Feb 27 2009
Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood will make his return to the net tonight when the Wings play host to the LA Kings. Osgood was given time off to refocus and try to put his struggles behind him. Last year, he was an All Star goalie that won the Stanley Cup. This year, he's been in a terrible slump posting a 3.29 GAA and a .879 save percentage. If Ozzie is going to have any chance of playing in the playoffs, he'll need to turn it around tonight. Right now, Ty Conklin is the man in Detroit and if Ozzie falters tonight, pick up or hang onto Conklin.
There is an outside shot that Osgood could be playing to just remain on the team. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Wings have been scouting the Thrashers and according to an ESPN.com rumor the Wings are one of three teams interested in acquiring, the former second overall pick, Kari Lehtonen. With Conklin playing well, I would not see Lehtonen's value skyrocketing like it could, but his numbers would be significantly better behind the Detroit defense. There may be nothing to this as the Wings could be just looking to bolster their defense with Niclas Havelid and GM Ken Holland has stated that he does not intend on trading for a goaltender at the deadline.
(Photo by Paul Sancya / AP)
Feb 26 2009
Ryan Whitney to Ducks
Whitney has been struggling this year and a move to Anaheim may work out well for him, but not this year. With Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer on the same team, he won't see very much powerplay time (unless Pronger gets moved, which I read is a possibility). Not to mention he'll no longer have two of the best players in the world to pass the puck up to now. However, he will have two of the best defenseman in hockey to learn from. I think this is a great career move for Whitney and I think it will take him to the next level. As for his fantasy value, I don't see it increasing unless Pronger or Niedermayer get moved before the deadline next Wednesday.
(Photo by Amelia Kunhardt / The Patriot Ledger)
Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi to Penguins
Interesting move for the Pens. Kunitz is a talented winger, but excels in playmaking, not goal scoring. On paper, he's a much better fit for Malkin than Crosby so it will be interesting to see how he's used since Crosby is in need of a good winger, not Malkin. Regardless of who he's lined up with, his value is much higher in Pittsburgh than Anaheim. The Ducks were really struggling to score goals and moving to a more offensive minded team in Pittsburgh, should help boost his production. I wouldn't go too crazy to try and acquire him, but if you have room, he's a good player to take a chance on.
Feb 26 2009
Arguably the greatest goaltender of all time, Martin Brodeur, will make his return tonight at home against the Colorado Avalanche. Brodeur has not played in a game since November 1st when he tore a bicep in his left elbow in a game against the Thrashers. This makes a tough Devils team even stronger now. Brodeur has never been this fresh, this late in the season and it could help the Devils make a lot of noise in the playoffs this year. This news is a must needed boost to Brodeur's owners who probably spent a first round pick on him and have been without his services for 4 months. If you did the smart thing and picked up Clemmensen, then you're probably still in good shape and still are in the playoffs or in the playoff hunt and even though Clemmensen's been good for you, he's not Marty Brodeur. As for the owners that rode the Clemmensen express while Marty was injured, this is the last stop. I'm sure Clemmensen will get a game here and there, but his fantasy value is no where near what it was now. It was a good ride while it lasted, but now its time to look for a new one. Check out my NHL Stock Market reports for goalies that are probably on your waiver wire and can get the job done.
(Photo by Bill Kostroun / AP)
Feb 25 2009
Stock Rising - This is where you'll find players that you may find on your waiver wire or sitting on your bench. These are players that could bring in big returns if traded now. Ultimately, its up to you whether you believe they'll stay valuable or if you should try to cash in on them now. I wouldn't recommend dropping an established player to acquire these players. These are guys that ideally, would round out the bottom half of your roster.
Buy Low - Players in this section don't mean you should try to sell them or just flat out waive them. All of the players in this section are players that are in a slump and you should try to trade for. These are guys that are talented and will come around eventually.
Sell - If these players are on your team, you're much better off checking the waiver wire or trading them.
