Blues winger David Perron hasn't ruled himself out for the rest of the season despite missing his 51st straight game Friday night. Perron, who suffered a concussion Nov. 4 against San Jose, passed an initial test a month ago and has been doing light bike riding and weightlifting. He received treatment Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and will stay in Vancouver for at least a week.

Hurricanes captain Eric Staal sustained an upper-body injury during the second period of Friday night's game against the Penguins and did not return. Staal was leveled by a check from the side from Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen and lay on the ice for a short time. "He won't play [Saturday at Montreal], but we're hopeful he'll play our next game [here Tuesday against Florida]," Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice said. "You can't tell [about the hit] from the camera angles. We'll let the league look at that."

Sidney Crosby's future on the ice remains unknown. "It's the unknown," Penguins general manager Ray Shero said. Crosby missed his 22nd game on Friday night. The Penguins captain and face of the NHL remains out indefinitely while recovering from a concussion after sustaining hits in consecutive January games.

Brad Richards skated on Thursday, but will miss his sixth-consecutive game with concussion-like symptoms. "Brad is getting better," Stars coach Marc Crawford said Friday. "He is improving. There's not much more to tell you. He won't play [Saturday]. We're hopeful that Sunday is even a better day for him." Richards didn't travel with the team but skated in Frisco, Texas. He was injured Feb. 13 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Mike Modano says he'll return to Detroit's lineup on Saturday night against Buffalo after being out since Nov. 26 with a wrist injury. "There was a chance [to return against Dallas on Thursday], but ... of all games to come back after such a long layoff, I think the expectations are a little too high for that one," Modano told NHL.com on Tuesday. "[I'll] just start in Buffalo and it's going to be five games in eight days on that trip. So it'll be some crucial games here coming down the stretch." Modano was cut on the right forearm and wrist by Columbus forward R.J. Umberger's skate on Nov. 26, and had surgery the following day.

Matt Duchene is ready to return for the Avalanche. Colorado's leading scorer sat out two games after hurting his left hand in a loss to Calgary last week. He's eager to climb back into the lineup, especially with the team mired in a 10-game skid, the longest winless streak since the franchise moved to the Mile High City before the 1995-96 season. "Sometimes in this league, when it rains it pours," Duchene said. "Half of them we played pretty good hockey and could've won the games. It's disappointing. "It's hard to be detached from [the team] and have to sit in the background and watch it. But it's good to be back."

Penguins forward Chris Kunitz has resumed practicing after missing six games with a lower body injury. He could be ready to return this week. Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma says there's a chance Kunitz could return as early as Wednesday against San Jose.

Rangers right wing Marian Gaborik is listed as day-to-day with a concussion after leaving Sunday's game against the Flyers. Gaborik came off the ice after the first period and after a conversation with the team's training staff told coach John Tortorella he would not be able to continue. "I know he's had some conversations off the ice that he wasn't dead on," said Tortorella. "But that's something we're going to have to talk to him about and just see."

Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur will back up Johan Hedberg Friday night when the team faces the Rangers. Brodeur also said he is healthy enough to start if called upon Saturday night against the Hurricanes, though he also indicated he probably won't play. "I'm just happy I'm back and like I said, I need to practice, I need to get back in game shape a bit as far as seeing the puck and moving around, and you do that with team practices, not by yourself," said Brodeur, who was activated from the injured reserve list Friday after missing the past four games with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. "I only had one practice and one morning skate, so I'm OK to play, but to be on top I might need a couple more practices. But like I said, if called upon I'm healthy enough to get in there."

The Coyotes have placed defenseman Ed Jovanovski on injured reserve. He suffered an upper-body injury during the second period of the team's 4-3 win over the Thrashers on Thursday.