Quick Hits: Waivers, Injuries, Lines and Goalies
  • Josh Cooper: Martin Erat had a no-trade when he was with the Predators, and he wanted to go to the Capitals. Then GM, David Poile, sent Erat and Michael Latta to the Capitals for Filip Forsberg.
  • News 1130 Sports: Canucks Kevin Bieksa will take the morning skate with a visor. His vision in his right eye has improved.
  • Tom Gulitti: Blues Paul Stastny (shoulder) skated this morning but is out tonight. Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said “he’s within days” of returning.
  • Blue Jackets: Defenseman Ryan Murray won’t be in the lineup tonight. Coach Todd Richards:  “He had a minor setback. Day-to-day. Lower body.”
  • Eric Stephens: Ducks John Gibson (lower-body) will be examined today.
  •  Andrew Gross: Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said that Derek Stepan is very unlikely to play tomorrow against the Wings. He hasn’t been in a full contact practice yet.
  • Chuck Gormley of CSN Washington: Capitals Brooks Laich (left shoulder) skated  before their morning skate and is hoping to return to the lineup on Friday.

    “I’m hopeful for Friday,” Laich said. “We’ll see how practice goes the next couple days. I want to try it out with contact in the corner, but I’m gunning for Friday.”

    “This weekend is certainly on my calendar,” he said. “There still is some discomfort. I’m not able to fully take a slapshot and my backhand is limited.”

  • Derek Willis: Flames lines: Glencross-Monahan-Jones Bouma-Granlund-Hudler Baertschi-Byron-Setoguchi Bollig-Jooris-McGrattan. Defensive pairings: Giordano-Brodie Russell-Wideman Smid-Engelland
  • Buffalo Sabres: lines: Mitchell-Ennis-Stewart Larsson-Hodgson-Stafford Moulson-Girgensons-Gionta Deslauriers-McCormick-Flynn-Kaleta
  • Pittsburgh Penguins: Defensive pairings:  Martin-Letang, Ehrhoff-Bortuzzo, Scuderi-Despres (Harrington)
  • Mark Divver: Bruins lines: Lucic-Kelly-Griffith Marchand-Bergeron-Smith Fraser-Soderberg-Eriksson Paille-Campbell-Gagne. Boston Bruins: Defensive pairings: Seidenberg-Hamilton Morrow-McQuaid Warsofsky-Trotman Bartkowksi
  • John Lu: Canadiens lines: Pacioretty – Desharnais – Weise Galchenyuk – Plekanec – Gallagher Bourque – Eller – Parenteau Bournival – Malhotra – Prust
  • Adam Kimelman: Flyers lines: Raffl-Giroux-Voracek, B.Schenn-Lecavalier-Simmonds, Umberger-Couturier-Read, Rinaldo-Bellemare-VandeVelde. Defensive pairings: Grossmann-Streit, Dle Zotto-Schultz, Colaiacovo-L.Schenn. Braydon Coburn is skating but won’t be in the lineup.
  • Blue Jackets: Lines: Atkinson-Johansen-Hartnell, Gibbons-Foligno-Skille, Calvert-Wennberg-Jenner, Dano-Chaput-Boll. Defensive pairings: Johnson-Tyutin, Prout-Erixon, Savard-St. Denis.
  • Brent Wallace: Senators lines: MacArthur Turris Ryan  Michalek Zibanejad Chiasson Hoffman Lazar Stone Smith Legwand Neil. Defensive pairings:  Philips-Karlsson,  Cowen-Ceci,  Weircioch-Gryba
  • Rich Chere: Cory Schneider will be in net for the Devils. Jake Allen will be in net for the Blues.
  • Derek Willis: Jonas Hiller will start in net for the Flames.
  • Brent Wallace: Craig Anderson will start in net for the Senators.