NHL roundup: Kings acquirte defenseman Ellerby
The Los Angeles Kings picked up defenseman Keaton Ellerby from the Florida Panthers on Friday in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick.
The 24-year-old fills a need on the blue line for the Kings, who are without injured Willie Mitchell (knee) and Matt Greene (back). Ellerby had no points, a minus-2 rating and 36 penalty minutes in nine games this season with the Panthers.
Kings general manager Dean Lombardi told the Los Angeles Times that Mitchell and Greene could be out for the season and the team needed help on the blue line.
---Edmonton Oilers center Anton Lander will be out for at least a month after suffering a broken foot.
An MRI confirmed the injury, which occurred during Wednesday night's game against the Dallas Stars when the 21-year-old Lander blocked a shot. Lander has no goals and one assist in four games this season.
---Detroit Red Wings right wing Todd Bertuzzi will miss Saturday's game against Edmonton because of chronic back problems, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Bertuzzi, 38, has two goals and one assist in seven games this season, and it's unclear whether he will also miss Sunday's game.
The Red Wings called up Joakim Andersson from AHL Grand Rapids to replace Bertuzzi.
---Boston Bruins Peter Chiarelli plans to begin discussions on a contract extension for goalie Tuukka Rask, according to CSNNE.com.
"Breaching my own policy [of not discussing contracts], we will bring up talks with Tuukka at some point in this season, in hoping to extend him," Chiarelli told CSNNE.com.
Rask signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract last June.
--- Even though the Minnesota Wild has lost six of its last eight games, Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher gave a vote of confidence to coach Mike Yeo, the Minnesota Tribune reported.
"Mike and the coaches are doing a very good job," Fletcher told the Star-Tribune. "We're giving up almost five shots a game less than we did last year and we're doing a good job. We've got a lot of pieces to juggle in a short amount of time."
--- Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza, who had surgery recently for a herniated disc, is hoping to return for the end of the regular season and the playoffs, but he offered to guarantees. The Senators are 3-2-1 without Spezza in the lineup.
