Archive for Articles - FH.com

Brad Richards

New week, new format. We’re going with a more thorough format with our weekly preview, which now includes a detailed schedule breakdown and more concentration on matchups. With the revised format, we’ve also decided to rename the article in order to promote how we at fantasyhockey.com can help you plan ahead with your fantasy team. Tim Arnold, the Fantasy Puck Dude, will be writing a blog that you can look out for on the site shortly.

With Yahoo leagues heading into their final week before the fantasy playoffs, it’s especially important to keep track of the schedule. Some of you might be in the running for the number one seeding, and some of you might be attempting to secure a playoff spot. Hopefully you’re not one of the teams playing out the string and saving face for next year. So without further ado, here’s a preview of what to expect next week.

Number of games are listed in parentheses. Back-to-back games (possible backup goalie starts) are listed in bold.

Strong schedules (the big black bubbling cauldron schedules)

Atlanta: The Thrashers, who still have a chance to make the playoffs this season, play three of four at home next week. Veteran Johan Hedberg should get the majority of starts down the stretch for the Thrashers, and their better play at home helps his record (10-4-1 at home, 6-8-4 on the road). Other Thrashers who have benefitted from the southern cooking this season include Maxim Afinogenov (28 points in 31 home games) and Tobias Enstrom (25 points in 31 home games). Don’t forget about Niclas Bergfors as a possible waiver-wire pickup, as he has eight points in 11 games with the Thrashers.

Dallas: Royal flush of the week. The Stars are one of two teams to play four home games next week. Since the Stars are a drastically different team at home than they are on the road, expect a big week from any Stars on your roster. It’s difficult to have a lot of faith in Marty Turco right now, but his home/road splits mirror that of his team. Brad Richards is especially potent at home with 43 points in 30 home games, so he is an absolute must-start next week.  

Florida: The Panthers were more like sellers than buyers at the trade deadline, but you should be in a buying mood when it comes to the Panthers on your team or on your waiver wire. Like many teams, the Panthers are stronger at home than on the road. Most Panthers’ splits are not much different at home than on the road, although Stephen Weiss is a somewhat better road scorer (28 points in 33 games on the road, 22 points in 31 games at home).

Weak schedules (the pansy wimpy schedules)

Los Angeles: The Kings play all their games at home next week… all two of them. As well, there is no noticeable difference between the Kings’ home and road records. Don’t be afraid to start leading scorer Anze Kopitar and top-5 defensive scorer Drew Doughty. However, your other Kings are best left on the bench next week based on their number of games played, including Jonathan Quick. The Kings’ starter has a 2.61 GAA and .895 SV% at home, but a 2.35 GAA and .922 SV% on the road.

Montreal: Low card hand of the week. Even though the Habs face the Leafs once, they only play one other game during the week. The Habs play two on the road, although their home record doesn’t differ much from their home record. Strange stat of the week: Andrei Markov has 20 points in 19 road games, while he has no goals and five assists in 13 home games. Yes, you read that right. Go ahead and deploy him as normal, unlike the rest of your Habs.

NY Islanders: The road has not been kind this season to the Islanders, who have sputtered to a 9-19-6 record away from Nassau County Coliseum. Next week won’t be the week for John Tavares to finally break out. Tavares, who now has little hope of winning the Calder Trophy, recently snapped a 17-game goalless drought. Dwayne Roloson is also worth leaving on your bench next week (8-9-4 on the road, 12-6-2 at home). Hopefully you’re not still hanging onto Doug Weight, who has only one goal in 36 games this season.

Good luck next week!

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Compliments? Ideas? Email Ian at ian@fantasyhockey.com. Or follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook.

Steve Downie has turned into an all-around fantasy threat this season.

Now that the Olympics are over, who is the one player you are targeting off the waiver wire for the final push this season?

Whether it’s a points only or roto-league, the player to target is Steve Downie. Downie is known for his penalty minutes and is only owned in 55 percent of Yahoo leagues. Over the past month his linemates are first and second in league scoring with 16 points each. Downie isn’t far behind with 13 points to show for on a recent 10-game point streak. His current scoring pace is fantasy gold when you include the fact that his 184 PIM puts him second in that category. Grab him before it’s too late.

Marcus Schalle, dobberhockey.com

The player that’s still on quite a few waiver wires that I’d be adding is Thrashers RW Niclas Bergfors. He’s slid in comfortably as a top 6 forward on a team that traded its best player (Ilya Kovalchuk) in the same deal that saw him arrive in Atlanta. In the ten games since

changing teams, he’s had at least one goal in 5 of those contests (6 goals total). He’s seeing increased minutes (commonly played 13-14 minutes a night with New Jersey, and is getting in the 17-18 minute area in Atlanta) and is also seeing some time on the power play. Finally, he is on a team that is battling for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference while at the same time evaluating who will be a part of the 2010-11 version of the Thrashers. Add it all up and in all likelihood you’ll see some of his best hockey over these last 17 games.

Ray Calder, fantasypros911.com

At this point in the season, I like to target players on teams that are desperately fighting just to make the playoffs.  Matt Stajan is a good example of an underrated forward on a team that should play every game as if it could be their last.  After a so-so start on the Flames’ first line, Stajan seems to be settling in nicely with – as of Thursday – a goal and four points in his last three games.  He could end up averaging almost a point-per-game for the remainder of the season.  Not bad for a guy who is only owned in 26 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

As far as goaltenders go, I feel obligated to mention Michael Leighton, who is currently owned in 41 percent of Yahoo! leagues.  I don’t think it was smart on the Flyers’ part to decide against acquiring a goaltender at the deadline if they seriously intend to compete for the Stanley Cup this season.  However, the fact is they didn’t make a move and Leighton is expected to play in almost all of Philadelphia’s remaining games.  He doesn’t have the track record to back up his numbers, but he does have a 15-3-2 record with a 2.28 GAA and .924 SV% in 23 games with the Flyers.  If you’re hurting for goaltending, you may as well take a chance on him and see how long this Cinderella story lasts.

