Friday Morning News

It was a tough night for the Flames, despite beating the Wild on Thursday night. The Flames entered the game without Daymond Langkow, who was out with a bruised hand, which he suffered in the game against Vancouver earlier in the week. He is considered out day-to-day. Also in the game versus the Wild, they lost Rene Bourque to a lower body injury, which will be updated as soon as word comes down, but the news isn't expected to be good. Both players are Draft picks... Langkow, a pick of John B.'s and Bourque, a pick of Wes'.

A John P. Draft pick, Joni Pitkanen, was made a healthy scratch on Thursday night against the Islanders. Pitkanen has only 1 point in his last 5 games and could be considered cold at this point in the season. The Hurricanes have been playing with their defensive pairs to try and increase their scoring from the back end.

Things aren't going so well for Ville Koistinen and his employment with the Nashville Predators. Koistinen was a healthy scratch again on Thursday night and has reportedly requested a trade out of Nashville, in hopes to get more playing time in the NHL. Koistinen was supposed to be the next quarterback of the Predators' power play, but he obviously didn't impress the coaching staff enough to get playing time. Look for him to be moved in the next couple weeks.

It wasn't a good night for John P. and his defensemen, as Kristopher Letang was also a healthy scratch on Thursday night, as the Penguins took on the Canadiens. Letang was a -5 in his last two games and likely needed some time to get his head back in the right frame of mind. Expect Letang to be back in the line-up this weekend.

It looks like Vesa Toskala will be ready for the Canucks on Saturday night, as he dressed as Justin Pogge's back-up on Thursday night against the Blue Jackets. Curtis Joseph was then made the healthy scratch for the game. Pogge is expected to be sent back down to the AHL on Friday, which will bring Joseph back to the bench on Saturday night.

Click here to see an updated injury page.