Empty Netter Assists - Western Conference - 12-22-08
Central Division
-Blues coach Andy Murray really tore into his team after losing yesterday.
-Columbus forward Derick Brassard will miss the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury he sustained in a fight. Brassard was considered to be a candidate for the Calder Memorial Trophy.
-Chicago general manager and former Penguins defenseman Dale Tallon (right) had a plan coming into this season and it's starting to work.
-Forward Jiri Hudler is off to a fast start for the Red Wings.
Northwest Division
-To say the least, quite a bit is expected out of Mats Sundin in Vancouver.
-With Sundin finally in a Canucks jersey, we can now worry about when/if Peter Forsberg will re-sign with the Avalanche like usual.
-Colorado defenseman Ruslan Salei suffered an "upper-body" injury yesterday.
-The Stewarts - Colorado's Chris and Florida's Anthony - are brothers. The Staals and Ruutus not impressed.
-The Flames have found something with a pairing of Adam Pardy and Cory Sarich on defense.
-Minnesota defenseman Kurtis Foster is fighting the good fight:
Pacific Division
-Ducks forward Brendan Morrison is off to a slow start in Anaheim.
-Morrison is returning to Vancouver for the first time since leaving the Canucks this past offseason.
-What are the Ducks' options with forward Teemu Selanne out of the lineup for an extended period of time?
-Anaheim demoted goaltender David LeNeveu to Iowa of the AHL.
-Dallas defenseman Trevor Daley did not take the typical route to the NHL.
-An injury to forward Milan Michalek has given Jonathan Cheechoo a chance to re-join one of San Jose's top two lines.
(Photo: David Banks/Getty Images)