Fantasy Hockey Advice: Pro Sports Daily

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November 19

CBSSports.com

columnist Michael Hurcomb

"For a coach that prides himself on having a stout defense, Devils head coach Jacques Lemaire started to feel the heat when he not only lost Paul Martin to an injury but also fellow blueliner Johnny Oduya. Both players went down in a span of a week in late October and left their head coach scrambling to replace arguably his two most effective defenders. What seemed like a sure disaster has actually turned into a blessing in disguise. Lemaire has been pleasantly surprised by the depth along his blue line, especially with the play of Andy Greene. "I have no choice but to have confidence in Andy," Lemaire told NHL.com. "From the start of training camp to right now, he's a totally different ..."

The Thin Blue Line: Souray back

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November 19

ESPN.com

columnist Victoria Matiash

"Both the Edmonton Oilers and Sheldon Souray's fantasy owners alike are awash in gratitude concerning his healthy return. After missing 16 games with a concussion, Souray had warned it might take awhile to get his timing back, but judging from his play on Monday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, that short stretch of "while" has already passed. In the 3-2 shootout loss, the veteran spent nearly 27 minutes on the ice, earned two assists (both on the power play) and garnered himself a roughing penalty. Best of all, having had the chance to initially get his feet wet against the Atlanta Thrashers the day before, the 33-year-old looked completely at ease and like his old self, that shot ..."

In The Crease: Part-timer worth pickup

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November 19

ESPN.com

columnist Tim Kavanagh

"Still owned in just 55.8 percent of ESPN fantasy hockey leagues, Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Antero Niittymaki is playing like a true No. 1 for our purposes -- in nine starts this season, he's posted five wins to go with a 1.93 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. That goals-against average trails only Ryan Miller for the top spot, and the save percentage is tied with Miller at No. 1. Moreover, Niittymaki's stats on the season put him No. 7 among goalies on the Player Rater, ahead of many goalies drafted in the top three rounds; Tim Thomas, Niklas Backstrom, Pekka Rinne, Roberto Luongo and Tomas Vokoun all find themselves trailing the 29-year-old from Finland with about a ..."

Higgins Fantasy Index: NHL - Nov.18

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November 18

Toronto Sun

"Water always seems to find its level, doesn't it? Considering that we're 90% H2O ourselves, perhaps the same can be said for we humans. Colorado, world-beaters in October, have won only 2 of their 6 November games. Those Edmonton Oilers, winners in 6 of their first 9 have lost 10 of their last 12. Phoenix, who won 8 of their 13 October contests, have lost 4 of 6 in month number two. The New York Rangers, for the second year in a row, dominated most of October only to see themselves become a .500 club the following month. Conversely, those "struggling" Red Wings, for the second year in a row, have lost only one of their first 6 November games after providing more questions than answers to ..."

Lester's Blue Line Specials Volume 6

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November 18

Lester's Legends

"Need some help with your fantasy hockey team? You've come to the right place. Try these hot players on for size. Center Brandon Sutter, Carolina Hurricanes Sutter had five points (two goals, three assists) in four games (1.25 points per game) with a +3 plus/minus rating. He had three power play points, 13 shots on goal, and won 34 face-offs. On the year Sutter has eight points (five goals, 3 assists) with a +1 rating and three power play points. He has a cap number of $0.60 million, and is owned in 2 percent of Yahoo! and 1.2 percent of ESPN leagues. Winger Matt Moulson, New York Islanders Matt, whose last name makes me thirsty, had five points (three goals, 2 assists) in four games (1.25) ..."

Fantasy Hockey For Beginners: Turkey Talk!

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November 18

Fantasy Pros 911

"Good morning everyone and welcome to another Fantasy Hockey For Beginners. Today we are going to talk a little turkey. Why on Earth are we talking turkey and yet Thanksgiving is 8 days away? Simple. There are fantasy turkeys that drive fantasy owners batty to the point where they want to shove a hockey stick up their you know what. If you think I am kidding then just look at some fantasy managers on message boards opine about how their favorite "can't miss" player has absolutely hit the skids with no hope of return. They do not know what to do with them and worse all they can do is talk about it. It is like a state of turkey zombie. Scary isn't it? It is amazing to look at some ..."

What's wrong with Havlat?

