Afternoon notes on Comeau, Bergfors, Perron, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Ryan, Jagr, Pitkanen, Bogosian, Filatov, Ennis and Backstrom
  • Arthur Staple via twitter: The Islanders have placed forward Blake Comeau on waivers. He has no points in 16 games and is a -11. BD Galiof via twitter: Galiof wonders if a team like the Blue Jackets will take a chance on Comeau. Comeau on waivers means that no team was offering value back, or the Islanders think he can pass through. The Islanders were close to trading him in the summer before GM Garth Snow was able to get the price down on a new contract. Expect the Islanders to be willing to do the same with Reasoner and Rolston if their play doesn’t pick up. Galiof thinks that Comeau could be better on a low-end teams 2nd line. Didn’t play well on the Isles 3rd/4th lines.
  • Bob McKenzie via twitter: The Predators have put Niclas Bergfors on unconditional ($125) waivers. If he clears, they will mutually agree to terminate contract.
  • Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Blues winger David Perron is itching to get playing, and is getting closer.

    “There’s no date,” Perron said. “It’s just a matter of getting into practices and seeing how I react. It’s only been like four or five days (since he was cleared for contact) and I haven’t done a whole lot of it. We have a lot of games right now and a lot of optional skates and when it’s optional, it’s more about shooting and conditioning, so we haven’t gotten a lot of (physicality) yet.”

  • Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune: Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman:

    “I never believe you do something just to do something,” Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said. “You just try to make the team better, whether that’s through recalling somebody or a trade. I’m not going to react. You just have to assess your team.”

    “In general, teams really are not looking to take on contracts, take on money this time of the year and it’s hard to make a trade,” Yzerman said. “It’s hard to find a fit with teams because teams don’t want to give up their draft picks. Teams don’t want to give up their young guys.”

  • Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly: Flyers winger Jaromir Jagr aggravated his groin last night, and will likely miss at least 2 games. “We got two games and then five days off,” Jagr said. “I think I’m not going to play those two games and make sure when I come back I want to come back strong.”
  • Chip Alexander via twitter: Hurricanes defenseman Joni Pitkanen could return on Sunday according to coach Paul Maurice. No decision on who will come out.
  • Chip Alexander via twitter: Hurricanes lines at practice: Skinner, Staal, Ruutu; Poni, Jussi, LaRose; Tlusty, Sutter, Dwyer; Brett Sutter, Brent, Stewart.
  • David Alter via twitter: Leafs lines at practice: Lupul-Bozak-Kessel, MacA-Connolly-Kulie, Frattin-Colborne-Crabb, Steckel-Dupuis-Rosehill, extras, Orr,Grabovski. David Alter via twitter: Grabovski will be out at least another week.
  • Joy Lindsay via twitter: Nikita Filatov says he’ll have a meeting with Senators GM Bryan Murray in the future, to discuss his future. Expects it to be next week.
  • John Vogl via twitter: Sabres forward Tyler Ennis will not play on Friday. Patrick Kaleta is also out, so they will need to call up a forward.
  • Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune: Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom missed last night’s game due to personal reasons and is expected to return to the team in a few days.
  • Brent Sopel via twitter: Sopel says that he’s turned down 3 NHL teams as he won’t break his current contract.