
Marco Sturm started yesterday's practice on a line with Patrice Bergeron and Mark Recchi but had to leave practice before because of discomfort. Head caoch Claude Julien said Sturm is questionable for tonight's game against Columbus. Steve Begin and Byron Bitz didn't practice yesterday and are also questionable for tonight. - Boston Globe

Forward David Moss missed practice Wednesday with a lower body injury. - TSN

Defenceman Niklas Hjalmarsson didn't practice Wednesday. Hjalmarsson described his condition as a lower-body injury. Brent Sopel (upper-body) also didn't practice Wednesday. - Chicago Sun Times

Forward Marek Svatos sat out (bruised chest) and is considered day to day. Defenceman Ryan Wilson suffered a concussion against Edmonton on Monday night and won't be back in the lineup for the foreseeable future. - Denver Post

Alex Auld will start in net for the Stars. It is his first ever start as an opposing netminder at GM Place. - TSN

Valtteri Filppula (groin) didn't practice but said he’d play tonight. Niklas Kronwall (knee) could return next week. Coach Mike Babcock said Jimmy Howard will start in net against Minnesota, and the lines otherwise will remain the same as they were in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss at Washington. - Detroit Free Press

Peter DeBoer said rookie defenceman Dmitry Kulikov would return to the lineup on Thursday against the Islanders. Kulikov, 19, injured a knee on Dec. 18 against Carolina and has been working with the team since last week. - Miami Herald

Defenceman Matt Greene is expected to return after missing four games because of a lower-body injury, and defenseman Alec Martinez was assigned to Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League. Left wing Ryan Smyth was excused from Wednesday’s practice to participate in the Olympic torch relay in his native province of Alberta. - L.A. Times

Forwards Petr Sykora and Robbie Earl both cleared waivers on Wednesday. - Star Tribune

Forwards Mike Cammalleri and Maxim Lapierre got into a fight at Canadiens practice Thursday. Travis Moen broke it up.
Goaltender Carey Price took a "therapy day" but will be traveling with the team to New Jersey this afternoon. - TSN

Right wing Jordin Tootoo (foot) is probable for tonight's game against the Coyotes. - Nashville Tennessean

Czech Republic captain Patrik Elias should recover in time for the Vancouver Olympics despite being put on the injured list by the New Jersey Devils with a concussion. - Star-Ledger

Defenceman Andy Sutton has been suspended two games without pay after leaving the Penguins' Pascal Dupuis bloodied with a hit from behind. - USA Today

Milan Michalek (concussion) and Jason Spezza (knee) are both likely about a week away from returning to the lineup. - Ottawa Sun

Goalie Ray Emery will get his third straight start tonight. Forward Danny Briere left the ice after he took an open-ice hit in Tuesday’s game, but returned. He will be in the lineup tonight. Defenceman Danny Syvret made a surprise return to the practice ice yesterday, donning the yellow jersey so he wouldn't be hit during contact drills. Syvret suffered a left shoulder separation last Tuesday against Dallas. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said back then that Syvret would be out approximately four weeks. - Philadelphia Inquirer

Winger Daniel Winnik suffered an upper-body injury on Monday, and is still considered day-to-day. - Arizona Republic

Everyone took part in the Pens' skate on Thursday except for goaltender Marc-Andrey Fleury (finger), Max Talbot (lower-body) and Pascal Dupuis. Fleury skated before practice and faced a few shots with what appeared to be a new glove. Talbot skated before as well and is considered day-to-day, as is Dupuis. Gonchar will be a game-time decision. - TSN

Antero Niittymaki will start in net against Toronto while rookie defenceman Victor Hedman will be a healthy scratch. The

Jonas Gustavsson will start in net against the Lightning. Jay Rosehill and Wayne Primeau will be back in the lineup. Primeau had missed the past nine games with a knee injury. Rickard Wallin, John Mitchell and Jeff Finger will all be scratches. - TSN

Canucks' defenceman Willie Mitchell will miss tonight’s game against the Stars with an upper body injury. He is day-to-day however he is unlikely to face the Blackhawks on Saturday.
Ryan Johnson will return to the lineup for the first time since breaking his foot on December 22nd. He will wear extra protection on both skates. - TSN