News: Curtis McElhinney signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Blue Jackets, the Columbus Dispatch's Aaron Portzline reports.
Analysis: Curtis McElhinney spent the 2012-13 season with AHL Springfield, going 29-16-3 with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
News: Eric Staal (knee) plans to begin riding a stationary bike next week, the Raleigh News & Observer reports.
Analysis: Hitting the bike represents the first step in what is expected to be a three-month rehab process for Eric Staal. It looks like he'll be healed in plenty of time for training camp if his rehab remains on schedule.
News: Adam Cracknell re-signed with the Blues on a one-year contract on Friday.
Analysis: Adam Cracknell was a bit contributor for the Blues this season, recording a modest six points in 20 games. He doesn't figure to vault into a more impactful role in 2013-14.
News: Eric Wellwood (Achilles) recently had his cast removed from his foot and his beginning the initial stages of his rehab, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Analysis: Eric Wellwood faces a long recovery process after severing three tendons in his right foot and cutting through 70 percent of his Achilles heel after slamming feet-first into the boards in an April 7 game with AHL Adirondack. There's a slim chance Wellwood won't be able to walk again, but doctors believe he'll surpass that milestone with a careful rehab process.
News: Brad Richards didn't practice Friday and is expected to remain a healthy scratch for Saturday's Game 5, ESPN New York reports.
Analysis: The Rangers were only practicing with their anticipated active lineup for Saturday's game, with Brad Richards skating off to the side with the other players likely bound for the press box for Game 5. Coach John Tortorella seems to feel his team is best suited with the struggling Richards out of the lineup rather than as a plodder on the fourth line.
News: Mark Stone is out of the lineup for Friday's Game 5 with an undisclosed injury, TSN Ottawa reports.
Analysis: It was initially thought that coach Paul MacLean was simply shaking up the lineup for the sake of offensive upside with his decision to bring back Cory Conacher while sending Mark Stone to the press box. However, it now looks like Stone's injury may have provided at least some impetus to that decision. There's no word yet on the nature of the injury or its severity.
News: Tomas Vokoun will be in the net for Friday's Game 5.
Analysis: Tomas Vokoun has seemed to established himself as the team's goaltender of choice after Marc-Andre Fleury floundered in the first round. He'll make his seventh straight start in goal and has posted an impressive .942 save percentage during the postseason.
News: Cory Conacher is back in the lineup for Friday's Game 5 against the Penguins, Ian Mendes of Sportsnet East reports.
Analysis: After he was a healthy scratch for Game 4, Cory Conacher will be available for the Senators with the series on the line. Conacher compiled 29 points over 47 games with the Senators and Lightning this season, but has gone cold in this second-round series, failing to show up on the scoresheet in the first three games of the series.
News: Brenden Morrow (arm) is on the ice for pregame warmups and will play in Friday's Game 5.
Analysis: After missing Game 4, Brenden Morrow will draw back into the lineup, replacing Beau Bennett on the fourth line. Morrow provided two points in the first three games of the series, including the game-winning goal in Game 2.
News: Coach Todd McLellan said Adam Burish (hand) is "very close" to playing and could be available for Sunday's Game 6 against the Kings, the Calgary Sun reports.
Analysis: Adam Burish was similarly questionable for Game 5 but ultimately sat out in the 3-0 loss to the Kings. The 30-year-old didn't supply much in the way of offense in the regular season, charting just 3 points and minus-7 rating over 46 games.