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November 17

ESPN.com

columnist Sean Allen

"Rising and Falling Rich Peverley, C, Thrashers (debuts at No. 85): Uncle! I give up. Who cares that he was a role player until being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers last season to suddenly becoming a point-per-game player (58 points in 56 games as a Thrasher)? No one can deny the numbers. With Ilya Kovalchuk back to cement this team as a scoring machine, invest in Peverley at will. Brad Boyes, RW, Blues (back on at No. 98): After falling off this list with many of his fellow St. Louis Blues teammates, Boyes is back on now that the team has found a line combination that works and is sticking with it. With David Perron and Andy McDonald, Boyes has two goals and three assists in his past ..."

Goalie Report

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November 17

FantasyHockey.com

"Columbus Blue Jackets The unpredictable Steve Mason appears to be having a sophomore slump. According to reports, Mason (7-5-2, 3.67 GAA, .879 SV%) is suffering from back spasms, but he was not early on in the year when his play was shaky. Just when you thought he was regaining his rookie of the year form of a year ago after allowing four goals in two games, Mason allowed eight goals in a 9-1 blowout to the Red Wings after he was pulled not once, but twice, in that game. Mason, who had only four games last year in which he allowed five goals (and never allowed more than five goals during the regular season), has already had four games allowing five-plus goals in just 15 games this ..."

Open Ice: Miller, Smyth for real

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November 16

ESPN.com

columnist Sean Allen

"It's been fun; a real joy over the past month and a half. You've ridden some of your late-round fantasy hockey draft selections or waiver wire pickups as they have crested among the most productive players in the league, but it's time to ask yourself a serious question: Are they for real? Is Anze Kopitar going to score 121 points? Will Ryan Miller finish with a goals-against average better than 2.00? If you believe the answer to those questions is a resounding "no," then there will come a point this season where their value has peaked and things begin going downhill. Here's some Player Rater surprises and a judgment on whether or not they appear to be "for real." Ryan Miller, G, Sabres ..."

Fantasy Stockwatch

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November 16

FantasyHockey.com

"Stock Rising Cristobal Huet, G, CHI Don't look now, but Huet is gradually turning his season around. After a brutal start to the season, Huet has racked up wins in each of his last four games to improve his record to 9-4-1. His 2.25 GAA doesn't seem to be the ratio of a goalie whose starting job is in jeopardy. One-time required handcuff Antti Niemi has started only once since October 21, meaning that the starting job for this likely contender is all Huet's. His track record might not match the cash that the Hawks threw at him last summer, but right now the numbers don't lie. Kevin Bieksa, D, VAN Bieksa is a defenseman that can do it all for fantasy teams. His 61 PIM leads all d-men in ..."

Week 7 Fantasy Hockey Planner

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November 15

CBSSports.com

columnist Michael Hurcomb

"Week 7 (Nov. 16-22) Teams playing four games: Florida, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tampa Bay Teams playing three games: Anaheim, Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Colorado, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Montreal, Nashville, New Jersey, N.Y. Islanders, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Toronto, Washington Teams playing two games: Minnesota, N.Y. Rangers, St. Louis, Vancouver Atlantic Division Devils left wing Patrik Elias played in back-to-back games for the first time since returning from groin surgery on Wednesday and Thursday. It appears New Jersey is ready to unleash the former 30-goal scorer ... Devils defenseman Andy Greene has cracked the regular ..."

The Week Ahead: Week 7

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November 15

FantasyHockey.com

"Somewhere out in rainy and cold British Columbia, Canada, fantasyhockey.com's very own Ian Gooding is breathing a huge sigh of relief, as he sees the forthcoming return of Alexander Ovechkin to his roster in the fantasyhockey.com writers and friends league. It has been a grueling couple of weeks for the owners who chose Ovechkin number one overall, and then didn't pick again until the 24th pick in standard 12-team leagues. I also own him in two leagues this year and the past two weeks, I have lost my goals, points, and power-play points by only one or two points in each league. These are numbers that I would have easily eclipsed had OVI8 been in my lineups. Those are lost points that ..."

Waiver Wire: Owners need to Wing it

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November 12

CBSSports.com

"The Detroit Red Wings have to believe they have entered a parallel universe where every day they endure a heavy dose of Murphy's Law. Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong since the storied franchise had the Pittsburgh Penguins on the ropes in last season's Stanley Cup. The turmoil started this offseason when Detroit lost core players like Ty Conklin, Marian Hossa, Mikael Samuelsson and Jiri Hudler to free agency. Detroit settled on declining veterans -- Todd Bertuzzi, Jason Williams and Patrick Eaves -- and chose to rebuild from using players within the organization as well. But just as it looked as though the hockey gods were going to give Detroit a break, the party came crashing ..."

