Bleacher Report - Articles by Greg Checki

Roundup! Week 10 NHL Roster News and Info

Greg Checki — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:18:06 -0500

The NHL has seen some odd roster happenings this season, but with the news coming out this week, things appear to be straightening themselves out.

Center Mats Sundin will soon be making a decision about his future, specifically by December 15th. Sundin is still talking with the Rangers, Flyers, and Blackhawks but will most likely sign with Vancouver and begin playing shortly after Christmas. This immediately makes Vancouver a potential cup contender and raises the value of their top six forwards in fantasy.

Aging winger Brendan Shanahan still has not signed with any team and may wait until Sundin makes a decision to do so. He could sign with the Flyers or Rangers, or almost any other team in need of power play help.

After missing 22 consecutive games, Marian Gaborik recently enjoyed a full practice with his teammates. All signs are pointing to a return sometime next week, possibly December 17th. However, nobody knows what the future holds for the talented Slovak star. The speculation is that he will play with Minnesota only a few weeks, then immediately be traded.

Sean Avery may or may not be reinstated and play again with the Dallas Stars. However either way, the Stars are in a very rough position without Brendan Morrow.To make matters worse Sergei Zubov may need yet another surgery. Dallas is desperate for offense, defense and goaltending. The situation is simply a huge mess right now.

In one of the most bizarre stories this season, Colorado legend Joe Sakic broke three of his fingers and tore a hand ligament while operating a snowblower. Sakic was already due out until mid January but now will miss an additional two months or more. This probably was not how he envisioned his final season ending.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have recently undergone a roster shakeup. RW Radim Vrbata apparently could not get used to life in Florida and has decided to return his native land, the Czech Republic. The Bolts also waived C Chris Gratton, who was immediately picked up by the Flyers.

Fantasy Waiver Wire, Week Nine

Greg Checki — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:07:01 -0500

The bizarre news from the NHL never seems to cease, does it? Thanks to some unforeseeable events, certain players have gained a lot of value, while others have plummeted...

Add 'em

Dallas LW Loui Eriksson has been on a tear since taking over as the team's top left wing, with eight points in five games. Joe Pavelski is also smoking hot and is already up to 22 points on the season.

Justin Williams is ready to come off the IR and rejoin the Hurricanes on one of their top scoring lines any day now. He's a legit point per game player and should be added this second.

Mats Sundin is also worth a bench spot. He's slated to return before New Year's and will likely end up with the Canucks. Pick him up now or forever hold your peace, because once he makes the signing announcement, he won't be available.

Avoid 'em

Daniel Briere has hurt his groin yet again and will miss another five weeks. If you have enough free space on the bench, hang onto him. However if you're already behind, look at dropping him and adding someone else.

Speaking of ailing centers, Avalanche legend Joe Sakic will be out for another six weeks with a back injury. While Joe has still been scoring reasonably well the past few years, he has simply missed too much time with injuries to be of much value in fantasy. Consider dropping him today.

The indefinite suspension of Sean Avery hurts many fantasy owners, who will now be desperate for PIMs and points alike. Avery is seriously in the doghouse right now and should be dropped at your leisure. Consider David Backes a short-term replacement.

Eye On

Roberto Luongo is ahead of schedule and could return between the pipes in less than two weeks. This is bad news for everyone who just picked up Corey Schneider but good for everyone else.

Sergei Zubov is also injured again, and with the Stars already short on the blue line, who knows what to make of it? The only good news is that Zubov should miss just a week to 10 days.

Enigmatic winger Jonathan Cheechoo will be out a bit after aggravating his upper body injury last week. Hold onto him if you can because he seems to score in bundles once the season hits the halfway mark.

Make sure Brendan Shanahan is on your watch list, because nobody knows exactly what's going on now. He was supposed to return with the Flyers two weeks ago, and now may not return with anyone at all.

Superstar Fantasy Defenseman: Year To Date Update, Part I

Greg Checki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:14:23 -0500

What separates a fifth-place fantasy hockey owner from a first-place owner?

Goaltending? Top scoring forwards?

No, the answer is often star defenseman. However, some of these defenseman have been very disappointing, while others have suprised.

The biggest of all defenseman, Zdeno Chara, had a terrible start to the season, but recently broke out of his shell with two powerplay goals. He now has four total goals and nine points. He also has 20 penalty minutes and 51 shots on goal.

Inattentive owners might be willing to part with Chara for less than fair market value, so make a play for him while you still can.

Whenever someone says dynamic duo of defenseman, two things usually come to mind. The first is, wow, I bet you can't say that five times in a row non stop. The second is the pair of Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski in Detroit.

Both are good enough to be superstars on any team. Rafalski and Lidstrom have 15 and 14 points, respectively, and will continue the season at this clip. Both are very hard to acquire—and for good reason, as they substantially contribute power-play points, assists, and shots on goal.

The Ducks also have a dynamic duo—Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer. Pronger has been outstanding thus far, with 14 points, 24 penalty minutes, and 58 shots on net. The same cannot be said for Scott Niedermayer, who has just 10 points and two goals. However, he does have six power-play points and plenty of shots on net, too.

Niedermayer is likely to post around 45 to 50 points this year while Pronger could score 60 points or more. Treat Niedermayer as a number-two and Pronger as a number-one fantasy defenseman.

The Flyers also feature a pair of notable defenseman in Kimmo Timmonen and Braydon Coburn.

Timmonen is normally a solid number-two fantasy defenseman. He contributes more offensively with points, power-play points, and shots on goal. On the other hand, Coburn helps out in a variety of categories including penalty minutes and shots on goal and will tally around 40 points. He's a great long term pick up for anyone in need of a number-three fantasy defenseman.

