Canucks' Alex Edler day-to-day

Vancouver Canucks' Alexander Edler is going to miss some ice time again, this time because of injury and not suspension.

The aggressive and apparently misunderstood Edler has been listed by the team as day-to-day after suffering what is being described as a "Lower-body injury" in Tuesday night's 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators.  There have been no updates since Edler left in the first period.

Edler has seen better days.  Thus far in the 2013/14 season, the big Swede has accumulated nine points in 27 games played and has a plus/minus rating of -14, the second worst mark in the NHL and has drawn the ire of coach John Tortorella since returning from a suspension in mid-October

But "Torts" explains that the more he loves a player, the angrier that the player can make him.

“I love this guy (Edler). That’s where I get angrier with players. It’s how much I know it’s there. (raging) is something I don’t want to do. I really don’t. I’m not preparing myself to do it."

That being the case, the hyper-tense coach showed the entire planet how much he loves Edler on Saturday night when the young blue liner and his penalty kill unit gave up two power play goals to Tortorella's former team, the New York Rangers at his old haunt in Madison Square Garden.

Tortorella absolutely lost his composure, screaming and poking his finger at Edler, then benching him for the remainder of the game.

“He’ll respond and he responded the right way. He is a really good player that we need at a different level.” Tortorella said on Sunday morning.

Edler did respond with a better game on Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes, but got little chance to follow that up against the Predators.

http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2013/12/canucks-alex-elder-day-to-day.html

Stars' Aaron Rome joins IR, club recalls Travis Morin

Dallas Stars' defenseman Aaron Rome has been placed on the team's injured reserve list with a muscle ailment according to a report by NBC Sports, joining fellow blue liner Stephane Robidas on the shelf retroactive to November 24, meaning he can join the team's active roster once healthy.

Robidas suffered a broken leg on Saturday night against the Chicago Blackhawks and will be out for a period of four to six weeks.

Rome hasn't played in a game with Dallas this season and has no stats at all - it is uncertain as to when and how the muscle in the lower body became impacted, so the move was probably made to clear a roster spot for the Stars to call up AHL scoring machine Travis Morin from their Texan Affiliate without having to place Tyler Seguin on the list.

Morin leads the American Hockey League in points, so the move is probably related more toward Seguin's ongoing battle with concussion related symptoms than anything to do with Rome - though Dallas coach Lindy Ruff indicated that Seguin could be cleared to play on Thursday night in Toronto.

In three games played this season with the parent club, Morin has no stats, but sports a +1 rating with an average time spent on ice of just over eight minutes per game.  Conversely, the 30 year old has 29 points in 19 games with Texas and is considered a top shelf American Hockey League scorer.

http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2013/12/stars-aaron-rome-joins-ir-club-recalls.html

Lightning's Steven Stamkos on track for early return

When it happened, the entirety of TD Garden in Boston became reverently quiet as Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos lay prone on the ice, his muffled screams echoing through the cavernous home of the Boston Bruins.

Stamkos tried to get to his skates after plowing into the right post of the goal on November 11th, but he crashed back to the ice in agony, his broken right tibia unable to support his 190 pounds.  The Bruins' fans know all too well the agony, what with their own Gregory Campbell breaking the same bone in last season's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Campbell was done for the season, but Stamkos' prognosis is much happier, almost miraculous.

Since breaking the leg and having a titanium rod inserted to facilitate the healing process, Stamkos has been aggressively rehabilitating, wearing a removable cast that allows him to speed up the process:

"To be able to do what I'm doing now and almost comeback to a normal life, being able to just move around on your own, I'm definitely happy with that. I'd say I've overcome the initial shock and frustration and disappointment, and now it's what do I have to do to get back as quick as possible. But obviously as smart as possible." - Steven Stamkos

Targeting a February 6th return date may seem a little too aggressive for a guy that was projected to be out from three to six months, but he plans on kicking his rehab into the stratosphere after Christmas, hitting the training camp two-a-day mode to get into game shape - but Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman is preaching caution.