Stock Rising
Pekka Rinne (35%) - Making his third and final appearance in the Fantasy Factor Stock Market report is Rinne. I just don't get it. I said way back in December that this guy was an emerging star and he still has a lower ownership level than Manny Legace, Pascal Leclaire and Jimmy Howard. This month he's 7-2 with a 1.96 GAA.
(Photo by Mark Humphrey / AP)
Alexandre Burrows (28%) - In addition to be a point per game player over the past couple weeks since being united with the Sedin twins, he's also a great source of PIM. He's a bit of a gamble pickup in points, but he'll always get you the PIM you need.
Tomas Plekanec (63%) - The Habs may be falling apart, but Plkanec doesn't seem to notice. He has 5 goals in his last 5 games and every bit like the sniper Montreal thought they had all season.
Matt Cullen (14%) - Since taking over as the Canes second line center, Cullen has been on fire scoring 14 points in his last 13 games. I wouldn't expect his success to last and to be honest I'm surprised its lasted as long as it has, but he may not be a bad rental player while he's hot.
Jaroslav Halak (5%) - If you were unsuccessful in your attempt to acquire Carey Price, don't worry, right now Halak is the man in Montreal. The skidding Canadiens have won 3 of their last 4 with him in goal and he did himself a big favor last night with a shutout victory in Vancouver.
Buy Low
Dustin Brown - My favorite "nobody knows about him yet" player is currently away from the team while his wife gives birth to their child. Before he left though, he started a hot streak that scored him 7 points in his last 5 games. This kid has a world of talent and would be the perfect fit for the Pens top line with Crosby. In the meantime, he'll have to keep lighting the lamp for the "never on TV" Kings
Ales Hemsky - He only has one point in his last four games, but for most of the season he has been a pretty consistent point producer and now is the time to steal him away while he's on a mini-slump.
Simon Gagne - Over the past three months, Gagne has become the forgotten man in Philly. After starting off the season on fire, Gagne now has just 4 goals in the last two months. Help may be on the way for Gagne though with the return of Daniel Briere. Briere was Gagne's center when he was on fire in the beginning so this could be the boost he needs to get back into his usual form.
Andy McDonald - He's back and he looks every bit as good as he was before he got injured. He's a great source of power play points and assists. He's available in 68% of ESPN leagues, so you may not even need to swing a deal for him.
Sell
Markus Naslund - I like him, but I just don't see it happening for him. Just 18 goals and 18 assists this year isn't cutting it. I wouldn't recommend just dropping him, but try to package him up with someone else and try to get a quality player in return.
Erik Cole - You may want to wait until after the trade deadline to drop him, but he's been a horrible disappointment this season for the Oilers and for his owners. Cole's name is mentioned in a lot of trade rumors, but I think it'll take more than a change of address to get him jump started.
Brad Richards - He'll miss most if not all of the remainder of the regular season. Its safe to say he can be dropped.
Petr Sykora - Miro Satan was on the last Sell list on the stock market report and this time its the other under achieving Penguins winger. He has one goal in the last seven games and Shero is talking about extending him? Hmmm, I hope he's willing to play for free.
Feb 24 2009
Recently, TSN (aka Canada's version of ESPN) brought up the 10 most interesting trade possibilities.
Alexei Kovalev - After being told to stay home and it looked as though his days in Montreal were numbered, Kovy came back and scored a goal, picked up a couple helpers and looked very "refreshed". With the Habs sinking, they need Kovy to turn things around and help them get back into it. He still has all the talent in the world, but for whatever reason he's not producing. He could do wonders for the Penguins and really add some much needed firepower to the Crosby line, but would the Pens really be willing to give up much to get a 35 year old winger that is in the final year of his contract? Even more, would the Habs be willing to make a trade to help the Penguins? If Kovy gets traded, it'll probably be to a contender that is looking to rent a player and his value should increase.
