The NHL has suspended Daniel Briere for two games. I’ll have the clip in tomorrow morning’s ramblings. Whenever a scoring forward is out for a game, Giroux and/or JVR gets their ice time and PP time padded.

The Caps have sent Carlson back to the minors. He was pointless in three games. Wait for him next year – future stud.

The Leafs have recalled Christian Hanson to replace John Mitchell in the lineup.Mitchell is out with a knee injury.

He can’t buy a break – he gets ’em for free! (cue laugh track). Pascal Leclaire, sitting on the bench resting his lower body injury, takes a puck to the face and breaks his cheek – out four weeks. When you’re a certified Band-Aid Boy, no matter how careful you are, injuries will find you.

Nathan Horton has 19 points in his last 18 games and has 22 PIM and is a plus-8 in that span. BREAK OUT

Marian Hossa – he’ll make his Chicago and season debut TOMORROW.

Opportunity squandered. After a great game with Iginla and Jokinen, Lundmark followed it up with a minus-2 and was off the line by game’s end. Dustin Boyd took over, which of course is another great opportunity.
JS Giguere had a great game, stopping 41 of 43. It was his first win of the year and nobody needed one more. Hiller has struggled of late, so this is a chance for JSG to get in some starts. With the Ducks disappointing this season, Carlyle just may go with the hot hand.

So what’s more impressive, Dwayne Roloson’s 58 saves in one game? Or the fact that Toronto actually had 61 shots? Kessel, by the way, had 11 of them.

Give Gaborik another four points, but the impressive line was Anisimov-Avery-Parenteau. They combined for seven points. For Parenteau, 18:24 of ice time was a season high (and probably career). The 26-year-old is another one of those players who have dominated at the AHL level, but were never really given a chance in the NHL. He has three points in four games during this recall and has certainly earned another game or two yet. I don’t recommend a pick up, unless you are desperate. He has duo-wing eligibility in some leagues.

In his first NHL game this year, Andreas Nodl played 12 minutes and was a minus-1. That’s amazing, because in 39 career games now he is a minus-16. Talk about playing your way down the depth chart…

JVR played just 11:13 last night, his lowest ice time since october 6. He is pointless in two games.

JDD has started three games in a row now and is 2-1-0, including last night’s 36-save shutout. The shutout was a nice relief, as he had given up nine goals in the two previous games. Khabibulin is still icing his back and I’d be surprised to see him before next week. JDD is good for another week – keep rolling with him.

The Kings have recalled Andrei Loktionov, who will hopefully make his NHL debut Wednesday. He has 17 points in 20 games to lead the Monarchs in scoring as a rookie-pro. I’m a fan. He’s ranked 82nd on my prospects list because I do think he’s a couple of years away and the Kings won’t need to rush him, but he will be moving up the list as he continues to impress like this. He replaces Jarret Stoll in the lineup, who is day to day.

If you drafted Pascal Leclaire thinking you would get a full season out of him, you were probably on your 13th beer. He is so fragile that I forgot to mention his injury in yesterday’s ramblings. It just came so expected that it rolled right out of my subconscious. Hopefully you won 20 bucks off an Ottawa fan buddy of yours. All you had to do was say – “he’ll be injured, by Christmas, and it will be to the lower body”. Bam, 20 bucks. Anyway, Elliott is and always has been my goalie of choice and I don’t care how many Sens fans yell at me.

Tough, that’s my preference. He’s 4-1-2 and has two straight wins. His other numbers are mediocre at best, but I think with some consecutive games to play he can find his zone.

For my thoughts, team-by-team, on Filatov trade possibilities, see yesterday’s ramblings.