CANUCKS (12-13-2) at PANTHERS (12-12-4)
7 p.m. ET; SN, FS-F, NHL.TV
Canucks team scope
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson will play against the Florida Panthers, his former team, for the first time Saturday. Gudbranson played 309 games in five seasons with the Panthers before he was traded to the Canucks on May 25. "It's exciting," said Gudbranson, selected by Florida with No. 3 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. "Obviously that was the first game I looked for when the schedule came out. 'When am I going back?' I'm excited for tonight. It should be fun. I miss those guys, made a lot of really good friends on that team, a lot of lifelong friends on that team. I wish them all the best." Gudbranson's return to BB&T Center will feature a brief video tribute. "Erik was awesome," Panthers center Nick Bjugstad said. "We enjoyed his presence here. He's a great guy in the locker room, great friend, stuck up for guys on the ice. He was a good teammate to have here in Florida. … I'm sure we'll chirp each other a little bit and the guys will go at it a little bit and have a little fun with it. It'll be fun." Gudbranson is one of three former Panthers who will be in the Canucks lineup tonight, along with forward Jack Skille and goalie Jacob Markstrom, who is expected to start. The Canucks are 4-2-0 in their past six games. Forward Daniel Sedin is three assists from 600 in his NHL career.
Panthers team scope
The Panthers will attempt to end a four-game losing streak (0-2-2). Forward Seth Griffith will become the latest to skate on Florida's top line with Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov in the absence of Jonathan Huberdeau, out with a lower leg injury. Griffith has one assist in nine games since being claimed off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 12, and has been a healthy scratch four times. "A kid like Seth needs to be playing on the top six and be able to create and get a little more creativity going in his game," coach Tom Rowe said. "Talked to [Barkov] and [Jagr] about playing with him. They're excited about it. He thinks the game real well as far as the offensive point of view and he skates really well, so we'll see what he can do tonight." Jonathan Marchessault, Jussi Jokinen, Denis Malgin and Reilly Smith have taken turns on the line with Barkov and Jagr this season. "Two great players obviously, established in this league," Griffith said. "Hopefully we can get some offensive chances. We've been struggling a little bit offensively, so they're just shaking things up. Looking forward to the opportunity. It's pretty crazy to play alongside Jagr tonight." The Panthers are 2-4-3 in their past nine games, and have scored more than two goals once in that span.
Canucks projected lineup
Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Brandon Sutter
Loui Eriksson - Markus Granlund - Jayson Megna
Sven Baertschi - Bo Horvat - Alexandre Burrows
Brendan Gaunce - Michael Chaput - Jack Skille
Ben Hutton - Erik Gudbranson
Luca Sbisa - Troy Stetcher
Jacob Markstrom
Scratched: Joseph LaBate
Injured: Ryan Miller (lower body), Chris Tanev (ankle), Jannik Hansen (upper body), Derek Dorsett (neck surgery), Alex Edler (hand), Philip Larsen (upper body)
Panthers projected lineup
Jaromir Jagr - Aleksander Barkov - Seth Griffith
Jussi Jokinen - Vincent Trocheck - Reilly Smith
Kyle Rau - Nick Bjugstad - Colton Sceviour
Paul Thompson - Derek MacKenzie - Shawn Thornton
Jakub Kindl - Aaron Ekblad
Scratched: Denis Malgin, Dylan McIlrath
Injured: Jonathan Huberdeau (lower leg), Alex Petrovic (ankle), Jonathan Marchessault (lower body)
Status report
Two days after Miller was pulled in the third period of the Canucks' 5-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, goalie Thatcher Demko was recalled from Utica of the American Hockey League. Demko, Vancouver's second-round pick (No. 36) in the 2014 NHL Draft, was 5-1 with a 1.50 goals-against average in this past six starts in the AHL. … Miller skated on his own after the team's morning skate Saturday … Hansen, who will miss his 16th game, could return to the lineup Sunday at the Washington Capitals. … Marchessault, who will miss his fourth game, participated in the morning skate and may return Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild.
Who's hot
Daniel Sedin has two goals and two assists in a three-game point streak. … Henrik Sedin has 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in 16 career games against the Panthers. … Jagr has two goals in the past three games and needs five points to tie Mark Messier (1,887) for second place on the NHL's all-time list.
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