"We want a healthy Stammer - and not just for this year, but for years to come - he's 23 years old.  He's got a long career ahead of him.  We're not going to do anything that jeopardizes him.  He's not coming back before he's 100 percent." - Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman

The Lightning have hung tough without their leading scorer, trailing the Bruins by just three points for the best record in the Eastern Conference, which is a testament to the overall chemistry in the room, and to get back a player who has scored 222 goals and has more points than NHL game played could put them right on top.

http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2013/12/lightnings-steven-stamkos-on-track-for.html

Dubinsky returns for 'Jackets, MacKenzie and Boll on fast track

The Columbus Blue Jackets should have center and alternate captain Brandon Dubinsky back on the ice Tuesday night as they welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning to Nationwide Arena.

Columbus was being very careful with Dubinsky, who has been somewhat injury prone since coming over from the New York Rangers before the 2012/13 season, missing a third of the Blue Jackets' contests.  He will start his comeback in the middle of the third line between Blake Comeau and Matt Calvert.

Originally feared to be a broken ankle, repeated MRIs revealed no structural damage - so it was just a matter of pain management, treatment and rest for the joint.

"It should be a big lift" said coach Todd Richards on Monday, "Our practice gets better with him on the ice. It should be a shot in the arm to our team.  He brings so much speed and tenacity with his play.".

Dubinsky's return brightens the Blue Jackets' injury situation and could be the impetus to seeing many of their shelved players on track to activation - center Derek Mackenzie (back spasms) is expected back by week's end and forward Jared Boll (foot) just into next week, while reports emanating from the club have forward Nathan Horton on the fast track to return from off-season shoulder surgery.

The improving injury outlook is a boon for a Columbus team buried in the Metropolitan Division of the NHL's Eastern Conference, their 23 points a distant seventh place - 14 points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins who are running away with the Division - but just five points out of 3rd place.

 http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2013/12/dubinsky-returns-for-jackets-mackenzie.html

Horton, who had offseason shoulder surgery, is still weeks away from playing, although he has started using heavier weights in recent workouts.
Right wing Marian Gaborik is still at least a couple of weeks away after a knee sprain.
But the return of Dubinsky tonight could be followed by the return of center Derek MacKenzie (back spasms) on Friday and right wing Jared Boll (foot) next week.
- See more at: http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2013/12/03/jackets-expect-to-get-boost-with-return-of-dubinsky.html#sthash.0BqXMqmP.dpuf

Horton, who had offseason shoulder surgery, is still weeks away from playing, although he has started using heavier weights in recent workouts.
Right wing Marian Gaborik is still at least a couple of weeks away after a knee sprain.
But the return of Dubinsky tonight could be followed by the return of center Derek MacKenzie (back spasms) on Friday and right wing Jared Boll (foot) next week.
- See more at: http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2013/12/03/jackets-expect-to-get-boost-with-return-of-dubinsky.html#sthash.0BqXMqmP.dpuf

Boll joins Blue Jackets' growing IR list

Long-time Columbus Blue Jackets' right winger Jared Boll has been placed on the Injured Reserved list retroactive to November 22nd with a bruised foot.

Boll took a puck off his foot attempting to block a shot in the Blue Jackets' 6-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks and left the arena in a protective boot.  He is eligible to return on November 30th for the teams' trip to Boston to take on the Bruins.

Columbus has added forward Sean Collins to the roster on emergency recall from Springfield of the AHL.

Boll has registered one goal and 38 penalty minutes in 22 games for the Blue Jackets this season and joins Marian Gaborik (knee), Brandon Dubinsky (foot) on the Injured reserve while Nikita Nikitin (lower body) missed the team's loss to Nashville on Wednesday.

Columbus also have two players on the Long-term Injured Reserve list.  Nathan Horton, who has undergone surgery on his left shoulder, is expected to be out the majority of the season while Cody Bass has a broken thumb and is looking at two month recovery time.

The Blue Jackets are 9-13-3 on the season, their 21 points a dozen points behind Metropolitan division leading Pittsburgh Penguins.

Photo Credit - Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press

http://sportsinjuryalert.com/boll-joins-blue-jackets-growing-ir-list/

Dubinsky to miss rest of Blue Jackets' road trip

The Columbus Blue Jackets will have to finish up their current road trip through Canada without alternate captain Brandon Dubinsky.