The best parts about Coburn are that he doesn't miss many games, and is a fairly consistent player. Just set him up, and let him play until the end of the season.

Danny Boyle was San Jose's big offseason acquisition this season, and has pleased Sharks fans and fantasy owners alike. With 16 points, six goals, seven power-play points, 61 shots on goals, and 20 penalty minutes, Dan has been the man across the board. He's enjoying himself as SJ's main power-play quarterback, and will continue to post huge numbers, unless injury or illness should befall him. He's a true number-one defenseman in fantasy and the NHL.

And what about the turnaround that has taken place in the Windy City? Part of that can be attributed to the new power play, and that is thanks largely to Brian Campbell.

Campbell is essentially a winger in defenseman's clothes and is well known for his puck moving ability. He frequently races up the ice to create odd man rushes and scoring chances. With 14 points in 18 games and plenty of points on the power play, Campbell has met expectations, and figures to be Chicago's star defenseman all season long. He is a legitimate number-one fantasy defenseman.

Sergei Zubov has recently returned from injury, and has four points in eight games since. Zubov is a truly-superb offensive blueliner, but has missed many games since 2006-07. If he continues playing regularly, expect 45 to 55 points this season, with as many as 20 or more coming on the power play. Zubov will primarily contribute assists, and not many shots on goal or penalty minutes.

Mathieu Schneider has disappointed many Atlanta fans, with just five points and a minus-11 rating. Thus, he can be had very cheap right now and is even on many waiver wires. His numbers will certainly rise as the season goes on, barring serious injury.

However, fellow offseason acquisition Ron Hainsey has been Johnny on the spot, with 12 points—six on the power play—and 40 shots on goal. Hainsey probably won't continue this pace for the whole season, but makes a nice second fantasy defenseman while he's hot.

In Vancouver, Mattias Ohlund and Sami Salo were both thought to be top-three fantasy defenseman. Yet neither has gotten off to a particularly good start, and both have been battling through minor injuries much of this season. However, Ohlund had two assists in the Canucks 6-3 win over the Rangers Wednesday, and is showing signs of life. On top of that, Ohlund may be traded away soon and could end up as a number-one defenseman on another team. This would probably increase the value of both Ohlund and Salo.

Speaking of Sami, he has disappointed a bit with just one goal on eight points. Both of these guys contribute heavily to peripheral categories such as penalty minutes and shots on goal. If you check the waiver wire, you might find one of them available.

Tune in next time as we cover more top-rated fantasy defenseman around the league.

Tampa Bay Lightning Has Yet to Strike

Greg Checki — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:07:28 -0500

The Bolts enjoyed an offseason featuring a change in ownership, a signing binge, and a ton of press coverage. However, despite the aforementioned, we're now seven weeks into the season and the fans have yet to enjoy the new look Bolts.

The Barry Melrose era (all six weeks of it) recently came to an end in Tampa and Rick Tocchet, the former assistant coach to Wayne Gretzky in Phoenix, has taken over for the foreseeable future. Melrose made several mistakes from the get go. He began picking a bone with Vinny Lecavalier and refusing to give Steven Stamkos decent ice time after the owners put up 100 billboards around the city for him.

Melrose thus managed to endear himself to...no one. The worst parts, however, were not the changes made by Melrose but their ill effects, as the Lightning posted only five wins in their first 15 games.

Tocchet immediately set out to remedy the mistakes of Melrose. Stamkos was promoted to the first line, alongside Vinny and Marty St. Louis, and Tocchet said he would make the team's play much more up tempo. Yet with all the star talent, Tampa Bay currently owes most of its wins to budding superstar goalie Mike Smith. Smith has had to stand on his head many times just to keep the team in the game, as he has had surprisingly little goal support. So, what went wrong in the offseason?

The teams two biggest acquisitions, Radim Vrbata and Steven Stamkos, have failed to impress. The best addition for the Lightning thus far has been Mark Recchi, who is still the league's best passing winger. But, what about the established talent? Slow starts from Martin St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier have been extremely disappointing, but they are showing signs of turning it around.

Despite the slew of big named and high priced forwards brought in, there was almost no change in the defense corps. At least not a positive change. Dealing away Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich took away the teams best offensive and defensive defensemen, respectively. Paul Ranger was injured to start the season and addition Matt Carle just never fit in. So, the team decided to pick up Steve Eminger to solidify things. Yeah, you read that right, Steve Eminger is the solution to Tampa Bay's defensive problems.

No disrespect to Eminger, but the Lightning really need to add at least two serious defenseman to basically fill the holes left by Boyle and Lukowich. And paramount to the team must be the addition of a powerplay quarterback.

Tampa Bay had two last year in Brad Richards and Danny Boyle and possessed one of the leagues most feared powerplays. Now they have a powerplay run by committee with predictably little success. While Lundin, Ranger, and Meszaros are all potential filled blue liners, it's clear that they're not ready to run the show just yet.

The best way for Tampa Bay to drag itself out of a tailspin is to bite the bullet and trade a forward or two, such as Prospal, Recchi, and/or Vrbata to fill the holes on defense. However, if they fail to do so, it will be another long season in Tampa Bay.

NHL's Breaking Roster News and Rumors

Greg Checki — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:22:42 -0500

The 2008-'09 NHL season is now well underway, and the strengths and weaknesses of teams are rather obvious. The contenders will seek to solidify their weak spots and what better way to improve than by picking up a new player?

The hot topic is Brendan Shanahan. Shanny has been expected to sign with the Flyers for nearly a week now. In fact, they even cut Lasse Kukkonen to make space for him. Nobody knows exactly what's up with this impending deal, but one thing is for sure, Shanahan will almost certainly be back soon.

