Players to Watch - Week 6

Tomas Fleischmann (C) – Washington
Has seen time on the top powerplay unit since his return.

Steve Reinprecht (C) – Florida
One of the only Panthers consistently producing at the moment.

Daniel Winnik (C) – Phoenix
The young center has 6 points in his last 5 games.

Phil Kessel (RW) - Toronto
Should make his Leafs debut this week providing some much needed finish to the line-up.

Erik Cole (LW) – Carolina
Returning from injury, hopes he can help jump start a stagnate Hurricanes offense.

Michael Grabner (RW) – Vancouver – 0G – 0A - 0PTS

Alex Goligoski (D) – Pittsburgh – 2G – 1A - 3PTS

James Wright (C) – Tampa Bay – 0G – 0A - 0PTS

Wayne Simmonds (RW) – Los Angeles – 0G – 0A - 0PTS

David Perron (LW) – St. Louis – 2G – 1A - 3PTS

Mark

Just Fantasy Hockey - Week 5 Goalie Report

HOT

Craig Anderson – Colorado
Leading the league in wins, Anderson is proving all doubters wrong. With 10 wins in 13 games, Anderson is posting a GAA of 1.97 and a save percentage of .940%. Fantasy owners should no longer be hesitant to start the budding star. If your league rewards GAA and Save % he is a high reward goalie at the moment.

Jose Theodore – Washington
Looking to rise above adversity, Theodore is proving he can still be a number one netminder in the NHL, and playing for the highly offensive Capitals doesn’t hurt either. Posting 3 wins in 8 games, Theo is also sporting a 2.47 GAA and a .922 save %. Even though is tandeming with Varlamov at the moment, he is still a must start in weekly leagues.

Ilya Bryzgalov – Phoenix
One of the biggest surprises of the year has been the play of the Phoenix Coyotes. Not one of the flashiest teams on the ice, their defense first way of playing is winning them games. Posting a league high 3 shutouts, Bryzgalov is one of the hottest goalies in the league. Owners should jump on him on the waiver wire if he is still available and ride him while he is hot.

Cold

Chris Osgood & Jimmy Howard – Detroit
The Red Wings have struggled early this season and their goaltending isn’t helping their cause. Allowing weak goals in the early minutes of games, both Osgood and Howard do not look like they are good enough to be number one goalies in the league. Until Detroit can start to shake the rust off and stop allowing early goals, keep the tandem on your bench and look elsewhere for goaltending help.

Roberto Luongo – Vancouver
The injury riddled Canucks can now add their all-star goalie to the injured list. Dealing with a hairline fracture to his ribs, Luongo is estimated out for a mere week. Even though he is a top flight goalie, Luongo has struggled this season posting 6 wins in 12 games and has a GAA 2.79 and a save % of .902. Look for Luongo to be on the shelf for more than a week and bypass Andrew Raycroft as a fantasy option.

Cam Ward – Carolina
After leading the charge to the Eastern Confernce finals last season, Ward has struggled early on this season. With 2 wins in 11 games, and posting a 2.83 GAA, fantasy owners are looking for other options. When on his game, Ward is a top goaltender in the league and should be played in all formats. Keep him in your line-up as he is bound to turn things around.

Mark

Just Fantasy Hockey - Week 3 Goalie Report

Hot

Jonas Hiller - ANA - His play continues to warrant him starting in Anaheim over counterpart J.S.G. In three games last week he had 3 wins, and an outstanding GAA and SV% of 1.63 and .951 respectively. Look for him to continue his hot start.

Ilya Bryzgalov - PHO - After allowing one goal on 18 shots he faced in his first start of the week he followed that by shutting out the high powered offence of the Sharks in San Jose. He currently has a spectacular GAA of 0.48 and SV% of .977, however don't expect him to be able to maintain these numbers.

Ryan Miller - BUF - In three games he had 3 wins, one shut out, 71 saves, a GAA of 1.00 and a SV% of .959. Although he doesn’t have the most consistent team in front of him, Miller is a top NHL goaltender and remains the Sabres top guy. Ride him while he is white hot.

Cold

Tim Thomas - BOS - Allowing 6 goals and a SV% of .800, Thomas makes the cold list. Although playing just 1 game so far, as the reigning Vezina trophy winner he should be expected to put up better numbers.