The 6' 1", 210 pound forward injured his foot in the third period of the Blue Jackets' blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers and has not been able to return from what is being classified as a "Foot bruise".

Tests on the foot haven't revealed any bone breaks, but Blue Jackets' general manager Jarmo Kekalainen sent the 8th year forward back to Columbus for more tests and treatment. Dubinsky has 15 points and 40 penalty minutes in 21 games this season. Consider him day-to-day for now - or maybe week-to-week is more like it.

"They're going to keep looking in there" Kekalainen said on Friday after a second round of X-rays revelaed nothing definitive, "We want to make sure that we're not missing anything."

The Blue Jackets are mired in somewhat of an injury plague, having to soldier on without the services of Prout, alternate captain Brandon Dubinsky (foot), right winger Marian Gaborik (knee), left winger Matt Calvert (abdominal strain) and right winger Nathan Horton (Shoulder).
Read more at http://sportsinjuryalert.com/prout-to-ir-blue-jackets-in-midst-of-injury-plague/#wrG2gXpqzsQi0cz9.99

Columbus is mired in somewhat of an injury plague, with Marian Gaborik (knee) and Nathan Horton (shoulder) on the skids while defenseman Dalton Prout was placed on the IR - though the Blue Jackets received some good news on Friday when left winger Matt Calvert returned to the club after recuperating from abdominal surgery.

Dubinsky was part of the July 2012 trade that sent Rick Nash to the New York Rangers in exchange for three players and the Rangers' 2013 first round draft pick.

Photo credit - Getty Images

http://sportsinjuryalert.com/dubinsky-to-miss-rest-of-blue-jackets-road-trip-2/

The Blue Jackets are mired in somewhat of an injury plague, having to soldier on without the services of Prout, alternate captain Brandon Dubinsky (foot), right winger Marian Gaborik (knee), left winger Matt Calvert (abdominal strain) and right winger Nathan Horton (Shoulder).
Read more at http://sportsinjuryalert.com/prout-to-ir-blue-jackets-in-midst-of-injury-plague/#wrG2gXpqzsQi0cz9.99

enter Brandon Dubinsky back to Columbus to have further tests on his right foot. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Dubinsky had another X-ray. This one, like the first on Wednesday, did not reveal any breaks.
“They’re going to keep looking in there, though,” Kekalainen said. “We want to make sure we’re not missing anything.”
Dubinsky missed a 2-1 overtime victory on Wednesday night at the Calgary Flames and last night’s game against the Canucks. He will miss a game on Monday at Toronto, too. He’s listed as day-to-day, but week-to-week might be more accurate.
“That’s an energy guy coming out of our lineup,” Richards said. “We get one back in Calvert, and we lose one in Dubi. We played really well together as a group without (Dubinsky) on Wednesday, and that’s a good sign. But we have to make sure our energy level is where it needs to be because Brandon’s a guy who really delivered on that front.”
- See more at: http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2013/11/23/calvert-returns-but-dubinsky-sent-home.html#sthash.uK113Com.dpuf

Jets' Kane questionable for Monday night

Winnipeg's Kane has 14 points in 26 games this season (Getty Images)

A hard body check from the Philadelphia Flyers Braydon Coburn on Friday night has Winnipeg Jets' Evander Kane on the skids for Monday night's game against the New York Rangers.

What is being termed a lower-body injury has Kane classified "Questionable" by Jets' coach Claude Noel, but it is believed that the left winger will be held out of the Rangers' game and re-evaluated later in the week for a possible return on Thursday against the Florida Panthers.

Chris Thorburn could move up to play with Olli Jokinen and Devin Setoguchi in his place, though the The Winnipeg Sun is reporting that Noel was seen having detailed chat with Jets' right-winger Anthony Peluso on Sunday and could be the replacement instead.

Kane watched the last two practices from a stationary bike, so the classification is likely precautionary - even so, the team recalled forward John Albert from the St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League to fill an open roster spot.

Kane has recorded seven goals and seven helpers in 26 games played, and averages just over 21 minutes of ice time.

http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2013/12/jets-kane-questionable-for-monday-night.html