- Fluto Shinzawa and michael Vega of the Boston Globe: According to an ESPNBoston report, Tyler Seguin was born with a congenital hip condition. It could make him more injury prone in the future if he doesn’t keep up strength in the hip area to a prevent repetitive stress injury. GM Peter Chiarelli said in an email that he is not concerned about the condition. Seguin is leading the Bruins in scoring with 9 points in 9 games, and found himself practicing on a line with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. Coach Claude Julien put the David Krejci-Milan Lucic-Nathan Horton line back together. Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston: A source said that the condition could lead to an injury that could require surgery that may shorten his career. A hip expert who hasn’t examined Seguin, “The worst-case scenario is they start to develop recurring symptoms consistent of a groin pull, hip flexor strains, difficulty getting their hips in certain positions, reduced rotation, increase in pain and reduced levels of performance.”
“I’m not going to comment whether it’s congenital or not,” Chiarelli said. “I don’t want to get into details what we think it is or isn’t and I don’t want any alarm bells going off. Like I said, you can go through our roster and there are probably 12 or 13 guys with something similar or the same thing.
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: The Senators are reportedly one of the six or seven teams interested in Coyotes RFA Kyle Turris. The Flames and Canucks have shown interest as well but have been informed that he isn’t going anywhere. Doug MacLean said that Turris could be a 2nd line center.
- Rich Hammond of LA Kings Insider: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty is expected to be in the lineup tonight against the Coyotes. Slava Voynov could be the odd man out and assigned to the AHL. Jonathan Quick will get the start tonight, Sunday’s starter is yet to be determined.
- Andy Strickland of True Hockey: Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer has signed a purchase agreement to buy the St. Louis Blues. The dollar amount is expected to be below the reported the $185 million.
- David Pollak via twitter: Scouts at the Sharks-Red Wings game: Senators, Flames, Capitals, Hurricanes, Predators, Lightning, Kings, Canucks and Maple Leafs.
- Jason Bothchord of the Vancouver Province: Cody Hodgson is moving to the wing on the 2nd line. Chris Higgins drops from the 2nd to 3rd line. Ryan Kesler and David Booth haven’t clicked yet, and there may be some questions if they are too similar as they both have a shoot-first mentality.
- Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News: The Wings shifted Justin Abdelkader to center last night. “Wherever the team needs me, I’ll go chip in and help,” Abdelkader said, “whether it’s fourth line, third line, wing or center, whatever it is. Whatever I can do to help the team win, I’ll do. Red Wings defenseman Mike Commodore is healthy enough now to return to game action, but will have to win a spot in the lineup. It’s unknown when he’ll make his debut.
- Chip Alexander via twitter: Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice indicated that Brian Boucher would likely start against the Flyers.
- Arthur Staple of Newsday: Rick DiPietro seems ready to make his first start of the year for the Islanders tonight against the Sharks.