"We Need A Hero" - Skillet

A few updates regarding tomorrow's game against the Avalanche. It's being reported among the Twitter universe that Ellis is going to get the start in net tomorrow, with Rinne getting the start on Saturday. I can't say I'm surprised, it's typically been Trotz's method to reward strong goaltending performances with the next start. Now for the bad news, JP Dumont has been added to the list along with Tootoo and Wilson of players who will not be playing tomorrow. JP took a big (clean) hit into the boards early in the second period that left him on his back on the ice for several minutes in Saturday's game. In classic Trotz fashion, the condition of Dumont was downplayed, saying that Dumont was held out of the game for "precautionary" reasons.Apparently, the play was harder on JP than Trotz let on. JP was also rocked by a dirty hit by Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks last season that held him out for a string of games. Hopefully, JP recovers quickly. With JP out of the lineup, does Hornqvist fill in for him on the first line again? Hornqvist played on the top line with Arnott and Dumont in a preseason game when Sullivan was kept out with groin tenderness, then he filled in for Dumont when he left the game Saturday. Hornqvist has looked a lot better this year than he did last year, looking more confident in his game and more willing to play along the boards and in the corners. Hornqvist came into last season with a lot of expectations, having snapped a record held by future hall-of-famer Peter Forsberg for most goals by a junior player in the Swedish Elite League. He did not hold to those expectations and was eventually sent down to Milwaukee. I don't feel like Hornqvist is the next Forsberg by any means, but if he continues to play as well as he did these last 2 chances he's had on the 1st line then he'll do well. My other thought regarding all of these injuries, does someone get an emergency call-up from Milwaukee? With Tootoo, Dumont and Wilson all hurt, the Preds will have to be absolutely confident that Ward is returning to the lineup completely healthy. Until next time - Big Kev