11pm: POOL GUIDES that are purchased will be emailed at 7am EST on Tuesday.

Nik Zherdev looked lost and disinterested in last night's contest against the Sabres. The experiment at putting him at center will be over if things don't change soon. Stay tuned.

Kris Russell is looking more and more like a 'lock' to make the final cut. He makes an excellent dark horse if you need points from the blue line.

The Habs have cut Sergei Kostitsyn and Matt D'Agnosti. Both players had strong camps and will continue to ply their trade in Hamilton. Janne Lahti, Yan Danis, Corey Locke and Ben Maxwell were also cut, Danis and Locke will need to clear waivers. Lahti was a bit of a surprise, but he had a weak camp and they can't just hand him the job.

Sid the Kid left practice today with a sore groin. It is "nowhere near" as sore as last season when he missed three games, it is just precautionary. Just an FYI.

Todd Bertuzzi, playing on a line with Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan, picked up three points last night and is starting to show the Bertuzzi of old. Obviously he is a high risk/high reward pick. Bobby Ryan had four assists – it's games like this that get the coach's attention. I'll be watching Ryan very closely.

Despite losing the contest 5-0 to the Ducks, the one bright light on the Canucks was the play of Ryan Shannon, who fired seven shots on Jonas Hiller. Incidentally, Hiller stopped 40 shots int he shutout and is clearly ready for the NHL.

With Atlanta cutting Nathan Oystrick yesterday, it is Karel Pilar, Tobias Enstrom and Marc Popovic competing for two spots on the roster. Three, if they can unseat Steve McCarthy.

Hugh Jessiman was cut by the Rangers. This year he will stick in the AHL and get a couple of cups of coffee with the big club.

The Coyotes have cut Patrick Fischer. He has gone back to Switzerland so remove him from all draft lists and from my Fantasy Guide. He tried, came close, but fell short.

Ronald Petrovicky has signed to play in the Czech League this season.

Reports out of Detroit indicate that Jimmy Howard is having a strong camp – strong enough to threaten Chris Osgood and seize the backup role. He is in great shape and his play is showing it.

Igor Makarov, now with a little more maturity and experience, is off to a blazing start in the Russian League. The Chicago prospect (ranked 45 on my prospect list) had a three-point game yesterday in the RSL.

Martin Hanzal has improved with every game that he has played and it is looking more and more like he'll stick.

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Besides a one-way contract, Nashville goalie Dan Ellis would have to clear waivers in order to be sent down. Pekka Rinne does not. That is yet another reason why I feel Ellis will be the backup. However, David Poile has indicated that the team may rotate the two in and out of the AHL to keep them fresh.

The Preds have been working with a first power-play unit of Dumont, Arnott, Bonk, Suter and Zidlicky. Yes, you saw "Bonk" instead of "Radulov" and "Suter" instead of "Weber". Maybe they are going with a 1A and 1B power-play system. However, Barry Trotz was not quick to give Radulov ice time last year – it took about 10 injuries in the lineup before Radulov finally got some decent ice time – so it may be slow coming this time around as well. Regardless – read this news as the potential for Bonk to pad his point totals this season.

Jiri Hudler has moved up to a line with Zetterberg and Samuelsson. He picked up two assists on Saturday.

Both Rafalski and Kopecky are expected back in the Detroit lineup on Tuesday.

Cuts of note from Sunday night/Monday morning:

Oystrick, Krog, Bartovic, Giroux, Atlanta.

Lehtonen (back to Finland), Sobotka, Boston.

Babin, Carolina.

Harrold, Los Angeles.

Grumet-Morris, Franson, Willis, Santorelli, Peverley, Nashville.

Jessiman, NY Rangers.

Esposito, Pittsburgh.

Stewart, Jones, Tampa Bay.

Fischer, Phoenix.