EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Kings winger Brad Richardson had an emergency appendectomy and is unavailable for the immediate future, coach Darryl Sutter said Tuesday.

Richardson had symptoms "the last couple of days" and had the procedure done Monday night, according to Sutter.

Sutter had no idea how long Richardson will be out, but Richardson is expected to at least miss Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Wednesday in Vancouver.

Sutter said he underwent the same procedure four or five years ago when he was with the Calgary Flames.

"Better to have it out than have it ruptured, because it's not about hockey," Sutter said. "The procedures they have now -- you're resuming activity within a couple of days. You know what? We won't have him for a while."

Richardson was inserted on the top line when Jeff Carter had a bone bruise. Richardson had two goals against Minnesota on March 31 and an assist against Edmonton on April 2 in Carter's absence.

"We played without Carter," Sutter said. "We've been short, so we know [what it's like]."

The Kings have recalled center Andrei Loktionov from Manchester of the American Hockey League.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin said Monday he will need surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

Beauchemin said the issue got worse from the beginning of the season and he wasn't able to be as physical toward the end. The recovery will take about three to four months.

"It's been bothering me for a few weeks," Beauchemin said on Anaheim's day of exit meetings.

"A few months, actually … I'll take care of it now and then. I've got all summer to get it better, rehab it and everything."

Beauchemin was perhaps the team's best defenseman for much of the season and excelled after he signed a three-year contract extension Jan. 20.

Selanne's decision: Teemu Selanne had no update on his impending decision to retire or return for a 20th season.

Selanne has said he will inform general manager Bob Murray his decision by July 1, his 42nd birthday. Selanne has typically delayed that decision until at least August although that happened last year because of knee surgery.
That’s not an issue this time around.

"I'm really thankful that the knee is holding up so well and I had no real issue," Selanne said.

Selanne said coach Bruce Boudreau didn't try to persuade him into returning.

"We had a good meeting," he said. "Obviously he's going to respect my decision either way. He said he's really open arms welcoming back if I want to come back. That’s really good news."

Selanne and Saku Koivu both said they are undecided about playing for Finland in the World Championship.

Visnovsky OK: Lubomir Visnovsky said he's OK from a hit he took last Thursday in Edmonton in which he was upended and banged his head.

"I had the test (for) concussion symptoms and I was OK," he said. "I'll be OK."

Visnovsky said he was quite disappointed with his season, so much so that he contemplated retirement.

"I was very mad in the season because I don't feel comfortable," he said. "I think it was (my) worst season ever for me. My confidence was very low."

Visnovsky said he is "retired" from the Slovakian national team and won't play in the worlds. The tournament was held in Slovakia last year and Visnovsky wanted to end it there.

"That was my world championships," he said.

Ducks headed to the Worlds: Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry confirmed they will play for Canada in next month's World Championship. Bobby Ryan said he will suit up for the U.S. and indicated that Cam Fowler and Nick Bonino will join him.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Slava Voynov will likely be a game-time decision for the Los Angeles Kings for a Pacific Division showdown Thursday against the San Jose Sharks.

Voynov took part in all of the morning skate but L.A. coach Darryl Sutter wouldn't say whether the young defenseman would play.

"We'll see," Sutter said. "I'm not going to lie to you and I'm not to give you any secrets, either."

Sutter said on Wednesday that Voynov was "banged up" and he gave him the day off.

If Voynov cannot play, the Kings can insert Davis Drewiske.

Voynov scored the game-winning goal Monday against Edmonton.

Carter out: Jeff Carter skated on his own for about 20 minutes but he is unlikely to play in the final two games.

Carter is recovering from a bone bruise in his ankle and Sutter said he won't play until he has a full practice with the team.

Carter didn't think that would happen Friday, either.

"I'm not sure," Carter said. "I would doubt it. I think I'll probably get back out there and do a little more and see how it responds. We'll see how it feels tonight when I get to the game after skating. It could seize up again. It's kind of a wait-and-see thing."

Carter said he would be ready for the opener of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, assuming L.A. makes it.

"I really don't think that’s an issue," he said. "I should be good to go."

