Cody McCormick has been the standard bearer for the Buffalo Sabres this season. He isn't flashy. He just gets the job done. He maximizes what talent he has and he refuses to be outworked. He kills penalties, blocks shots, punches opponents in the face, wins face offs and serves as the de facto boss on the bench and in the room. He scored his first goal of the season, a gorgeous shorty, in Tampa on January 9.
He holds his teammates accountable. Win or lose, McCormick plays with pride, physicality and concise fundamentals.
Ted Nolan loves McCormick because he sells out every shift and he always puts the team ahead of his own needs. The Sabres think so highly of McCormick that they re-signed him as a UFA in July after they traded him to Minnesota with Matt Moulson last March.
The Sabres are going to have to make due without him. According to the Sabers, McCormick is out indefinitely as a result of a blood clot in his left calf.
Ted Nolan delivered bad news concerning McCormick after Sunday's practice.
Nolan: McCormick at hospital being treated, sounds like it could be somewhat serious and he could be out for a while. #Sabres
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) January 11, 2015
Nolan said that McCormick has a blood clot in his calf muscle and that he is lucky that the team caught it when they did. McCormick will need time to heal properly. It looks like Torrey Mitchell will be activated for Tuesday's home game versus Detroit. Mitchell could replace McCormick on the fourth line.
Captain Brian Gionta also skated on Sunday, however, he will not be ready to rejoin the lineup this week.
McCormick has been hospitalized in Buffalo.
Thanks, Sabres.com
More to come....
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The Buffalo Sabres and their fans are throwing virtual high fives and fist pumps to the Carolina Hurricanes on this day. The Hurricanes stole a loser point from the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. The Canes blew a two goal lead in regulation and lost in OT.
Sunday morning standings:
Carolina: 31 points (4-5-1 in last 10 games) Buffalo: 31 points (1-8-1 last 10 games) Oilers: 29 points (3-4-3 last 10 games)
The Canes have a game in hand on the Sabres. An Oilers win tonight over the Florida Panthers would create a three-way tie for the NHL cellar.
#McEichel #DareToDream
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The Detroit Red Wings suffered a big set-back when Jimmy Howard suffered a serious groin injury on Saturday night. Howard injured his groin trying to make a save on a Troy Brouwer wraparound attempt. Brouwer scored on the play. Howard had to be removed from his crease on a stretcher.
Mike Babcock will turn to Petr Mrzaek to hold the fort while Howard recovers. Tommy McCollum has been recalled from AHL Grand Rapids.
The Red Wings play in Buffalo on Tuesday night. Will Babcock give the net to Wheatfield native McCollum?
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Clinging to a Western Conference wild card playoff berth will be more difficult for the Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.
The Kings lost their top two young wingers on Saturday.
Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson, two of their top four goal scorers this season will be on the shelf for a while. Now, two thirds of the electrifying "That 70s Line" is on the shelf.
Before Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, the Kings announced that Toffoli had been diagnosed with mononucleosis. Athletes who become infected by the mono virus suffer from fatigue and a dramatic loss of energy. Toffoli will be lost for a few weeks, according to the team.
If that weren’t bad enough news, Tanner Pearson crashed into the boards against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday afternoon and broke a bone in his lower leg. Its not believed to be a broken ankle. Pearson will be further evaluated today.
Before the losses of Toffoli and Pearson, the Kings were in search of a scoring winger. Now, they may have to find 2 or 3 wingers to fill in for Toffoli and Pearson.
Earlier this season, the Kings inquired about rental winger Chris Stewart who will become UFA in July.
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Sportnet's Elliotte Friedman threw bucket of cold water on the Eric Staal trade speculation. Staal intends to stay with the Hurricanes.
Staal has one year remaining on his contract which is a hefty salary cap hit of $8.25 million. Staal will become a UFA at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season.
Staal, 30, was the second pick by overall by the Hurricanes in the 2003 NHL Draft. Staal has spent his entire 806-game career with the franchise.
Staal and his wife welcomed their third child into the world ten days before Christmas. Its probably best for Staal to say no to a trade in the second half of this season so that he can stay in Raleigh with his wife and family. If he's going to be traded, it will probably be at or before the NHL Draft in late June or during the summer. Staal's younger brother and teammate Jordan is in a similar situation. Last week, Jordan and his wife welcomed their first child into the world.