Chris Nichols

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

The Washington Post indicates that Jose Theodore will get the start tonight as the league-leading Caps play host to the Carolina Hurricanes. Theodore had a strong outing against the Rangers on Saturday and has only surrendered one goal on 54 shots over his two post-Olympic starts.

Semyon Varlamov hasn't exactly lit the world on fire since returning from his long injury layoff. Well, in some ways he has... in an "adding kerosene to the fire" kind of way. He has allowed 13 goals in three starts, but still has a 1-1-1 mark because he team scored 13 goals for him in that stretch. His coach isn't worried though and he also alluded to his netminding plan for the immediate future.

"I've talked to him," Boudreau said of his young goalie. "I told him don't you worry about a thing. If you recall, at the start of the season, he was the same way. Then he got into that zone. We're just going to keep alternating him and Theo for the next six or seven or eight games and take it from there."

QUOTABLE
"Of course I would have liked to play again, but Cory decided to go with Brian," Pascal Leclaire told The Ottawa Citizen of Brian Elliott getting the nod in last night's game @EDM from coach Cory Clouston. "I think Brian was supposed to play against Toronto and he got sick, so I guess he's expecting to play, too.

"But, like I said, I'll take it day by day and, when I get a chance to be in there, try to make the most of it and help my teammates. I'm confident that if I can put one, two or three games together, a few good solid games, I'm going to get more ice time."

KANE'S BROKEN FOOT
Evander Kane was the fourth overall pick in last summer's draft and while his offensive upside for keeper leagues is immense, his single season value has been pretty minimal this year in what has generally been a third line role for the rookie. So it wasn't a huge loss for poolies that he fractured a foot after blocking a shot over the weekend, although it's not a good break for a team that is only four points back of eighth in the East.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes that Kane said he was told that his broken left foot is similar to that of Ilya Kovalchuk, near the top of the foot. Kovalchuk returned from that injury in three weeks. He missed six games. However, with the packed March schedule, if Kane is out three weeks he could miss as many as 14 games.

Speaking of the Thrashers though, Chris Chelios is expected to get the call-up today.

RASK ON THE BENCH
The Boston Globe reports that Tuukka Rask, unable to suit up for the last three games because of swelling in his right knee, was on the bench last night to back up Tim Thomas.

"Especially with the kind of schedule we have here in the month of March, [playing] almost every second day, we're going to need both guys to step up at some point,'' Julien said. "It's important to have both goalies. Right now, both goalies have played pretty well.''

Thomas is 2-1-1 since the Olympic break with 10 goals against in those starts, including two allowed in three of the four.

QUOTABLE
"We're in a do-or-die situation," Ryan Getzlaf told The Orange County Register about sitting seven points out of eighth in the West after last night's loss to a Columbus Blue Jackets team that was sans Rick Nash. "I think that we've definitely got to get things going. I'm not saying we have to win out but we definitely have to get things rolling and playing the way we want to."

VANEK'S MAINTENANCE
Thomas Vanek skated this morning after taking Tuesday off, according to The Buffalo News.

"It was a physical maintenance day," coach Lindy Ruff said of Vanek. "He's been fighting a little bit of a nagging injury that it's best we rest him when we can rest him. There was nothing that affected his play in New York."

After posting totals of 43, 36 and 40 goals over the last three seasons, he has 19 in 59 GP this year. He hasn't really come close to posting point-per-game totals since recording 84 in 82 GP in '06-7. He had 64 for two straight seasons and has 41 to date in '09-10. He has eight points over his past 11 starts.

NASH DTD
The Columbus Dispatch notes that Rick Nash sat out last night's game against the Anaheim Ducks because of a lower-body injury but hopes to return within the next few days, which is great news for those of us in the Rick Nash Ownership Club. The Jackets next play Thursday vs. ATL and then Saturday vs. STL as part of a four-game homestand.

Columbus is 4-4-2 in its last 10 and is 12 points back of Calgary for the eighth spot in the West. The team is 14th overall in the conference, ahead of only my lowly (but soon to be one franchise player richer) Edmonton Oilers.

Nash vows his team will not quit on this season.

"Guys are playing for a lot of different reasons, but I've got to make sure these guys are playing for the pride of the city," said Nash, the team captain. "They can't just worry about personal stats and that. We are trying to build a fan base and maintain a fan base, and to do that we need them excite them. I've got to get that point across to the team."

QUOTABLE
"The one thing I said the most is keep it simple, don't do things too difficult or hang onto the puck too long because players are quick in this league, they're going to get you,'' Nicklas Lidstrom told Michigan Live of his advice to struggling youngster Jonathan Ericsson. "So make the easy play and then as you get into the game you feel more comfortable and confidence rises.''