No matter which team he's on, he will see powerplay time, along with tons of shots and a number of goals.

The much beloved and now beleaguered Mats Sundin is still looking around the league to find a spot on a cup contender. The front-runners are Anaheim, Minnesota, New York, Vancouver, and possibly Toronto.

The reality of the situation is that nobody knows where he'll end up yet and that Sundin wants a pretty big contract. Vancouver offered him two years for $20 million. So, whoever signs him will have to have plenty of salary-cap space.

Mats has been getting himself in shape the last few weeks. The popular belief is that Sundin will return around Christmas and should be in top shape, raring and ready to go.

Just like clockwork, another day brings another Marian Gaborik rumor. As of yesterday, TSN and CBS Sportsline reported that a trade involving Gaborik might be imminent. The truth is that Minnesota will trade Gaborik, but nobody has any idea when.

The longer he stays injured, the lower his value goes. He's a very dynamic player but GM's around the league are starting to view him as injury prone. He missed 35 games in 2006-'07 with a groin injury, and that's what he appears to be dealing with this time, too.

Michael Nylander in Washington is on the block as well. He's a capable offensive player and one of the best pure playmaking centers in the league. The real problem is his age, 37. Washington is going with the youth movement and Nylander doesn't fit in. Moreover, Nicklas Backstrom is their franchise center and has great chemistry on the top line with Alexander Ovechkin.

Possible destinations for Nylander include Chicago and Florida.

Speaking of players expected to be dealt before the deadline, Jay Bouwmeester comes to mind. "J-Bo" seems to be the odd-man out in Florida with the resurgences of Bryan McCabe and Keith Ballard.

Don't read this the wrong way, the Panthers would like to keep Bouwmeester but it seems definite that both sides will part ways. Perhaps he will simply have an awful year and nobody will offer very much, but beyond that, he seems to be headed elsewhere.

The Penguins recently acquired Phillipe Boucher for Daryl Sydor in a swap of veteran defenseman. Sydor will be manning the blue line once again in Dallas, while Boucher will be manning the power play in Pittsburgh. The Penguins really have been hard up for offensive help on the blue line this year, due to the injuries suffered by Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar.

The good news is that Whitney should return by the second week of December; however, Gonchar is out until at least late February. Boucher has been the victim of nagging injuries and had a disappointing 2007-'08 season.

He should gain some value in the short-term in Pittsburgh and presents them with the unique problem of having too many good defenseman once Whitney and Gonchar return. Look for the Pens to make another deal involving defenseman this year, probably around the trade deadline.

Fantasy Hockey Goalies: Week 7

Greg Checki — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:46:35 -0500

Things in net have been particularly unpredictable this season around the league. Whether it's franchise goalies who've fallen apart or back-ups who are stealing the show, some weird things have been going on...

Injuries

Evgeni Nabokov is still out with a knee injured sustained over a week ago in a shoot-out. Brian Boucher has been playing well in his absence but Nabby is expected to return in a week to ten days. Boucher isn't a bad addition for the next few games, as he has posted nice numbers and the Sharks seem to enjoy playing in front of him.

Rick DiPietro had successful surgery on his left knee and should return in about three weeks. Joey MacDonald has been superb in his absence, especially in the last week. His overall numbers are solid, with a GAA of 2.82 and .911 save percentage. However, be careful if you use J-Mac because the Isles are a very streaky team.

Kari Lehtonen has been something of a mystery this year. He's been out for over a week now, first with the flu and then with back issues. Youngster Ondrej Pavelec and veteran Johan Hedberg have acquitted themselves admirably in Lehtonen's absence. Hedberg has won his last three games in a row and might be worth adding in the short-term.

Slumps

After an awful start, Marty Turco has turned it around as of late, allowing just 11 goals through his past five games (2.18 GAA). But he only has one win in that span. The Stars seem to be in the right frame of mind now though. If you were patient and kept Turco on the pine pony while he worked through his struggles, you will soon be rewarded. Start Turco in all formats.

What's going on in New Jersey? Kevin Weekes is now losing starts to 30-year-old rookie Scott Clemenson. As your humble authority correctly predicted, Weekes proved to be nothing more than a modest No. 2 goalie. The same goes for Clemenson, as he should be avoided for the time being.

The situation in Washington is less clear, where Brent Johnson seemed to have established himself as the No. 1 only to be injured soon after. Jose Theodore was awful in last night's 6-5 loss to New Jersey but is getting starts while Johnson heals. Feel free to add Johnson as a high end No. 3 goalie for the time being.

Alex Auld was a very wanted man in fantasy just two weeks ago, now nobody seems to want him. Despite having only one win in his last six games, Auld has been playing well. However the team in front of him hasn't seemed to play with any sense of urgency or desire. Keep an eye on this situation for the time being, because Martin Gerber will likely get a chance to steal the top job away...

Chris Osgood has been abysmal for Detroit and rumors are that Ty Conklin may soon get the bulk of the starts. Even still, Osgood has seven wins and is a decent option in leagues that don't heavily count GAA and save percentage.

Hot Streaks

Roberto Luongo continues to rack up wins and other impressive numbers as the Canucks are on a run now. Expect this trend to continue as long as Kyle Wellwood stays hot and Pavel Demitra stays healthy.

Despite a disappointing 3-2 loss to the Rangers last night, Tim Thomas is still the No. 1 in Boston for the time being. He's a high end No. 2 fantasy net-minder right now. The only reason he isn't a No. 1 in fantasy is that Manny Fernandez is still stealing starts...