Waiver Wire Report

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November 12

FantasyHockey.com

"David Perron, LW, STL (16GP-7g-4a-11pts, with an even rating and 14 PIMs) I have to give credit to St. Louis color man Darren Pang on this one. Panger highlighted the Dallas Stars' Loui Eriksson as a possible sleeper candidate last year and he was dead on. So obviously my ears perked a bit when I heard him make the exact same predictions for Perron this year. I thought Perron would be buried in a lineup brimming with offensive talent but he's beginning to emerge as a key player for the Blues. After a slow start for the team, marred by various minor injuries, Perron is starting to pick up some points with 11 (7g-4a) in his last 9 games. He recorded his first career hat trick against the ..."

Observation Deck Week 6

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November 12

Fantasy Pros 911

"Welcome to this week's installment of the Observation Deck. I see upwards of 10 games a week via Center Ice or in person and this notebook will contain some scouting impressions combined with some numbers when necessary. Lets get to week 6: There hasn't been much reason for celebration in Toronto this year but two names that fantasy owners should not be downgrading just because of all the surrounding negativity about this years Leafs version are forwards Phil Kessel, and Niklas Hagman. Kessel returned a little earlier than expected from a shoulder injury and made his Leafs debut easily looking like the team's best player. His conditioning and speed look fine, and he's getting shots off in ..."

Lester's Blue Line Specials Volume 5

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November 11

Lester's Legends

"Need some help with your fantasy hockey team? You've come to the right place. Try these hot players on for size. Center Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins Bergeron had four points (two goals, two assists) in three games (1.33 points per game) last week with a +3 plus/minus rating. He had one short-handed point, 13 shots on goal, and won 43 face-offs. On the year he has 12 points (six goals, six assists) and a +2 rating. He has a salary cap number of $2.47 million in the Sporting News salary cap game, and he is owned in 23 percent of Yahoo! and 18.7 percent of ESPN leagues. Winger David Perron, St. Louis Blues Perron had five points (four goals, 1 assist) in four games (1.20) last week with a ..."

Fantasy wasteland

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November 11

ESPN.com

columnist Victoria Matiash

"This season has not been kind to the Carolina Hurricanes. Having won only twice in 16 games, the team has scored a mere 32 goals (worst in the NHL) while allowing 59 (only the Toronto Maple Leafs have allowed more). The Canes' power-play conversion percentage (12.5 percent) is only slightly better than that of the Nashville Predators (11.9 percent), but numbers aside, the team just looks awkward and awful right now. Injuries to Eric Staal and Ray Whitney haven't helped matters, but the Canes stunk just as wretchedly before they were hurt. The gears are grinding out of sync in Carolina, and that doesn't bode well for the team's fantasy defensemen. You certainly can't fault Joe Corvo or Joni ..."

Front Line: Stars shine

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November 10

ESPN.com

columnist Sean Allen

"There are at least 14 games on the books for every NHL team now -- almost a fifth of the season -- and we are really getting a good snapshot of which offenses work and which ones do not. Some of the storylines are playing out exactly as expected: The San Jose Sharks can score and the Nashville Predators cannot. There are also plenty of surprises. Nine teams finished last season scoring better than three goals per game on average. There are nine teams currently scoring more than three goals per game. Most folks would have included the Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks on such a list if asked before the season and all four teams did finish better ..."

Injury Report

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November 10

FantasyHockey.com

"Ilya Kovalchuk (Atlanta Thrashers) (9g, 1a, 10 pts) Kovalchuk will be out three to four weeks with a broken bone in his right foot. Kovalchuk was off to a hot start with nine goals in eight games. Fantasy owners need to be patient and wait for Kovalchuk's return to the lineup in late November or early December at the latest. If you are looking for a replacement, Evander Kane or Colby Armstrong will be given more power play time in Kovalchuk's absence. Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes) (2-9-3 2.97 GA, .899 SV% and 0 SO) Carolina has been awful this season, but you cannot blame Ward for their woes. Ward has put up decent numbers in front of this team that is playing poorly in the defensive zone ..."

Fantasy Stockwatch

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November 9

FantasyHockey.com

"Stock Rising Antero Niittymaki, G, TB David Satriano tells us in his Goalie Report why Niittymaki is the Lightning goalie to own right now, but I'll provide some updated information. Niittymaki has started the last three games for the Bolts, he currently holds a 4-1-0 record and a 1.95 GAA and a .940 SV%, and Mike Smith has struggled mightily with a 3.64 GAA. Smith has allowed at least five goals in three of his eight starts, so don't blame Bolts coach Rick Tocchet for going in a different direction in net. The Lightning aren't the strongest defensive team around, but Nitty fills the bill if you're in need of a third goalie. Zach Bogosian, D, ATL Did you know that Bogosian is tied for the ..."