Ryan Dadoun, Rotoworld.com

I’m all over Steve Downie, who’s going crazy playing with Steven Stamkos. He’s still available in a bunch of leagues and he’s probably the best player you’ll find on waivers at this point in the season. He’s putting up career numbers in a big, big way and while they’re hardly impressive, they’re solid. Downie should continue to put up points for you.

Steven Ovadia, RotoRob.com

With arguably the top rookie campaign this season, I’m surprised that Matt Duchene is owned in only 31 percent of Yahoo leagues. Duchene leads all rookie scorers with 47 points (23g-24a) in 67 games. Duchene is the top center on a young team that has matured a lot more quickly than most experts had thought before the season had started. Before the season, I wasn’t convinced that Duchene was a better fantasy pickup than John Tavares, but I have been proven wrong. Marc Savard owners, are you paying attention?

Ian Gooding, fantasyhockey.com

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Compliments? Ideas? Email Ian at ian@fantasyhockey.com. Or follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook.

It took an injury for Tuukka Rask to give up starts to Tim Thomas.

Boston Bruins
Tuukka Rask has not started a game since March 2 due to a knee injury.  He had won four games in a row before losing his last start just before the Olympics. In his place, Tim Thomas has finally been getting some work, as he has started all four games post-Olympic break.  Thomas has gone 2-1-1 during that span, allowing just eight goals.  It was just the second time all year he has started four games in a row.  Perhaps he learned something during the Olympic break, as he went into it playing very poorly losing six straight. But backing up Ryan Miller on Team USA (and getting ten minutes of playing time in a game) could have helped him get his head back in the game, as Thomas has the Bruins battling for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are also in the midst of a seven-game road trip, so they need strong goaltending every night. 
 
Washington Capitals
Semyon Varlamov returned to action last week, after having been out since February 11 with a back injury.  In his two games back, he allowed four goals and three goals and is not really challenging Jose Theodore for the starting job. Theodore has played brilliantly, with the exception of a three-game stretch in which he allowed 13 goals. He is 12-0-2 in his last fourteen games, and has not lost in regulation since January 12. The Caps have a potent offense and Theodore can afford to not be perfect, but he has a .910 save percentage and a 2.79 goals-against average this season. Michal Neuvirth was sent back down to the minors,  but he could be called back up if Varlamov struggles. 
 
Toronto Maple Leafs
Jonas Gustavsson has started two of three for the Leafs.  He has won both of those games, one in overtime and the other in a shootout.  He may take some starts from Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Since being traded to the Leafs, Giguere has started seven of ten games, inning his first two, but losing five since them. He’s allowed 17 goals in five games, but has gotten no help from his teammates who have scored only five. Since the Leafs want Gustavsson to be the goalie of the future, now may be a good time for him to play more games and show the Leafs what he is capable of, especially with no pressure on him and the Leafs out of the playoff chase.  

Montreal Canadiens
Jaroslav Halak continues to be the goalie of choice in Montreal based on better numbers. However, it is worth noting that Carey Price started the first two games after the Olympic break. Maybe Habs coach Jacques Martin is towing the company line and giving Price every effort to claim the starting goalie job back. However, it’s plain to see that Halak is the Habs goalie to own. Lately, he has earned the win in six of his last eight appearances, while Price has won just three of his last 12 appearances. Maybe Halak’s agent and Twitter addict Allan Walsh is onto something.

Email me at david@fantasyhockey.com.

Chris Stewart was named the NHL's First Star last week.

Chris Stewart, RW, COL (60GP-24g-27a-51pts, with a +13 and 57 PIMs)

Matt Duchene, C, COL (65GP-21g-24a-45pts, with a (+1) and 17 pp points)

The Avalanche have continued to keep up their strong play through three quarters of the season now thanks to the continued strong play of their youngsters. Stewart remains one of the most slept-on forwards in fantasy hockey producing exceptional numbers across the board. He has five multi-point efforts in his last eight games, while posting an outstanding 15 points (7g-8a) over that span. Stewart posted a hat trick in his last game against St. Louis, who had won five in a row coming in to Denver on Saturday night. Duchene hasn’t been quite that hot, but still fantasy worthy. His point totals have been fairly consistent throughout the season, but it’s his defensive play that has stepped up of late, with a +13 over the last two months getting him back on the plus side of things. In your deeper leagues you may also want to take a look at T. J. Galiardi. His steadily improving play has seen his average ice-time skyrocket to over 20 minutes a game for the past two months along with increased point totals (7g-8a since mid-January). Also, keep an eye on the newly-acquired Peter Mueller, who has now notched a point (1g-3a) in all three games he’s played with the Avs.

Brandon Sutter, C, CAR (56GP-17g-16a-33pts, with a +2 and 9 pp points)

And here’s yet another youngster making things happen. Sutter, the Canes’ 11^th overall pick in 2007, continues his breakout campaign after a slight January slump. Carolina in now 12-3-0 in their last 15 games thanks in large part to Sutter’s secondary contributions. He has 13 points (5g-8a) over that stretch and a current point streak of 6 games. His value does take a hit in PIM leagues though with just one minor penalty over the entire season!

Manny Legace, G, CAR (19GP 9W-5L-2OTL, with a 2.65 GAA and .909 SV%)

The most incredible thing about the Canes’ recent run: they’ve been doing it without starter Cam Ward. Just like last year, Carolina is putting together an incredible second half. With Ward ailing, it’s Legace who stands to benefit, and he is still highly slept on in most leagues by owners looking at the Canes’ placement in the standings. Legace has allowed just eight goals over his last five starts, winning all five. Take note though; prospect Justin Peters has stolen a few starts from Legace and performed very well himself, posting a 3-1-0 record with a 1.77 GAA and .943 SV%. He may be a solid insurance pick if you have the room.

Follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook.

Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk

Contributed by Philip Barrington

Watching the Olympic hockey tournament was a treat for me and hopefully a treat for all of you hockey fans out there. I must say even though the Americans lost the gold medal, they should be proud of the tremendous effort that they displayed during the tournament. Congrats to Canada for winning the gold medal, and it was certainly was a tournament that many hockey fans will not forget. Now as we head towards the home stretch, fantasy owners need to start thinking about the latest developments in the Western Conference.

