Eastern Conference Injuries: Sabres, Red Wings, Panthers, and Canadiens

Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat: Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson was on the ice again and skating on the top line. He’s traveling with the team to Florida and said he “felt pretty good” after practice and hopes to be in the lineup tonight.

“It’s just one of those injuries, it’ll impede until it resolves completely, and that could happen overnight,” he said. “And today was a very good sign.”

Ted Kulfan: Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said that forward Marco Kasper has a lower-body injury. He’s considered day-to-day and they’ll see how he feels this morning.

Jameson Olive: Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said that forward Sam Bennett will be back on the ice today. They may have a timeline afterward, depending on how things go. If all goes well, maybe he could return this weekend. Maurice said that the injury isn’t one that you can play through and be effective.

Jameson Olive: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (illness) could back up Alex Lyon tonight if he’s feeling well enough to. He hasn’t been working out on the ice though, just off-ice.

Eric Engels: Montreal Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard missed Saturday’s game with “bumps and bruises” and missed practice yesterday.

Also not skating were Jake Evans, Jake Allen, Alex Belzile and Jordan Harris.

Eric Engels: Canadiens forward Sean Monahan had groin surgery and recovery is expected to be six to eight weeks.

Eric Engels: Now that Alex Belize and Sean Monahan have now been added to the players who are out for the remainder of the season. They join David Savard, Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, and Christian Dvorak

Eric Engels: Slafkovsky was officially ruled out but he was injured back on January 18th and was told that he’d be out for three months. Their final game of the season is on April 13th.

TSN: Rod Smith: “The Maple Leafs are still awaiting news on Matt Murray‘s status after he hit his head on the ice in game against Detroit.

Sheldon Keefe confirmed Murray was pulled and tested for a concussion. The Leafs netminder has already missed 31 games this season due to abductor and ankle injuries. Toronto with six games remaining before the playoffs begin.