Around the Boards: Sedin and Kovalchuk set backs, S. Niedermayer on the move that the Deadline?
  • Matthew Sekerer of the Globe and Mail: Daniel Sedin was hoping to return to the Canucks on Tuesday or tonight, but a set back to his broken foot has pushed back the expected return day till next week at the earliest. In better Canucks news, Roberto Luongo will be starting tonight against the Red Wings.
  • Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald: Despite the Blackhawks`, David Bolland, expected to be out a couple months, the Hawks won`t put him on LTIR. GM Bowman won`t use the LTIR to clear cap space “because that would be money he’d have to shed when Bolland returns in February or March.“ They also don`t plan on trading for a replacement, as they are close to the cap.
  • Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Ilya Kovalchuk won`t be returning to the Thrashers lineup tonight as originally hoped.  His injured foot became sore while warming up for practice.
  • Eric Stevens of the OC Register: JS Giguere wants to be a number 1 goalie, and wants it to be in Anaheim. His comments about that he`d rather retire than be a back-up was suppose to be taken as sarcastic. “”I don’t regret what I said but it didn’t come out exactly how I wanted,” Giguere said. “I just wanted to say I’m not done. I want to compete. I don’t want to be written off. I’m still here and I wanted to battle and have fun.””
  • Rich Chere of the Star-Ledger: If the Ducks are out of playoff contention around trade deadline time, Scott Niedermayer could see himself being dealt, and maybe to the Devils. “I think it’s a possibility,” Niedermayer said of being traded by the Ducks at some point this season. “Last year we were kind of in a situation where we were teetering and there was some talk and rumors. You start to think about it.
  • Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: The Stars are looking for a right-handed Right Winger and/or a Defenceman, the underachieving  Fabian Brunnstrom could be used as trade bait.