devils illnesses and injuries

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Head coach Brent Sutter was not on the ice for practice again this afternoon because he is still battling the flu, but did join the team for its flight to Pittsburgh for Wednesday's game against the Penguins. Assistant coaches Larry Robinson, John MacLean, Tommy Albelin and Jacques Caron ran practice again in Sutter's absence.

All players not on injured reserve, including rookie right wing Nicklas Bergfors (left shoulder), participated in today's practice. Martin Brodeur is slated to start against the Penguins and Robinson said "I think the plan is to play Weeksie (Kevin Weekes) on Thursday (in Philadelphia)." That plan is subject to change, however, if Brodeur plays particularly well in Pittsburgh.

Right wing Jamie Langenbrunner (sports hernia surgery) said he has been working out off the ice and, "hopefully I'll start skating in the next little while." He said his recovery is on schedule "for now", which would put his return at late November.

Right wing Cam Janssen revealed he had a torn labrum in his right shoulder, which was surgically repaired on Oct. 4 and was the reason why his shoulder repeatedly popped out of the socket. "I probably had it for four years," he said. Janssen hopes to start skating in November and return to game action in December, though doctors told him he would miss three months. "That's what they say," he said. "I know my body."

There is no update on Colin White (right eye), who has been working out off the ice while waiting for the extent of the damage to his eye to be determined.

Defenseman Richard Matvichuk continues to work out on his own while awaiting a trade. Matvichuk and Lou Lamoriello said last week that they don't expect anything to happen quickly because teams are waiting to see how the players they have play early in the season before making moves.

Today's line combinations and defense pairings, which were the same as in Saturday's game with Sheldon Brookbank as the extra defenseman and Bergfors as the extra forward on the fourth line.

Forwards: Elias-Zajac-Gionta; Parise-Zubrus-Asham; Pandolfo-Madden-Clarkson; Rupp-Pelley-Brylin; Bergfors (extra).

Defensemen: Greene-Rachunek; Martin-Oduya; Vishnevski-Mottau; Brookbank (extra).
 

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Parise in the middle

The move was so subtle, I have to admit I didn' t notice it at practice on Tuesday. But Zach Parise will be skating at center in tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, swapping spots with Dainius Zubrus, who will move to left wing with Arron Asham staying at right wing on the line.

Parise, who played center until being switched to left wing early in his rookie NHL season of 2005-06, said he got the word he was moving back to the middle before practice on Tuesday. This move might be more about Zubrus, though. He has played wing and center in his career, but has yet to have an impact in the middle for the Devils, posting only two assists in his first two games.

"It's a situation with Zach where we want to try something a little different just not with him, but with (Zubrus) also," head coach Brent Sutter said. "Zube's been able to play both center and wing and he's had success at center in the past and he's had success as a winger too."

Sutter was on the ice for the morning skate today after missing practice the past two days while battling the flu.

Defenseman Sheldon Brookbank will be the odd man out again tonight. Martin Brodeur gets the start in net. Backup Kevin Weekes said he hasn't been told anything about starting Thursday's game in Philadelphia, though assistant coach Larry Robinson said Tuesday that is the plan.


The forwards lines and defense pairings from the morning skate:

Forwards: Elias-Zajac-Gionta; Zubrus-Parise-Asham; Pandolfo-Madden-Clarkson; Rupp-Pelley-Brylin.

Defense: Martin-Oduya; Greene-Rachunek; Vishnevski-Mottau; Brookbank (extra).
 
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