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks traded Vesa Toskala to the Calgary Flames, which should be good news for Jonas Hiller fantasy owners. This is a clear sign that Hiller will play most of the remaining games down the stretch and considering how he played for Switzerland during the Olympics, I think it is safe to say that the Ducks are in good hands. Corey Perry is the hottest Duck at this present time with11 points in his last 10 games. His confidence is still high after scoring some key goals for Team Canada, so ensure that he is in your lineup. Bobby Ryan also has five points in his last six games and it looks like he is ready to get on a roll down the stretch. Watch out for Jason Blake, who has three points in his last four games. He is starting to look comfortable with his new linemates and with the Ducks in a fight to make the playoffs, look for Blake to be a motivated down the stretch. Keep him in your lineup because he is a nice depth forward to have in your lineup.  The Ducks also traded for Lubomir Visnovsky, who will receive significant time on the power play and is very apt at making a quick first pass. I think Visnovsky could have a big impact for the Ducks down the stretch, and the only thing that would hold him back would be his own motivation. Also on the defense, Scott Niedermayer has eight points in his last seven games, but he has still been troublesome for fantasy owners this season with an uncharacteristic (-19) rating.

Calgary Flames

It looks like Jarome Iginla has finally returned. With ten points in his last six games, Iginla is finally producing at a level that fantasy owners are accustomed to seeing from him. It looks like he is starting to develop some chemistry with Matt Stajan who has six points in his last six games. Stajan looks comfortable playing beside Iggy, so I would say that fantasy owners will be happy with their production down the stretch. Nicklas Hagman was expected to solidify the second line but he has been cold recently with one point in his last five games. Hagman has not benefitted to date in Calgary and I anticipate that he will continue to struggle down the stretch. Do not pick up Christopher Higgins! While the Flames will argue that he could rejuvenate his game in Calgary, he has not been able to find his game in the past two years. This also drops David Moss down on the depth chart, so now is the time to stay away from Higgins and Moss.

Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Kane continues his strong play with a current eight-game point streak. Current projections suggest he should finish the season with 93 points. He looks like he will continue to play well down the stretch. Duncan Keith continues to emerge as a legitimate top five fantasy defenceman. With a six-game point streak, Keith is currently on pace to score 72 points, by far his highest single-season total. Ride him for the rest of the season because the Hawks have been scoring goals in bunches and it seems that Keith is consistently in the middle of all of those goals. Jonathan Toews might be the hottest Blackhawk right now with eight points in his last five games. I would say that Toews and Kane are getting along just fine despite playing against each other in the gold medal game. While all of this is a positive for the Hawks, goaltending is a huge concern at this present time. Cristobal Huet was pulled from yet another game on Sunday against Detroit and Antti Niemi had to finish the contest. If I am a Huet fantasy owner, I have to be pretty worried at this point. Huet is overplaying his angles along with his tendency to let in one bad goals at inopportune times. Niemi has been the better goalie to date and the most consistent, so it looks like he may start to reach the bulk of the starts down the stretch. Fantasy owners need to have both goalies on their team because the Hawks will win a majority of their games down the stretch, but now might be the time to seriously starting looking for other goaltenders on the waiver wire if you own Huet.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avs traded away Wojtek Wolski, but the emergence of Chris Stewart made it a much easier decision for the team. With 24 goals this season and scoring seven points in his last three games, Stewart has established himself as a legitimate top six forward in the Avs’ lineup. Although Milan Hedjuk is a fixture on the top line, Stewart could be making a strong case for a promotion. All of this is good news for Stewart fantasy owners. Matt Duchene may not be as hot as Stewart, but he does have three points in his last three games. It does not look like fatigue is affecting the 19-year-old, which is good news for fantasy owners at this point in the season. Peter Mueller is now an Avs forward and while he has struggled this season, he might benefit from a fresh start. He will not be relied on as much to score offensively as he was in Phoenix, so it might be the jolt that he needs to get his game going down the stretch. I would not suggest that fantasy owners pick him up now, but they should monitor his progress in the next few Avs games.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Antoine Vermette has been the hottest Blue Jackets forward with six points in his last six games. He is currently on pace to score 60 points but if this streak continues, Vermette could be line to set career highs in goals and points. Ride him while he is on this current streak. Rick Nash has not recorded a point in his last two games, but I would not worry if I am a fantasy owner, treating this as a minor blip in a long season. I would worry if I am a Kristian Huselius fantasy owner. With no points in his last two games, a prolonged slump that is customary in his play could occur. You may consider benching him until he wakes up but you never know with this forward. Jakub Voracek has played well lately with eight points in his last six games. The young forward is not showing any signs of fatigue to date so this should be good news for his fantasy owners.  

Dallas Stars

Marty Turco continues to struggle and has seen his GAA rise to 2.75. With the Stars fighting for a playoff spot, head coach Marc Crawford is simply riding whichever goaltender is hot. Kari Lehtonen received the start against the Penguins and gave up six goals. It looks like the carousel will continue, which is not a good sign for Turco fans. For now, it looks the goaltending duties will be shared amongst Lehtonen and Turco. Even though Brad Richards did not go to the Olympics, he continues his strong play with eight points in his last seven games. Richards will be relied on heavily to score and so far he is answering the call, which is good news for fantasy owners. James Neal might be cooling off a bit with one point in his last five games. Neal has set career highs in points and goals, but now that he is being relied on offensively, fantasy owners need to watch and see if his play starts to significantly drop as the fantasy season winds down.

Detroit Red Wings

Jimmy Howard will be the Red Wings goaltender down the stretch. Howard has been solid this season, but realize that he could give up three or more goals on some nights. It looks like Pavel Datsyuk is finally producing at a level that is justifying fantasy owners’ high selection of this forward. With points in nine of his last ten games, Datsyuk is heating up and now is the time to ride him as he attempts to help the Wings make the playoffs. Henrik Zetterberg has also been doing his part recently with five points in his last three games. Nicklas Lidstrom has also been rejuvenated lately with seven points in his last six games.  If Johan Franzen is available in your league, pick him up right away. He has missed a significant chunk of the season but he played well during the Olympic tournament and since his return from the injury, he has picked up five points in seven games since returning from injury. He is a solid number 3 or 4 forward, and he his presence opens up the ice for Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom.  

