The Panthers are open to having top center prospect Henrik Borgstrom join the team this season and burn the first year of an entry-level contract in the process, GM Dale Tallon told reporters, including Matthew DeFranks of the Sun-Sentinel. The 20-year-old is still playing in his college playoffs with Denver which could extend as late as April 7th if they make the final of the Frozen Four. If that happens and Florida makes the postseason, Tallon acknowledged that they would be comfortable with Borgstrom making his NHL debut in the playoffs. Doing so could make him required to be protected for a potential Seattle expansion draft (assuming they were to get the same rules that Vegas did) but the GM said that this would not affect the decision making with their top prospect.
More from the Atlantic:
- Bruins forward David Backes will not be suspended for his hit on Panthers center Vincent Trocheck on Thursday night, notes Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. This occurred in his first game from a three-game ban for a hit on Detroit’s Frans Nielsen earlier in the month. Although Backes received a match penalty on the play (which carries a one-game suspension with it), the league has rescinded it and he will be available for their game on Saturday against Tampa Bay.
- Maple Leafs winger Leo Komarov underwent an MRI today to see if there was any damage in the knee/thigh area following a collision in last night’s game against Buffalo, TSN’s Darren Dreger notes (Twitter link). If he is set to miss tomorrow’s tilt against Montreal, it would open up a spot for rookie winger Andreas Johnsson or center Dominic Moore to draw back into the lineup.
Considering the Backes hit was barely worth a penalty, glad the NHL decided to rescind it.
On another note, when are they going to do something about the horrid officiating this year?