Henrik Lundqvist is the epitome of a fantasy hockey dreamboat. His GAA is a truly miniscule 1.99 and his save percentage is a dazzling .929. He also leads the league with 11 wins. If you drafted him, enjoy it. But if not, don't bother trying to trade for him.

Playing the Waiver Wire: Week Seven

Greg Checki — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:38:41 -0500

In order to win in any fantasy league, an owner must be able to use the waiver wire to his advantage. With that in mind, here we go...

Forwards

Ryan Clowe continues to be a force in all categories and should be added before it's too late. However if you need a winger and he's already gone, then take a look at Petr Sykora. After a very slow start, Sykora is turning it on and now has 11 points.

On top of that, his whole line is on fire. His center, Evgeni Malkin leads the league in scoring and LW Jordan Staal now has six points (five goals) in the last three games. What really makes it appealing is that Staal is only owned in 49 percent of leagues. He obviously can't continue quite this pace, but as long as he's on Malkin's line, he should be a strong fantasy force.

Joe Pavelski of San Jose is a nice addition in deeper leagues or for anyone who must have shots on goal. He is admittedly a streaky player but should continue to pot points at a reasonable clip, since he's seeing PP time regularly. Speaking of West Coast wingers, Chris Kunitz has been seeing time on the top line with the Ducks and recently picked up his second goal.

He's now up to 11 points and is free in over half of leagues. He is due to score 60 points or more this year. In the rejuvenated forward department, Lightning winger Mark Recchi has been on fire the past week or so, posting seven points in five games.

He has been seeing time on the PP in Tampa because of his excellent passing and this trend will likely continue. Another long-timer to keep an eye on is Pavel Demitra, who will soon be returning from injury. Demitra is one of Vancouver's only proven forwards and should start putting the puck in the net once he gets the rust off.

And if you must have a center, keep an eye peeled for Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron is owned in just 41 percent of leagues now and is certainly a worthwhile option. Chris Drury has been on a tear lately with five goals and an assist in the last four games.

He's on a team that appears to be clicking and may be able to continue his hot streak for a couple of weeks. If he's free in your league, give him a close look.

Defenseman

Marek Zidlicky now has six points in his last four games and is kicking in on the power play as well. While he obviously won't be able to maintain this pace, he will be experiencing a boost in value if and when Marian Gaborik comes back. While we're on the subject of veterans with new teams, what about Mathieu Schnieder?

Admittedly, Schnieder has been awful thus far and injured as of late but will be helpful to owners down the stretch. If you have an empty slot, feel free to grab and bench him for a while.

Schneider's teammate, Tobias Enstrom is gradually breaking out of an awful start and might be a nice fill in for the short term. Speaking of injuries, Mattias Ohlund has been battling through a finger injury recently and his numbers indicate his subpar health.

Even still, he will be a nice long-term addition for anyone thin on the blue line. Joni Pitkanen recently returned from injury and immediately resumed the role of top power play defenseman. If someone dropped him due to his hiatus, now is the chance to make a savvy pick up.

Rangers Defenseman Daniel Girardi continues to post gaudy numbers, now with two goals and 12 assists on the season. He also has five points on the power play and 34 shots on goal. He's still available in almost 40 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Dustin Byfuglien is also picking up the pace and enjoys dual eligibility at LW and Defense. He's overdue for a scoring spree and makes a nice No. 4 fantasy defenseman when healthy. Craig Rivet is another blueliner who is long overdue to break out in a big way. While he never will be a top scorer, he will contribute some penalty minutes and power play points.

Goalies

Brent Johnson has ostensibly taken over the starting job in Washington. Although he was injured this week and missed a couple games, rest assured that he will be making many starts in the near future. Manny Fernandez has put up surprisingly pleasant numbers and should be seeing respectable playing time, despite not being the No. 1 tender in Boston.

Islanders netminder Joey MacDonald recently posted back-to-back wins against the Senators and has knocked his GAA down to a respectable 2.88. He appears to be settling in nicely and is capable of holding down the fort until Rick DiPietro returns next month.

Fantasy Hockey Rundown: Superstars and the Teammates Who Love Them

Greg Checki — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:11:31 -0500

How many superstars did you draft in your fantasy hockey league this year? If the answer is two or more, chances are that at least one of them has disappointed you.

So what should you do? Bailout now or keep hoping for a turnaround?

Starting the success stories of the year, Shane Doan has been fantastic through the first five or so weeks of the season. With 15 points, tons of shots, penalty minutes, and five power-play points, he's done every single thing possible to reward the owners who drafted him highly.

And yet, as great as Doan has been, it's unlikely he will continue to post numbers at this clip. Trading him now is a pretty darn good idea.

Despite Detroit's meltdown loss to Pittsburgh last night, Marian Hossa has been stellar, posting a team-leading 19 points, while going plus-seven and putting up eight of his points on the power play. Coming into the season, expectations were tempered because of the extreme depth at forward in Hockeytown, but alas, the bar is high again. Owners should expect Hossa to continue playing well—but not expect his numbers to maintain this pace.

While Hossa has been rock-solid, teammate and starting netminder Chris Osgood has been simply awful. Part of the problem is that Detroit seems to be a focusing a little more on offense, but Osgood has allowed plenty of soft goals. The Wings are said to be looking for a change in net soon, so owners should have other options in mind for the future.

Sidney Crosby has been drafted as a No. 1 fantasy pick for the past three years, and is posting worthwhile numbers yet again. His 19 points—eight on the power play—56 shots on goal, and 14 penalty minutes are all rather solid, but not amazing. The best part about "Sid the Kid" is his consistency—his numbers are sustainable and he will probably end up with a nice 110 points and over 200 shots on net.

