Pierre McGuire's In the Crease

Canucks center Brendan Morrison hadn't missed a game in six years before a wrist injury sidelined him for three months this season. Then he tore his right ACL against Colorado last week, ending his season, and perhaps his career. A consistent playmaker, Morrison, 32, can be a free agent on July 1, and Vancouver had considered giving him a three-year, $10.5 million extension. Now that deal is unlikely—a tough break for a solid player and a good person.... Ottawa acquired veteran Mike Commodore (above) from Carolina on Feb. 11 to stabilize its defense, but Commodore is a -8 since then, and Ottawa (24th in the NHL in goals against) had not improved defensively.... The Bruins were closing in on a playoff spot despite injuries to top forwards Marc Savard and Chuck Kobasew, thanks largely to the play of rookie center David Krejci, who had eight points in four games last week.

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LEN REDKOLES/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (COMMODORE)