Tim Schaller is also unavailable. He did not travel on the trip, and remains back in Boston recovering from a lower-body injury sustained on March 8 against Detroit.
With Spooner still out, Riley Nash will get a look at center on the third line for Monday's game, with Matt Beleskey on his left wing and Frank Vatrano on his off side at right wing.
"At the end of the day, it's more about looking at players in some different spots without upsetting everything," said Cassidy, who provided insight into why the line was put together.
"We've got a bit of everything [on that line]," said Cassidy. "We've got Beleskey, who can also shoot the puck as well as Vatrano, so if Nash finds them and makes some plays, he's certainly capable of doing that."
"You've got a defensive presence and penalty killer in the middle [with Nash], a guy who's going to play a solid, 200-foot game, and with Beleskey, it's energy, he got us into it last time, and Frankie, we know he can finish plays, so a bit of everything on one line, so we'll see how this one shakes out."
Nash gave a rundown of how the game changes for him, moving from wing to center.
"I think the workload definitely changes, you've got to be up and down [the ice] a little bit better, in support of our D-men," said Nash. "You have get your legs into it earlier. Usually on the wing in the D zone, you can just protect your point. When you're playing center, you've always got to be moving, chasing those guys down low, so hopefully will keep that to a minimum and be in the offensive zone, and then just finding your wingers, finding some chemistry."
"Usually as a winger, you're pretty much going one direction, slashing across or staying on your wing, so it's a little simpler out there, but I've played both, so it shouldn't be an issue," said Nash.
The trio will focus on communicating and finding each other on the ice.
"I think we've got to create some speed and possess the puck," said Beleskey. "Frankie's got a great shot, he's got great speed down the wing. Nasher's got good poise and patience, so I want to get to the net and hopefully our team will just keep the puck going forward."