Speaking of superstars from Pittsburgh, has anyone noticed that Geno Malkin is again leading the league in scoring? He's posting good to great numbers in every category with the exception of penalty minutes. The only thing capable of slowing him down is a freak injury.

Jarome Iginla is one of the only true five-tool players in the league, and although not a leading scorer, he consistently helps owners out across the board. This year is no exception. With 10 goals and 21 points already, Iginla is looking to break the 100-point barrier for the first time in his career. If you have Iginla, enjoy it. If not, don't bother trying to trade for him.

And while we're on the subject of well-rounded players, what's up with Vinny Lecavalier? He's posting very modest numbers at this point, with no turnaround in sight. The real problem is the huge mess in Tampa Bay. Barry Melrose is already on the hot seat, and the new owners may be running low on money. Keep an eye on Vinny and company for the time being.

Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane has 18 points already, and seems to be entirely legitimate as a No. 2 fantasy forward. Expect his numbers to stay even or rise as soon as Jonathan Toews comes back into form.

Speaking of Toews, he now has goals in back-to-back games after going an eternity without one. He will almost certainly continue scoring in the near future. If you're in need of a center, Toews is attainable and a heck of a value.

Defenseman Dan Boyle of San Jose has enjoyed a resurgence with the Sharks, with 11 points so far. He's seeing a ton of ice time and is the Sharks power-play quarterback these days. Fellow defenseman Dion Phaneuf is also posting great numbers—with 13 points and shots on goal galore.

On the opposite end of the spectrum however is Zdeno Chara. Expectations for the renowned strongman were so high coming into this season, anything below 50 points would've been seen as a massive disappointment. And yet through 14 games, he has just four points. The silver lining in this cloud is that Chara recently scored his first goal of the year. He will indeed have a turnaround—and is reachable, if you offer something decent in return.

Speaking of the Bruins, Tim Thomas looks like an early-eason Hart and Vezina trophy candidate, making save after save. Whoever drafted him early on is now looking particularly savvy. Franchise center Marc Savard has a point per game so far, but no teammates to help him shoulder the offensive load. However, the situation may get better as Chuck Kobasew has recently returned from injury.

The Hurricanes are a complete mess right now, and it's really killing their corps of forwards. Eric Staal has only nine points thus far, and Rod Brindamour is minus-13. The only good news is that Ray Whitney has been a pleasant surprise with 13 points.

They also have a problem in net, as Michael Leighton has been routinely taking starts away from the again disappointing and often highly-drafted Cam Ward.

The Wild are another a team in transition, as Marian Gaborik is still out with an undisclosed lower-body (groin) injury and no clear return date in sight. This has hurt several of Marian's teammates, including Marek Zidlicky and Andrew Brunette. The only good news is that Gabby has again resumed skating and will hopefully be able to return within a couple of weeks.

Brendan Morrow has been up and down so far this season, but still has 13 points and 47 penalty minutes. On the other hand, Marty Turco has been beyond pathetic. A GAA of 3.75 is just awful, and the lack of defense has led to a lack of wins. This, in turn, has lead to turmoil in the dressing room—and may lead to a roster shakeup. Everyone should keep an eye on them at this point.

Speaking of teams trying to shake their inner demons, the Thrashers' struggles come to mind. The teams top offseason acquisition, Mathieu Schnieder, has been horrific, with just four points and a minus-11 rating. He's been fighting an injury to boot.

Teammate Ilya Kovalchuk continues to be hit and miss as the season goes along. He may soon be traded—but until he is, youngster Bryan Little is spending every minute on ice with him, and has the numbers to prove it. Little is a nice short-term solution for anyone in a pinch.

The Washington Capitals can only go as far as Alex Ovechkin can take them, right? Well, maybe not. Alexander Semin now has 13 goals in five-and-a-half weeks of hockey, and that was with Ovechkin nowhere to be found. Now that Ovechkin is picking it up, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, and company should all enjoy a rise in fantasy value.

The Flyers are yet another club that continues to struggle despite having many high-value players. Mike Richards has 17 points and is a picture of stability, while the other star center in Philly, Daniel Briere, can't stay healthy. Kimmo Timmonen and Braydon Coburn have posted disappointing numbers thus far—thanks in part to issues on the powerplay. And by the way, if you own Jeffrey Lupul, do something about your RW situation now, because he's currently languishing on the team's fourth line.

Speaking of inconsistency, what about the Buffalo Sabres? Superstar Thomas Vanek has 13 goals and 3 assists through 17 games but what about his mates? Derek Roy merely has 10 points, 8 assists, and is -5. Jason Pominville has posted solid numbers thus far with 7 goals and 6 assists but that just about ends the pleasantries. Drew Stafford has been a terrible flop and Tim Connolly is constantly in and out of the line up with injuries. The defenseman have been equally disappointing. Beyond Vanek and Miller, Buffalo is a team with modest fantasy value.

Fantasy Hockey Week 6 Waiver Wire Preview

Greg Checki — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:12:38 -0500

Learning is a lifelong process, a wise man once said. Keeping that sage advice in mind, we continue our own fantasy hockey education by examining surprising players.

Hot Streaks

Erik Ersberg

Ersberg impressed everyone this week, starting all three games in net for the Kings and possibly supplanting Jason LaBarbera in the process.

Ersberg won two of those three match-ups and posted very solid numbers, with a GAA of 1.93 and a .913 save percentage. Even still, the Kings TG (top goalie) is only a No. 2 fantasy option.

Niklas Hagman

Hagman has been murdering the puck lately with six points in his last four games. On top of his hot streak, it appears that he is playing a significant amount of time on the top line and on the power play.