(Photo by Graham Hughes / AP)
Erik Cole - His first year out of Carolina hasn't been all that spectacular. Now the Oilers are looking to get something for him before he becomes a free agent. The Pens have come up in trade talks for Cole as well, but again, I don't see the Pens going after a guy like this to have for just a couple months, if that. The Oilers are a decent offensive team with a lot offensive minded players and if his game is sputtering up there, I don't think a change of address will help it, at least not this year.
Chris Pronger - Pronger would be a huge pickup at the deadline for anyone, but Anaheim is only looking to sell if they know they're not going to be in the playoff picture. Right now they're 10th, but only 1 point out of a spot. The Ducks need to be buyers. If they can boost their offense and just get into the playoffs anything can happen. Giguere is a sleeping giant and could awaken in the playoffs, so the Ducks would be smart to hold onto Pronger. So if you're holding onto Pronger, hoping he gets into a better situation, its probably not going to happen.
Ryan Whitney - I don't have anything against Whitney like most people in this city. I think he's good at his position when he's playing his game and not Michel Therrien's, but the Pens would be smart to dump his $4 mil contract. Help is needed on the wing for Crosby and that money should be used towards getting that. Whitney has the talent to be a big time defenseman in this league (14 goals, 45 assists in 06-07) but the Pens have a ton of good young defenseman in their system.
Olli Jokinen - Every year his name comes up this time of year and every year he never goes anywhere. Jokinen has been awful this season and looks lost in the desert. Somebody may be able to swoop in and steal him away and have an elite center added to their roster for the playoffs. Montreal's name has been mentioned as a possible destination. Jokinen's value could use a shot in the arm so anywhere other than Phoenix would be great for his owners.
Jay Bouwmeester - Despite being a UFA at the end of the year, I can't imagine Florida wanting to tamper with their team too much. Especially since they're in the playoffs right now and Bouwmeester is having a great year. I think having him stay put is probably the best thing for the Panthers and for J-Bo owners.
Nik Antropov - Leafs GM Brian Burke wants a first rounder for Antropov. Yeah, good luck with that one. I don't see Antropov leaving Toronto unless Burke changes his stance and decides to trade him for the used bag of pucks he's worth. His value will stay about the same regardless of where he ends up.
James van Riemsdyk - He's a highly touted prospect for the Flyers that is rumored to be sent to the Thrashers for Kari Lehtonen. If the Flyers are going to deal a good prospect like van Riemsdyk, I think they can get someone a little better than Lehtonen who is suffering from puck-phobia in Atlanta right now.
Kari Lehtonen - Seriously, I think if he was on a team that actually thought about defense, his numbers would be great, but I'm afraid too many years in Atlanta has destroyed his confidence. Hopefully he does get traded and if he does, depending on what team he goes to, his value could get pretty high.
Ryan Smyth - Captain Canada is rumored to be heading out of Denver before or on Army Day (March 4th) and the biggest rumor has him headed to Buffalo. Smyth makes a little over $6 mil per season and the Sabres would have enough cap space for him, but with Miller going down, they may pick up another goalie and the Avs make have to stick it out with him. A trade won't increase his value very much so just keep him or trade him the way you normally would.
Vincent Lecavalier - One name that didn't appear in the TSN article was Vinny. It was rumored that he was headed to Montreal and denied several times, but apparently they were true after all. The trade doesn't seem likely now, but if Vinny was traded to Montreal I think it might hurt his value. In Tampa, he gets to play with guys like Martin St. Louis and Vinny Prospal and there isn't a lot of pressure, unlike in Montreal. In Montreal, the pressure would really high and he has less to work with in terms of wingers. As a Lecavalier owner, I'd be fine with him staying put.
Feb 23 2009
Former Pens goalie, Patrick Lalime will get a chance to redeem himself and possibly make himself a starter in the NHL again. Sabres starter Ryan Miller suffered a high ankle sprain in Saturday's contest against the Rangers and its unknown how long he'll be out. This type of injury though typically means he'll be out for awhile. So in his place Lalime will get a chance to not only keep Buffalo in the playoff hunt, but to revive his career and show that he's still capable of being a starter in the NHL. His numbers as a backup are not that impressive (2-7, 3.17 GAA, .895%), but he doesn't have a tough schedule in the near future (Ana, Car, NYI, Mtl, Phx) and the team is trying to swing a deal to pickup another goalie, so Lalime will do his best to make an impact quickly. I wouldn't recommend hinging your playoff hopes on him like the Sabres, but he's a good pickup as a 3rd or 4th goalie.