Filling Time Between the Pipes and in the Crease

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November 9

Fantasy Pros 911

"Some of the biggest injuries this year have struck up front this year, taking away a number of prominent forwards. Phil Kessel and Marian Hossa weren't healthy enough to start the year, while Johan Franzen, Alexander Ovechkin, Eric Staal, and Simon Gagne have all fallen due to injury over the first month and a half of the season. But what about the rest of the league? Fortunately on defense, teams seem to be chock-full of offensive-minded defenseman. If a puck-mover goes down, it's simply an opportunity to call-up a defender looking for an opportunity, and then have them prove themselves at the NHL level. For that, look no farther than Cody Franson of the Nashville Predators. Like other ..."

The Week Ahead: Week 6

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November 8

FantasyHockey.com

"To say the first 5 weeks of NHL action has been anything but amazing would be a complete understatement. We are seeing some very exciting things going on in places that 12 months ago we would have completely written off. Whether or not long-term success can be found in places like Colorado, Los Angeles, and Phoenix is a story that will be exciting to play out in the coming months. With these teams having surprise success, the door opens on new fantasy hockey options and new players you must own in your leagues. Just take a gander at the top 30 NHL scoring and pick out how many of those top 30 you would have had on the MIA list during your draft. It was a good and bad week for me as for ..."

Fantasy Hockey Roundtable

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November 7

FantasyHockey.com

"Is Craig Anderson Vezina Trophy material, or is he nothing more than fool's gold for the rest of the season? Craig Anderson is a deserving winner of the NHL's Player of the Month in October, and he has propelled many a fantasy team to the top of their league. The signs were there for a possible fast start, as Anderson was able to compete with Tomas Vokoun for playing time last season in Florida thanks to a .924 SV%. Anderson will be a solid goalie for the rest of the season, but there are a couple points that I should make that would suggest that his statistics are due for a regression. First, the Avalanche have given up a league-leading 526 shots on goal this season. All the more reason ..."

Where is Foppa going?

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November 7

Rotoworld.com

columnist Mike Finewax

"Well, it is early November and the Peter Forsberg sweepstakes are heating up. Forsberg is playing for his native Sweden in the Karjala Cup which is a four team tournament that is taking place from November 5-8. Forsberg is looking to stay healthy and if he manages to do so, he would like to sign on with an NHL team, although Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL are also very interested. It has been two seasons since Forsberg last played on this side of the pond, but their is still plenty of interest in the talented, but injury-prone Swede."

Quick Hits: Fantasy Hockey Injury Report, Nov. 6th

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November 7

Bucket of Pucks

"The injuries just keep on coming early in this NHL season and there seems to be no end in sight. Luckily, there are a few guys on the mend. Lets jump right in and see who is about to get back on the ice for your squads. Imminent Returns: Jonathan Toews –C – Chicago Blackhawks While Toews is finally back on the ice after getting knocked into next week by Vancouver's Willie Mitchell, he is still a day or two from playing. Give him a couple of days and a game or two to get his feet back under him, but be sure to have him in your lineup for next week. Patrick Elias – LW – New Jersey Devils Still practicing, Elias is only a day or two away and he may even return on Friday against the ..."

Predators must again find way to survive

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November 7

ESPN.com

columnist Pierre LeBrun

"Just about every NHL team has been hampered by injuries this season, with more than 100 players in the medical ward right now around the league. Amazing. But when you're the Nashville Predators, with the 28th-ranked payroll in the NHL, injuries hammer away at your depth just a little more than they do the average team. The frugal Preds don't have the luxury of hiding expensive, one-way contracts in the AHL. They just can't afford it. <>So when top center Jason Arnott misses six games or agitator Jordin Tootoo misses the opening month of the season, yeah, the Preds feel that. But they survived the opening month of the season, winning their last three games in October to get back to the .500 ..."

Power Play Pickups: Nov. 6, 2009

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November 6

SportsGrumblings.com

"If I'm sure of anything in hockey its that every week there is a hot new pick up that will benefit your fantasy team. I know this sounds extremely optimistic but hear me out. If a key player gets hurt, say for example a goaltender, somebody has to step in and take those minutes. Hockey is a physical game and it seems that every week a key player is hurt or limited. Mind you not every time is it a skilled player who gets the ice time and this player could be a detriment to your team. However, outside of injuries, hockey players can also gain (and conversely lose) significant value by being bumped to a different line. My general recommendation is that you look for a skilled player ..."

