Note: Due to not posting an update yesterday today’s will include information and results from both Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October.

Injury Updates:

• Canucks D Bieksa leaves game with knee injury
  Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa left Saturday’s 5-4 overtime victory over the Calgary Flames in the first period with a left knee injury.  Bieksa attempted to check the 6-3, 230-pound Wayne Primeau against the boards, but the blue-liner quickly fell to the ice.  He did not return and will be re-evaluated on Sunday. (Yahoo! Sports)

• Flyers D Jones to be sidelined 3-4 months
  Defenseman Randy Jones will have surgery on a labrum in his hip, and while the 27-year-old estimated he would be sidelined only six to eight weeks, Holmgren had a different assessment. (Yahoo! Sports)
• New York Islanders defenceman Radek Martinek knocked out of game
  New York Islanders defenceman Radek Martinek left with an undisclosed injury in the first period, following a hard hit behind the net, and didn’t return to the home opener Saturday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
• Bruins RW Kobasew out indefinitely with fractured leg
  Boston Bruins right wing Chuck Kobasew is out indefinitely with a fractured left leg, an injury he suffered in the team’s season-opening victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.  Kobasew, who notched two assists and eight penalty minutes in the 5-4 win, said in a published report that a teammate’s dump-in shot in the second period caught him on the ankle, causing the fracture. (Yahoo! Sports)
• Bryan McCabe: (Back) MRI Reveals No Fractured Vertebrae
  An MRI on Saturday revealed that McCabe (back) did not suffer a fractured vertebrae as initially feared, TSN.ca reports. (Yahoo! Sports)
• Rick DiPietro: Issues with Surgically Repaired Knee
  DiPietro has swelling and fluid around his surgically repaired left knee, TSN.ca reports. (Yahoo! Sports)
• Sabres C Connolly sidelined with injured back
  Buffalo Sabres center Tim Connolly will be sidelined at least one week after tests revealed that he has a hairline fracture of a vertebra in his back, according to coach Lindy Ruff.  Connolly dressed for the pregame skate but did not play in the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. (Yahoo! Sports)
• Nathan McIver: Personal
  Questionable for Oct 12 vs Phoenix (Sportsline)
• Rhett Warrener: Shoulder
  IR. Out indefinitely (Sportsline)
• Niklas Hjalmarsson: Upper body
  Questionable for Oct 13 Vs Nashville (Sportsline)

Suspensions:

• Michael Peca suspended for bumping official
  Columbus Blue Jackets centre Michael Peca has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL for making contact with an on-ice official.  The team and league announced the suspension on Saturday. Peca was automatically suspended per Rule 41, Physical Abuse of Officials, Category 2.  He was assessed a game misconduct penalty at 5:21 of the second period of the Blue Jackets’ season opener on Friday night at Dallas, which they went on to win 5-4 on Rick Nash’s goal in overtime. (Yahoo! Sports)

League Updates:

• Sarah Palin drops first puck at Flyers’ home opener
  To a mixture of boos and cheers, Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin dropped the ceremonial first puck Saturday night at the Philadelphia Flyers’ home opener against the New York Rangers.  The Alaska governor and self-described “hockey mom” heard a few boos when she walked onto the ice, but that soon turned to polite applause as she headed to centre ice with Mike Richards of the Flyers and Scott Gomez – from Alaska – of the Rangers. (Yahoo! Sports)

• Devils play opener despite arena code dispute
  The New Jersey Devils played their home opener as scheduled Friday night despite a construction code dispute that closed the Prudential Center down this summer.  The team obtained a temporary certificate of occupancy to enable it to play the opener against the New York Islanders, and was closing in on a permanent solution. Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek said the paperwork required for a permanent certificate was submitted to the City of Newark last week.  “The city is reviewing those documents and we’re both close to getting it done,” Vanderbeek said in a telephone interview. “We could hear back from them as early as next week.” (Yahoo! Sports)
• Hull among four inducted into U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame
  The Dallas Stars surely can forgive Brett Hull for missing the team’s 2008-09 season opener.  The co-general manager of the Stars, Hull skipped the club’s first game of the campaign Friday in order to be one of four players inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.  Also inducted during the ceremony at the Magness Arena were Brian Leetch, Mike Richter and Cammi Granato, who was the first woman to receive the honor. The addition of the quartet gives the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame 138 members. (Yahoo! Sports)

Signings, Transactions & Acquisitions:

• Anze Kopitar: Inks 7-Year Extension with Kings
  The Kings signed Kopitar to a seven-year, $47.6 million contract extension on Saturday, TSN.ca reports. (Yahoo! Sports)

• View more NHL and Minor League transactions at NHL.com

Trades & Rumours:

From spectorshockey.net (click to view the full report):

• TSN.CA reports the Detroit Red Wings have placed defenseman Kyle Quincey on waivers.

• COURIER POST ONLINE/PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: reports Flyers defenseman Randy Jones is facing hip surgery which could sideline him for between six-eight weeks. With Ryan Parent also sidelined by injury GM Paul Holmgren is examining his options, which includes shopping for a veteran defenseman, which Holmgren suggests could cost him a forward. Holmgren also noted that he didn’t claim veteran blueliner Kyle McLaren off waivers as the Flyers have salary cap issues.
• PIONEER PRESS: John Shipley reports the contract impasse between the Minnesota Wild and Marian Gaborik officially becomes a distraction for the club when the puck drops on their season opener Saturday. Shipley reports the contract talks have stalled and the Gaborik camp is waiting for the Wild to reignite them.
• USA TODAY: Kevin Allen reports veteran NHL defenseman Bryan Berard is considering his options, which includes possibly signing with a team in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League.
• EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reports Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin confirmed he rejected an $11 million contract offer from his former Russian team to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins, telling them “I’m not (Alexander) Radulov”.
• MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan reports Detroit Red Wings forward Darren McCarty is eligible to come off short term injury reserve in a week, leaving management with three options. One is demoting McCarty, trading defenseman Kyle Quincey or placing him on waivers.
• EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE: reports the Phoenix Coyotes have traded forward Mike Zigomanis to the Pittsburgh Penguins for future considerations. 
• The San Jose Sharks have released forward Jeff Friesen.

Game Results:

(Game results courtesy of Yahoo! Sports)

Source: Yahoo! Sports | TSN.ca | ESPN | NHL.com

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