Edmonton Oilers

Dustin Penner has cooled significantly from his hot start with only one point in his last five games. He does not seem to be getting as many chances as he did earlier in the season, so you might have to consider benching him from time to time and playing him in matchups where the Oilers have a chance to score. Sam Gagner has also cooled as well with only two points in his last five games. He is a solid player but you might want to consider other options in your league if you are in the marker for an offensive player. Ryan Whitney is a solid addition, and expect him to receive significant time in 5 on 5 situations and on the power plays. While the supporting cast in Edmonton is not as good as in Anaheim, Whitney will probably get more chances to contribute offensively than he was getting in Anaheim.  

LA Kings

Drew Doughty was Canada’s number one defenceman during the Olympic tournament as was relied on heavily during the goal medal game. Riding that wave of confidence, Doughty has returned and he has picked up four points in his last three games. He was playing well before the break, but I anticipate that he will continue to be a force down the stretch. You need to have him in your starting lineup for the rest of the fantasy season. Dustin Brown has not scored in his last four games, which is not a good sign for fantasy owners. With Ryan Smyth picking up three points in three games, Brown will probably be dropped down to the second line. Brown is a solid player but it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to his reduced role. Alexander Frolov has four points in three games and he is showing signs that he wanted to receive more significant minutes. This is good news for fantasy owners because it is a clear sign that Frolov will be motivated to score down the stretch. Jonathan Quick has developed into a solid goaltender. He should receive the bulk of the starts for the rest of the season, and he could be in line for winning as many as 40 to 45 wins this season.

Minnesota Wild

Guillaume Latendresse has been a pleasant surprise this season. With seven goals in his last nine games, Latendresse is on pace for 27 goals this season, but he has an outside chance of reaching 30 goals this season. He is really emerging as a goal scorer and his rise is similar to Alex Burrows, who also emerged as a legitimate 25 to 30 goal scorer.  Mikko Koivu continues to be a force for the Wild with seven points in his last six games. However, he is not the only Wild player that is on a hot streak, as Andrew Brunette has scored five points in his last five games. Brunette is not a flashy player but he gets the job done and for fantasy owners, he continues to be a solid contributor in your lineup. While Nicklas Backstrom gave up four goals against Calgary, Backstrom was playing extremely well for the Wild since his return from the Olympics with a 0.48 GAA in his previous two games. Backstrom will receive most of the starts down the stretch as the Wild try to make nab a playoff spot, and his strong play after the break is a good sign to fantasy owners that he is up to the challenge that is currently in front of him.

Nashville Predators

Jason Arnott is back to scoring points for the Predators, with nine points in his last ten games. Arnott owners will be glad that he is currently scoring right now so insert him into your lineup. Quietly Martin Erat has picked up five points in his last five games and he is now leading the team in scoring with 40 points. Erat is benefitting from the resurgence of Arnott; ensure that he is in your lineup. Patric Hornqvist had a goal taken away from him on Sunday by a brilliant save by Roberto Luongo, but it still does not hide the fact that he has only picked up two assists in his last nine games. Nashville is in dire need of goal scorers, so Hornqvist will not lose his spot on the power play or on the first or second line. However, fantasy owners need to be aware of Hornqvist’s struggles and may want to bench him for the time being until he shows signs of turning things around.

Phoenix Coyotes

Wojtek Wolski makes his way to the desert after being traded away from Colorado, and he has immediately made an impact with three points in two games with his new club. He finds himself on a line with Shane Doan, who has picked up only one point in his last four games. The hope is that Wolski will develop some newfound chemistry with Doan, and I personally believe that along with Matthew Lombardi, this line has the potential to be a very good line for the Coyotes. I anticipate big things down the stretch from these three players if that can all get on the same page. Lee Stempniak arrives in the desert to solidify the second line and so far the results have been good with two points in his last two games. Stempniak is surrounded by a better cast and he will be given every opportunity to contribute offensively. Pick him up if you are looking for a depth forward because he will be motivated now that he is in the midst of helping the Coyotes secure a playoff spot.

San Jose Sharks

Dan Boyle may have only one point in his last four games, but he had numerous opportunities to score multiple points in the Montreal game on Thursday. I would not worry if I am a Boyle owner, as the points will start rolling in the upcoming days. I was not impressed with Joe Thornton’s performance during the Olympics, but the guy knows how to score in the regular season. With 13 points in his last 14 games, Big Joe is on a major roll. Dany Heatley is also on a considerable roll with 12 points in his last 11 games. Evgeni Nabokov may have a 2.26 GAA but after giving up 6 goals in Russia’s loss to Team Canada in the quarterfinals, I wonder how Nabokov will respond in the next couple of weeks. So far he has looked good, so it might be a sign to fantasy owners that Nabokov has put that loss behind him. Joe Pavelski is another player who has struggled mightily with just three points in his last ten games. I would stick with Pavelski because he is still the second line center and will be given every opportunity to break out of his slumber.

St. Louis Blues

TJ Oshie has currently scored six points in his last four games, and he leads the team in scoring. He has played well lately and if you are looking for a depth forward, he might be a nice addition to your lineup. Andy McDonald continues his strong play after the Olympic break and has picked up five points in his last six games. McDonald scored his 20^th goal in his last game and he has an outside chance of reaching the 30-goal mark, which would be a pleasant surprise for many fantasy owners, considering his early struggles at the beginning of the NHL season. Let’s face it: Brad Boyes has had a disappointing season. However, with three points in his last three games, it might be a sign that he might finish the season on a high note. Put him back into your lineup if you had benched him for the time being.

