Morning Player Notes (Nov 24)

Chicago Blackhawks rookie defenseman Henri Jokiharju was a healthy scratch for the first time this season, not dressed for the game against Tampa Bay on Friday evening.  So far this season, the 19-year old has been decent, picking up 10 assists in his first 22 games, but either the coaching staff saw something in his game that the felt needed correcting or maybe he needed a rest from the early grind.  Maybe it was the new coaching staff feeling the need to mix it up a little bit, in spite of their recent results.  We'll see if he draws back in soon.

The 10 points for Jokiharju are keeping Brian's team afloat in the rookie mini-game, where his team ranks 9th in the game, 20 points behind the leader.  Will that come into consideration for Brian when the Waiver Draft rolls around on Monday?

It's another trip to the shelf for Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, as the veteran goalie suffered another lower-body injury against the Hurricanes on Friday night, making a sliding save across the crease.  Luongo left the game and didn't return and it sounds like he will be on the shelf for a little while, as the team is looking to make a recall on Saturday, as they play the visiting Blackhawks on Saturday night.

Now John P. waits on the extent of the bad news for Luongo and he'll have to mull his options for a move at the Waiver Draft next week.  I don't think he'd want to move a workhorse goalie, unless he absolutely had to and without a proper diagnosis, he'll just have to wait.  If the draft started today, he would pick 17th, so there would be time to decide early on.

The Minnesota Wild had to make a late call-up on Friday, when their number one goalie Devan Dubnyk was deemed to ill to dress and play against the Oilers in their afternoon match. Dubnyk is just listed as out day-to-day and the Wild don't play again until Tuesday night, so there's every expectation that he'll be good to go when they host the Coyotes next week.

The late scratch didn't help Wes any on Friday, but his team has moved up a spot in the week, up to 11th from 12th, but his team is on the lighter side of the projected games this weekend, ahead of the Waiver Draft order determination. 

Finally, it was another trip to the press box for San Jose Sharks defenseman Joakim Ryan, who has struggled offensively this season and he was made into a healthy scratch again for Friday's game against the Canucks.  Ryan only has 3 assists in 21 games this season, well off the pace for a player taken in the hockey pool at this point, currently ranking 584th in hockey pool scoring.

The 25-year old is definitely up for dropping consideration for Eric at the Waiver Draft next week, as his second-worst player on the team, he'll need to be swapped for one of the higher scoring defensemen.  If the draft started today, he would be picking 6th and could have a shot at either Maxime Lajoie or Ryan Murray.