Lazar left the game after a hit by Coyotes’ defenseman Zbynek Michalek and he did not come back from the dressing room. Lazar had been bumped up to the top line for Saturday’s game but he only played 4:54 TOI before retiring to the dressing room.
Nurse, 20, had a nice preseason and some thought that he would at least get another preseason game, but he has been sent to the minors where he will wait for his next shot. The AHL has developed Anton Lander and Oscar Klefbom into great players, so the Oilers appear to be content to be patient with the former seventh overall pick. There’s a very strong chance Nurse gets recalled at some point during the season.
McDavid becomes the Oilers fourth 1st overall pick in the last six years. The 18-year-old phenom has dominated the OHL for the last two seasons and was the consensus number-1 overall pick coming into the draft. He finished the 2014-15 season with 44 goals and 76 assists (120 points) in 47 games with Erie. He did not slow down in the playoffs either, tallying 49 points (21G / 28A) in 20 contests. He wraps up his junior career with 97 goals and 188 assists (285 points) in 166 career regular season games.
Hyman, 22, is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, but is expected to get a deal done with the Maple Leafs. Hyman is a Toronto native and was a Hobey Baker finalist in the NCAA after scored 22 goals with 32 assists (54 points) in 37 games at the University of Michigan.
Kulak, 21, was a fourth round pick (105th overall) in 2012. The 6-foot-1, 185 lbs. defenseman had nine points (4G / 5A) in 22 games with Adirondack after starting the season in the ECHL. Kulak is expected to make his NHL debut on the Flames third pair with John Ramage as his partner.
Nugent-Hopkins is in danger of missing his second straight game with a lower-body injury. Monitor his status in the morning skate, but it doesn’t look like he will be available vs. the Kings.
Pickard was pulled after allowing three goals on eight shots in the Avs’ loss to the Kings on Tuesday. With Semyon Varlamov back last night, Pickard has been sent back to Lake Erie.
With Semyon Varlamov out with a groin injury, Pickard will start his 13th game of the season for the Avalanche. He has gone 6-6-3 with a 2.18 GAA and .936 SV% with Colorado. While in Lake Erie (AHL) he has posted a 15-12-5 record, 2.61 GAA and .915 SV%. He will take on a Kings team who have dropped four of six while averaging just 2.00 goals per game.
Colorado’s starter Semyon Varlamov was injured late in Sunday’s game, so they have recalled Pickard as a precaution for Tuesday’s game. Varlamov will take part in the morning skate and then the Avs will make a decision whether he will play or not. If he can’t, expect Pickard to get the call over Reto Berra. Pickard has gone 6-6-3 with a 2.18 GAA and .936 SV% with the Avalanche this season.
Lazar missed Saturday’s game in San Jose with an illness, but will be back in for Colin Greening tonight in Minnesota. Lazar has just one goal in his last 10 games.
Lazar was not on the ice for the Senators morning skate and will be held out of tonight’s game because he is “under the weather.” He will be replaced by Matt Puempel in the lineup.
Ekholm has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, but will be back in tonight vs. the Devils. Ekholm is expected to be paired with Victor Bartley. Ekholm has five goals, eight assists (13 points) and a plus-10 rating in 53 games this season.
Ekholm missed Tuesday’s game vs. Tampa Bay, but his presence for the morning skate suggests that he might return tonight vs. the Jets. Monitor his status after the morning skate.
Ekholm suffered and upper-body injury in the Predators win over the Panthers on Sunday. His absence from the morning skate suggests that Ekholm will not be in the lineup tonight vs. the Lightning. With Ekholm out, Anthony Bitetto will be in the lineup.
In the second period, Ekholm was injured went into the boards hard and was forced to leave the game. With Ryan Ellis already out, the Predators can’t afford to lose Ekholm too. Expect an update on his status on Monday.
Pickard allowed four goals on 32 shots in a loss to the Blackhawks on December 27th before being sent back to Lake Erie. He is back with the Avalanche 17 days later and will get the nod vs. Carolina tonight. Pickard has gone 6-6-2 with a 2.21 GAA and .934 SV% this season—he stopped all 17 shots he faced after replacing Semyon Varlamov in his first appearance vs. the Hurricanes.
Pickard has the second highest SV% (.934) in the NHL. He has switched organizational positions with Reto Berra, who is heading to the AHL on a ‘conditioning stint.’ Pickard will start Tuesday in Carolina.
Lazar will play in his first game since returning from the World Juniors. It will be his first NHL games since December 17th. He has one goal and six assists in 27 games this season.
