick Brassard has an undisclosed injury. Forward Nate Thompson is still bothered the same injury that he’s dealt with earlier this season.
Ken Warren: Forward Mark Stone was on the ice with Chris Wideman before practice. Stone remained on the ice for the start of practice.
NHL.com: Forward Bobby Ryan will be out for the next two to three weeks because of an injured hand.
“It’s not a bone thing, it’s a ligament thing,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said Tuesday. “I’d love to say one (week), but the essence of weeks wouldn’t make sense. We’ll say at least two, minimum. I’m not a doctor and it might change, but let’s be realistic and say three (weeks).”
Ryan has missed 12 games on two separate occasions this season with hand issues.
“We’re not talking about the same injury to the same hand, same area,” Boucher said. “Is it because he overcompensated for the original injury? There’s a possibility for that because (after) he came back, he was having problems taking a pass and shooting and he was playing through it.”
Forward Mark Stone could return on Thursday. He’s missed their past eight games with a lower-injury.
Bob McKenzie: Word is that Alex Burrows has been offered an in-person hearing.
Closer look at the knee pic.twitter.com/836fZAeoxY
— John Smith (@HabsCorner) February 7, 2018
On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Mark Masters: Goaltender Frederik Andersen, who left Monday’s game after taking a Cory Perry skate to the mask: “Scary moment, but it felt good today. Pretty lucky it didn’t catch me an inch (lower) in the neck.” … “a good upper-cut to the jaw … some whiplash & neck, jaw was really sore”
Chris Johnston of Sportsnet: Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary since Joffrey Lupul played his last game in the NHL with the Maple Leafs. Lupul had sports hernia surgery two years ago and isn’t technically retired.
Lupul’s contract is up after this season, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll try to come back.
“Put it this way: I haven’t skated in a solid year,” said Lupul. “I’ve played hockey probably 80 per cent of the days since I was 16 years old. We were playing 80 games a year, you practice, you get three days off a month, otherwise you’ve got your skates on and you’re playing hockey. I think it’s pretty natural for any player once their career ends – and actually, I’m still, I’m injured this year, I’m still under contract, but I was not able to pass a physical and come back and play – but I think it’s pretty natural for someone to just kind of take some time off.
“But I could see maybe one day starting to miss it and joining a pick-up league or something and going out there and showing off.”
On the Tampa Bay Lightning …
Caley Chelios: The Lightning have reassigned forward Michael Bournival to the AHL.