(Photo by Bill Kostroun / AP)
Feb 20 2009
In an attempt to help boost their offense and actually have a half decent second line, the Ottawa Senators re-acquired center Mike Comire and defenseman Chris Campoli from the New York Islanders for Dean McAmmond and a first round pick in 2009.
Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli to Senators
Let's face it, the center position has always been a weak spot for the Sens. After Jason Spezza, there's a huge dropoff in offensive talent at that position. Mike Comrie isn't exactly a high caliber center, but he's much better than what they have and this gives Ottawa the ability to split up the pizza line (Heatley, Spezza and Alfredsson) and not have to worry about short changing one of the wingers. This obviously increases Comrie's value, but unless you're hurting at center as badly as the Senators are this move doesn't make him a worthy pickup. As for Campoli, he has "throw in player" written all over him. He's a minus 20 and his offensive stats aren't anything special either. Honestly, I just think Senators GM Bryan Murray has a secret crush on Comrie's girlfriend, Hilary Duff.
(Photo by Evan Agostini / AP)
Dean McAmmond to Islanders
There's nothing too exciting about McAmmond either. He's a decent checker with good speed, but I don't see him helping anyone in any fantasy format.
Feb 18 2009
Pavel Datsyuk - Has anyone noticed how well Pavel Datsyuk is doing this year? He's fourth in the league in scoring (just three points behind Crosby) and fourth in the league in plus/minus with a plus 30. Its about time that Datsyuk gets mentioned in the same breath as Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin as best in the league. He's keeping up with those three in the points race and is far better than any of them defensively. Its time for Datsyuk to get the attention he deserves as one of best if not the best player in the NHL.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Mike Green - Is this guy for real? He racks up points better than a lot of high end forwards. There was some question before this, but there isn't now, he is the best defenseman in the NHL this year. I dare someone to dispute it. If he can continue this tear, I see the Capitals going very far in the playoffs.
Brad Richards - The surging Stars were dealt a big blow on Monday night when Richards broke his wrist in Columbus and will be out 6-8 weeks. This pretty much kills fantasy value and should be dropped.
Daniel Briere - We finally have a target date set for the injury plagued Briere. It appears as though he will make his return February 25th at home against the Kings. There is some speculation that he could return before that and play against the Capitals. Get ready to activate him.
Paul Stastny - Speaking of players returning, Stastny is set to return Friday against the Caps. He should provide an immediate impact for a team that is in desperate need of a center.
Steve Stamkos - Stamkos racked up his first NHL hat trick last night in a 5-3 loss to the Blackhawks. Stamkos has been improving and may not be a bad pickup for the remainder of the season.
Alexei Kovalev - For whatever reason, Kovy is not going to be accompanying the team when they play the Capitals and Penguins this week. He hasn't been suspended or traded (just yet), but if you own him, stick him on the bench until we find out what is really going on here.
Patrick Sharp - The Hawks top goal scorer will be out for the next 3 weeks with a knee injury. No word on how bad it looks as of yet, but they're saying at least three weeks. He may return right before the fantasy hockey playoffs or not at all.
Sidney Crosby - With Therrien finally removed from office, the Pens will now adopt a new up tempo style of hockey. One that should play to the strengths of the team. Those of you that drafted Crosby in the first round and feel like you're not getting a good return, should see a spike in production in the final months.
Carey Price - Will the real Carey Price please stand up? The up and down career of the Habs goalie is in a ditch right now. Price surrendered 5 goals to Toronto and 7 to the Oilers. He's had a very tough time since the All Star break going 2-6, posting a 3.94 GAA and a .861 save percentage. It should be interesting to see what the Habs do at the trade deadline to help their franchise goalie.