Vancouver Canucks

Ryan Kesler is currently riding a nine-game point streak, but what has been most impressive is the fact that Kesler has been a factor offensively without a dominant forward on his wings. Pick up Pavol Demitra if he is available in your league. Out of all of the stars at the Olympics, Demitra led the tournament in scoring. He is picked up from where he left off with points in seven of his last eight games. He definitely looks like he is healthy and has an extra spring in his step, so I would anticipate Demitra being a consistent scorer down the stretch. Mikael Samuelsson has picked up goals in each of his last three games. He is currently on pace to score 30 goals, and he has definitely been a nice surprise for fantasy owners and the Canucks. Roberto Luongo was lit up in Chicago on Friday, but he rebounded with some some key saves in Sunday’s 4-2 win over Nashville. He will continue to receive the bulk of the starts down the stretch, so make sure you ride him every time the Canucks play this season.

Well, that is all for now. Good luck down the stretch!

Follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook.

Tim Arnold mancrush Steven Stamkos is making a strong argument at being a first-round pick in next year's drafts.

Twenty-two weeks into this crazy NHL schedule and by this point you should have some good idea as to where you sit in your leagues out there.  Whether you have already locked up a berth in the post-season, are fighting it out for the last spot, or are in dead last with no vital signs at all, every week is still has the same importance.  Even for you GMs out there who are all but dead in your league, the opportunity to play spoiler is still there.  What better way to get back at the team that hammered you 10-1 earlier in the season than to knock him off his pedestal a bit and hurting his playoff chances or seeding?

With the Olympic tourney now a distant memory, especially for those of you south of the 49, the focus now is on these last 15 or 16 games of the regular season and the last couple of weeks before fantasy playoffs kick off.  Most leagues, like the NHL, had their trading deadline come and go this week allowing GMs one final shot at bulking up their roster in hopes of a successful playoff run.  I participate in half a dozen leagues or so and the trade action in my leagues was very much like the NHL in being dead quiet.  There was not even one trade made in any of my leagues this week, let alone any blockbusters.  Again, much like the NHL these days with the salary cap playing such a huge role, pulling off trades is equally as hard in fantasy.  You really have to find that perfect match of a GM who is seeking something you have a surplus of and is willing to give something up that you covet.  It’s not easy.  In all of my leagues, there have only been a handful of trade transactions this season due in large part to GMs not wanting to part with their star players, regardless of how good or bad of a season they have had thus far.

A prime example of this is a GM in one of my leagues who right up until the New Year was having no part of my repeated offers for Blues RW Brad Boyes.  While in hindsight it was good for me to not acquire the struggling former 40-goal man, the process was tedious.  My original offer was Travis Zajac, which was turned down outright.  Later I offered the then red-hot Dustin Penner, again to no avail.  My man crush on Boyes may have got the best of me when I offered the then injured Marian Hossa, but once again, the owner apparently had a bigger crush on Boyes than I did and turned the deal down.  This week, just hours before our league deadline passed, this same owner sent me an offer of Boyes for Lightning RW Steve Downie, who sat on our waiver wire all season long until about four weeks ago when I snatched him up once he landed on the top line in Tampa, and since has become one of the most valuable players in all of fantasy hockey.  This time, I turned the deal down.  Trading isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Once again this week we will see nearly half of the league tap into a four-game schedule.  The Olympic break has really taken its toll on teams who have been forced into stockpiling lots of games in a very short period of time.  Just ask the Vancouver Canucks, who play four more this week, including the final two games of their NHL record 14-game road trip.  The Nucks finally land back in Vancouver to take on Ottawa next Saturday night.  Being a Leafs fan, it’s hard for me to give credit where credit is due when it comes to a rival city like Vancouver, but I give the Canucks their props.  The fact that they have not really hit any major snags in this insane trip is an accomplishment in its own.  Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, and Alex Burrows are still tearing it up and leading the charge for their offense.  If the return of the injured Pavol Demitra can spark some secondary scoring, this team could be downright scary come playoff time.  A hot goalie in Roberto Luongo and his ever increasing confidence level after bringing home gold for Canada is a huge bonus for Canucks fans.  Now only if they can figure out a way to beat the Chicago Blackhawks.

SCHEDULE

4 games:  ATL, CLM, DAL, LA, MIN, NSH, NYI, PHI, TB, TOR, VAN, WSH

3 games:  ANA, BOS, BUF, CAL, CAR, CHI, COL, DET, EDM, FLA, MON, NJ, NYR, OTT, PHX, PIT, SJ, STL

Despite Alexander Ovechkin struggling (goalless in 6 games) the Washington Capitals continue to plough their way through the Eastern Conference with ease.  They sit a full 16 points ahead of the second place team in the conference and have all but locked up that number one seed.  I don’t know what’s going on with Ovechkin.  Little has been made of it, whether it is an injury or whatever it may be that is keeping him off the board, but if you ask me, he just has not been the same since Canada flat out embarrassed the Russians in the Olympics with a blowout 7-3 win.  I managed to watch two Caps games this week and despite the team still looking incredible, Ovie just hasn’t been his usual self.  Here’s the stupid comment of the week that I can’t help but throw in, but without the Great 8 on the top of his game, I don’t care how good the rest of the team is.  They need him pumpin’ at full steam to have any real shot to continue their dominance.  Maybe now that Sidney Crosby has taken over the NHL goal scoring lead with 44 goals, that will wake up the sleeping monster.

Okay, I can’t go this entire article without mentioning Steven Stamkos.  I have been preaching about Stamkos all season long.  I predicted in the preseason that he would score 40 goals, and I pushed hard for his inclusion on Team Canada, but apparently Steve Yzerman doesn’t read The Week Ahead.  On my Twitter page I have had a countdown of sorts going with every goal that Stamkos scored inching closer to the 40.  Well, two nights ago he accomplished the feat.  Stamkos has hit that 40-goal plateau, has scored points in 16 consecutive games for the Bolts and has a league-leading 16 goals with the man advantage.  He’s a star who I just knew would shine incredibly bright far sooner than anyone ever thought.  Chew on this one… since January of 2009, only one player has scored more goals than Steve Stamkos.  Some guy named Ovechkin.  With 16 games still left to play and Stamkos on the tear that he is on, 50 goals could very well happen. Stamkos will be a top five fantasy pick next year in nearly every draft out there, as he should be.

