Saad will not travel to Washington for Friday’s game against the Capitals. Thankfully for the Blue Jackets, Ryan Johansen will return and replace Brandon Saad in the lineup. Monitor Saad’s status prior to Saturday’s game, at home vs. the Jets.
Saad missed this afternoon’s practice with an illness. His absence this morning suggests he could miss Friday’s contest, which would be unfortunate because the Blue Jackets will be getting Ryan Johansen back.
Hanifin was a healthy scratch on Tuesday in Detroit, but he will be back in the lineup on Thursday vs. the Islanders. He is expected to replace Michal Jordan. Hanifin has two assists, 10 shots and a minus-3 rating in eight games with the Hurricanes.
Hanifin has recorded two assists, 10 shots on goal and a minus-3 rating in eight games to begin his NHL career. Hanifin will get the night off, but is expected to be back in the lineup on Thursday in New York.
It was believed that Theodore would draw in for the injured Simon Despres on Sunday, but the Ducks will insert Korbinian Holzer instead of Theodore.
Theodore, 20, was the 26th overall pick in 2013 and is expected to make his season debut tonight after Simon Despres was moved to IR with an upper-body injury. Theodore has registered a combined 12 points (4G / 8A) in 11 career AHL games. He will skate with Sami Vatanen on Sunday.
Lehner suffered the injury in the Sabres’ season opener on Thursday. He will miss at least a month and a half, but could be out for 10 weeks. In the meantime the Sabres will go with Chad Johnson as their starter, but don’t be surprised if they make a trade for another goalie.
After sitting out the season opener on Wednesday, McNabb is expected to replace Matt Greene in the lineup tonight vs. the Coyotes. McNabb had 24 points (2G / 22A) in 71 games with the Kings last season.
Halfway through his first game with his new team, Lehner suffered a fluky injury that is going to force him to “miss some time” according to Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma. Lehner went behind the net to play the puck and when he returned to the crease and went into the butterfly, he suffered a leg injury. Lehner was unable to put any weight on his leg and was spotted wearing a walking boot on his right foot after the game. Chad Johnson will take over as the Sabres netminder in the meantime.
Lerner will make his Buffalo regular season debut after starting four preseason games that yielded modest results—he was 1-2-0 with a 3.32 GAA and .884 SV% in 199 preseason minutes. The 24-year-old comes into 2015-16 with a career 2.88 GAA and .914 SV% and a big task ahead of him. Buffalo ranked 29th in the NHL with a 3.28 team GAA last year. On paper they are a better team, but they need better goaltending and it starts with Lehner.
Hanifin was the fifth overall pick in this summer’s draft and had an impressive enough training camp to make the Hurricanes opening night roster. Carolina could elect to give him an extended nine game look to start the season, before making the decision to burn the first year of his entry level deal.
Selected second overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, Eichel joins the organization after a standout season at Boston University (NCAA-Hockey East) in which he became the second freshman – after Paul Kariya in 1993 – ever to earn the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey’s top player. Eichel led all NCAA players with 71 points (26G / 45A) in 40 games in 2014-15.
