Player Notes in the Draft (Jan 14)

Sounds like the Colorado Avalanche will be without back-up goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere for the next little while, as he is dealing with some back spasms. Giguere is listed as out day-to-day, but the Avalanche have called up Sami Aittokallio to back-up Semyon Varlamov in his stead.

Giguere got off to a rocking start to the season, earning shutouts in his first two appearances, but since then, his play has been spotty and has been the target for some criticism from coaches.  This has not helped Clayton's team at all, as he waits for more minutes.  This injury, plus the criticism, may be worthy of a drop in this week's Waiver Draft.

The unlucky season for James Neal of the Pittsburgh Penguins continues, as he has now been shelved day-to-day with an upper-body, which is reportedly not related to a previous upper-body injury that kept him out for a few weeks.  Neal has not been able to practice since the weekend and since the Penguins only play once this week, they are taking this opportunity to rest him and they have ruled him out for Wednesday.

This doesn't sound like a good reason to drop him, since he is only day-to-day.  Neal has been one of Dale C.'s best players this season, when he is in the line-up and Dale will need him in the line-up to make his way closer to the prizes in the third segment.

The injury-prone defender for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sami Salo, appears to be on the shelf once again, this time with a lower-body injury.  The lower-body injury is supposed to be related to his ankle and it sounds like just a bruise.  Salo should resume skating when he can feel comfortable in his boot, but that's on a case by case basis.

Another injury for Leo this season, which has been one of his big trouble spots this season.  Leo is going to try and work his way out of the basement, but his team has a long way to go to get out.