Chris Nichols

­Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.

Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com

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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes it's pretty much impossible to know just how much progress, if any, Sidney Crosby has made toward recovering from his concussion by skating three times in the past four days.

But what might be most important, at least for the moment, is that he hasn't suffered any setbacks, in the form of symptoms like headaches or dizziness, during that time.

"It's been good," Crosby said Thursday.

He went on the ice for about 15 minutes Thursday morning at Southpointe, his third low-exertion workout of the week.

"I'm just trying to start real slow," Crosby said. "I don't want symptoms and I obviously don't want to rush anything. It's not something you really can rush. It's going to take time.

"Just from the way I feel out there and not doing anything for 2 1/2 months, you feel [the effects of the workout]. It's just nice to get out there. I don't really have a plan for skating every day, or anything like that. I'm kind of just going with the progression and what [the doctors] are telling me."

When he'll be able to stay on longer and do something more strenuous than stickhandling pucks has not been determined.

"That's not really up to me," Crosby said. "I give the doctors feedback, and they tell me what I should expect, and their plan. How I should feel, and that kind of stuff. There's just a lot of communicating, to be honest.

"Everybody's different. I think the important thing is that they know how you feel, and what you feel. As long as they know that they're able to guide you in the right direction. We've been able to work pretty effectively with that."

While getting Crosby back on skates clearly is significant, there still is no target date for him to resume playing.

Coach Dan Bylsma said that even thinking about having Crosby return to the lineup is "not on the radar yet."

The Vancouver Province observes that when a puck caromed off a stick and menacingly smacked into Manny Malhotra's eye socket, the Vancouver Canucks' blueprint for playoff success became more precarious and less important, too.

Malhotra underwent eye surgery Wednesday night. It placed his vision in limbo, which was more concerning to his teammates than any damage it may cause to their plans for a long postseason run.

"It's very tough on us right now, because we don't know much," Ryan Kesler said. "But you see an injury like that, to an eye, and you hope he is all right.

"It's injuries like this when hockey comes second. There are things that are more important than hockey."

In this case, it's worry about Malhotra's eye which has added a grim twist to the Canucks' latest division title, clinched Wednesday, and their late-season push for their first President's Trophy.

The team wouldn't speculate about the extent of the damage to Malhotra's vision. With good reason. When the Canucks gave their official update, Malhotra had still to see a specialist for a post-surgery assessment.

"You can't put any parameters on an injury like this until the medical specialists fully examine it and come back with a report," GM Mike Gillis said. "There is a lot of swelling right now."

Obviously, any eye injury is considered serious and will instantly have people prematurely wondering if it's season ending, or even career threatening.

The Province notes that Malhotra didn't suffer a broken bone, but he did have hemorrhaging. It's what happened to Mattias Ohlund after a 1999 preseason game during which a wayward puck similarly hit him in the eye. Ohlund underwent a procedure weeks later to drain a dense collection of blood. It was two months before he played again. When he did, the vision in his right eye was 70 per cent. If this is anything close to that, the Canucks championship aspirations have taken a blow.

But it's one a great team has to be able to overcome.

"Saying that, he's a big part of our game, he's not just a third-line player who plays 12 minutes," he said. "(But) if we are going to win, we can't have that stop us."

Well-liked and well-respected, Malhotra will be missed, and missed tremendously. He fit in with the Canucks this year spectacularly fast. He ran Vancouver's summer scrimmages from the day he arrived.

He spoke his mind and earned an "A" on his jersey. All of this before he hit the ice in meaningful regular season games, where he proved to be the Canucks most-impactful offseason addition.

"From Day 1, he has just been a tremendous fit, on the ice and off it," Henrik Sedin said. "It's not like first-year player.

"You could tell from the day he got in he had a lot of good opinions about things.

"He likes to talk and the most important thing is when he says something it's good, it's not just saying something for the sake of saying something."

Believers in sabermetrics, a significant reason the Canucks signed Malhotra was because of the value they placed on faceoff success as shown through analytics.

He didn't disappoint. He was second in the league in winning percentage. It's why he leads the team in shorthanded minutes, and the key reason the Canucks penalty kill has gone from 18th last year to second.