Add in the fact that Toronto is shuffling around Jason Blake and trying to find some scoring consistency and Hagman looks like a good short term pick up for goals and assists.

Pavel Kubina

Kubina appears to have finally awakened from an early season slumber. He posted two points in Saturday night's game against Montreal and had points in four consecutive games before that.

If you were smart enough to put him on the pine pony while he regained his form, now is the time to start him and be rewarded.

Roberto Luongo

Many Canucks fans think Luongo is the league's best goalie and after three consecutive shutouts, it's easy to see why. Despite having some trouble early on, his .920 save percentage and 2.34 GAA are stellar.

Luongo is certainly a premier fantasy net-minder, but the cost of acquiring him now will simply be too high. If you have him, make sure he's starting and if you don't, keep this in mind for next year's draft.

Petr Sykora

Sykora has three points in his last two games and has netted a pair of goals in the Penguins last game, a 5-4 victory over Edmonton. Despite this recent streak, Sykora has a grand total of only six points.

On top of that, Miro Satan appears to have established himself as the only true top winger. Sykora is a reasonable fill in at RW, but merely a No. 4/5 fantasy forward.

Blake Wheeler

Wheeler put his name on the map with five points in two games, including a hatter against the Maple Leafs on Thursday.

The sad truth is that this forward has minimal value, since Chuck Kobasews' return means there will be even less available ice time for other forwards. Continue to ignore Blake Wheeler for the time being.

Ice Cold

Jay Bouwmeester

J-Bo, as he's known in Florida, has just three points and is minus-4. And even though he's been simply awful thus far, there's reason to believe he will turn it around.

He's a traditional slow starter. On top of that, his contract is up after this season and he could be traded at any time. His ownership percentage is waning a bit now so there's a chance he might even be a free agent in your league. Buy him low!

Peter Budaj

Despite posting a recent shutout, Budaj still has very underwhelming numbers. His GAA is over three and his sv percentage of .885 is equally unimpressive. As of yet, Colorado may still trade for a goalie.

Budaj may eventually turn it around and claim the starting job, but he's little more than a third goalie right now.

Erik Cole

Cole is constantly projected as a top winger and constantly disappoints. He simply isn't fitting in well to Edmonton's style. With just two goals, a minus-3 rating and no turnaround in sight, now is a good time to find a replacement.

Kimmo Timmonen

Timmonen has only five points and is a minus-2. This is especially mystifying when you consider how much time he sees on the power play.

The truth of the matter is that Philadelphia has simply looked out of sync and just isn't playing well. He will certainly catch fire soon, so trade for him while you still can.

Joffrey Lupul

Lupul caught the eyes of most fantasy owners last year but simply hasn't found his game yet this season. He has only five goals and an assist through 13 games.

Lupul is a lot like Petr Sykora; he's streaky, can score a lot on the power play and won't help owners out much with peripheral stats. Will the return of Daniel Briere help? Tune in next time...

Fantasy Hockey Youngsters: Million Dollar Babies and Penny Ante Busts

Greg Checki — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:21:41 -0500

At the start of every hockey season, there are always a dozen or more young players who are surrounded by an intense buzz. Now a full month into the hockey season, it's time to see who's measuring up.

Pleasant Surprises

Cam Barker

Despite being constantly called up and then sent down by the Blackhawks, potential-filled defenseman Cam Barker may finally have seen his minor-league days end. He already has three points through four games and is spending time on the power play.

He put up 18 points in 45 games with the Hawks last season and appears to be a superb choice for any keeper league. However, make sure he sticks around the NHL for another few games before adding him.

Derick Brassard

Brassard won Rookie of the Month honors for his performance in October, posting 12 points through 12 games. He missed some time this week with the flu, but it was nothing serious and he has already returned. Brassard is a solid all-around player and appears to be the No. 2 center in Columbus. He will post a fair number of points, shots, and power-play points and is a legitimate No. 4/No. 5 fantasy forward.

Alex Burrows

Burrows has been a very pleasant surprise with 10 points through 13 games, including a shorthanded goal. He is most valuable in leagues that reward penalty minutes, as he is averaging two per game. He's also emerging as a scorer and is a nice addition at forward for owners who need to suddenly fill spots. But keep your expectations realistic and don't expect him to put up 60 or 70 points just yet.

Ryan Clowe

Not enough good things can be said about Clowe's performance thus far. The young left wing is amassing goals, power-play points, and penalty minutes galore. He is available as a free agent in a majority of Yahoo! and CBS leagues and should be gobbled up immediately. The same goes for his teammate, right wing Devin Setoguchi.

Jakub Voracek

This rookie has exceeded preseason predictions thus far with two goals and eight assists in 13 games. He also offers a nice boost in power-play points and has averaged more than a penalty minute per game. He's been on one of the Blue Jackets' top lines throughout the young season and is now their power-play quarterback, racking up the stats to prove it. If you need a solid RW, look no further.

Fantasy Busts

Drew Doughty

Despite two points in tonight's game against the lowly Panthers, he still has just three points. The Kings don't much intend to have him as their scoring leader this year and neither should you.

Cory Murphy

The inexperienced Panthers defenseman has just 1 point through 7 games and is injured yet again. While he definitely has a lot of potential, he won't be doing any favors for his fantasy owners anytime soon and should be off your team ASAP.

Kyle Okposo

Okposo has been very disappointing with three points through 12 games. The Isles haven't looked like much of a team this year nor has Okposo looked like much of a player. It's time to admit he's not yet ready to be a primetime fantasy player and move on.

Mason Raymond

Despite posting 10 points through his first 12 games and apparently having chemistry with the Sedin twins, the Canucks management decided to bring up former Lightning winger Michel Ouellet and immediately gave him Raymond's spot on the top line.

