Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Is Numminen set to play again for the Sabres?; Ovechkin is the first to 100 points; Kovalchuk nets No.50, again; Is DiPietro done?; Super-rook Okposo has a solid debut; Toskala bounces back; A Kyle Wellwood sighting; and more...

RETURN OF TEPPO? 
There have been some inspirational comebacks this season in the NHL, to be sure. But it's hard to compare any of them to the one that may be happening soon in Buffalo. There, this week Sabres defenseman Teppo Numminen has reported back for duty, only six months after undergoing open-heart surgery.

Obviously most pro athletes would consider retiring after such a major operation, and even more would consider it at Numminen's age of 39. But the veteran of 18 NHL seasons has been skating with the team since January, and recently told the Associated Press, "I'm back." The Sabres are obviously inspired and impressed by their veteran D-man's commitment and courage, but they are reportedly still trying to determine if he will be ready to play before the end of this season.

Complicating matters is that the Sabres are threadbare on defense these days, and sorely in need of a quality vet like Numminen in their own end. He is unlikely to play Wednesday as Buffalo hosts Tampa Bay, but is tough old Teppo set to save the Sabre blueline?

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OVECHKIN HITS 100 
Capitals' left winger Alexander Ovechkin was the first player this season to make it to 100 points, with a goal (his league-leading 58th) on Tuesday night against the Predators. He also added two assists, giving him 102 points on the campaign. INTEL: Ovechkin had 109 points as a rookie in 2005-06 and 92 last season, and appears to be a leading candidate for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP. His 3-point effort Tuesday also came on the heels of a rare scoreless effort (when he was shut out Mar.16 against Boston). If Ovechkin can pull his Capitals into a playoff spot (and they're currently just two points back of No.8 in the East, behind Philadelphia) he has a much better shot at the Hart.

50 FOR ILYA, AGAIN 
With his 50th goal of the season Tuesday night against the Flyers, Ilya Kovalchuk reached the 50-goal plateau for the second time in his career and the second time in his past three seasons. INTEL: Kovalchuk has at least 38 goals in five of his first six NHL seasons, and is on pace to be one of the NHL's most prolific lamp-lighters of all time if he stays healthy. At the age of 24 he's just entering his prime, and it would seem that all he needs is an elite set-up man to become a perennial Rocket Richard trophy winner as the NHL's top goal scorer. He has already won the award once (in 2003-04, when he tallied 41 goals and tied with Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla).

DIPIETRO DONE? 
On the heels of five straight losses (during which he has allowed at least three goals per game), Islanders' goalie Rick DiPietro reportedly had an MRI Tuesday on his sore hip. In related news, backup Wade Dubielewicz started Tuesday against Toronto, and the Isles have called up third-string goalie Joey MacDonald from Bridgeport of the AHL. INTEL: Looks like the Isles are shutting down DiPietro for awhile, if not indefinitely. Of course, the results of the MRI will play some role in determining his near future plans, but the call-up of MacDonald suggests the team is ready to keep DiPietro out awhile. Dubielewicz is a solid option in the nets for the stretch run, and Long Island is obviously hoping he can reprise what he did last March and April.

OKPOSO A-OKAY IN DEBUT 
Islanders' rookie forward Kyle Okposo made his NHL debut Tuesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 19-year-old right winger played 14:45 but did not register a point in two shots on goal. INTEL: Okposo had 24 points (eight goals and 16 assists) in 29 games for Bridgeport of the AHL before being called up. Okposo isn't likely to make a big splash in his brief audtion for the rest of this season, although he did get some power play time (1:33) Monday. The Isles obviously envision him as a key forward for the next decade or so, and this late exposure can only help him going forward.

TOSKALA BOUNCES BACK 
Maple Leafs' goalie Vesa Toskala allowed a 178-foot goal Tuesday to Islanders' defenseman Rob Davison in the first period, but then responded by shutting out New York the rest of the way for a 3-1 win. INTEL: It was one of the more embarrassing goals of Toskala's career, to be sure, but the good news is that he bounced back and put it behind him. Toskala has been relatively solid this month, and his solid play has helped Toronto claw back into the playoff picture. The 178-footer was a fluke more than anything, and the fact head coach Paul Maurice didn't pull him suggests Toskala is likely going to hold onto his No.1 status the rest of the way.

A WELLWOOD SIGHTING 
On Tuesday Maple Leafs' forward Kyle Wellwood posted a goal and an assist against the Islanders. It broke an eight-game pointless streak for the cagey playmaker, and was Wellwood's first two-point effort since Dec.10 against the Lightning. INTEL: Tuesday's performance was what the Maple Leafs had expected from Wellwood all season long. He appeared to be on the verge of a breakout year after scoring 42 points in 48 games last season, but a groin injury got him off on the wrong foot. He then slumped badly and found his way into head coach Paul Maurice's doghouse, turning him into a non-factor for several months. Tuesday's outing can only help his confidence.

NORRENA, NO PROBLEM 
With usual starting goalie Pascal Leclaire out the next few games with a head injury, backup Fredrik Norrena posted his first shutout of the season with a 3-0 blanking of the Flames on Tuesday. He made 18 stops. INTEL: Norrena hasn't been great this season (with a save percentage hovering around the .900 mark all season long) but he is a streaky goalie who can also get hot, as he showed last season. He's obviously feeling in the zone right now, and the fact the Blue Jackets allow only 27.8 shots per game will help him for the brief time he will man the nets for Leclaire.

KARIYA CAN'T BUY ONE 
In a 4-3 Tuesday win over Montreal, Paul Kariya failed to score a goal for his 17th straight game. He has seven assists since Feb.14, including two in Tuesday's victory. INTEL: Kariya is still having a solid all-round season for the Blues with 57 points in 73 games, but at 33 his elite days seem to be behind him. He has three seasons with 42 or more goals, but the last one was in 1999-00. He remains a solid assist-man, however, and with 42 helpers has a chance to reach the 50-assist mark for the third straight campaign

FRITSCHE'S ON FIRE 
Columbus forward Dan Fritsche posted two assists and was a plus-3 Tuesday night in Columbus' 3-0 win over the Flames. The outing gives Fritsche five points in his past five games. INTEL: Fritsche has just 22 points (10 goals and 12 assists) on the season, but he has the talent to be a top-6 forward eventually. Last season he showed signs of becoming more of an offensive force, and this more recent outburst suggests he may still get there. At the age of 22 he's at a point when a lot of players break out, and Fritsche was a productive player in junior hockey. He just needs to stay healthy and keep working