"He's been huge," Henrik said. "I know ourselves, to be on the power play and lose a faceoff you have to go to your end and breakout again. That takes 30 seconds off your power play and you're tired. That's a huge thing. It's not just faceoffs. It's the way he plays PK. He blocks shots. He reads the play really well. He's been a big improvement for us."

The Province says that in the short term, the Canucks seem only sure that Cody Hodgson isn't an option. With significant cap space, they recalled Victor Oreskovich and are considering several choices to fill the third-line centre void, including Mason Raymond and Max Lapierre. Neither, however, can be considered reliable enough to be counted on to take a third period faceoff in a tight game. It should mean more minutes for Kesler and Henrik in key defensive situations.

"We're the team who has used the most players," coach Alain Vigneault said. "We're the team that has had a fair number of injuries to key players on our team and we've kept on performing and we've kept on winning.

"I don't expect things to change."

Sun Media posits that Tom Renney is not the most demonstrative coach in the National Hockey League. He may, in fact, be the least.

And goodness knows it’s not like the games mean much in the standings for the Edmonton Oilers right now. What’s another loss, other than to maintain 30th and put themselves in position to end up with the first pick in the NHL Entry Draft again?

But Renney filled the air with Bruce Boudreau language, banged the Plexiglass and was so visibly upset that he invited being thrown out of Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.

He also gave serious consideration to making himself eligible for a fine in the post-game interview room.

“There was a lot of me that gave consideration to that,” he said.

How did the mild-mannered man end up so out of character?

“Your guys need to know you are with them,” he explained.

“We work hard as a team and it hasn’t been easy for us this year. We’re not complaining. We’re trying to be legitimate and respectable and allow our fans to embrace the right things about a team that cares who they are.

“Sometimes things get in the way of that happening that you have no control over.”

Like referees, the article notes.

“You have to live with that, of course. But sometimes it is important to make sure the coach is 100% with them.”

And so he took it out on the referees, telling them to go elsewhere and multiply and then gave a whupping to the Plexi-glass.

“I just decided to demonstrate it. I elbowed it. And I punched it. It doesn’t move very much.

“They tolerated a coach that was right on the edge tonight. They could have made a fool out of me and they didn’t,” he said of the zebras.

It all transpired as a result a couple of calls late, one a hard to swallow diving call against Linus Omark and another a disallowed goal.

Sun Media rightfully points out that most nights, with this hockey club, when stuff happens, you know the stuff happened because the Oilers helped make it happen. And, indeed, when a team goes one-for-nine on the power play, they don’t have a lot of room to blame the referees in the big picture.

But this wasn’t a normal night.

This was a night when Chris Vande Velde, Ryan O’Marra and Alex Giroux flew in on Daryl Katz's private jet from Grand Rapids, Mich., to play their third game in three cities in three days in two leagues.

This was a night when the Oilers iced 12 forwards who had played fewer NHL games combined than Shane Doan.

This was a team that was down to 11 players who started the season on the active roster, and Vande Velde, O’Marra, Giroux, Linus Omark, Jeff Petry, Liam Reddox and Teemu Hartikainen, who were Oklahoma City Barons.

“The guys played their guts out,” said Renney.

“I liked the way we played tonight.

“I liked the fact that we cared enough.

“I think we are sixth or seventh in the league in blocked shots, hence the ankles and feet and that kind of stuff.

“We work, we try and we give everything that we possible can with what we’ve got.

“We have to continue to do that and be better at it going forward. I liked our team tonight, and that effort.

Ryan Jones offered this: “We’re building character. We’re building our identity for the future.

“We’re trying to become a team that’s hard to play against. And if we keep it simple and play hard, we should be in every game, even in this situation with four guys up in the last two days.

“We’re trying to work hard and gain respect for each other. That’s the exact kind of identity we’re looking for.”

These guys get it. And considering the way it’s gone for them this season, that’s something to be treasured.

More than anybody, Tom Renney understands that.

Tyler Myers has freely admitted several times this season the pressure of living up to his Calder Trophy rookie year got to him, according to The Buffalo News. The loss of partner Henrik Tallinder to free agency was unnerving as well.

In the first half, as the Sabres' struggles deepened, Myers looked nothing like the defenseman they saw every night last year. In the second half, Myers looks like that guy again and is starting to dominate opponents physically more than ever.

