The Daily Puck: Back in the Saddle

The Daily Puck
by Kevin King

Projected Goalie Starters

Nashville (Anders Lindback) vs. Tampa Bay (Dan Ellis), 6 p.m
New Jersey (Martin Brodeur) vs. NY Rangers (Martin Biron), 7 p.m
San Jose (Antti Niemi) vs. Calgary (Miikka Kiprusoff), 8 p.m

Injuries for Teams Playing Sunday

Day-to-Day (Includes DL players close to returning)

Ryan Suter (D) Nashville - (Leg) Placed on short-term injured reserve mid-week. Eyeing a return early next week, but will not play Sunday night in Tampa.
Mattias Ohlund (D) Tampa Bay - (Knee) Skated with the team this week, but is not expected to play Sunday night. Hoping to return for Wednesday night's game against Pittsburgh.
Simon Gagne (LW) Tampa Bay - (Illness) Missed Friday night's game with an undisclosed illness and status for Sunday remains uncertain.
Rod Pelley (C) New Jersey - (Nose) Pelley broke his nose and suffered a cut to the face that required eight stitches on Saturday night. He went to the hospital for a CAT scan, but miraculously returned in the third period. The tough, young winger should be good for Sunday night.
Erik Christensen (C) NY Rangers - (Groin) Sat out of Friday's practice, but took the ice in Saturday's game against Boston and should be good to go on Sunday night.
Adam Pardy (D) Calgary - (Shoulder) Sat out mid-week against Nashville, but played in Friday night's win over Columbus. Appears fine for Sunday night.

Long Term or IR

Marcel Goc (C) Nashville - (Shoulder) Out for 2-4 weeks after sustaining a seperated shoulder against Washington earlier in the week.
Matthew Lombardi (C) Nashville - (Concussion) Out indefinitely with post-concussion syndrome.
Roman Josi (D) Nashville - (Wrist) Out for at least 2-3 more weeks after breaking wrist in September.
Paul Ranger (D) Tampa Bay - (Personal) Left the club for undisclosed personal reasons in September and has not returned.
Anton Volchenkov (D) New Jersey - (Neck) Out indefinitely but the Devils remain fairly tight-lipped about any kind of timeframe for his return.
Mark Fraser (D) New Jersey - (Hand) Out 3-5 weeks after breaking his hand in a fight against Buffalo in the first week of the season.
Brian Rolston (C) New Jersey - (Sports Hernia) Will miss the next 3-6 weeks after suffering the injury in New Jersey's second game of the season.
Anssi Salmela (D) New Jersey - (Knee) Expected to miss the enitre season after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL in Septemebr.
Bryce Salvador (D) New Jersey - (Concussion) Out indefinitely with post-concussion symptoms.
Vaclav Prospal (LW) NY Rangers - (Knee) Out indefinitely after knee surgery earlier in the season.
Chris Drury (C) NY Rangers - (Finger) Expected to miss up to five weeks after breaking his finger a week ago.
Marian Gaborik (LW) NY Rangers - (Shoulder) Out for 1-3 weeks with a shoulder injury.
Derek Joslin (D) San Jose - (Upper Body) No timetable set for his return.
Raitis Ivanans (LW) Calgary - (Concussion) Remains out indefinitely with post-concussion symtpoms.
Ales Kotalik (RW) Calgary - (Shoulder) No real timetable for his return as of yet after being placed on long-term IR in early October.
Ryan Stone (C) Calgary - (Knee) Out indefinitely after offseason surgery on his knee.
David Moss (LW) Calgary - (Shoulder) Out indefinitely.
Daymond Langkow (C) Calgary - (Neck) Despite skating for more than a month Langkow remains sidelined with no timetabke for his return after a neck injury.

Transactions

Brett Carson (D) Carolina - Reassigned to Charlotte (AHL)
Evan Brophey (C) Chicago - Recalled from Rockford (AHL)
Erik Ersberg (G) Los Angeles - Released by Kings
Teemu Laakso (D) Nashville - Recalled from Milwaukee (AHL)
Alexander Vasuynox (LW) New Jersey - Recalled from Albany (AHL)
Oskars Bartulis (D) Philadelphia - Loaned to Syracuse (AHL)
Jay Beagle (C) Washington - Recalled from Hershey (AHL)
Mathieu Perrault (C) Washington - Recalled from Hershey (AHL)
Dany Sabourin (G) Washington - Recalled from Hershey (AHL)

Hot

Guillame Latendresse (LW) Minnesota - Latendresse went from a very quiet first week to a big second week, scoring two goals and notching three assists in three games for the Wild.
John Tavares (C) NY Islanders - Four goals and two assists in three games this week for Tavares, including a hat-trick on Saturday night.
Steve Stamkos (C) Tampa Bay - Stamkos is on fire for the Bolts, with four goals and four assists in three games this week. As if he needed to do more, he's also a plus-three with six PIMs this week.

Cold

Mike Knuble (RW) Washington - The University of Michigan alum has had a horrible start to the season, with only one goal and one assist in the first two weeks.
Brad Richards (C) Dallas - After an incredible start to the season that saw Richards earn ten points (2 G, 8 A) in the first five games, he has stalled out a bit and is without a point in Dallas' last two games
Wojtek Wolski (LW) Phoenix - Wolski is still without a goal on the season for the 'Yotes, disappointing owners who were high on him heading into the season after earning a point-per-game after arriving in the desert at the trade deadline last year.

Recommended Pickup

Steve Montador (D) Buffalo - If injuries or just lack of production have hampered your defensive corps, Montador is a nice stop-gap to grab. He won't blow the doors off offensively, but he's a steady performer who is a plus-nine for the Sabres, and has actually out-performed teammate Tyler Myers thus far into the season.