Cristobal Huet - CHI - Lost his starting job to the Bulin wall last year and things aren’t going so well this year. Huet got pulled after allowing 3 goals in the first 7 minutes against Calgary and then was benched against Edmonton in favour of Niemi. This could be just the warning signal being sent from coach Quenneville or just a planned start in a busy week for the Hawks, but whatever the case Huet didn’t cut it this week.

Vesa Toskala - TOR - Not that I like kicking a man when he’s down, but perhaps some time on the IR is just what he needed after a horrendous week. With 12 goals in two starts with a SV% at .818 he deserves to be anywhere but your starting line up.

Other Mentionables: Jonathan Quick, Craig Anderson and Evgeni Nabokov are must starts in all formats. They have winning records and are carrying their teams currently. Roberto Luongo and Miikka Kiprusoff are struggling to keep their teams afloat and get wins.

Brian

Training Camp Notes: September 30th

Evander Kane (C) – ATL – The 4th overall draft pick has made enough of an impression in Atlanta to warrant and extra look in real NHL action. Kane will undoubtedly stay up for his 9 games allowed before it affects his contract status. He is penciled in on the third line with Colby Armstrong and Rich Peverley for now and will be hard pressed to climb the depth charts as Atlanta already has their top six in place. Kane remains a high-end prospect in keeper leagues, but he should be returned to the minors once his 9 games are up.

Robert Lang (C) – PHO- The veteran forward has signed a year deal with the Coyotes and should add another leadership presence in the dressing room. With 39 points in 50 games last season in Montreal, Lang should automatically become a top 6 forward in the desert. His fantasy value is minimal at this time and should only be considered in very deep leagues, if he gets hot.

Maxim Afinogenov (RW) – ATL - The speedy Russian is looking to rebound from two horrible seasons in Buffalo. Marred by injuries, Afinogenov skates like lightning but is too unpredictable for his teammates to coordinate a balanced attack. Signing in Atlanta will give the winger a fresh start as well as many fellow countrymen to play will. Plagued by injuries and unpredictability, Afinogenov is worth a waiver claim just to see what he can do in Atlanta.

James Van Reimsdyk (LW) – PHI – The 20 year old has impressed the Philadelphia brass so much they waived Randy Jones to be able to carry him on the roster. Look for JVR to bounce around the top 9 forwards and get time on the second powerplay unit. If he is available in your league, pick him up as he has loads of potential and a great prospect to have on your roster.

Nathan Gerbe (C) – BUF – Small in size but not in talent, Gerbe was sent down to Portland to continue improving his game. The 5’6”, 173 lbs, 22 year old, is extremely small by NHL standards. Gerbe should get a call up to Buffalo once the injury bug hits. Gerbe has excellent potential to be an NHLer, think Danny Briere, but will have to make the transition to wing at the pro level as his size works against him at the center position.

Mark

Training Camp Notes: September 22nd

Kyle Turris (C), PHX - The 3rd overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft has been sent down to San Antonio for more seasoning. While highly skilled, the knock on Turris has always been his wirey frame and inability to play against NHL-sized Defenceman. The Yotes apparently believe he is not quite there yet as he becomes one of the early surprise demotions to the AHL. After 20 points in 63 NHL games last year, Phoenix may keep Turris in San Antonio and hope he can dominate there before another promotion. Hold on to him in keeper leagues but cut bait in standard leagues.

Evgeni Grachev (C), NYR - Grachev, a 3rd round pick from the 2008 draft, was one of the most dominant players in junior hockey last year. The big Russian put up 80 points in 60 games with the Brampton Battalion, making a smooth transition to North American ice. The 19 year-old has been turning heads at Rangers camp and had an impressive game playing with Anisimov and Callahan last night. Grachev's play may get him an extended look to start the year, however the Rangers will probably send him back to Brampton or down to Hartford (as a European skater, he is eligible to play in the AHL). Watch Grachev's play over the next few weeks and grab him in a keeper league.