Murray doubtful: San Jose coach Todd McLellan said that even if defenseman Douglas Murray is healthy, he would stick with his current defensive lineup, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Murray has missed three games with a lower-body injury.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Here's how the lineups project when the San Jose Sharks visit the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Thursday in the front end of a home-and-home to conclude the regular season:

SHARKS
Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Joe Pavelski
Ryane Clowe - Logan Couture - Martin Havlat
TJ Galiardi - Dominic Moore - Torrey Mitchell
Daniel Winnik - Andrew Desjardins - Tommy Wingels

Dan Boyle - Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Brent Burns - Jason Demers
Justin Braun - Colin White

Antti Niemi
Thomas Greiss

KINGS
Dustin Brown - Anze Kopitar - Brad Richardson
Dwight King - Mike Richards - Justin Williams
Dustin Penner - Jarret Stoll - Trevor Lewis
Kyle Clifford - Colin Fraser - Jordan Nolan

Rob Scuderi - Drew Doughty
Willie Mitchell - Slava Voynov
Matt Greene - Alec Martinez

Jonathan Quick
Jonathan Bernier

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- According to the Edmonton Journal, Oilers defenseman Corey Potter is out with a concussion from a hit by the Anaheim Ducks' Bobby Ryan during Sunday's game.

Ryan appeared to hit Potter up near the head in the first period. No penalty was called on the play and Potter played the rest of the game.

The Oilers made an emergency recall of defenseman Bryan Rodney from Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League.

Here is the lineup the Oilers likely will put on the ice Monday when they face the Los Angeles Kings:

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle - Teemu Hartikainen
Ales Hemsky - Eric Belanger - Sam Gagner
Ryan Smyth - Shawn Horcoff - Ryan Jones
Ben Eager - Chris Vandevelde - Lennart Petrell

Ryan Whitney - Nick Schultz
Andy Sutton - Bryan Rodney
Cam Barker - Colten Teubert

Nikolai Khabibulin
Devan Dubnyk

EL SEGUNDO, Calif -- Kings defenseman Davis Drewiske came off the ice with the regulars and coach Darryl Sutter indicated he will play him at some point down the stretch "because at some point we're going to need him."

Drewiske last played Feb. 21. He has two goals in nine games this season.

Here's the rest of the lineup the Kings likely will use Monday against the Edmonton Oilers:

Dustin Brown - Anze Kopitar - Brad Richardson
Dwight King - Mike Richards - Justin Williams
Dustin Penner - Jarret Stoll - Trevor Lewis
Kyle Clifford - Colin Fraser - Jordan Nolan

Rob Scuderi - Drew Doughty
Willie Mitchell - Slava Voynov
Matt Greene - Davis Drewiske

Jonathan Quick
Jonathan Bernier

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Jeff Carter's from the Kings' lineup has opened a spot for Brad Richardson, who became the odd-man out when L.A. acquired Carter on Feb. 25.

Richardson subsequently was scratched in all but two of the first 16 games following the trade and admitted it didn't sit well with him.

"At times it's not easy," Richardson said. "You always want to be in there. It's a thing you learn as you get older. You got to stay positive. You have to be a good teammate. You don't want the other teammates to see that.

"Even though you're [angry] at not playing, you still have to show up at the rink and have a positive attitude. But it's never easy. There are times where I was [angry] and I did want to be in there, but when you come back you try to be that much better."

So far, Richardson has taken advantage of his playing time. Sutter put him on the top line Saturday and Richardson scored twice, his first points since Jan. 12 and his first goals since Dec. 31.

"We talked to Brad," Sutter said. "He wasn't very happy [sitting out]. I don't blame him. You're not playing, you better not be happy. You better work your butt off in practice. If the coaches tell you that we want you to start preparing to play, then you have to go through that. You have to do that to reinforce it in your mind."

Richardson has played on every line since he came to L.A. Last season he had a prominent role playing with Wayne Simmonds and Kyle Clifford, as the trio was the club's most effective line against San Jose in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Sutter still wants more out of Richardson and said that, “OK is not OK."

Sutter didn't have any reservations putting Richardson in a top-line role, but said Richardson has to produce there.

"We're at the time of the year where those kids with that same skill set are playing every other night in (American Hockey League affiliate) Manchester," said Sutter.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- An MRI exam on Jeff Carter's ankle revealed the Los Angeles Kings forward has a deep bone bruise and no structural damage, the team announced Monday.

Carter is considered day-to-day but is not expected to play when the Kings host the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. The Kings have two days off the Oilers game and finish the regular season with a critical home-and-home series against San Jose.

Carter caught his toe along the boards in Calgary on March 28 and twisted his ankle. He was seen on crutches with a walking boot.

