Thompson left Friday’s game vs. the Sharks with a lower-body injury after playing just 1:09 TOI. With Thompson sidelined for Saturday’s game, the Senators recalled Colin White from Belleville (AHL) and he will make his season debut tonight.
Ellis missed the first 38 games of the season after undergoing offseason knee surgery, but will play his first game of the season tonight in Vegas. Ellis, who is expected to skate on a pairing with Roman Josi, is coming off of the best season of his career, in which he registered 16 goals and 22 assists (38 points) in 71 games. Ellis is one of the better offensive-defensemen in the NHL and makes the Predators that much more dangerous, especially on the power-play.
Johansen has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury but practiced this morning and could be back in the lineup on Wednesday. Johansen is eligible to come off of IR whenever he is healthy, so expect him to travel on the Predators upcoming road trip.
Johansen’s movement to IR means he will miss his third consecutive game on Friday, but it is retroactive to December 2nd so he is eligible to return to lineup next Wednesday in Vancouver.
Johansen was forced to leave Saturday’s game early and was not on the ice for Monday’s morning skate, so don’t expect him to suit up against the Bruins. With Johansen out, Pontus Aberg is expected to draw into the lineup and his linemates Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson are expected to skate on separate lines.
Jaromir Jagr was unavailable for Tuesday’s game vs. the Maple Leafs so Hathaway’s recall suggests that Jagr won’t be available on Thursday. The heavy winger (6-foot-2 / 208 lbs.) has registered 11 goals and eight assists (19 points) in 18 games with Stockton this season.
This summer’s No.10 overall pick lasted seven games with the Panthers, registering one goal over that span. Tippett will return to Mississauga, where he had 44 goals 31 assists (75 points) in 60 games last season.
Ristolainen, who has had a slow start to the season, was not on the ice this morning and will not be in the lineup tonight in Dallas. With Ristolainen out, Taylor Fedun will be back in the lineup and Viktor Antipin will play on the top PP unit.
Simmonds missed Wednesday’s practice with a lower-body injury that he suffered on Tuesday when he was hit by a Shayne Gostisbehere shot. Simmonds was being re-evaluated on Wednesday, so monitor his status during Thursday’s game-day skate.
Sedlak suffered an ankle injury in Monday’s practice and will be sidelined until early/mid-December. With Sedlak out, Zac Dalpe will likely shift to centre on the Blue Jackets’ fourth line.
Tippett was the No.10 overall pick in this summer’s draft and tonight he will debut on the Panthers’ third line. The 18-year-old winger had 75 points (44G / 31A) in 60 games with Mississauga (OHL) last season and will play with Jared McCann and Jamie McGinn tonight.
