Senators forward Tim Stutzle won’t play tonight against New Jersey due to an upper-body injury, relays Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). The injury was sustained in Thursday’s game against Florida. It has been a bit of a trying year for the 22-year-old; while he has already set a new career-high in assists with 52, he has also been limited to just 18 goals in 75 games. For context, he had 39 last season. Stutzle is in the first season of an eight-year, $66.8MM contract that was signed back in September 2022 and it’s fair to say that expectations will be higher for him next season.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- The Lightning won’t have center Anthony Cirelli or winger Tanner Jeannot in the lineup this afternoon against Pittsburgh but neither player is expected to be out long-term, notes team reporter Chris Krenn (Twitter link). With a playoff spot now officially clinched as of Friday, they’re opting to err on the side of caution. Cirelli is one point shy of tying his career high as he has 43 through 75 games so far while Jeannot’s first full season in Tampa Bay hasn’t gone as planned as he has been limited to just 13 points in 50 appearances.
- Sabres blueliner Riley Stillman is done for the year after undergoing surgery to fix a lower-body injury, per an announcement from AHL Rochester (Twitter link). After being on an NHL roster full-time the last two years, the 26-year-old played exclusively in the minors this season, notching six points in 47 games for the Americans. A restricted free agent with arbitration eligibility and a $1.35MM qualifying offer, Stillman looks like a strong non-tender candidate unless he’s willing to agree to a cheaper deal before qualifying offers are due in late June.
- Still with Buffalo, winger Jordan Greenway took part in practice today in a non-contact jersey, relays WGR 550’s Paul Hamilton (Twitter link). The 27-year-old has missed the last week with an upper-body injury. Greenway has 24 points in 62 games this season and with the Sabres still hanging around the playoff picture, they’d certainly like to get him back in the lineup soon.