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Parise visits doctors today … Ballard to return tonight? 10 teams looking for Dmen … New Leaf lines … Langkow’s return 50-50?
Mark Easson
Tom Gulitti of the Bergon Record: Zach Parise will see a doctor today to find out how serious his lower body injury is. Parise said he originally suffered the injury in his summer training while skating. “It’s been bothering me,” he told me. “I know exactly when I hurt it. I hurt it in August and it’s been bothering me. It hasn’t gone away. I kind of hurt it every game.”
Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun: Keith Ballard made it through weekend practices with the Vancouver Canucks and could return Monday night. He will likely be a game time decision according to Vigneault. Dan Hamhuis skated for 20 minutes yesterday but still felt some discomfort in his foot. Ryan Parent left yesterday’s practice early with a groin strain.
Darren Dreger via twitter: Daniel Briere has a hearing via conference call scheduled for today at 10am regarding his stick work to the head on Saturday night (video of incident can be seen in yesterday’s post). Briere has 8 instances since 2005 where he received a warning, fine or suspension according to John Shannon.
Bruce Garrioch in the Toronto Sun: There may be as many as 10 teams looking for defenseman, including the Senators, Lightning, Kings and Sharks. The Senators are dangling Brian Lee. The Ducks have said they’d trade Paul Mara. The Oilers have Sheldon Souray and his broken hand. Kevin Bieksa will likely become available by the Canucks at some point when their defensive corps gets healthy. The city of Glendale and Matthew Hulsizer are still working on the details of the lease. Glendale will cover some of the losses from the Coyotes but only if he won’t move the team. If he moves the team within 5 years, they’ll want their money back. The Dallas Stars are averaging under 14,000 fans a game and may have to deal Brad Richards before the deadline; “They might have to do it to save cash, but that just doesn’t make sense to me,” said one league executive. “They’ve got a chance to have a pretty good team. They should be trying to add, not subtract.” The New Jersey Devils have been fielding calls regarding Patrick Elias, but he has a no-movement clause with 2 years left on his contract and would likely want to stay with the Devils. The Phoenix Coyotes are trying to move Petr Prucha and his $1.1 million salary.
Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun: It may be 50-50 chance that Calgary Flames center Daymond Langkow is able to return from a neck injury he sustained last year. He was shut down last week after feeling numbness below the waist during an intensive workout.
Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun: The Maple Leafs are looking for some more scoring from the lineup, have juggled the lines yesterday at practice. Mike Brown – Kris Versteeg – Tim Brent, Luca Caputi – Phil Kessel – Tyler Bozak, Mikhail and Nikolai Kulemin – Clarke MacArthur – Grabovski, and Fredrik Sjostrom – Colton Orr – Christian Hanson.
Eric Francis in the Toronto Sun: The Calgary Flames could move Ian White at some point this season. White will be a UFA at season’s end, with the signing of Mark Giordano to a long term deal and the emergence of TJ Brodie, White could be expendable if they are out of the playoff race.
Chip Alexander via twitter: Look for Justin Peters to get the start on Monday for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Dmitry Chesnokov via twitter: Evgeny Artyukhin passed his 2nd medicals with SKA and will make his debut tomorrow.
Dan O’Neill of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Carlo Colaiacovo’s return to the Blues lineup is not known after taking a hit from Jordan Tootoo last week. He’s still experience neck spasms and will have to undergo further tests.