News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without Ryan Callahan indefinitely, reports Bryan Burns of TampaBayLightning.com. Callahan suffered a hip injury in January but was expected to return last week. There is now no new date for his return as Callahan gets ready for a second procedure to try and fix the issue. GM Steve Yzerman intimated that Callahan will miss the remainder of the season and some of the playoffs, should the Lightning go on a run. The veteran winger has 2G and 2A in 18 games so far. The Lightning—should they put Callahan on LTIR—would be able to exceed the cap by Callahan’s $5.8MM cap hit if they want to load up on trade deadline rentals. They are only 4 points out of a wild card spot with 22 games left to play.
- Continuing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team called up forward Cory Conacher, reports Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. Conacher is currently 9th overall in AHL scoring, and fresh off a two-goal performance last night with the Syracuse Crunch. So far Conacher hasn’t had a proper chance to translate his AHL success to the NHL, but has 1G and 1A in seven games with the big club. Joe Smith speculates that Conacher was recalled just in case Jonathan Drouin cannot play tonight. Lightning Insider Erik Erlendsson reported that Drouin did not practice with the team today.
- Anaheim Ducks forward Nicolas Kerdiles is set to make his NHL debut tonight against the Boston Bruins, reports Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times. The Ducks drafted Kerdiles 36th overall in 2012, but the Texas native placed in the NCAA for the next two years. He’s played only ten games with the AHL San Diego Gulls this season after suffering his second concussion, but he’s managed to record 4G and 5A those ten games. Early reports have him skating with Rickard Rakell and Corey Perry.