Bruins send C Mowers to Ducks for D Saunders, Skinner
September 24, 2007
BOSTON (AP) -The Boston Bruins acquired defensemen Nathan Saunders and Brett Skinner from the Anaheim Ducks for center Mark Mowers on Monday.
Mowers had five goals and 12 assists in 78 games for Boston last season. In 261 games with Nashville, Detroit and Boston, he has 17 goals and 44 assists.
Saunders and Skinner, who haven't played in the NHL, were assigned to Boston's AHL team in Providence.
Boyle expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks following wrist surgery.
September 24, 2007
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle is expected to miss four-to-six weeks after undergoing wrist surgery Sunday.
Boyle got hurt in a freak locker room accident Saturday night after the Lightning's 2-1 preseason loss to Washington. The defenseman was distracted while hanging up his skate. The skate slipped off the hook and hit Boyle in his left wrist, severing three tendons.
Boyle, 31, is coming off an impressive regular season in which he played all 82 games, recording 20 goals and 43 assists.
Flyers' Upshall tops injury list
The young left winger has a broken left wrist and will be sidelined for four to six weeks.
The season begins next week for the rebuilding Flyers, who are without pieces of their foundation after injuries to four players during Tuesday's 4-2 loss in Ottawa.
The most seriously injured is left winger Scottie Upshall, who suffered a broken left wrist. Right winger Joffrey Lupul appears to have a bad sprain in the same area.
Both will be in Baltimore today with hand specialist Tom Graham. Upshall will undergo surgery and miss four to six weeks.
"I knew I did something," Upshall said. "I skated right off and could not make a strong fist. I thought it was just a bad sprain, but the X-rays showed different.
"It's just something freaky. It's very disappointing. I just look forward to coming back and being great then. Hopefully, I won't be out too long a time."
Graham will determine the extent of Lupul's injury after examining him. Lupul told reporters in Edmonton last night that he would miss at least two weeks.
Center R.J. Umberger will miss seven to 14 days after Graham repairs his broken left pinky.
Defenseman Randy Jones suffered an injured right hip flexor and will not play for the remainder of the preseason.
"It's disappointing, but you have to deal with it," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. "It opens the door for a couple of different things. We still have some games to evaluate guys. Some young guys playing [last night against Washington] were not going to get a chance, and guys who were given a chance will get a longer look here.
"R.J. is not a long-term thing. The hope is that Lupul is not either. Upshall is concerning, because the bone is in the wrist. It's the navicular bone and it's iffy on how it heals because of the blood flow that gets into the area. We have some depth at forward and we'll tap into it."
Forward Claude Giroux cannot be recalled from junior hockey under the collective-bargaining agreement because the Flyers are not in an "emergency" situation with no forwards to draw from.
Upshall said he took a pass at center ice and jammed his wrist when he was hit by defenseman Chris Schubert late in the third period. Lupul was jammed against the boards in the second period.
Their absence means Stefan Ruzicka, Boyd Kane, Jim Dowd, Ryan Potulny and Steve Downie will get longer looks.
Downie, however, is likely facing a long-term suspension after a dirty hit on Dean McAmmond in Tuesday's game left the Ottawa winger with a concussion. Downie is temporarily suspended, pending his hearing at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the league offices in Toronto.
The losses of Upshall and Lupul affect two lines, based on the combinations used in the preseason with a revamped roster.
"Hopefully, [Downie] is not out that long," coach John Stevens said. If a guy like Upshall is out an extended period of time, he's able to play and get back in. If [Downie] can help us, he'll get a chance to play. Other guys are fighting for a spot, too, and we'll get a chance to look at them the next couple of days."
Holmgren expects Downie to be suspended. He admitted after watching the play "over and over again" that Downie's hit "is concerning."
Downie destroyed McAmmond with a flying shoulder check to the head behind the net. Although Downie was gliding, he clearly left his feet and was airborne.
Earlier in the shift, Downie was pushed face-first into the glass by Schubert. It's possible that NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell will interpret the Flyer's action as "intent to injure" because Downie stayed on the ice after the hit.
In Ottawa, Downie said, "it was a bad situation" and he wished McAmmond "the best."
"I didn't even know who it was [on the hit]," he said. "I was just trying to finish my hit."
Holmgren said it was the Flyers' job to harness the emotion Downie brings to the game.
"He's got to play within the rules and not over the edge, and that is our responsibility," Holmgren said. "The last few games, he seems desperate to make this team."
The Flyers and Senators will not meet again until Nov. 24 in Ottawa.
"He'll get what's coming to him," Senators winger Brian McGrattan assured reporters in Ottawa. "He'll do it to the wrong guy and somebody will put him out of hockey. You do that at his level a couple of times, guys in junior won't do it, but guys at this level will. He'll get what's coming to him next time we play him, that's for sure."
philly.com