EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsST. PAUL, Minn. -- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard will be away from the team indefinitely while he receives care from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.The league and union announced Girard's status in a joint statement Friday before the Avalanche visited the Minnesota Wild.Girard, 25, had been away from the Avalanche for personal reasons and did not play…

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWinnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness returned to the team Friday after taking a leave of absence to attend to his wife.Bowness has been away from the Jets since Oct. 23, one day after Judy Bowness had a seizure.Associate coach Scott Arniel has been serving as the interim head coach in his absence.Winnipeg, which has posted a 9-2-2 record…

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsTampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was activated off injured reserve Friday and will make his season debut against the host Carolina Hurricanes later in the night, coach Jon Cooper announced.Vasilevskiy underwent surgery to repair a lumbar disk herniation in his back in September. Jonas Johansson (8-4-5, 3.41 goals-against average, .894 save percentage) made the bulk of the…

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMinnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was told by the NHL he could not wear a custom mask for the team's Native American Heritage night, his agent said Friday.Allan Walsh confirmed his client was informed he couldn't wear the mask, even for warmups prior to the Wild's game against Colorado. The league prohibits players from wearing specialty jerseys, masks,…