Ilya Kovalchuk - Those of you that have been patient with Kovalchuk are receiving big rewards now. He's currently on a 5 game goal scoring streak with 8 goals during that span. Maybe he's excited to hear his name involved in trade talks.
Nicklas Backstrom - Those of you that were panicked because Backstrom wasn't on a line with either of the Alexanders' can now relax... for now. Backstrom played in the last game with both Ovechkin and Semin and he's back to being his multi point per game self.
Johan Franzen - The Mule should be back in the lineup tonight as the Wings take on the Predators. He's had a very injury prone season and that's not something you want going into the final year of your contract. Look for him to push really hard in the final couple months to try and impress some team out there that he's worth the big bucks. I don't think he is and if the Wings are smart they'll do everything they can to sign Hossa and let Franzen walk if his price is too high.
Miikka Kiprusoff - Last night, Kipper made the save of the year against Vancouver. The Flames are in first place and look ready to make a lot of noise in the playoffs. Hopefully, for you fantasy owners, he won't be held out of regular season games towards the end, but he's currently on pace to play 76 games and if Keenan was smart, he would cut back a bit near the end.
Olli Jokinen - Olli has been having a very off year with the Coyotes. He has no goals in his last 10 games and just 3 assists in that time. Its never a good idea to sell low, but the Coyotes may do just that at the trade deadline. This would be a welcomed change for Jokinen owners who are probably as bald as he is after ripping their hair out because of his lack of production.
Ilya Bryzgalov - He's really not a "bad" goalie, but his numbers have been average for most of the year and unfortunately this month, they've taken a turn for the worst. This month he's 1-5 with a 3.92 GAA. Unless he's traded, I don't see Bryz becoming a valuable fantasy contributor for the remainder of this year.
Feb 16 2009
In an attempt to stop their slide down the Eastern Conference standings, the Montreal Canadiens acquired Mathieu Schneider from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for second and third round picks.
Mathieu Schneider to Canadiens
This is a move where both Canadiens and Schneider win. Since leaving the Red Wings a couple years ago, Schneider has really struggled to maintain that elite status as a defenseman. This move won't help him get it back, but you should see a drastic improvement in numbers now that he's away from the defensively challenged Thrashers. He'll most likely play the point on the powerplay with Andrei Markov, which in the past has been a gold mine of fantasy points for defensemen playing opposite him (Sheldon Souray, Mark Streit). In most fantasy leagues, you're probably struggling to find a good defenseman and the bottom two or three are probably just taking up a roster spot. This is a great move for Schneider owners (assuming anyone still owns him and his minus 10 rating). If he's on waivers, pick him up quick because he won't be there long. This move may not fix all the Canadiens problems, but it will fix the problems on your blue line.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Feb 11 2009
Stock Rising - This is where you'll find players that you may find on your waiver wire or sitting on your bench. These are players that could bring in big returns if traded now. Ultimately, its up to you whether you believe they'll stay valuable or if you should try to cash in on them now. I wouldn't recommend dropping an established player to acquire these players. These are guys that ideally, would round out the bottom half of your roster.
Buy Low - Players in this section don't mean you should try to sell them or just flat out waive them. All of the players in this section are players that are in a slump and you should try to trade for. These are guys that are talented and will come around eventually.
Sell - If these players are on your team, you're much better off checking the waiver wire or trading them.
Stock Rising
Steve Ott (14%) - I can't believe it either, but Steve Ott is actually a decent fantasy forward right now. I know, I know, its crazy. He's currently playing the role of injured captain Brendan Morrow and doing a really good job. Playing alongside Morrow's old linemates, Ott has 6 goals in his last seven games and still picks up a fair amount of PIM too. I don't expect this to last forever, after all it IS Steve Ott, but he isn't a bad fill in.