It's no coincidence the Sabres are winning again. A woeful minus-15 in the first half of the season, Myers is plus-7 in the second half as the Sabres have taken off to crack the Eastern Conference's top eight.

"I wish I would have started playing like this earlier but this is the type of game I want to play," Myers said after practice Thursday in HSBC Arena. "Especially in the [defensive] zone with my size, I want to be more physical. I'll keep focusing on trying to play that way and also bringing an element of offense."

The News points out that Myers enters Saturday's game against Atlanta with 10 goals, one shy of last year's total of 11.

"When you play better in your own end, the opportunities up ice are more evident," said coach Lindy Ruff. "A lot of cases with Tyler earlier in the year, he was just trying too much one-on-one. He was trying to overhandle [the puck] in his own end and wasn't using people."

Myers struggled without Tallinder early in the season and has had to learn how to play with different partners. Myers and Andrej Sekera had one good stretch and Myers had another good set with Chris Butler. When Butler was scratched Tuesday against Carolina, Myers was reunited with Sekera.

"We've done so much switching this year I think I've just gotten used to it," Myers said.

Myers grew to 6-foot-8 over the summer and his weight is in the 225-pound range. At 21, many observers felt Myers still needed to grow into his body to be effective.

"I have to be happy with the point I've gotten myself to right now," he said. "The physical play has definitely helped me a lot. I know I didn't start the season that way but that was more mental, not growing. I hope to put on some weight here this summer but I think I'm finally done growing up."

Eric Staal told The Raleigh News & Observer he feels good, feels strong, feels he's competing as hard as he can for the Carolina Hurricanes.

No, the team's captain said Thursday, he has not been worn down by a multitude of minutes, by being asked to do so much. No, he said, he's not pressing, not letting the frustration of the Canes' recent offensive woes adversely affect his play.

Staal did slam his stick at the bench - once, twice, three times - during a 2-1 loss last week against the Washington Capitals. But that brief outburst, he said, was caused by his competitiveness, not mounting frustration.

"I do that all the time," he said, breaking into a smile.

But what Staal hasn't been doing enough of lately is scoring goals and producing points. Nor is he the only one. The Hurricanes, who host the New York Islanders tonight, have put 179 shots on net in the past five games and scored just seven goals - a funk that has come at the wrong time of the season, with Carolina (32-29-10) fighting to reach the playoffs.

How to escape it?

"Stay with what we're doing," Staal said. "We've played well, we've been on the attack, creating a lot of offense. We need to keep shooting, and eventually they'll start finding the back of the net and we'll get some good breaks.

"We're trying to win. We're working hard, we're competing. But we need to stick with what we're doing and stay upbeat."

He added, "I feel strong on the ice. I feel my stride in the third period (of Wednesday's game against the Leafs) was as good as it was to start the game. I'm controlling the puck down low, and those are things that when you're tired it's tough to do.

"I feel I'm doing the things I want to do out there. It's just a matter of getting that thing in the back of the net."

The News & Observer points out that Staal is averaging more than 22 minutes a game, second among NHL forwards, and leads all forwards in shifts per game (27.6). He has 29 goals and 34 assists but has gone five games without a goal and has two goals in his past 14.

"I'm getting the looks," Staal said. "I don't know what else I would change with my game. These are things that happen in the course of a season. I need to stay with that attack, that jump, that competitiveness, as well as our whole team."

In the 20 games before the NHL All-Star Game at the RBC Center, Staal had 12 goals and 10 assists. In his past 20 games, he has four goals and seven assists, leading some to wonder if the demands of the Jan. 30 All-Star Game - being a captain, drafting a team, being so visible that weekend - caused lingering fatigue.

"I was battling a bit of the flu after the game, which took some time to fight through," Staal said. "But a lot of guys go through that."

Staal also missed the Feb. 26 game in Montreal after being hit in the neck and head by the Pittsburgh Penguins' Matt Niskanen. Again, he said, not a problem.

"Right now, I feel as good as I've felt all year," Staal said.

Maurice calls Staal the "big dog" and said the center must produce offensively in the final 11 games for the Canes to make it to the playoffs.

