Blue Jackets’ Saad suffers upper-body injury, won’t travel to Philadelphia

Columbus Blue Jackets leading goal-scorer Brandon Saad will not travel to Philadelphia after suffering an upper-body injury in Friday's 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers, reports Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch.

Saad remained in the game briefly after appearing to be shaken up by an open ice. But he eventually left the contest, and the team later announced he would not return.

It will be just the second game he's missed in his first season with the Blue Jackets.

Columbus will return home following Saturday's clash with the Flyers before hosting the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday for the first of five straight home starts.

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VIDEO: Blackhawks prospect Schmaltz dangles, tucks in terrific goal

Even Chicago Blackhawks' prospects are scoring highlight-reel goals.

North Dakota forward Nick Schmaltz converted a sensational marker in NCAA action Friday night, stickhandling his way around a Western Michigan defender with a series of moves, then tucking the puck in from behind the net.

The 20-year-old added three assists as the Fighting Hawks cruised to an 8-1 victory over the Broncos.

Chicago selected Schmaltz 20th overall in 2014.

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Linden: Canucks’ management has ‘complete autonomy’ from ownership

Rather than waiting on the question, Trevor Linden prefaced his discourse Thursday at the Vancouver Canucks' ill-timed Town Hall, reiterating that the decisions made by Jim Benning and his staff are not being influenced by higher-ups.

"We had complete autonomy from ownership to make the decisions we needed to make," Linden said, via the team's official Twitter account.

They delved further into the topic of failing to yield a return for pending unrestricted free agents still on the Canucks' roster. Benning claimed defenseman Dan Hamhuis had just one team he would be willing to waive his no-movement clause to join, and they didn't receive a single offer on former 30-goal man Radim Vrbata.

Of course, effort isn't enough to appease the club's frustrated fan base or media members who spin the narrative in Vancouver and have suspected - or continue to suspect - that owner Francesco Aquilini is preventing hockey operations from committing to a firm direction.

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Stars lose Klingberg to lower-body injury

It could be a costly Friday night in Dallas.

Stars defenseman John Klingberg sustained a lower-body injury against the New Jersey Devils, playing only 1:25 over two shifts before being ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Klingberg is third in scoring on the high-powered Stars, with 10 goals and 43 assists in 65 games. He averages 23:14 in ice time and has a 55.5 Corsi For rating.

Turning 24 in August, Klingberg is signed through 2019-20 at an affordable salary-cap hit of $4.25 million. He was surprisingly left off Sweden's initial World Cup of Hockey roster, but should be the country's seventh defenseman at the tournament in Toronto.

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VIDEO: Capitals’ goal counts despite questionable evidence

Richards contested goal review #hockey - Streamable

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A wild scramble in the New York Rangers' crease resulted in an unexpected goal for the Washington Capitals on Friday night.

No definitive goal call was made by the on-ice officials, but the play was reviewed by the NHL's situation room in Toronto, and the league determined the puck completely crossed the goal line.

The play was then challenged for goaltender interference by Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault, but referee Chris Lee upheld the goal.

One Capitals blogger broke it down Zapruder style:

Jay Beagle got credit for his seventh goal of the season, and T.J. Oshie's 19th tied the game with less than a minute left in the period.

Back, and to the left.

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Sharks’ Reimer to make debut start Saturday

One week after his trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and two days after his first official skate with the club, James Reimer will make his debut start for the San Jose Sharks.

Reimer will spell Martin Jones and look to help extend the Sharks' win streak to four games when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, Curtis Pashelka of San Jose Mercury News reports.

The veteran had to wait several days to acquire the paperwork necessary to transition to an American-based organization.

"I'm excited to get in," Reimer said after Thursday's morning skate. "You make the most of any situation, whether you get thrown in right away or (after) a couple practices."

Reimer was acquired for goaltender Alex Stalock, forward Ben Smith, and a conditional fourth-round draft selection.

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Senators’ Anderson not expecting Leafs’ fans to offer Phaneuf reprieve

Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson won't experience the reaction first hand, as an injury will prevent him from making the trip to Toronto, but he still chimed in on the topic du jour in Ottawa on the eve of Dion Phaneuf's highly anticipated return.

And let's just say he's not forecasting a loving embrace.

"I think it's going to be a hundred times worse in Toronto," Anderson said, when comparing his new teammate's previous return trips to Calgary, via Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. "Maybe that will fade over time, maybe not. It didn't fade for (Daniel Alfredsson) - every time he was there it seemed to get worse. You never know."

The former Maple Leafs captain - maligned throughout his largely unsuccessful tenure - hasn't resigned to the same conclusion, telling Garrioch he isn't really sure how he'll be received.

But he was adamant his primary focus lies elsewhere.

"I've been through that before," Phaneuf said of the emotions in returning to face an old team. "To be completely honest with you my focus is in our room here and what we have to do to get our game back to the level we expect."

Phaneuf's Senators are seven points back of the final wild card position after consecutive losses to the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning this week.

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