Waiver Wire Report

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November 6

FantasyHockey.com

"Jason Pominville, LW, BUF (11GP-3g-6a-9pts, with a +2 and 34 shots) Pominville hasn't been getting much respect this year fantasy-wise. He was ignored in a lot of drafts and is still available in a lot of leagues. Fact is, he gets first-line minutes for a good team, and he's as reliable a guy as your likely to find anywhere on your waiver wire all year. He hasn't missed a game in over three seasons, while averaging over 70 points a year during that span. Buy now and rest easy. Tomas Plekanec, C, MTL (14GP-4g-10a-13pts, with a +5 and 6 PIMs) The Canadiens have been surprisingly strong despite losing All-Star d-man Andrei Markov for the majority of their season. Mike Cammalleri and Jaroslav ..."

Waiver Wire: Take a trip to Fantasy Isle

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November 6

CBSSports.com

"Jeff Tambellini's hockey career was hanging by a thread. Tambellini learned the harsh reality of life as a pro after Islanders coach Scott Gordon forced the 25-year-old forward to the press box for five games following a lackluster performance in the season opener against Pittsburgh. Apparently, Tambellini got the message loud and clear. The Calgary native has dressed for each of the Islanders last eight games and rewarded the front office's patience with his first career hat trick on Saturday against Buffalo. "It's a pretty special night for me," Tambellini told NHL.com. "It's one more thing that I always wanted to accomplish. I look forward to the next one." The night had to be ..."

The night Carey Price got his mojo back?

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November 6

ESPN.com

columnist Pierre LeBrun

"There is a time in a season when a player has that moment that changes everything. I wonder whether Carey Price had his Thursday night in Boston. His 42-save performance lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 shootout win over their rivals. Hey, I know the Bruins were missing Marc Savard, Milan Lucic and David Krejci, and I know how their offense has dried up mightily in the last little while. But Price delivered a dynamite effort in enemy territory as the Bruins launched everything but the kitchen sink at him. And that's why I consider this game meaningful for Price. This is the team that drilled him for 15 goals in a four-game sweep this past spring, leaving him heading into the summer ..."

In The Crease: Rinne rises

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November 5

ESPN.com

columnist Tim Kavanagh

"After Pekka Rinne's solid finish to 2008-09 as the Nashville Predators' unquestioned No. 1 starter, big things were expected for for him this season. But after struggling a bit through training camp, and sharing the goaltending duties with Dan Ellis for most of October, those expectations were tempered a bit. However, based on his work in the Preds' past three games, Rinne has re-established himself as the No. 1 guy. A three-win week with a 0.76 goals-against average and .968 save percentage -- while your time-share mate struggles in his limited action -- will do that. What's the difference? "I think it's more my confidence than anything," Rinne told The Nashville Tennessean. "Everything ..."

Fantasy Hockey Injury Report

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November 5

Fantasy Pros 911

"Maybe it's just me, but it seems like there have been an awful lot of injuries so far this season. With that in mind, we are going to take a look at some of the injuries and what their teams have done to compensate for the loss of that player. 1. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins: Malkin was lost to the Penguins for two to three weeks with a strained shoulder. Not a major injury, but one the Penguins want to take care of early in the season rather than let it linger on. In his absence, the Penguins will want Jordan Staal to step up his play in five on five situations and on the power play. Staal is still just a baby at 21 years of age; he has plenty of talent, and now will be given a ..."

Observation Deck Week 5

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November 5

Fantasy Pros 911

"Welcome to this week's installment of the Observation Deck. I see upwards of 10 games a week via Center Ice or in person and this notebook will contain some scouting impressions combined with some numbers when necessary. Lets get to week 5: Everybody likes to point out all the mistakes that have been made by the front office of the New York Islanders but they did seem to hit on a free agent signing this summer when they added LW Matt Moulson. He's been good enough that he's seeing most of his playing time with rookie John Tavares and already has potted 6 goals in his first 14 games. He just turned 26 years old and has three 20 plus goal seasons to his credit at the AHL level (while in the ..."

The Thin Blue Line: Myers here to stay

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November 4

ESPN.com

columnist Victoria Matiash

"In response to anyone insinuating otherwise, no, I don't have anything against Tyler Myers. First featured in this space on Oct. 21, Myers was flagged as a youngster to keep tabs on. Now that his spot with the Buffalo Sabres is more secure the 19-year-old makes his debut in the Top 75 at No. 64. But it wouldn't hurt to keep the hype to a minimum either. Only a month ago, Myers was fighting for a job with the Sabres that some, even in preseason, didn't believe he'd earn right off the bat. However, five points in his first seven games later, fans in Buffalo would've gone bonkers had the organization sent him back down to juniors. And shortly after general manager Darcy Regier gave his ..."

