Player Notes in the Playoffs (Apr 17)

You don't normally expect to see a trade deadline acquisition sitting in the press box for Game 1 of a playoff series, but James Wisniewski was the odd-man out for Anaheim's opening night match-up against the Minnesota Wild, deemed a healthy scratch for the game.  Wisniewski only posted 5 assists iin the 13 regular season appearances in Anaheim and with their depth on the blueline, someone had to sit, so it all added up... not really in his favour.

This becomes the biggest news of the day, as Wisniewski was taken 10 times in the pool, leaving nearly one-third of the entries high and dry.

There were some notes left behind from opening night in the playoffs, one from the Pacific Division series, as Calgary opted to have rookie Sam Bennett dress against Vancouver, sitting veteran forward Mason Raymond, the Flames' Box 7 representation.  With the Flames earning a 2-1 win in the game, there is a pretty good chance that Bennett will get the nod ahead of Raymond in Game 2 as well, which leaves a pool option on the shelf.

One team had made the move to pick up Raymond in the pool, Mike S., who hasn't gotten off to the best of starts in the playoffs, sitting in 33rd position and in need of some immediate help.

The Blackhawks had already announced that they were scratching forward Antoine Vermette for Game 1 of the series against the Predators, but then they turned around and scratched defenseman David Rundblad as well, which may come as less of a shock, given he was a scratch from time to time in the season, but I think there was some indication that his game was turning around, just in time to stick to the lineup for the Blackhawks.  Nevertheless, the Hawks were able to secure a double-overtime win on Wednesday night, so there is a good chance that they will stick with the same lineup, Friday night for Game 2.

With 33 teams now entered in the pool, one team picked up Vermette, Scott G.'s first team, and one team picked Rundblad, Grant S., and both are hopeful that their players could figure into the Chicago lineup, as the unique players are the ones that make you the money in the end.

An updated list of injuries can be found here.