The Vancouver Canucks have cleared room for the return of high-scoring forward Daniel Sedin by sending forward Matt Pettinger to their AHL affiliate on Saturday.
Sedin has missed 18 games since his foot was broken by a teammate's shot in the fourth game of the season on Oct. 7. Sedin has led the Canucks in goals in each of the past three seasons.
Sedin would be reunited on the Canucks' top line with identical twin Henrik, likely tonight at home against the Chicago Blackhawks.
"They're still good players when they're not with one another. Hank has proved that," coach Alain Vignault said earlier this week. "But, obviously, I believe they're better together."
Daniel and Henrik were drafted second and third overall in 1999 by the Canucks and have played most of their careers on the same line, evolving into point-a-game players over the last three seasons.
But Daniel's first serious injury (he had only missed 10 games before that in his nine-year career), has proven Henrik can produce offensively without his twin.
He recorded 18 points without Daniel, including 10 goals, and leads the team -- and is tied for 10th in the NHL -- in scoring with 24 points. With 13 goals already, Henrik is also proving he is more than a set-up center, and is on pace to smash last season's career-best 23.
Daniel, who scored 31 goals last season, had four assists in his first four games this season, while Henrik had three goals and three assists before losing his regular linemate on Oct. 7.
The Canucks waived Pettinger before sending him down to Manitoba in the AHL. He has played 420 career NHL games over seven seasons. He was signed as a free agent on Nov. 2, getting one goal and one assist in seven games.
STARS: Dallas forward James Neal served the first game of his two-game suspension Saturday when the Stars played New Jersey.
Neal, who was suspended for a boarding infraction that injured the Columbus Blue Jackets' Derek Dorsett , will also miss Monday's game vs. Carolina.
Neal also will forfeit $8,515 in salary, with the money going to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.
Neal hit Dorsett from behind at 13:01 of the second period in Thursday's 4-1 loss.
Dorsett was dazed after striking his head on the boards, and Neal was assessed a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct.
Neal will be eligible to return Thursday at Colorado.
KINGS: Defenseman Rob Scuderi plans to skate on his own this morning for the first time since suffering a lower body injuring in Tampa on Nov. 14.
Scuderi hopes to return to the Kings' lineup Wednesday in Edmonton.
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