Despite being a big fan of this guy, he is little more than waiver-wire fodder when he's not on Vancouver's top line.

"Young Guns" to Keep an Eye on

Nicklas Backstrom

Alexander Ovechkin has only two goals so far and that hasn't hurt anyone more than Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom. With just four assists through 12 games, now is an excellent time to buy him on the cheap. He will probably end up with around 60 points and a ton of power-play assists.

Anze Kopitar

Kopitar signed a huge contract after his superb season last year and appears to be feeling the pressure. He has posted merely a single goal with six assists and is minus-3 through 11 games. Look for Kopitar to break out soon, though. Some owners may be willing to part with him for very little, so consider making a trade and buying low.

Jonathan Toews

Toews (pronounced Taves) was drafted by most owners as a No. 2 fantasy center and is capable of putting up big numbers in many categories but has surely disappointed in the early going. He has yet to record a goal and has just seven assists in 12 games.

Despite the poor numbers, he's still owned in over 90 percent of leagues. If you have Toews, put him on the pine for a while, but have faith that he will soon turn it around.

Kari Lehtonen

Atlanta has again tried to make Lehtonen its starting goalie, but each new season brings only more disappointment and another injury for the 25-year-old Finn. Lehtonen has been fighting a back injury for over a week now and starting in his place is star prospect Ondrej Pavelec.

Giving your potential replacement starting time is not something that will ever help your fantasy numbers. Mix in the fact that Atlanta has no concept of team defense and Lehtonen is nothing more than a low-end No. 2 or high-end No. 3 fantasy goalie when healthy.

Fantasy Hockey Injury Roundup: Brodeur and More

Greg Checki — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:13:27 -0500

Devils Goalie Martin Brodeur is out for three to four months with a serious bicep injury. Kevin Weekes immediately becomes a decent No. 2 fantasy option, but not much more. Why not? While he did post solid numbers as a starter in years past, the Devils' defense of late has been rather poor. They're allowing far too many scoring chances and not playing as a team. To top it all off, New Jersey is rumored to be looking for a goaltender to hold them over until Marty returns.

Prognosis: Weekes is a potential high-end No. 2 at best. Pick him up if you're in trouble at goalie, otherwise, hold tight.

Scott Walker was taken off IR today by the Carolina Hurricanes. He's an excellent multi-category player when healthy. He can post PIMs, points, and power play points. The problem is simply that he is almost never healthy.

Prognosis: If you're desperate at right wing, keep an eye on him over the next week or so before making a move.

Craig Rivet and Tim Connolly have recently returned for the Buffalo Sabres and are immediately seeing substantial playing time. Connolly is the top dog on the Sabres' power play, however his health is also a top concern. He has missed significant time over the past two seasons. On top of that, the only categories he will benefit you in are power play points and assists.

Prognosis: He may be a good addition in the short term or until he gets hurt again.

Rivet, however is on the other extreme. He will help fantasy owners out with PIM, power play points, plus/minus, and more. He has only played two games after his surgery so far and still seems to be recovering.

Prognosis: Rivet is a legitimate No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy hockey defenseman when healthy, but knee injuries often cause lingering problems. Wait until he plays another game or two before adding him.

The Columbus Blue Jackets recently welcomed Freddy Modin back to the locker room, as he is returning from yet another injury. He's expected to spend time playing on the first line with Rick Nash, but for how long? He played fewer than 30 games in 2007-2008 and has had injury problems for years.

Prognosis: Monitor him carefully before making any decisions.

The Mats Sundin rumor mill continues to go on and on. He recently met with Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke, but will almost certainly not decide on his future until the end of November. So if you see him on the waiver wire now, do not yet sign him. Patience is a virtue in fantasy, so wait a couple weeks before pouncing.

The Fantasy Hockey Goalie Conundrum

Greg Checki — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:01:39 -0400

Goaltending this season has been terribly perplexing, with some starters on the bench and some perennial bench-riders eating up minutes. This situation can best be called the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good

Tim Thomas has been spectacular. In fact, he's been so good that he deserves his own column, but this will have to suffice. He is now 3-2-2 with a 1.95 goals-against average, .939 save percentage, and two shutouts.

Before you think those numbers are overly gawdy, his numbers last season were also superb. But don't overpay for him since he may lose a significant number of starts to Manny Fernandez when he hits a rough patch.

Carey Price has been fantastic, as expected. Despite his penchant for allowing the occasional odd goal every game, his numbers are stellar. With a save percentage of .937 and a GAA of 1.91, there literally is nobody better, in fantasy or reality.

The big motivator for Price in his second NHL season is Jaroslav Halak. Halak is a highly talented goalie with loads of potential and is extremely hungry for playing time. The problem is that he lacks experience, so Price will definitely be getting the vast majority of playing time.

Mike Smith has been come out of left field this year and saved the Lightning in the process. With a GAA of 2.11 and a league-leading .942 save percentage, he has definitely changed the minds of many fantasy owners.

With that said, his owners should be looking to sell him immediately. The Bolts simply have a suspect blue line and are unlikely to win enough games to make Smith a No. 1 fantasy netminder this season.

The Bad

Marty Turco is known to be a bit of a slow-starter, but he has taken that habit to another level this season. He is 3-4-2 with a GAA of 4.26 and a save percentage of .842. There is a silver lining in all of this, though—the Stars have no proven back up.

Turco will continue to get starts as long as he shows signs of life. Savvy fantasy owners should look to buy him up now, since even if his GAA and save percentage are not up to snuff this year, he will still end up with plenty of wins.

