Tuesday Night's Bytes

It can't be long now before Box 24 forward, Maxim Afinogenov, is traded out of Buffalo, I'm starting to believe. Afinogenov was a healthy scratch, yet again, for the Sabres, which shouldn't bode well for the Russian winger. Afinogenov hasn't improved his play with the team since being scratched the first few times this season, only amassing 2 goals and 10 assists in 32 games. A change of scenery has to be in his itinerary.

I would have thought the flu bug would have touched down after the Winter Classic, but apparently, it's very nondiscriminatory when it comes to timing. Mikeal Samuelsson, a Larry Waiver Draft pick, sat out of the first half of the home & home with Chicago, which includes the Winter Classic tomorrow, with a touch of the flu. No word on how severe it was and whether or not he was going to miss the New Year's game.

More bad news for Larry, Simon Gagne left last night's game against the Canucks with a shoulder injury. The injury occurred right off the opening face-off, as he was put into the boards, chasing for a loose puck. Gagne didn't return to the game and there hasn't been any definite news as to how bad the injury is. Stay tuned to find out.

The Canucks have now lost their number two goalie to what is suspected to be the same type of injury their number one goalie is out with. Curtis Sanford did not return to the crease against Philly after the first period, after he tweaked his groin. This injury is thought to keep him out of the line-up indefinitely or a week-to-week testing period. Sanford was a Waiver Draft pick-up of Ryan's, who was enjoying his production of late.

It's not getting any easier for the Capitals and their injury situation. Brent Johnson returned to the bench to back-up Jose Theodore on Tuesday night, but Karl Alzner, the Box 30 defensive wonderkid, wasn't in the line-up, because of a hand injury suffered on the weekend blocking a shot. The injury isn't supposed to be serious and he could be back soon, it just need some healing rest last night.

Click here to see an updated injury page.