The Red Wings have put a hold on contract talks with college winger David Pope, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. The 23-year-old recently wrapped up his NCAA career with the University of Nebraska-Omaha with a 20-goal season but has informed the team that he would like to finish up his classes before discussing a contract. Pope was a fourth-round selection of Detroit (109th overall) back in 2013 and will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent if he does not sign by August 15th.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- The Bruins are set to get some good news on the injury front as the team announced that winger Jake DeBrusk will return to the lineup on Saturday night after missing the last eight games with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, blueliners Zdeno Chara (upper-body) and Charlie McAvoy (MCL sprain) have been ruled out for Saturday but could return on Sunday afternoon. With Boston looking to lock down the top spot in the East (and home ice for the first three rounds of the postseason), these returns will certainly come at a welcome time.
- Montreal could have blueliner David Schlemko back in their lineup tomorrow night against the Penguins after receiving the green light from doctors to return from his upper-body injury, notes Matt Cudzinowski on the Canadiens’ team website. The veteran has been out of the lineup for the past 12 games and has suited up just 34 times this season due to various injuries. If he does play, the team will either have to return blueliner Brett Lernout to Laval (AHL) or convert his emergency recall into a regular one that will count against their limit of four between the trade deadline and the end of the regular season.