Chris Osgood is sporting a GAA of 3.38 after seven games and an equally embarrassing save percentage. Osgood's owners should be nervous for several reasons. First of all, Ty Conklin may steal away starts from Osgood right now, and the Red Wings are rumored to be looking at making trades down the line. They're specifically looking at Cristobal Huet and may be able to get him. Ozzie's owners should probably hunker down now and hope for the best.

Evgeni Nabokov has stopped only .877 of shots faced and has a surprisingly human GPA of 2.85 but sports a 6-2 record. San Jose has a superb defensive system in place but is lacking on stay-at-home defensemen this year.

Rob Blake, Christian Ehrhoff, and Dan Boyle are known for their goal-scoring ability, not their goal-stopping ability. Expect Nabby to turn it around, but he will not be having a career year.

The Ugly

Dwayne Roloson is in real trouble in Edmonton as he is nothing more than one member of a trio. Mathieu Garon is apparently getting the most playing time while youngster Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers cannot be sent down without clearing waivers, and the team simply will not risk losing him. Roloson is likely to end up as a back up or possibly a starter once he's traded. However, fantasy owners would be wise to avoid him for now.

Cristobal Huet was supposed to be the real deal in Chicago and potentially lead the Hawks to the promised land; instead, he's stuck on the bench. Huet is merely 1-2 in four starts with a pedestrian .894 save percentage.

The problem is that nobody knows what's going on. Chicago has tried time and again to get rid of Nikolai Khabibulin, but found no takers. Will Huet be traded or eventually emerge as the top netminder in Chi-town? Nobody has any clue at this point, so fantasy owners should avoid him completely, unless he's on the waiver wire.

Fantasy Hockey, Week 5 Player Preview

Greg Checki — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:04:05 -0400

The first few weeks of the NHL season have been perplexing to fantasy owners and regular fans alike. However, some clear trends are emerging and can be used to your benefit.

Pick 'Em Up If You Still Can:

Steven Stamkos has officially busted on to the NHL scene with four points coming in his past two games. It took him a while to get his first goal but he appears to be seeing more ice time now and is worthy of adding for the time being.

His linemate, Ryan Malone, should also be added for penalty minutes and may suddenly start posting points galore.

If you're short on defenseman, check the wire to see if Keith Ballard is still free. He recorded his second goal of the year last night and is maintaining his point per game pace for the time being. He won't end the season with 80 points but 45 is starting to look realistic.

And what about Mikku Koivu? How is this guy not owned in 100% of leagues? Well fantasy hockey is a tricky business, since there tend to be a lot of good free agent centers, but grab this guy if possible. He is the team leader on the ice and in the locker room and his points prove it.

Alex Auld from the Ottawa Senators is in the process of taking starts away from Martin Gerber and is looking sharp in the process. He may be a nice stop-gap measure for weeks five and six but is unlikely to ever claim the job outright.

On Fire

Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins posted back to back shutouts this week and played very well despite allowing three goals as the Bruins lost last night to Calgary. He is near the very top of the league once again in GAA and save percentage. He has apparently taken the starting job away from Manny Fernandez, at least for the time being.

Mike Knuble has scored several goals in week 4 and is an ideal pick up at RW for anyone needing PPG or goals in general. His value seems to be much higher with Daniel Briere injured. Look to sell high in the coming weeks.

Vincent Lecavalier has once again shown why he is so well regarded, posting two goals in Tuesday's game at Buffalo and recording two assists in the Lightning's 5-2 win over Buffalo. The only problem is that his shoulder injury from last year is causing him pain and soreness on a regular basis. Keep an eye on him and make sure you have a talented back up center just in case.

Another suddenly scorching center is the Flames Mike Camalleri. Cammy is playing on the first line with Jarome Iginla and it shows. He's been a man possessed lately, posting 3 goals and 3 assists in his last 4 games. He is likely to have a strong season but don't expect MVP caliber numbers from him.

What Gives?

Players who are seeing their values hit recent lows include Alexander Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Gaborik. Ovechkin is a sure fire bet to rebound in the near future and this should begin in week 5. He will reportedly be back Monday and the Capitals are set to play in Ottawa, then return home for Carolina and the Rangers. The Sens and Canes have had problems in goal as of late, and look for the Caps to take advantage of that. If he plays in all 3 games, 4 points wouldn't be a surprise to me.

Gaborik is another unknown quantity. Is he going to be traded? How serious is his injury? Nobody knows for sure, but with the Wild having early success without him, why should they rush? As of this moment, he is still on the IR and at best, an injury-risk start for week 5. However if he does play, expect him to look either awfully inspired or awfully bad.

Ilya Kovalchuk has 6 points in 9 games entering tonight and can likely be had for cheap but the rumor is that his days in Atlanta may be numbered. Should he be traded, his +/- and overall points may increase but his goals might decrease. For now, look to buy him cheap if you can.

Zdeno Chara is having all kinds of problems in Boston. He has failed to record even a single goal and has just three assists through ten games. This is the ideal time to trade for him cheap, because this is just one in a string of many slow starts for him. Look for him to rebound in November and December.

Dump Them Now!!

The days of Aaron Voros being a fantasy darling are now long gone, so dump him unless you desperately need PIM.

And does anyone still have RJ Umberger on their roster? Drop him like bad habit if he's still on your club.

Pavel Kubina has had a terrible start too and if you made the mistake of drafting him as a #3 fantasy defenseman like I did, now is the time to stash him on the bench until he returns to form.

Penguin RW Petr Sykora has been disappointing his owners this season with 3 points thus far. He was injured and missed the Pens first few games and now is the victim of a team that just can't seem to score consistently. With Sidney Crosby now nicked up, Sykora's value may go up, so hold him for the time being.