The Canucks are expected to get center Brandon Sutter back this week, reports TSN 1040’s Jeff Paterson (Twitter link). He has been out of the lineup since suffering a separated shoulder back in October and will give Vancouver some extra depth down the middle as well as some help at the faceoff dot as he has averaged better than 50% on the draw in each of the last four seasons.
However, the Canucks have a full roster at the moment and their two waiver-exempt forwards (Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser) clearly aren’t going anywhere. With that in mind, they will need to make a roster move (likely a trade or a waiver placement) in the very near future in order to be able to activate Sutter. Vancouver begins a two games in two nights stint on Wednesday in Ottawa.
More from the Pacific:
- In an appearance on Sportsnet 960 (audio link), Calgary GM Brad Treliving indicated that the Flames will be without defensemen Juuso Valimaki and Michael Stone for a while yet. Valimaki has been out since late November with a high ankle sprain and the rookie is targeting the end of the month as a timeline for his return. Meanwhile, there remains no timetable for Stone’s return to the lineup from the blood clot that has caused him to miss the last 18 games and counting.
- Kings winger Carl Hagelin is about a week away from returning to the lineup, notes Robert Morales of the Los Angeles Daily News. He has only suited up in five games since being acquired from the Penguins in mid-November due to an MCL sprain. While Los Angeles has an open roster spot to put him on the roster, they will still need to free up some salary cap space in order to activate him off LTIR. The pending UFA has just a goal and four assists in 21 games this season but his speed will make him an intriguing asset to a playoff team looking to add some depth between now and the trade deadline.