- Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Sidney Crosby took part in another non-contact practice yesterday, but is not expected play in the start of the 1st round next week, “He has a couple more steps to go in his rehabilitation before he can even think about returning to play,” Bylsma said. “I don’t know how fast that’s going to happen. I don’t know if that’s going to happen. Considering he has a couple more steps to go through, it seems like anything in the immediate future is out of the question.”
- Larry Brooks of the NY Post: The Rangers season comes down to today, “The Rangers must win and the Hurricanes must lose, whether in regulation, overtime or via a shootout. Or if the Rangers fall in overtime, they need a regulation loss by the Hurricanes to advance.”Chris Drury is expected to play, the 1st time since Feb. 3rd. Mats Zuccarello was recalled earlier in the week, so it’s likely that Sean Avery will be scratched, and the Matt Gilroy RWer experiment is over. Brooks thinks it’s possible that this could be Marian Gaborik’s final game in a Ranger uniform. He was benched for part of the 3rd period on Thursday. Gaborik still has 3 years left on his contract at $7.5 million per season.
- Rich Hammond of the LA Kings Insider: Kings winger Dustin Brown temporarily left last night’s game after crashing into the boards. Nothing is really known about the injury, he finished the game but didn’t talk to the media after the game as he was receiving treatment.
- Joanne Ireland of the Edmonton Journal: Oilers forward Ryan Jones will be UFA, but hopes that he can stay in Edmonton.
“Right now my mindset is to get something done here, but I’ve earned the opportunity to be an unrestricted free agent. If it doesn’t work out (here), I’ll have to go a different route.
“There’s been talks going on all along (between the Oilers brass and his agent), whether its about numbers or just trying to feel things out. By no means have either one of us moved on.
“My thoughts right now are that I hope to be here. If not I’ll move on.”
- Erik Erlendsson via twitter: The Lightning will be without Ryan Malone and Victor Hedman tonight.
- David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News: Devin Setoguchi ‘cramped up’ before last night’s game. He’ll be re-evaluated today to see if he’s able to go tonight.
- Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun: Senators GM Bryan Murray got a 3 year contract extension yesterday, but coach Cory Clouston may coach his last game for them today. According to Brennan, “Murray isn’t bringing him back because Murray doesn’t want him back. That plain, that simple.”
- Adam Foote Retires