Matt Gilroy (D), NYR - The highly sought-after free agent signing is getting lots of pre-season ice-time. Gilroy played 21:34 last night, including 4:51 on the Powerplay. The Rangers are also giving young Defenceman Michael Del Zotto and Bobby Sanguinetti a long look as their PP quarterback, however it is Gilroy who is signed to a large, 1-way contract. Gilroy has looked good this pre-season but I'm not sure he is worth the hype. Watch his minutes in the first 10-15 games as Tortorella may quickly lose patience with Gilroy's run-and-gun defensive play.

Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta & Michael Cammaleri, MON - Watched some of the Penguins/Habs game last night and this newly acquired top line was all over the ice. The three pnit-sized forwards have shown instant chemistry and dynamic speed. Expect all three to have strong years - bouncebacks for both Gomez and Gionta. Draft any of the three pint-sized producers and expect to be rewarded.

Theoren Fleury (RW), CGY- OK, I go out a few days ago and say that Fleury won't do much more then score the shootout winner in his first pre-season game. How does he respond? One goal and two assists over the next two games. Fleury is starting to find his niche in Calgary as a secondary scorer and may actually force Sutter's hand to stay on this roster. At 41, Fleury could be a magical story and provide the Flames with something they have been lacking for years...a scoring threat on the 2nd line. I am still betting against Fleury, but get your popcorn...this is getting interesting.

Chris

Pre-Season Rookie Watch

Toronto - Tyler Bozak (C) – The 23 year old played his first game for the blue and white and used every opportunity to make his point to coach Wilson to stay with the big club. With 17:28 minutes of ice-time, Bozak tallied a short-handed goal and had two other shots on net. He was involved in many offensive opportunities and looked like a seasoned sniper.

Philadelphia – James Van Reimsdyk (LW) – Another older rookie has looked quite impressive in his two games so far this pre-season. Van Reimsdyk scored the lone goal against Detroit, with 2 shots on goal and 14:36 minutes of icetime and lit the lamp in the Taverse City rookie tournament. Keep an eye on him as he should be on the Flyers opening night roster.

NY Islanders – John Tavares (C) – The #1 overall draft choice took to the ice for his pre-season action against the Oilers. Finishing a -1 on the night, Tavares skated for a whopping 22:50 minutes and was second on the team in total ice-time.

Pittsburgh – Eric Tangradi (C) – Playing in his first NHL tilt, the rookie got to play shotgun with Sidney Crosby. In 14:31 minutes of ice-time, Tangradi had 2 shots on net and assisted twice on goals by Crosby. Keep an eye on Tangradi, if he is able to make the team he may find himself of a line with Crosby or Malkin, he is that skilled.

Ottawa – Erik Karlsson (D) – The highly touted prospect has finally made his way to the NHL. Playing in his first game, Karlsson had 7 shots on net and 20:44 minutes of ice-time. Not bad for his first game and defiantly worth taking a look at in deeper leagues.

Phoenix – Kevin Porter (C) – The unknown Porter has been on fire in his first two pre-season games for the Coyotes. Porter netted 3 assists against a split-squad Kings team and skated for 21:15 minutes and assisted on the Coyotes lone goal against Anaheim with 21:26 minutes of ice-time. Keep an eye on him as he could fall into sleep category soon.

Mark

Pacific Division Sleepers

Anaheim – Joffrey Lupul (RW)– With an off-season trade that saw him return to Anaheim, Lupul is poised to have a break-out season. Lining up on the second line with veterans Koivu and Selanne, the 25 year old should see 60 points without breaking a sweat. That’s a 10 point increase from last season.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 81 GP – 30 G – 32 A – 62 PTS

Dallas – Steve Ott (C)– The Dallas Stars suffered some big losses upfront last season with injuries but that allowed some of their young players to emerge and make an impact on the team. Steve Ott was a virtual unknown that contributed in various ways in Dallas. With 46 points in 64 games, Ott also contributes in the penalty minutes department adding 135 PIMs as a great fantasy option.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 72 GP – 20 G – 30 A – 50 PTS

Los Angeles – Jonathan Quick (G)– Another young and talented team heading in the right direction. Quick came on the scene last year in LA and played the majority of games for the team. With a winning record of 21 W and 18 L, he will split time with Ersberg but should come out as the true number one this season.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 27 W – 23 L – 3 OTL – 3 SO

