The Edmonton Oilers have been without defenseman Oscar Klefbom for over two months due to multiple ailments. The team's leader in ice time broke his finger in December before his health took an unexpected turn, general manager Peter Chiarelli told TSN 1260's Jason Gregor on Tuesday.
"He had a staph infection in his ankle, then it got infected again," Chiarelli said. "He had surgery to remove some of the infection."
Klefbom is back skating, and is expected to return to the Oilers lineup in March, according to Gregor.
The 22-year-old has four goals and eight assists in 30 games.
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A four-game winless drought has seen the Detroit Red Wings fall into a wild-card position in the Eastern Conference, so head coach Jeff Blashill is shuffling his top six forwards in an attempt to spur the offense.
Gustav Nyquist will move to the top line alongside veterans Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, who have combined for 18 points in the Wings' last 10 games. Justin Abdelkader will join Dylan Larkin and Tomas Tatar on the second line.
"So we want to see if there's other combinations where we can keep Pavel and Z at the level they're playing but get a little more from other people," Blashill said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "We're trying to get that little two percent better."
Blashill is hopeful the new lines will help Nyquist - goalless in 10 games - and Tatar - pointless in seven - break out of their respective slumps.
The Red Wings have just six goals in their past four games - the same amount they scored in their most recent victory, a 6-5 win over the Boston Bruins.
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The New Jersey Devils are fighting for their playoff lives, but that doesn't mean they'll hesitate to trade a couple of expiring contracts - at the right price.
General manager Ray Shero is "willing to move pending unrestricted free agents Lee Stempniak and David Schlemko if the offers are good enough," reports ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.
Stempniak's been a revelation up front for New Jersey, with 15 goals and 25 assists in 60 games. The 33-year-old leads the Devils in scoring and is earning a paltry $850,000 on a one-year contract. And he's used to being on the move as New Jersey is his eighth team.
Schlemko, a defenseman, has six goals and 11 assists in 52 games, helping New Jersey to the NHL's lowest goals-against average. He's on a cheaper contract than Stempniak, earning only $625,000. He'll be 29 in May.
"I don't think the Devils want to move them for the sake of moving them," LeBrun writes, adding that Shero is still in asset-collecting mode, so he has to listen to anyone who calls.
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With defenseman Dan Hamhuis widely expected to be dealt by the Vancouver Canucks before the trade deadline, it appears the team has yet to have any serious discussions on a deal.
Hamhuis said Tuesday the team hasn't asked him or his agent about waiving his no-trade clause, reports Jay Janower of Global BC. Regardless, the 33-year-old admits he and his family are discussing their options as they anticipate a potential move.
The pending free agent is making $4.5 million this season, his sixth with Canucks after six seasons with the Nashville Predators.
Hamhuis has five assists in 35 games.
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Loui Eriksson's future may be in Boston, after all.
The pending unrestricted free agent's camp is still in talks with the Bruins, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.
Related: 3 teams that can use Eriksson
"There continues to be dialogue, which is the good news," LeBrun writes.
Eriksson is in the final season of a contract paying him $4.5 million, with a cap hit of $4.25 million. He's arguably the best player available on the rental market, with 23 goals and 25 assists in 60 games. He's lighting it up in February, with eight goals and one assist in 11 games this month.
The Bruins are in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, so trading Eriksson by the Feb. 29 deadline is a tricky proposition. The sticking point right now between the two sides is term, in LeBrun's opinion.
Eriksson will turn 31 in July. His 48 points this season are better than the 47 (22 goals, 25 assists) he had in 81 games last season.
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Arizona Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker is one of the most intriguing players ahead of the Feb. 29 trade deadline.
It's believed Arizona has backed off a previously tabled offer to extend Boedker, which further supports the likelihood he will be traded.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 23, 2016
Boedker, playing on a one-year, $3.75-million deal, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. As the Coyotes continue to fall out of the playoff race following a 3-6-1 stretch, it's growing increasingly evident that the most likely course of action will be to sell and continue building toward the future.
With 38 points in 59 games this season, there will certainly be no shortage of suitors for the 26-year-old's services in the coming days.
Here are three teams that should pursue Boedker:
An injury to forward Jonathan Huberdeau has exposed the Panthers' weakness on the left side. Boedker would certainly change that as a significant improvement to their top six.
The Panthers have surprised many by putting themselves in the Stanley Cup conversation with an Atlantic Division-leading 75 points. However, general manager Dale Tallon has made it perfectly clear he doesn't intend on deviating from his long-term vision for short-term success - unless a deal makes sense.
Boedker would surely be an immediate fit in Florida, and wouldn't deviate from the team's plans for the future. Not only would he help them win now, but the possibility of inking a player of his caliber - entering the prime of his career - to a long-term deal should entice Florida even further.
The Blackhawks are without a doubt a legitimate Stanley Cup threat once again, but they have one glaring hole on their roster: a left-winger to round out their top six on the second line next to Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa.
As they did when they landed Antoine Vermette from the Coyotes at last year's deadline, general manager Stan Bowman has made it pretty clear he isn't afraid to think big and pull off bold moves. A difficult cap situation certainly won't hinder his ability to go over the top in the quest for a fourth Stanley Cup in seven years, which means Boedker should be a prime target.
Chicago could entice the Coyotes with a similar package to what landed them Vermette last season: a first-round pick and a prospect. However, it may be able to up the ante even further should the Coyotes take back Bryan Bickell and the $4 million remaining on his contract next season.
The aforementioned deal could allow the Blackhawks to go for it at a reasonable cost once again this season, while enabling them to clear significant cap space to add when they face a similar situation next year.
The Capitals may be tight on cap space, but they're surely all in, sitting 11 points better than the Blackhawks for top spot in the NHL standings.
An early Stanley Cup favorite, Washington must do everything it can to ensure it capitalizes on the rare opportunity that's been presented this season. Boedker definitely fits the mold.
Boedker's $3.5-million cap hit is manageable, especially if the Capitals can find a way to entice the Coyotes to take on a contract - perhaps the $4.5 million remaining on veteran forward Brooks Laich's deal next season.
His addition definitely makes sense. A second-line position is up for grabs, or, considering the solid play of 21-year-old Andre Burakovsky, they could round out their forward group by fitting Boedker in on the third line next to Jason Chimera and Mike Richards.
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Vancouver Canucks forward Radim Vrbata will be out "for a bit" with a lower-body injury, head coach Willie Desjardins said Tuesday, adding he'll likely miss a week.
Vrbata was hurt Sunday against the Colorado Avalanche. He scored his 12th goal of the season in a 5-1 Vancouver win.
On an expiring contract, earning $5 million, Vrbata's a potential trade piece for the Canucks, as the club faces an uphill climb in order to make the playoffs. Nine of his 24 points have come on the power play, and while this season's been a disappointment, the 34-year-old winger scored 31 goals in 2014-15.
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