Morning Player Notes (Feb 19)

Calgary Flames defenseman T.J. Brodie was a late scratch from Saturday afternoon's contest against the Arizona Coyotes, due to an undisclosed injury. The Flames had no word on the injury, before or after the game, but they easily dispatched of the Coyotes in that game, so there wasn't a great deal of concern about it. He's considered to be day-to-day for right now.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray was hurt in the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, suffering an upper-body injury after only 3:14 of ice-time in the game and didn't return.  There was no immediate update on Murray's condition after the game, but if we are reading into the transactions made this morning, they have called up Adam Clendening from the AHL, which would suggest Murray won't likely be good to go for the team's next game, tonight in Montreal.  Murray will be listed as out day-to-day, until otherwise specified.

So, Monday was a tough one for Wes' blueline, losing both Brodie and Murray in varying degrees.  Wes' team is losing all the gains it had made with the back-to-back Mover & Shakers midway through the season.  Wes' team still sits in 5th, 26 points out of the money and losing ground early this week.

An abdominal injury was the cause of Brent Seabrook's absence in Chicago's 8-7 win over the Senators on Monday night, to which he is currently listed as day-to-day for at the moment.  There isn't much out there in regards to the injury, so we're waiting to hear more from the team and we should hear whether or not the injury is more significant before Wednesday's game in Detroit. 

Stacey M.'s team is also suffering a little bit, which kind of makes the race for the smaller money a little more interesting.  Her team only managed 3 points on Monday night and doesn't quite have the number of projected games this week, so this injury, if it is significant, could play a role in the race.  Stacey's team is now only 5 points up on Grant and 10 points up on Kristy & Don.

The Tampa Bay Lightning started out the game with a rotation on their blueline, which saw Anton Stralman come out again as a healthy scratch, as they are doing their best to keeping all of their blueliners fresh for the playoff run.  That rotation may go on hold though, as Victor Hedman was pulled out of the game against the Blue Jackets, due to a lower-body injury, not to return in the 1st period.  The only report after the game was saying that he was seen with a limp, but no other braces or boots, so that could be considered a good thing.  With the way the Lightning have been playing and the lead they have in the east, there won't be any rush to get him back in the lineup.

So, the scratch was a missed skater game for Troy's team, which now holds the equator spot in the standings at 13th and is continuing to fall.  Hedman belongs to Dale C., who had a better Monday night, up at 7 points on night one of the week, and bumped up to 8th place.  The loss of Hedman, however, could be significant, if the Lightning don't want to rush him back.