Phoenix – Keith Yandle (D)– With the future unknown in Phoenix, the ownership or lack thereof, has decided to go ahead with a continued youth movement. Yandle is a young defenseman that has the offensive ability to quarterback a powerplay. Benched at times last year for his lack of defensive ability, the 22 year old is just beginning his career. With 30 points in 69 games, Yandle should see regular minutes and time on the powerplay this season.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 80 GP – 6 G – 28 A – 34 PTS

San Jose – Joe Pavelski (C)– With all the high priced talent in San Jose, the little guy often gets lost in the shuffle. Little Joe Pavelski does not get a lot of attention but as the second line center on a power house team, he should. With 59 points in 80 games last year, he was an integral part of the President Trophy win. Little Joe should hit the mid sixty point mark as his responsibilities increase in San Jose.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 81 GP – 26 G – 37 A – 62 PTS

Mark

Mixed Bag of Defensive Signings

Matt Hunwick was called up due to injuries and never made it back down to the AHL. Hunwick has an offensive flare that allows him to play both wing and defence. In 53 games last season, Hunwick scored 27 points and was a +15. This Bruin made an impact on the team last year and should be considered in later rounds in all formats as a depth option.

Denis Grebeshkov made an impact on a young Oilers blueline last season. In his second full season in the NHL, Grebeshkov played in 72 games, adding 39 points. He is another excellent choice to draft in later rounds as he should put up similar totals to last year.

Jack Johnson’s season was cut short last year with a season ending shoulder injury. Appearing in 41 games, Johnson scored 11 points and had 46 PIMs. Johnson is a young defenceman that oozes with potential. He may not be an offensive powerhouse but his hitting ability will make him a late round draft choice.

Keith Yandle played in his first complete season last year and impressed the Coyotes coaching staff. Yandle is a young rear-guard that is offensively minded. In 69 games, Yandle scored 30 points, 12 of them were on the powerplay and took 118 shots. Yandle is another excellent sleeper pick in later rounds of your draft as he may break out with 40 points next season.

Shane O’Brien hits first and asks questions later. Not much of an offensive contributor, O’Brien is no stranger to the sin bin. In 76 games last year, O’Brien had 10 points and a whopping 196 PIMs making him a great selection in later rounds if your pool reward penalty minutes.

Mark

Re-tooling the Habs D

The Montreal Canadians have signed Jaroslav Spacek to a 3 year, $11.5 Million deal and Paul Mara to a 1 year, $1.675 Million deal.

Jaroslav Spacek

Montreal jumped all over Spacek on

July 1st as they envision him as an affordable number 2 Defenceman that can play with Andrei Markov on the Powerplay. The 35 year-old Spacek matched his career high with 45 points last year in Buffalo. He brings a good transition game and a steady defensive presence.

Fantasy Outlook: At 35, Spacek can't be relied upon for big-time minutes in Montreal. He should immediately help their Powerplay and continue to put up decent points. Look for him in the late rounds to shore up your Defence depth.

Fearless Forecast: 75GP, 9G, 31A, 40PTS

Paul Mara

A former 7th overall pick by Tampa in 1997, Mara has great size, decent skill and moves well. After a career high of 47 points with Phoenix in 2005-2006, Mara looked to be one of the bright young Dmen in the league. Since then, Mara has travelled to Boston and New York where he has struggled to stay healthy. He reached 21 points last season which was his highest since his days in the desert. Has this former 1st rounder lost his offensive game with his confidence or can he bounce back in Montreal?

Fantasy Outlook:

Mara heads into Montreal with low expectations. They hope he can be a top 4 Dman who can play some PP time. This could be a great environment for Mara to get his game back. Don't draft him but keep an eye on him through the waiver wire as he could surprise with some decent points and PIMS.

Fearless Forecast: 75GP, 7G, 22A, 29PTS, 105PIMS

Chris

Another Desert Dog

The Phoenix Coyotes have acquired talented defenceman Sami Lepisto from the Washington Capitals for a 5th round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft.

Fantasy Outlook: Lepisto was unable to crack the Capitals line-up last season despite getting 4 points in 7 games. The talented Finnish dman played 70 games in the AHL with the Hershey Bears amassing 42 points in 70 games and adding 80 PIMS.

Look for Lepisto to add some much needed offense to the Coyotes back-end next season. Fantasy owners should keep this kid on their radar as he may be a steal as a late round pick or available on your waiver wire.

Mark