Can anyone explain to me why the Flyers didn’t try and get a goalie at the deadline?  I think I have said this now for about 12 years running.  They don’t acquire a goalie when Jaroslav Halak, Carey Price, Dwayne Roloson, Martin Biron, Marty Turco, and Peter Budaj were all available.  The very next day they announce that Ray Emery is out for the season and that they will be riding Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher into the playoffs.  So long, Philly.

A couple of names that need to be mentioned this week include Steve Downie of the Lightning and Brian Elliott of the Ottawa Senators.  Both of these guys are must owns.  Downie has been across the board, one of the top five fantasy performers for the past two months.  He is scoring, getting major ice time with the number one line and PP action, and gets into a fight nearly every night because after all, his main role is still to be a pest.  I’ve dropped Brenden Morrow and made Downie my resident go to goon that scores some.

Brian Elliott is without question the number one main in Ottawa going forward.  Don’t be fooled by a spot start here and there for the shaky Pascal Leclaire.  Coach Clouston will be relying on Elliott heavily here in the last 15 or so games.  Elliott is only owned in about 30% of Yahoo! Leagues.  If you need help in the pipes, there may not be a better waiver wire goalie option out there.

Good luck this week!

For fantasyhockey.com, I’m Tim Arnold, the fantasypuckdude.

Vesa Toskala will try to help his fellow Finn Miikka Kiprusoff in the Flames' crease.

New York Islanders
Earlier this week, it was announced that Rick DiPietro would be out indefinitely with his knee injury that has bothered him for over a year now. He only played five games last year and eight this year. Remember when he was supposed to be the next big thing? DiPietro even started for Team USA in the 2006 Olympics. But his career has come crashing down after he signed the infamous 15-year contract extension two years ago.  Now the Islanders are left with Martin Biron and Dwayne Roloson. Roloson started three of the past four games for the Isles. He had lost six in a row before stopping 41 shots in a 5-3 win against the Blackhawks Tuesday night.  With the Islanders still in the playoff hunt, every game is important. So expect Roloson to get majority of the starts like he was before DiPietro returned earlier in the year. Biron, who managed to remain with the Islanders after the trade deadline Wednesday, has actually won two games in a row for the first time this season, and will serve as the backup the rest of the way.

Carolina Hurricanes
Cam Ward had started 24 games in a row for Carolina until he was sidelined with a back injury. Manny Legace and Justin Peters have split the starts in his absence. Each has won their three games, as the ‘Canes have won six in a row. Legace has been inconsistent all season (3.05 GAA, .896 SV%), but Peters, who has bounced around between the Hurricanes and their minor league team, has only allowed four goals in his three starts this season. For this reason, it is odd that they acquired another goalie at the deadline in Justin Pogge. Pogge will probably be sent to the minors. At this point, I don’t think there is any reason to rush Ward back (no pun intended). Carolina is only eight points of out a playoff spot, so it is not unfathomable that they get in, but they are in 14^th place and would have to vault a lot of teams. Peters has started the last two games for Carolina, and they may decide to ride the young goalie while he’s still hot.

Calgary Flames
The Flames have suffered a major tailspin and now see themselves on the outside of the playoff bubble with just four wins in the past 18 games.  Miikka Kiprusoff , the Flames’ starter for five years in a row, has started 14 in a row. But with the team struggling maybe they don’t want to lean on him as much. Calgary traded backup Curtis McElhinney to Anaheim for Vesa Toskala on Wednesday. Kiprusoff didn’t have the best Olympics (mainly that game against the USA), and he allowed four goals on 21 shots in a 4-0 loss to Minnesota on Wednesday night. Toskala did not have his best stuff in Toronto this season before being traded to the Ducks, but he should help the Flames out. He has more experience and can give Kiprusoff more than a day off as Calgary prepares for a playoff run.

Philadelphia Flyers
Ray Emery is out for the year as he will undergo surgery to fix his right hip. What this means is that Michael Leighton will be the starter the rest of the way.  He has been outstanding for the Flyers, having won five in a row before Wednesday night. Leighton allowed four goals in 30 minutes to the Panthers before being pulled for Brian Boucher, who ended up suffering the loss.  Boucher has not gotten the job done this season with four wins and 13 losses this year. He has been on the end of some bad luck, as the Flyers have failed to score three goals in 11 of those losses, but he still isn’t as solid as Leighton. Perhaps the Flyers should have attempted to acquire some goaltending help at the deadline.

Anaheim Ducks
Jonas Hiller has started 23 of the past 25 for the Ducks, who are still clinging to life in the Western Conference playoff picture.  Before the deadline, they acquired Joey MacDonald from the Maple Leafs and Curtis McElhinney from the Flames.  One of these guys will be Hiller’s new backup. My guess is that will be MacDonald, who has more experience.  He has played in five games this year, notching just one win, but he started 46 for the Islanders last year. McElhinney has only made 14 career starts. I’m still not sure why they acquired two goalies or even traded Toskala, who was a more-than capable backup to Hiller. We’ll have to see how this one plays out.

Email me at david@fantasyhockey.com.

Wojtek Wolski is now a member of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Following an exhilarating Olympic tournament, hockey fans were barely able to exhale before the chaos of the annual trade deadline had begun. However, this year’s trade deadline seemed to be missing something that had been present in previous years. Since big names like Ilya Kovalchuk and Dion Phaneuf had already been dealt, this week’s happenings almost seemed anticlimactic. However, a few transactions involving fantasy-relevant players were mixed into the mostly insignificant roster moves made on Wednesday.

Here’s how the moves affected the fantasy values of some players of interest.

Major upgrades

Alexei Ponikarovsky, PIT – Who wouldn’t want a chance to play with Evgeni Malkin? No one on the Leafs is even remotely close to providing the kind of offensive support that Malkin can for Ponikarovsky. Run, don’t walk, to your league’s waiver wire and check on his availability.