"He carries the big yoke ... and he's done it well," Maurice said. "He is going to have to drive the offense. At the same time, he cannot drive that offense by cheating, and he hasn't - hanging back, overextending shifts.

"He is so much better in that area than even a year ago. He has made great strides in his game. ... He is becoming an outstanding captain/leader and doing exactly what he's supposed to be doing."

The Columbus Dispatch writes that three weeks ago, Rick Nash was on one of his goal-scoring, point-producing tears that had even some jaded Blue Jackets fans thinking he might have the team playing meaningful games in April.

But as the final seconds expired in another loss last night, Nash's last goal had become as distant a memory as the club's most recent winning streak.

There's an obvious correlation.

His goalless drought reached 11 games, matching the longest of his career, in the Jackets' 2-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in Nationwide Arena. Despite registering six shots, hitting a goal post and playing nearly 24 minutes, Nash had nothing to show for his work.

"It's tough," Nash said. "(I'm) a streaky player. Right now, it's tough for goals, (I had a) couple chances, couple posts, I'm just not getting the goals, but I'm getting the chances."

Not surprisingly, the Jackets' playoff hopes have faded with his scoring touch. The Jackets are 2-5-4 since Nash scored his 29th goal on Feb.22.

"If you go look at it - what has it been, (11) games? - he's probably averaging five quality scoring chances per game," Jackets coach Scott Arniel said. "(Nash), like everybody else, is hitting sticks and skates and crossbars. It's not like he isn't working or competing."

Nash is averaging 3.8 shots in his funk. Last night, Arniel played him 23:46, the most since opening night in Sweden.

The captain has been without a goal for 11 games on two other occasions, the last coming Dec. 26, 2009, to Jan. 14, 2010.

With 43 points, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune says that the Wild's Brent Burns entered Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks one point from setting a career high and one point from breaking the team record for defensemen scoring he shares with Marek Zidlicky.

But it was clear Burns couldn't care less.

"You don't really think about that stuff now," Burns said before the game. "I'm just trying to play well night after night and win. Winning is the big thing. We haven't been doing a lot of that and we want to get back to the feeling we had a couple weeks ago when everything was great.

"We need some bounces, and for that to happen, it's an attitude and a way of working."

When things are going well for the Wild, Burns is Mr. Happy Go Lucky. He hasn't been that way lately, not with the Wild's three-game losing streak heading into Thursday's game.

Burns and his teammates were all business Thursday morning as they try to rediscover what had made them so successful in January and February.

"Look at our team, we don't have that guy who's going to score 40 goals or 50 goals, but we have a lot of guys who lay it on the line every night," Burns said. "We have to do that to win. We know that. It's a matter of having everybody do it. When you work hard like that and you do good things, the atmosphere feels good and the wins follow."

The Star-Tribune notes that Burns' strong play in the first half earned him a spot on the All-Star team, but his game has been erratic in the second half.

The coaching staff has been trying to get Burns to simplify his game defensively again. That means making a good first pass, not attacking the rush coming at him and "not over-complicating things," coach Todd Richards said.

"It's why poor Schultzie's [defense partner Nick Schultz] got gray hairs coming. He's baby-sitting me all the time," Burns said. "I don't think anything's ever really changed. It's just things happen on the ice. Sometimes you're on the ice and stuff doesn't go well. Sometimes it does go well. Things go well, things go bad. It's just a matter of staying with it and staying off suicide watch."

Philly.com reports that two days after he had surgery to repair a small fracture in his right hand, Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger reiterated that he plans to be 100 percent for the playoffs.

In a conference call with reporters Thursday, Pronger said doctors feel he will be back to his usual form for the postseason. "But none of us are Kreskin," he said.

Pronger, 36, said he would have the bandages taken off his swollen hand on Sunday. A short time later, he will have a splint placed on the hand, and he hopes to begin skating and riding an exercise bike.

It is hard to sit out during the stretch run, Pronger said.

"You always want to be part of the team and part of the action and playing," he said. "It's tough, but I'm going to use this time wisely, and make sure when I do get back I'm ready to go and kind of jump in - hopefully seamlessly."

The Flyers are hoping that Pronger can return for the last few regular-season games to get ready for the playoffs.