Goalie Report

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November 4

FantasyHockey.com

"Vancouver Canucks Roberto Luongo (6-6-0, 2.79 GAA, 902 SV%) has missed the past four games with a rib injury. In his place, Andrew Raycroft (3-1-0, 1.52 GAA, .937 SV%) has played extremely well. In his past two games, he has stopped 40 of 41 shots picking up two wins- a 3-0 win over his former team (the Avalanche) on Sunday, and a 4-1 win over the Rangers on Tuesday. While it is still unclear how long Luongo will be out, he will join the team for their five-game road trip that starts Thursday. Expect Raycroft to start the first two or three games of the trip, with Luongo getting starts on the tail end of the trip. If you need a goalie, Raycroft has been excellent and should be a solid ..."

Lester's Blue Line Specials Volume 4

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November 4

Lester's Legends

"Center Steven Reinprecht, Florida Panthers – Steven had five points (four goals, 1 assist) in three games (1.67 points/game) last week with a +5 plus/minus rating. He put eight shots on goal and won 20 face-offs. He has 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in 12 games (0.92) on the year with a +5 rating. Reinprecht has a cap number of $0.51M in the Sporting News salary cap game, and is owned in 12 percent of Yahoo! and 7.6 percent of ESPN leagues. Winger Jeff Tambellini, New York Islanders - Jeff has eight points (six goals, 2 assists) in his last six games (1.33) with a +4 plus/minus rating. He put 22 shots on goal and has three power play goals. He has eight points (six goals, two ..."

Open Ice: Trade targets

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November 3

ESPN.com

columnist Sean Allen

"You've been patient to this point. Like a good soldier, you've stuck by your team -- maybe making a few adds or drops, but nothing serious -- in hopes of beginning a rise up your league standings. Trouble is, you seem to be stalled out near the bottom of the standings thanks to some underperforming players and a lack of categorical balance. The free agents I can offer you here every week will do only so much. It's time to start exploring the most effective yet hardest-to-execute avenue for turning around your fantasy hockey fortunes: trading. It's never an easy task to pry away a player whom someone else in your league likes enough to have drafted, and everyone has a tendency to view his ..."

Waiver Wire Report: NHL Fantasy Free Agents, Week of 11/2

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November 2

Bucket of Pucks

"As most hockey fans know, it was 50 years ago this past weekend that Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante brought us the hockey mask for the first time. In honor of this historic hockey moment, BucketofPucks Waiver Wire Report will kick off this week with a "Hat Tip" to this game changing event. To begin with TSN has a fun Gallery of the Best Goalie Masks of the Year, check it out and see who you think has the most awesome mask of this season. Ranger's goalie Henrik Lundqvist just had a new mask made to honor this great hockey moment. It has the original hockey mask on it, along with a ticket to the actual Montreal-New York stub in which Plante had his nose broken by Ranger ..."

Western Conference Report

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November 2

FantasyHockey.com

"Halloween has just passed and we are now one month into the season. Some teams have played well, some just stink, and some are just barely treading water. Here are the latest developments in the Western Conference. Anaheim Ducks (4-6-2) While the team has struggled, Corey Perry (8g, 7a, 15 pts) has been pulling his weight. He seems like the only player who poses as an offensive threat every time he is on the ice. Ryan Getzlaf (1g, 10a, 11 pts) has struggled to score goals, but at least he is chipping in with the assists. The goals will come, but fantasy owners should be patient. Saku Koivu (2g, 3a, 5 pts) has been a bit of a disappointment so far this season centering the second line. It ..."

Fantasy Stockwatch

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November 2

FantasyHockey.com

"Stock Rising Pekka Rinne, G, NSH The Predators' timeshare goaltending situation might be a solo gig soon. Rinne has quietly amassed four consecutive wins, with only two goals allowed in his last 2 2/3 games. Included in the streak is a 22-save shutout over the Blackhawks on Thursday. After news of the timeshare with Dan Ellis at the start of the season, many fantasy owners were likely trying to either trade or drop Rinne. Let's face it: the Predators won't intimidate anyone this season and their offense is at the bottom of the league. However, don't forget that Rinne's rookie numbers last season were impressive (29-15-0, 2.38 GAA, .917 SV%, 7 SO). If you've retained Rinne on your roster ..."