Joe Corvo, WAS – Corvo is another player who must have thought he had died and gone to heaven when he heard he had been traded. Corvo will have a lot more fun in Washington with Alex Ovechkin and company than he did in Carolina. Expect a huge plus/minus gain and a healthy point gain now that he’s on the league’s top offense.

Lubomir Visnovsky, EDM – Just the fact that he is out of Edmonton should mean a significant improvement in his fantasy value. All things considered, his (-4) wasn’t bad, but he should see better plus/minus in SoCal. Randy Carlyle likes to give his top defensemen huge minutes, so Visnovsky should see a ton of power-play time.

Mathieu Schneider, PHX – This isn’t saying much, considering that Schneider had zero fantasy value toiling for the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Given his age, Schneider is probably more of an option for those deep leagues that require five or more defensemen per team.

Modest increases

Wojtek Wolski, PHX – Wolski’s name was a surprising inclusion in the names mentioned that were “in play.” However, this article from Adrian Dater of the Denver Post raised some interesting points about Wolski’s consistency and attitude. He should probably slot into the Coyotes’ first line alongside Shane Doan and Matthew Lombardi. At least he should be able to break his current slump (two goals in 25 games).

Peter Mueller, COL – Four goals. If you’re one of the hearty souls that kept Mueller on your roster all season, that’s all you’ve gotten (along with 13 assists). Mueller wasn’t thriving under Dave Tippett’s system, so he’ll be given a new lease on life with a young attack in Colorado. Keep an eye on his progress.

Teddy Purcell, TB– Don’t sleep on this one. Purcell is a potential top-6 forward, and the Bolts were looking for a top-six winger. Having either Vincent Lecavalier or Steven Stamkos as his center makes for a better situation than the 11 minutes per game that Purcell was averaging in Los Angeles.

Jordan Leopold, PIT – The Penguins will probably use Leopold as a number four d-man. Just moving to the Penguins from Florida should help his value, as he could benefit from second unit power-play time. Surprisingly, the Pens’ power-play is in the bottom third of the league, so expect the Pens to give him a whirl.

No change

Eric Belanger, WAS – Moving from Minnesota’s second line to Washington’s third line should be considered a lateral move. Unless he develops insane chemistry with one of Washington’s elite scorers, expect him to remain as a consistent 35-point guy.

Jeff Halpern, LA – Halpern should fit in as a third-line center in Los Angeles, behind Anze Kopitar and Jarret Stoll. I can’t see fantasy owners clamoring for his services in that role. 

Dennis Seidenberg, BOS – Seidenberg will likely be a third or fourth defenseman for the Bruins. He should be able to pick up some of the scoring slack left from another Dennis, the slumping Dennis Wideman. Seidenberg has never scored more than 30 points in a season, and that might not change this season.

Hurt by the moves

Ryan Whitney, EDM – Whitney has struggled this season, having gone 16 games without a point during a stretch in January. Playing for the Oilers could mean a huge plus/minus drain for his owners, even though he should receive major minutes up north. The Oilers hope that Whitney can reach his 59-point output of 2006-07, but it won’t happen this season.

Lee Stempniak, PHX – It seems as if the Coyotes picked up a million players during the last two trade deadlines, so it’s hard to think that Stempniak will receive a ton of minutes in the desert. At least he was a top-six forward with the Leafs, even if his 30 points and (-10) weren’t that appealing to fantasy owners.

You’re kidding me, right?

Vesa Toskala, CGY – Flames fans have to be shaking their heads at this one, especially if they’ve been forced to watch Leafs games during the first half of Hockey Night in Canada doubleheaders. Regardless, Toskala will be a backup goalie who won’t cut into Miikka Kiprusoff’s time, although it’s worth mentioning that the two were teammates in San Jose while working under esteemed goaltending coach Warren Strelow.

Fredrik Modin, LA – Even if Modin finds top-six minutes in LA, he will probably be injured too often to contribute to fantasy rosters anyway. Modin has not played more than 50 games in each of the last three seasons, including this one.

Chris Chelios, ATL – When Chelios debuted in the NHL in 1984, neither Sidney Crosby nor Alex Ovechkin had been even born yet. It’s quite a feat that he’s been able to play hockey this long. Say, isn’t Oil Can Boyd trying to make a comeback too?

Staying put

Ray Whitney, CAR – Whitney was the one player that I thought would be traded for sure. What are teams thinking, not offering a 37-year-old player a multiyear contract?

Alexander Frolov, LA – Here’s an interesting blog from the LA Kings Insider about why Frolov was not traded. He seemed like another player who was as good as gone after being a healthy scratch earlier this season.

Dan Hamhuis, NSH – The Predators now boast one of the league’s top defenses, but they will probably lose Hamhuis to free agency in the offseason.

Sheldon Souray, EDM – I’m guessing Souray won’t send a Christmas card to Jarome Iginla, especially since Souray will miss the rest of the regular season after the hand he broke in a fight with Iginla is now infected.

Tomas Kaberle, TOR – Try as he may, Brian Burke cannot seem to trade Kaberle. At least Kaberle had the decency to give Burke three teams that he would waive his no-trade clause to go to.

Dwayne Roloson/Martin Biron, NYI – The Isles might have to try to get another five years out of the now 40-year-old Roloson, given the fact that Rick DiPietro can’t stay off injured reserve.

Tomas Vokoun, FLA – How badly do you think Vokoun wants out of South Florida? I keep thinking of Roy Halladay for some reason – one of the top players at his position who deserves to play for a winner.

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Compliments? Ideas? Email Ian at ian@fantasyhockey.com. Or follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook.

Pavol Demitra led Olympic scoring with ten points.

Pavol Demitra, LW/RW, VAN (12GP-2g-3a-5pts, with a +3 and 20 shots)

Demitra was a star over the Olympic break for his native Slovakia, leading the team with 10 points (3g-7a) in 7 games. After missing the majority of the season with a shoulder injury suffered in last year’s playoffs, Demitra has also now registered points in four of the last five Canuck games as well, and has tallied close to 20 minutes in his last two contests. Expect the Canucks to continue to ride him while he’s hot as they attempt to lockdown first in the Northwest.

