Hype for January 16, 2010

Six-foot-six Chris Pronger has left a spacious void everywhere he has put down roots.

The St. Louis Blues have made the playoffs only once and haven't won a series in the four years AP (after Pronger). The Edmonton Oilers advanced to the 2005-06 Stanley Cup final with Pronger, but haven't played a single post-season game since.

The Anaheim Ducks certainly have struggled without the big lug. Pronger also leaves welts everywhere he's been. He dubiously has been anointed the league's dirtiest player, but makes no apologies for living life on the edge with his stick, and his methods to keep the puck out of his own goal.

Anaheim Ducks centre Saku Koivu should be able to return from his sprained right knee within two weeks, well before he's scheduled to serve as captain of Finland's national team at the Olympics.

Koivu was hurt in the second period of Anaheim's loss at Los Angeles on Thursday night when he got tangled up with a Kings player on a faceoff.

Can it get any worse for Ottawa goalie Pascal Leclaire?

Apparently, yes.

Leclaire, who has already missed time this season because of a freak injury, is out of the lineup again after suffering a concussion when he took a puck to the mask during the Senators' morning skate on Thursday.

This time, the injury-prone Leclaire could be out for a while. The 27-year-old told reporters on Friday that the shot temporarily knocked him out, and the headaches and dizziness began immediately after he left the ice.

The numbers were staring the Maple Leafs in the face like a 2-0 deficit.

Alex Ovechkin entered Friday night's matchup with 28 points in 18 NHL games against Toronto. And the Washington Capitals had outscored opponents 9-0 in the first minute of all periods this season.

Make it a perfect 10 after Ovechkin beat Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala 49 seconds after the opening faceoff in Washington, the first of his five points in a 6-1 drubbing at the Verizon Center.

Add Dan Ellis to the list of goaltenders making life miserable for the Flames of late.

He made 22 saves, including eight in the third period, for his first shutout of the season and 10th of his career in a 1-0 Nashville Predators victory Friday night in Calgary.