Week 5 Fantasy Hockey Planner

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November 1

CBSSports.com

columnist Michael Hurcomb

"Week 5 (Nov. 2-8) Teams playing four games: Atlanta, N.Y. Islanders, Phoenix, Tampa Bay Teams playing three games: Anaheim, Boston, Buffalo, Calgary, Carolina, Colorado, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Los Angeles, Montreal, New Jersey, N.Y. Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Jose, St. Louis, Toronto, Vancouver, Washington Teams playing two games: Chicago, Edmonton, Minnesota, Nashville, Ottawa Atlantic Division Islanders defenseman Freddy Meyer appears to have lost his regular spot in the lineup after missing all but 27 games last season with various injuries. Meyer has been a healthy scratch in three straight games despite totaling three assists in his first eight games ... ..."

Lester's Blue Line Specials Volume 3

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November 1

Lester's Legends

"Need some help with your fantasy hockey team? You've come to the right place. Try these hot players on for size. Center Sam Gagner, Edmonton Oilers - Sam had 5 Points (1 Goal, 4 Assists) and a even Plus/Minus rating in four games (1.2 points/game) last week. Three of his Points came via the Power Play. He put 6 shots on goal and won 25 face-offs. On the year he has 10 Points (4 Goal, 6 Assists), a +4 rating, and 4 Power Play Points in 12 games (0.83). He has a $1.61M cap number in the Sporting News salary cap game, and is owned in 31% of Yahoo! and 14.2% of ESPN leagues. Winger Michael Grabner, Vancouver Canucks - Michael had 4 Points (2 Goals, 2 Assists) in four games (1.0) last week ..."

Report on Defensemen

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November 1

FantasyHockey.com

"Ex-San Jose Sharks are making their presence on the defensemen scoring list. Some of the top veterans are starting slow, while the next generation of defensemen is showing why they were first and second round draft picks. Tomas Kaberle 2G, 15A, (-3), 4 PIM, 24 SOG, 1 PPG, 11 PPA, 1 SHA Kaberle leads all defensemen in scoring and power play points and also is Toronto's leading scorer. He is averaging a power play point per game and has more power play assists than the next leading scorer on the Leafs has total points (Mikhail Grabovski has 10 points). With the off- season departure of Pavel Kubina, the focus of the offense and power play is with Kaberle. As a team, Toronto is ranked ..."

AHL Prospect Report

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October 31

FantasyHockey.com

"There is just something about the month of October that has to make you smile. For me, there is no better time of the year. How can you not be psyched up for the World Series, mid-season football, Halloween and most importantly, hockey season? This month, along with pumpkin, I will be eating some humble pie. I will be spotlighting players that I felt would crack the NHL 2009-10 rosters but failed to do so this year. Let's see what I have in my bag of treats…looks like we got a bunch of "wolves" and one rogue "pirate". Jason Krog, C The Chicago Wolves have very high expectations for this season. After winning the Calder Cup in 07-08 and a strong playoff showing in the 08-09, the Wolves are ..."

US Goaltending looking good

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October 31

Rotoworld.com

"The Americans are looking good in net for the Olympics at this time as they have the best two goaltenders in the NHL heading into November. Ryan Miller is 7-0-1 with a 1.60 goals-against-average and a .940 save percentage, while Craig Anderson also has a .940 save percentage with a 1.97 GAA and a 10-1-2 record for the surprising Colorado Avalanche. This has to bode well for the young American Olympians as GM Brian Burke and coach Ron Wilson will probably go with a youthful squad, after the United States had trouble in 2006 with an old veteran team. With Miller and Anderson back in goal, the Americans have to feel confident that they will be able to cover up a lot of mistakes by their young ..."

Power Play Pickups: Oct. 30, 2009

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October 30

SportsGrumblings.com

"Just a couple weeks into the season and already a few top players have been injured. I play most of my leagues for a web site that shall remain nameless. This site is notoriously bad for ignoring the injured reserve of fantasy hockey. The frustration compounds when one of your star players, e.g., Ilya Kovalchuk, goes down in a keeper league. Now the keeper league aspect does not change anything as you would hang on to Kovalchuk at this point in the season regardless. However, what's maddening is you can't snag a replacement off the waiver wire. Fantasy hockey is often a game of streaks and although it sucks to have Kovalchuk out, you can sometimes mimic his production with a well ..."

