Phaneuf was a full participant in Monday’s practice and he is hopeful that he will be able to play on Thursday. He will likely continue to test his hand leading up to Thursday and make a decision after Thursday’s morning skate.
Timonen said that he needs a few more practices before he returns to the lineup. He doesn’t anticipate playing on Tuesday or Thursday, but is hopeful that he will make his season debut on Saturday vs. the Rangers.
Smith allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Coyotes loss to the Lightning on Saturday. He has dropped his last four starts while posting a 3.31 GAA and .891 SV%. Tonight he gets the start in New Jersey. It is a solid matchup, but Smith has gone 5-13-2 with a 3.15 GAA and .902 SV% on the road.
Stajan is not expected to be in the lineup on Tuesday because he and his wife are expecting the birth of their child. He is listed as a non-roster player right now, which allowed the Flames to recall Emile Poirier from Adirondack (AHL).
Byron has missed the last two games and will likely miss a few more games after being moved to IR this afternoon. His movement to IR created a roster spot for the Flames to recall Michael Ferland from Adirondack (AHL).
This is Ferland’s, 22, second call-up of the season. He had one assist in 10 games with the Flames earlier in the season. The 6-foot-1, 225 lbs. forward has 15 points (7G / 8A) in 32 games with Adirondack.
Poirier, 20, was the Flames first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2013. He has scored 14 goals with 16 assists (30 points) in 42 games in his first full season with Adirondack (AHL). There is no word whether he will make his NHL debut on Tuesday.
Neuvirth made 37 saves on 38 shots, but walked away on the wrong side of a 2-1 shootout final on Sunday. He has started the last five games and despite posting a stellar 1.72 GAA and .951 SV%, he is 1-2-2. Tonight he will take on a Blue Jackets team that has averaged 3.30 goals per game in February.
Anderson said he will join the team on their upcoming three-game California trip, but that there is no guarantee that he will play. Monitor his status leading up to Wednesday’s game in Anaheim.
Cowen’s hit was late and to the head. He was assessed a two-minute interference minor and given his status as a repeat offender, he got three games. He will miss the three-game California trip and is eligible to return next Tuesday in Minnesota.
Parenteau has been out since January 15th, but returned to the ice this morning. He did not participate in practice, but he skated on the second rink in the Canadiens facility. There is still no timetable for his return.
Galchenyuk has missed the last two games with the flu, but it appears to have run its course and he should be back in the lineup on Tuesday in St. Louis. Galchenyuk has 36 points (16G / 20A) in 57 games this season.
Gonchar has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury, but returned to the ice this morning. He was skating in a no-contact jersey, which suggests he will miss a fifth straight game on Tuesday, but it is good that he was able to get back on the ice this morning.
Clemmensen has been recalled to serve as Cory Schneider’s backup tonight vs. Arizona. Keith Kinkaid is sidelined with a lower-body injury, which triggered the call-up. Clemmensen has gone 5-8-1 with a 2.75 GAA and .900 SV% in Albany.
With Ryan Miller out for an undetermined amount of time, Markstrom, 25, returns to the Canucks to serve as Eddie Lack’s backup for the time being. He has had a great season with Utica, going 17-7-2 with a 1.95 GAA and .932 SV% in 26 games. The 2008 second round pick (31st overall) has gone 12-27-5 with a 3.19 GAA and .896 SV% in his NHL career.
Kinkaid suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday’s win over the Hurricanes. He stepped on the ice this morning, but left before the team’s formal skate. With Kinkaid sidelined, the Devils have recalled Scott Clemmensen from Albany to serve as Cory Schneider’s backup vs. the Coyotes.
Schneider allowed one goal on 15 shots after replacing the injured Keith Kinkaid in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Carolina. Since the All Star break, Schneider has been excellent, going 5–3-1 with a 1.67 GAA and .944 SV%. Tonight has a fantastic matchup against a Coyotes team who have lost seven of their last eight while averaging just 1.63 goals per game.
Emelin will return to the ice this week and the Canadiens will conduct more tests on his injured right shoulder. He is expected to be back in March at some point.
Hejda was held out of last night’s game against the Lightning because of a knee injury. The Avalanche are back in action on Tuesday, monitor Hejda’s status prior to their meeting with the Predators. If he is unable to play again, Stefan Elliott will remain in the lineup.
Anderson is one of three goalies on the ice for Senators practice, which is a good sign that he could travel with the team on their upcoming California road-trip. Expect an update after practice.