Florida Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad will make his season debut at a new position. Bjugstad, a center since his days at the University of Minnesota, will play right wing on a line with rookie center Denis Malgin and left wing Colton Sceviour. "We've talked about that the last couple of years," coach Gerard Gallant said. "He played a few shifts there last year. We'll give him a shot over there. He's a big, powerful guy that can skate real well. I think it'll be exciting for him. The way he skates down the wing and shoots the puck, it should be good for us." Bjugstad missed the first 19 games because of a wrist injury he sustained in a preseason game against the Dallas Stars on Sept. 27. "Just excited," Bjugstad said. "I woke up with a jump in my step this morning. It's been a long time. Obviously I've been watching all the games. Kind of sick of watching, although they've been fun to watch as of late. So it'll be fun to join them at this point. I tried to stay positive every day and I was on my skates quite a bit, so I should be in shape and I should have my legs." Defenseman Keith Yandle is expected to play in his 571st consecutive regular-season game, which would move him past Mark Recchi for sole possession of the 11th-longest streak in NHL history.