Fantasy Hockey Roundtable - Rookie Edition

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October 30

Fantasy Pros 911

"The Fantasy Hockey Roundtable is back at FantasyPros911.com again this week with a question regarding rookies: Which NHL rookie has impressed you the most so far this season? Okay, so with my comment last week about missing the boat on Michael Del Zotto, I guess I'm admitting my love for him. It's kind of like chasing after the girl that we know is out of our league – we've all done this before, haven't we? I made a commitment to draft better quality defensemen this season, so I wasn't inclined to jump on the waiver wire to grab the hottest player after the first game of the season. After all, I was banking on mid-round steal Sergei Gonchar to anchor my defense on several of my teams, and ..."

Fantasy Hockey Roundtable

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October 30

FantasyHockey.com

"Which NHL rookie has impressed you the most so far this season? Okay, so with my comment last week about missing the boat on Michael Del Zotto, I guess I'm admitting my love for him. It's kind of like chasing after the girl that we know is out of our league – we've all done this before, haven't we? I made a commitment to draft better quality defensemen this season, so I wasn't inclined to jump on the waiver wire to grab the hottest player after the first game of the season."

Waiver Wire: In with the new

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October 30

CBSSports.com

"Is it supposed to happen this way? Am I dreaming? Did I travel to another dimension? Or am I hallucinating after eating that week old burrito with the added green fuzz? (Hey, it was the only thing left in the fridge and I was famished. You would have done the same thing.) All these questions have run through my mind as I try to make sense of why so many rookies and unknowns are making a significant impact in today's NHL. It's intriguing to see proven veterans like Alex Tanguay, Nik Antropov, Slava Kozlov, Alexei Kovalev, Nathan Horton, Jaroslav Spacek and Wade Redden get toosed aside in exchange for the new wave of talent like Jamie Benn, James van Riemsdyk, Michael Grabner, Michael Del ..."

Horcoff, Helm deliver much-needed big games

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October 30

ESPN.com

"The dramatic ebb and flow of Thursday night's 6-5 shootout win by the Edmonton Oilers over the visiting Detroit Red Wings notwithstanding, I thought it was a huge game for two players in particular. Edmonton's Shawn Horcoff and Detroit's Darren Helm needed big efforts and they delivered. Let's start with Horcoff, the 31-year-old center who entered Thursday's game with only two points (1-1) and a minus-7 rating in 12 games this season. That's not the output you expect from a $5.5-million-a-year man. Back on the top line between Dustin Penner and Ales Hemsky, Horcoff delivered his best performance of the season, a three-point (1-2) effort with a plus-2 rating in 22:25 of ice time, the most ..."

Neutral Zone Wrap: Week 4

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October 30

Yahoo! Sports

"Experts like to give credit to group efforts. It's the PC thing to do these days. One person carries out a major task and we label it selfish or hot-dogging. The collective comes together to achieve the same activity and everyone offers high-fives and pats each other on the back. There's no shame in asking for help, but sometimes the individual makes the difference all on his own. In Calgary's case, the arrival of Jay Bouwmeester(notes) has created a positive effect that has transferred itself throughout the team. How can one acquisition make all the difference? If you consider the ex-Panther's ability to eat up minutes and produce, then that puts less pressure on the other defensemen. As ..."

In The Crease: Luongo injury fallout

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October 30

ESPN.com

"On Wednesday, the name of one of the NHL's most expensive goalies was added to the Vancouver Canucks' extensive list of injured players. While Roberto Luongo is not expected to miss as much time as Daniel Sedin -- who will be out up to six weeks -- the expectation is that he certainly will be out for the next week, a week that includes games against the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers. Luongo proved Tuesday that he could play with the injury, as he did finish the game against the Detroit Red Wings; on the other hand, he also proved that he can't play well with the injury, as he allowed four goals in the third period following a collision with Todd ..."

Frozen Fantasy: Over the line

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October 30

Yahoo! Sports

"I'm sick of grown men acting like 2-year olds. Colby Armstrong(notes), Slava Kozlov(notes), Evgeny Artyukhin(notes), Alexander Ovechkin, Steve Ott(notes) and Tuomo Ruutu(notes). It was a bad week for undisciplined acts – hits from behind, knee-on-knees and slew foots. And only half were disciplined for their transgressions. And then there's Mike Richards(notes). No supplementary discipline. Described as legal. But as cheap and dirty as they come. It was head hunting at its worst. Mike Richards is a gritty, hard-working player. But David Booth(notes) can't talk on the phone or sit in front of his computer for more than five minutes at a time right now. Then he has to lie down. Five minutes ..."