Kings coach Darryl Sutter did not yet know the results of the MRI after the morning skate but said that the severity of Carter’s injury wasn’t too much of a concern.

"It really doesn't have any impact other than we miss him in the lineup," Sutter said. "What the results are doesn't really matter. He's getting better. We're not going to amputate, I don't think."

L.A. has gone 1-0-1 without Carter.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Anaheim Ducks will embrace the spoiler role as they can affect the race with remaining games against San Jose, Phoenix, Vancouver and Calgary. Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau is using that to light a fire.

"We know it's definitely not a good-looking situation as far as continuing playing too much in April, but we're playing at home, we've got a chance to derail a little bit of San Jose's opportunities, so we'd love to be able to do that," Boudreau said. "It's motivation for us."

Said Teemu Selanne, "We still have to do our job. Obviously, every team that wants to make the playoffs has to earn it. That's how it goes."

Boudreau said he has an obligation to field his best lineup, although he said Jonas Hiller won't play all six remaining games. Anaheim re-assigned young winger Kyle Palmieri so he can help the Syracuse Crunch secure a playoff berth. Another prospect, Emerson Etem, the WHL's first 60-goal scorer since 2000-01, is helping Medicine Hat in the quarterfinals and there is not an urgency to recall him before the season ends.

As far as his approach down the stretch, Boudreau acknowledged that, "This is new territory for me, quite frankly. I've never been out of it at this stage. But as far as development goes, we won't change the way we play. We might put guys in different situations that they haven't been in before, maybe do a little experimentation in that regard."

Ellis closer: Dan Ellis has been practicing with Anaheim for a few days in his comeback from sports hernia surgery on March 2.

"I've always looked at that last week of the regular season in order to make it back," Ellis said. "I think, given our schedule, this week we've only got two games so it gives you a few practice opportunities -- some time to really push it and see where your body is at. I think I can push it as hard as possible and see where I am at the end of the week."

It would be a personal achievement for Ellis to return. He suffered a tear in his groin in practice on Jan. 7, a freak injury in which he said "the groin comes completely off the bone and you get an ab tear with it."

Ellis has appeared in only 10 games this season and won once.

"It would be nice to finish the season on a good note," he said. "The season didn't quite go the way I would have planned it. But you take it as a challenge to push through. You set some goals for yourself, and you always want to end on a good note."

Here's the projected lineup for the Ducks:

Niklas Hagman - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry
Andrew Cogliano - Saku Koivu - Teemu Selanne
Bobby Ryan - Nick Bonino - Devante Smith-Pelly
Jason Blake - Rod Pelley - Matt Beleskey

Francois Beauchemin - Cam Fowler
Lubomir Visnovsky - Luca Sbisa
Sheldon Brookbank - Toni Lydman

Jonas Hiller
Jeff Deslauriers

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- If the San Jose Sharks didn't have motivation already, there is a lingering subplot to Wednesday's game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Anaheim dealt San Jose a big blow with a 5-3 victory at HP Pavilion on March 19. That gave the Ducks four wins in five meetings this season.

"I remember the feeling afterward and obviously we were not very thrilled with our performance and some of the things that happened throughout that game," defenseman Dan Boyle said. "It's pretty fresh in our minds. But again, it's a new day, a new game and we've got to bring a better effort."

Said San Jose coach Todd McLellan, "It's fresh enough (in our minds), and we're 1-4 against this team. That's really hurt our opportunity to be a successful team this year, is just our record against Anaheim alone. That's not any disrespect to them.

"We've talked to our guys about not letting their guard down. This is a team that's had our number, that's played better than we have and deserved to win the games, and something we're going to have to try and correct it tonight."

Galiardi to return: TJ Galiardi is expected to return after he missed six games with an upper-body injury.

"I believe he's healthy and there's a good chance he can play," McLellan said.

Galiardi went a step further and said he will play with Dominic Moore and Torrey Mitchell. He said their role is to be solid defensively and generate a cycle at the other end.

"We're all pretty good at controlling the puck down there," Galiardi said. "We're not going to score too many highlight reel goals. It's just going to be greasy ones."

Here's the projected lineup for the Sharks:

Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Joe Pavelski
Ryane Clowe - Logan Couture - Martin Havlat
Dominic Moore - Torrey Mitchell - TJ Galiardi
Daniel Winnik - Andrew Desjardins - Tommy Wingels

Dan Boyle - Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Douglas Murray - Brent Burns
Justin Braun - Jason Demers

Antti Niemi
Thomas Greiss