Tim Connolly (36%) - I mentioned him in last week's hockey notes. He's a great player to own when he's healthy, but that's the trick. He gets injured pretty often. If you don't mind dealing with an injury or two or are desperate for a spark, he's a great pickup.
Ryan Kesler (23%) - There's always been a lot of hype around this former first round pick, but whenever you look at his stats you couldn't tell the difference between him and some fourth liner getting a few minutes a game. He appears to be breaking through, finally with his new linemates, Sundin and Demitra. That's pretty good company and he's really playing well right now. He currently is on a 4 game goal streak with 6 goals totals during that time. Chemistry is a tricky thing and right now and right now the Canucks second line has it.
Matt Niskanen (10%) - I'm willing to bet you've switched out your 5th and/or 6th defenseman out with waiver wire players several times by now. Here's a guy that should give you some stability in those spots. Niskanen has really emerged lately and is currently riding a 5 game point streak with 8 assists. He's a pretty decent pickup in any type of league as a 4th, 5th or 6th defenseman.
Jon Quick (10%) - Making his second appearance on the stock market report is Kings rookie goalie, Jon Quick. Since the All Star break, Quick is 5-1 with a 2.31 GAA and .924 save percentage. Unless you have 3 or 4 studs in net for you, there's no reason to not take a chance on him.
Chris Mason (17%) - Last night's trashing aside, Mason has been spectacular between the pipes lately. Before last night's game, Mason had given up 2 goals or less in 7 straight games and had two shutouts. This is most likely just a hot streak, but this may make him very attractive to another team and if he gets traded to a contender, his value could skyrocket. Right now, he's value as a rental.
Buy Low
Dany Heatley - The Ottawa Senators are dead last in offense this season and part of it has to do with Heatley. He's on pace for just 35 goals and 38 assists. His worst injury free season since his rookie year in Atlanta. Before the season started, Heatley was a first rounder. By now, his owners are very frustrated with him and are probably looking unload. As the Sens sink down and look more likely to miss than make the playoffs, it could ease the pressure to perform and he could have a nice rebound ending to this nightmarish season.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Chris Pronger - Pronger is probably a one or two defenseman on most fantasy teams. He's playing like a three or four right now. Now would be a good time to try and make a deal for him. He's playing on a team with goaltending and offensive issues. I've read numerous rumors about Pronger getting traded at the deadline. If he hooks up with a team that can make better use of his talents, he'll be right back at that elite status.
Patrick Kane - Since he got injured Dec 30th, Kane has been really quiet. It turns out that he's been playing injured and is only about 85 to 90 healthy. I expect once he gets back to 100%, he'll get back on track and play like the All Star he is. Now would be the best time to acquire him via trade, his value won't be any lower.
Sergei Gonchar - Depending on the type of league you're in, Gonchar could be sitting on waivers right now. He's expected to make his return this Saturday, so if you haven't already, pick him up.
Sell
Shane O'Brien - He's a great "I need PIM, but I don't want to sacrifice a forward" guy, but he's been a healthy scratch for the last four games. Basically it comes down to the Canucks want him fighting more (as do his owners) and he doesn't want to. If even he comes back, if he's not fighting, he's not worth anything.
Alex Goligoski - He didn't play all that bad while with the Pens, but now he's no longer on the big club and has zero fantasy value.
Peter Mueller - One of my favorite sleepers going into the season hasn't really produced the way I thought he would as he sits with only 12 goals on the season and is now currently battling to get back onto the ice after a concussion. This kid has the tools to be a big time sniper in the NHL, but this will not be that breakout year.
Miroslav Satan - It simply amazes me that Satan still has a 91% ownership at this point. Absolutely amazing. He has no points this month, just one goal in his last 10 games and he's nearly been benched a few times. If you own him, stop being a homer for the Pens and start looking for a better option.
Todd Bertuzzi - They recently moved him to the Iginla line in hopes that this would spark Big Bert. However, instead of sparking Bert, its now dragging down Iginla. If you own Bertuzzi, stop letting him drag down your team and drop him. Steven Moore would be proud of you.
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