Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Lidstrom out three weeks with bum knee; McDonald prepares to face former team again on Friday; Bieksa returns to Vancouver after 46-game absence; Simon back with the Isles after suspension; Malkin continues torrid play; and more...

SAY IT AIN'T SO 
For a player who has missed only 16 games in almost 16 NHL seasons, the next three weeks will likely feel like an eternity for injured Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. The five-time Norris trophy winner has reportedly been diagnosed with a sprained right knee and has been informed he will need a few weeks to fully recover.

The injury to the veteran rearguard comes at a terrible time with fellow defensemen Brian Rafalski (groin) and Niklas Kronwall (shoulder) also in sick bay. The raft of injuries to the trio has resulted in three rookies playing heavy minutes on the Red Wings blueline. Derek Meech has been with the team for some time, while Jonathan Ericsson and Kyle Quincey are still trying to get their bearings.

The other three Wings defensemen still healthy enough to play include Andreas Lilja, Brett Lebda and 46-year-old Chris Chelios. Detroit, losers of six of their past seven games, face Calgary on Friday night.

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BLUES 
St. Louis forward Andy McDonald faces Anaheim, his former team, on Friday. It will be the second meeting since his mid-December trade for Doug Weight, Michal Birner and a seventh-round draft pick in 2008. McDonald scored a critical shootout goal in the Blues' 1-0 victory over the Ducks on February 1. On the season, the 30-year-old sniper has 12 goals and 28 assists. He has been on a bit of a roll recently, scoring two goals and adding three helpers in his last six games.

BLUE JACKETS 
Blue Jackets defenseman Adam Foote has told the Columbus Dispatch he wants to stay with the team. However, if the two sides are unable to agree on a contract extension prior to Tuesday's trade deadline, it's hard to imagine the 36-year-old looming free agent remaining with the club. In his third year with the Jackets, Foote has one goal, 14 assists and 83 penalty minutes.

CANUCKS 
After a 46-game absence due to a lacerated calf muscle, Vancouver defenseman Kevin Bieksa was back on the ice for Thursday's 3-2 shootout win over Nashville. Despite the long layoff, he still managed to play just under 16 minutes. Prior to the injury, the 26-year-old rearguard had a goal and three assists in 12 games. As a rookie in 2006-07, Bieksa impressed with 12 goals and 30 assists.

DUCKS 
According to the Orange County Register, Anaheim center Ryan Carter has a broken bone in his right wrist that will sideline him indefinitely. The 24-year-old had found success recently on a newly formed line with Chris Kunitz and Teemu Selanne. He scored all four of his goals this season in his last six games. On the year, he now has four goals and four assists in 33 games. With centers Todd Marchant and Doug Weight both out of the lineup with shoulder injuries, the Ducks are looking pretty thin down the middle. Shift disturber Samuel Pahlsson or an AHL call-up will likely end up taking Carter's spot on the second line.

FLYERS 
Philadelphia forward Daniel Briere had another tough outing on Thursday, registering no points with a minus-2 rating in the Flyers' 3-1 loss to the Sharks. The big offseason free-agent acquisition has now been held off the scoresheet in five consecutive games, a fact not lost on the home crowd who booed Briere throughout the contest. Philadelphia is now 0-8-1 over their last nine games and in jeopardy of losing their once almost certain playoff berth. Briere is a team-worst minus-24 on the season.

HURRICANES 
Carolina's Eric Staal had an assist in the Hurricanes' 5-3 victory over the Thrashers on Thursday and now has seven points (2-5-7) over his last five games. That's a solid turnaround after he was held pointless in Carolina's previous seven contests. On the season, the gifted 23-year-old forward now has 29 goals and 26 assists. Staal is looking to hit the 30-goal plateau for the third consecutive season.

ISLANDERS 
New York's Chris Simon was back in his Islanders uniform on Thursday after his 30-game suspension for stomping on Jarkko Ruutu's leg during a game earlier this season. The veteran bad boy played just under seven minutes against Tampa Bay, primarily on the fourth line with rookies Blake Comeau and Frans Nielsen. He had no points and thankfully, no penalties. Goalie Rick DiPietro was the hero for the Islanders, blanking the Lightning on 32 shots to lead his team to a 1-0 win. It was the sixth consecutive victory for the surging club.

LIGHTNING 
According to the New York Post, the Rangers are now in the running to land Tampa Bay defenseman Dan Boyle. The smooth-skating veteran is a highly coveted player for teams looking for an offensive defenseman for the stretch run. The Flyers, Sharks, Penguins and Senators are also believed to be in the mix to land Boyle who has three goals and seven assists in 16 games in 2007-08. Boyle missed much of this season with a wrist injury, but appears to be back playing at full strength right now.

MAPLE LEAFS 
Toronto will be without checking forward Boyd Devereaux for the next four to six weeks due to an injury to his right knee. The veteran has played well lately on a high-energy line with Chad Kilger and Dominic Moore, scoring a goal and adding four assists over his last eight games. On the season, Devereaux has seven goals and 11 assists.

PENGUINS 
No Sidney Crosby, no problem for the Penguins. Pittsburgh continued their strong play without their injured superstar, downing Montreal 5-4 on Thursday. Once again, Evgeni Malkin was front and center for Pittsburgh, scoring a goal and adding a pair of assists in the victory. The 21-year-old sniper now leads the NHL with 82 points (35-47-82) and has had at least one point in 10 consecutive games. Pittsburgh defenseman Ryan Whitney also had a goal and two assists in the game.