David Clarkson, RW, NJ (25GP-7g-8a-15pts, with a (-1) and 44 PIMs)

Clarkson was one of the most valuable Devil forwards until a broken fibula forced him out of action in late November. He doesn’t have nearly as much value in leagues that don’t count penalty minutes, but if your league does count them, Clarkson is one of those few guys with the unique ability to rack up penalty minutes while chipping in on the scoresheet regularly as well. Take note though, the acquisition of Ilya Kovalchuk in New Jersey will probably steal a little bit of offensive opportunity from Clarkson.

Cam Barker, D, MIN (52GP-5g-10a-15pts, with a +9 and 58 PIMs)

The acquisition of Barker in Minnesota just previous to the Olympic break could have huge fantasy implications for the young d-man who struggled to find minutes with a stacked back-end in Chicago. His numbers were already decent while averaging less than 14 minutes a game in the Windy City, so expect that number to jump to over 20 in Minnesota with an overall increase in production across the board. He scored a goal with a +2 and 19:38 in icetime in his first game with the Wild.

Kari Lehtonen, G, DAL (has not played this season)

As H2H playoffs quickly approach in fantasy leagues, having a strong goalie squad is essential, albeit very difficult to actually improve upon if needed. Taking a chance on Lehtonen now could prove to be huge, as he approaches a return from a season-long back injury, with current Dallas starter Marty Turco continuing to struggle. Lehtonen had been stuck in the goalie wasteland of Atlanta his entire career and a fresh start with a more defensive, Western Conference squad in Dallas could possibly escalate him in to the upper echelon of NHL starters that he was expected to become when the Thrashers selected him second overall in 2002.

Follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook. 

Jhonas Enroth

Contributed by AJ Cich

February is the month for love. Whether it be true love, man-love or the love of hockey, February was chocked full of it. February was different this year and marked something spectacular. Vancouver was host to the 2010 Winter Olympics, and these games are going to be remembered for a long time by hockey fans all across the North American continent. The gold medal and preliminary games between Canada and the United States (both men’s and women’s) will go down in the record books as some of the best hockey games to ever be played. Congratulations go out to all the squads – North Americans have much to be proud of. When hockey is on the world’s stage, fans hope for an award winning performance, and we received just that.

Although many hockey players and fans, including myself, had our attention focused on the Olympic tournament this past month; other hockey leagues like the AHL did not have a break. The month of February usually marks the time where AHL teams must make every game count because once March hits, time becomes the enemy of those trying to make the playoffs. The three players spotlighted this month have been some of the biggest contributors for their teams during the playoff hunt. Their individual efforts have helped quarterback their squads and earn the first-place positions for a lead in the division heading into the last full month of the season.

Jhonas Enroth, G, Portland Pirates

After a rather slow and unexpected start to the season, the Portland Pirates found their game and springboarded from the very bottom of the Atlantic Division to first place. The Pirates have 78 total points coming from their 35 wins and 18 losses this season. One of the biggest reasons why Portland went from the doghouse to the penthouse was the stellar play by their starting goaltender. Enroth, hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, has been on an absolute tear during the second half of the AHL season. At one point, the Pirates were 12-0-1 through the month of January, thrusting themselves into the top spot in the division, and Enroth was the biggest contributor to that cause. Enroth is currently 27-16-1 on the season with a 2.36 GAA and a .918 SV%. The team is currently on a two-game winning streak going into the month of March. Expect to see Enroth finish the season with at least 10 more wins under his belt before playoff time. If there is anything the Buffalo Sabres do well, it’s being able to draft great goaltenders – just look at American hero and Olympic MVP Ryan Miller.

Brock Trotter, C, Hamilton Bulldogs

The Hamilton Bulldogs have been widely known to be one of the premiere and elite teams among the AHL for past ten or so years. So it is no surprise that going into the month of March, the Bulldogs have amassed a record of 39-14-3-5 during the 2009-10 campaign, good for first place in the North Division. Much of the Bulldogs’ success comes from the almost psychic, drafting gurus in the Montreal Canadiens’ front offices. Much of the Canadiens’ star players have been brought through their farm system to prepare them to step into NHL-caliber roles. One Bulldog to keep your eyes on is third-year man Brock Trotter. Trotter currently has 28 goals and 33 assists for the Hamilton this season. Besides the points he has generated this season, Trotter is a plus/minus god. Trotter, at present, has a plus/minus rating of +26. That is absolutely staggering for someone who plays at the center position. If you do the math, out of the 61 games played for far for the Bulldogs, Trotter is averaging a +2.17 plus/minus every game. With the almost .500 record for the Canadiens, barely good enough for the eighth position in the Eastern Conference; Montreal fans must be looking forward to what next season may bring. I would not be surprised to see Trotter logging some more icetime with Montreal during this important playoff push. Although Trotter was a (-1) with no points for the combined two games he played this month for the Canadiens, keep an eye out for his certain return to the Habs.

David Desharnais, C, Hamilton Bulldogs

As I have gushed over the play of Trotter, my man-love continues to extend to another Bulldog centerman. Desharnais has been the ‘counterpunch’ to Trotter’s ‘punch’ for the already stacked Bulldogs roster. Desharnais has been centering the Bulldogs’ second line for most of the 43 games he has played this season. In this, his second full season played as an AHL player, Desharnais has 20 goals and 37 assists with a +15 rating. Like Trotter, Desharnais is almost always on the ice for a Hamilton goal and with his assist numbers – he’s the guy who is helping make those goals happen. Expect to see his assist total hit 50+ by season’s end. He will need to ride his success and be the strong force that he has been this season as the Bulldogs make their way into the Calder Cup playoffs again this season. Although I do not believe Desharnais is NHL ready at this point, fantasy owners should pay close attention to what this young center is doing in the coming seasons. As the Canadiens have shown over the course of many seasons, they know how to foster the growth and prepare their young talent for the NHL.

Follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook.