Morning Hits: Panik, Dubinsky, Datsyuk, Allen, Fowler and Fisher
  • Nick Kypreos: Blue Jackets Brandon Dubinsky is out indefinitely and there is the possibility of it being a long-term issue. Rob Mixer: He had abdominal surgery yesterday morning and is out six weeks.
  • Eric Stephens: Ducks Bryan Allen is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Cam Fowler did practice but didn’t say if he’s ready to go.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Predators Mike Fisher is hopeful to be back on ice next month after rupturing his Achilles tendon while training in July.

    “It’s coming along,” said Fisher, who was injured doing when he landed the wrong way doing plyometric jumps. “I heard it go. It was a fluke thing. With an Achilles it can be flukey, you never know when it can happen.

    “They are saying 4-to-6 months. We’ll see. I’m just kind of taking it … I’m hoping to be back maybe sometime in November, but we’ll see.”

    Fisher will be a free agent at the end of the season and isn’t sure what will happen. Last year he hinted that he could retire when his contract is up.

    “We’ll see what happens. I have this year left on the contract. I want to make sure I get healthy. That’s my main focus getting healthy and making sure I feel good. We’ll probably address it as the season goes along. We’ll see,” said Fisher.