Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Mike Fisher tries to shake slump; Eager returns for Chicago; Habs sign prospect; Canucks manage just 10 shots; Ersberg gets first career start; and more...

FISH-ING FOR POINTS 
The Senators sure hope that Saturday's win marks the end of a terrible slump, but there is one Ottawa forward who is still mired in a personal one.

With Saturday's victory of Pittsburgh, the team improves to 8-13-2 in their last 23 contests--a terrible run that has seen the team free-fall from tops in the Eastern Conference all the way down to fourth, and in striking distance of seventh. The team is 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and center Mike Fisher is pointless in all 10.

Coincidentally, new acquisition Cory Stillman joined the lineup 10 games ago. You wouldn't think that being shifted from the fourth most relied upon forward for offense down to fifth would have such a dramatic affect on the player, but try telling that to Fisher. The 27-year-old was on pace for a career season, even a shot at 70 points, before suddenly hitting this wall.

It's not just offense where the Peterborough, Ontario native is struggling, either. Fisher is minus-9 on the season and a minus-9 in those last 10 contests. In fact, his struggles go beyond the arrival of Stillman if you dig deeper into the stats. He has just one point in his last 15 games and is an ugly minus-12 in that span--clearly one of the worst slumps of his entire career.

While a team slump like this one certainly does not rest on one man's shoulders--obviously the goaltending has been hugely suspect in recent games--don't be surprised if the Senators get rolling again at the around the same time that Fisher finds his mojo.

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BLACKHAWKS 
The Hawks welcomed back tough guy and premium agitator Ben Eager on Sunday and the 24-year-old didn't disappoint. Eager picked up a game misconduct with under two minutes left to play and also added an assist in the game as the Hawks beat the Canucks 4-1. Rookie Patrick Kane was the offensive star, notching three points in the contest. The team recalled Bryan Bickell and Jacob Dowell for the game, but neither forward factored in the scoring, although Dowell picked up a pair of minor penalties. David Bolland (hip flexor) and Adam Burish (healthy) were the latest scratches.

CANADIENS 
The Habs put pen to paper with one of their top prospects on the weekend, signing 19-year-old pivot Ben Maxwell to a three-year entry-level deal. Maxwell was a second-round pick (49th overall) in the 2006 entry draft. He has 21 points in 24 games with Kootenay of the WHL. He has missed 39 games with a thigh injury. He will likely challenge for a permanent roster spot in 2010, but may have some cups of coffee with the big club over the next two seasons.

CANUCKS 
Ten shots. That's the support that the offensively anemic Canucks managed to give Roberto Luongo on Sunday. The star goalie stopped 18 of 22 shots before being replaced by Curtis Sanford, but giving up four goals would not be frowned upon if the team in front of him could muster more than 10 shots. The team lost to Chicago 4-1. Prior to the contest, Vancouver had managed at least 30 shots in five of eight games. The team is at it again on Tuesday in Colorado.

FLYERS 
Philadelphia finally received some good news on the injury front when they welcomed back Jaroslav Modry, who had been out with a shoulder injury. The 37-year-old, recently acquired from Los Angeles, has a torn labrum but will play through the pain until the off-season when he will have surgery. Modry was a minus-3, unfortunately, in Philly's 5-4 shootout loss to the Rangers Sunday. Antero Niittymaki gave up four goals on 14 shots before being pulled in favor of Martin Biron. Biron stopped all 21 shots he faced before eventually getting beat in the shootout.

ISLANDERS 
Suddenly, the Isles are getting a little thin at a position where they had an abundance of players. After losing Chris Campoli for the season folowoing shoulder surgery, Andy Sutton day-to-day with a leg injury, and trading Marc-Andre Bergeron to the Ducks for a draft pick, the team lost another rearguard Sunday when Bruno Gervais was helped off the ice in the first period against the Panthers. He suffered both a thigh contusion and concussion, and did not return to the game. Gervais will be re-evaluated on Monday.

KINGS 
Goaltender Erik Ersberg got his first career start Sunday, but the Kings lost to the Wild 2-1. The 25-year-old Swede stopped 33 of 35 shots, which impressed enough to earn consideration for another start while Kings' No. 1 man Jason Labarbera remains sidelined with a groin injury. The team travels to St. Louis to play the Blues on Tuesday.

PANTHERS 
Looks like the Panthers owe Craig Anderson a nice dinner. The 26-year-old stood on his head Sunday, stopping all 53 shots that the Islanders fired at him to give the team a 1-0 win. The shots allowed marked a season-high for the Cats. David Booth scored the lone goal. The team will line up against Boston on Tuesday.

PENGUINS 
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made his first start since December 6 Sunday and won it in a shootout, 3-2, against the Thrashers. Fleury had missed the better part of three months with a high-ankle sprain. He did get into last Thursday's in relief of Ty Conklin and gave up two goals on 18 shots, but Sunday was his first actual start since the layoff. He stopped 31 of 33 shots. Former Thrasher Marian Hossa did not dress and will be out for about a week with a mild knee sprain. Ryan Whitney did not dress due to a groin injury. Kris Letang scored the shootout winner, his third such winner of the year.

THRASHERS 
Atlanta was without the services of their top center in Todd White Sunday, but they did hope for a big performance from some former Penguins against Pittsburgh. White is suffering from a big gash on his elbow that is affecting how he bends his arm. The all-former-Penguin line of Erik Christensen, Colby Armstrong and Mark Recchi only combined for a single point in the 3-2 shootout loss. Both Armstrong and Christensen received warm welcomes from the Pittsburgh fans. All three of the former Pens played over 19 minutes, as did rookie Bryan Little, who replaced White on the top line.

WILD 
Mark Parrish returned from his bout with the flu Sunday, but second-line center Mikko Koivu took his place on the sidelines with the same sickness. The team won the contest over the Kings 2-1, as Marian Gaborik led the offense with a goal and an assist. The Wild play Chicago on Tuesday at home.