Defenseman Erik Johnson is expected to return to the Colorado Avalanche lineup Saturday against the Dallas Stars, and his well-rounded game should bring depth to his team and fantasy owners.

The Avalanche have turned their season around and are currently clinging to Stanley Cup Playoff position entering their back-to-back set against the St. Louis Blues at home Friday and the Stars on the road Saturday. Colorado's defense relies heavily on Johnson, Francois Beauchemin and Tyson Barrie, so Johnson's return takes some of the even-strength burden off the other two, giving the Avalanche added reinforcement as they strive for more consistency.

BUFFALO -- The Buffalo Sabres will be missing forward Sam Reinhart and defenseman Josh Gorges on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-D, MSG-B, BELL TV).

Reinhart was injured during the second period of a 2-1 loss Wednesday to the Colorado Avalanche when he collided with Avalanche forward John Mitchell. He did not return to the game.

"He's got an upper-body injury and it looks approximately about a week right now [until he returns]," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. "We'll know a little bit more as he gets evaluated the next day or two. But it looks about a week right now."

The Sabres (19-24-4) recalled forward Cal O'Reilly from Rochester of the American Hockey League and placed forward Zemgus Girgensons on injured reserve because of an upper-body injury. O'Reilly had one assist in two games earlier this season for the Sabres. He is the older brother of Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will return to the lineup Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks (7:30 p.m. ET; CSN-CH, FS-F).

Ekblad had missed the previous four games because of a concussion sustained Jan. 10 against the Edmonton Oilers. He has nine goals, 19 points and a Panthers-best plus-17 in 42 games. He averages 20:42 of ice time per game, second on the Panthers.

"I feel great," Ekblad said after morning skate. "I'm really, really, really happy to be back in the lineup. Sitting and watching games has got to be the worst thing for a hockey player. I absolutely hate it, especially when the team is losing there. I'm really happy to be back in the lineup and hopefully create something.

"It was tough to be out. Obviously I wanted to be in and help ride that winning streak, but it's the way it is. You obviously are going to lose games and it's all about bouncing back here today. That past winning streak means nothing to us anymore and what happens in the future is what matters."

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes will play as scheduled Friday night (7 p.m. ET, MSG2, FS-CR), despite a winter storm expected to dump freezing rain across the region. The Rangers arrived in Raleigh on Thursday, ahead of the storm.

Recently-signed forward Daniel Paille took part in the Rangers' optional morning skate on Friday, along with Chris Kreider, who missed the team's Thursday practice with neck spasms. The Rangers believe Kreider, who skated on his own on Thursday, injured his neck in a collision with Radim Vrbata in New York's 3-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

Paille, a veteran of 570 games with the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, had played 31 games this season with Rockford of the American Hockey League before signing with the Rangers on Thursday.

Matthew Tkachuk, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings of North American skaters eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft, is in his first season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound left wing has 15 goals and 65 points in 34 games. He had 38 goals and 96 points in 65 games with USA Hockey's Under-18 National Team Development Program last season. The St. Louis native has offered to maintain a blog for NHL.com leading up to the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo, N.Y.

Happy New Year everyone!

The rankings for NHL Central Scouting is something that's kind of new to me and it's pretty special to be ranked No. 1 among North American skaters but hard work pays off. Like I've been saying this whole year, anything can happen, a ranking is just a number and I've always had the mindset that it doesn't really matter where you're ranked but what you've been doing during the year to get better and become more prepared to be ready at the NHL level. I think I've seen a big difference and I feel like I'm more prepared for the next step.

For me, you have to realize mentally that if you don't give 100 percent every shift at the next level you will be out of the league as quickly as you got there. My mindset is, every NHL player gives 110 percent and every really good NHL player gives it their all every shift. One of the things I've been working on this year is making sure that I'm first on every puck and winning every battle. Those little things that will hopefully separate me at the next level.

Each Friday throughout the season Kevin Weekes will be bringing you his Friday Four. He will be blogging about four players, teams, plays, or trends that have caught his eye.

Jonathan Drouin

The Jonathan Drouin saga seems to take a new turn every day. The latest news came Wednesday when he was suspended without pay by the Tampa Bay Lightning for failing to show up for a game with their Syracuse farm team in the American Hockey League. I've been in touch with people on both sides. Obviously each side has a difference in opinion and differences in philosophies, not only based on Drouin being a part of that team but the way in which he was used and their understanding of what would happen when he went down to the AHL.

At 19:46 of the second period in the Wild/Kings game, Los Angeles requested a Coach’s Challenge to review whether Minnesota was off-side prior to Charlie Coyle's goal.

After reviewing all available replays and consulting with NHL Hockey Operations staff, the Linesman determined that Coyle had possession and control of the puck as he entered the attacking zone, even though his skates preceded the puck over the blue line. According to Rule 83.1, "a player actually controlling the puck who shall cross the line ahead of the puck shall not be considered 'off-side,' provided he had possession and control of the puck prior to his skates crossing the blue line."

Therefore the original call stands – good goal Minnesota Wild.

Since the Coach’s Challenge did not result in the original call being overturned, the Los Angeles Kings forfeit their time-out.

NEWARK, N.J. -- If it weren't for perspective, Andrew Hammond might be a busted goalie right now for the Ottawa Senators.

"I think the best thing I've ever heard is when you're in the spotlight and you start looking at it, the light gets too bright and you can't even see anymore," Hammond said. "But when things aren't going well it feels like you're under a shadow and eventually the shadow will cover you up. Whether that's good or bad, you have to keep going and stay on an even keel."

Hammond's ability to stay on an even keel was tested late last season, when he turned into the model for all the unheralded goalies out there who just want a team to give them a chance.

He didn't get his first start of the season until Feb. 18 and yet he still won 20 games in 24 appearances (20-1-2), with a 1.79 goals-against average and .941 save percentage. The Senators rallied from a 14-point deficit to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

At 9:31 of the second period in the Oilers/Stars game, Edmonton requested a Coach’s Challenge to review whether Dallas was off-side prior to their goal.

After reviewing all available replays and consulting with NHL Hockey Operations staff, the Linesman determined that Dallas' Ales Hemsky was off-side prior to the goal. According to Rule 78.7, “The standard for overturning the call in the event of a ‘GOAL’ call on the ice is that the Linesman, after reviewing any and all available replays and consulting with the Toronto Video Room, determines that one or more Players on the attacking team preceded the puck into the attacking zone prior to the goal being scored and that, as a result, the play should have been stopped for an “Off-side” infraction; where this standard is met, the goal will be disallowed.”

Therefore the original call is overturned – no goal Dallas Stars.

The clock is re-set to show 10:32 (9:28 elapsed time), when the off-side infraction occurred.

Since the Coach’s Challenge resulted in the original call being overturned, the Edmonton Oilers retain their time-out.

At 10:19 of the first period in the Blackhawks/Lightning game, the Situation Room initiated a video review to further examine a play at the Chicago net from 9:27. Video review supported the referee's call on the ice that the puck did not cross the goal line. No goal Tampa Bay.