Snapshots: Pacioretty, Gudbranson, Andersson, Phaneuf

Earlier in the day, Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant indicated that winger Max Pacioretty could be a healthy scratch tonight.  However, a team spokesperson indicated to David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he is indeed dealing with a minor issue and that team management ultimately decided to hold him out of the lineup.  The veteran has rebounded nicely after a rough start to his season, collecting 16 points over his last 14 games but now will see that streak interrupted.  They did get some good news on the injury front, however, as center Paul Stastny returned to the lineup after missing the last 30 games with a knee injury.

More from around the league:

• Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson was held out of Thursday’s game due to back spasms, notes Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province. This comes on the heels of him missing three games earlier this month with a neck issue.  It’s worth noting that Vancouver has not pulled a blueliner up from AHL Utica, suggesting that they feel that this is a day-to-day issue.  The 26-year-old has eight points and 45 penalty minutes while logging just over 19 minutes a night in 30 games this season.
• Although a full-time spot in the lineup isn’t guaranteed for center Lias Andersson, the Rangers don’t intend to send him back to AHL Hartford, reports Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post. The 20-year-old has moved up and down the lineup while spending some time on the wing in an effort to find him a defined role but that has yet to come to fruition.  However, the team has clearly decided that keeping him up with New York is the best course of action for the time being, even if it results in him being a healthy scratch or playing limited minutes.
• Kings defenseman Dion Phaneuf has been classified as week-to-week with an upper-body injury, notes Zack Dooley of LA Kings Insider. The veteran has not fared well this season, posting just a single assist while logging less than 15 minutes a night.  With Los Angeles expected to be selling, Phaneuf’s deal (which carries a $5.25MM cap hit after Ottawa’s retention) is one they’ll undoubtedly be looking to move but this injury will make doing so even more difficult.