This just in: it is still raining outside. At last check there was about five inches of rain or more depending on what part of the Tri-state area you are from. Even if you are not, that is a ton of rain. On the bright side, things are not flashing and the lights are staying on. This is essential to try to accomplish some writing assignments and such. I think it is comical that the wind was blowing so hard for a while there that you thought it was a tornado blowing in. I can assure you that it was not and that power is restored at least here.

So what needs to be done here is to give you three players you may be able to pick up in the first round of your playoffs or last week of your regular season (whatever the case may be). At any rate here are our three. Hide the women, children, and maybe the men as well.

Rainy Day Three

Pascal Dupuis, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins: This is a bit of a risk because Dupuis is owned by so few owners in Fantasy leagues, but this is the time of year where this type of player is essential to your team’s crunch time success. The ice time he’s getting is not impressive, but lately it’s been a bit over 15 minutes which is progress and with the unfortunate slide of Max Talbot, this is Dupuis’ time to shine. I also like the six points in six games. Expect a bit more of that as the season winds down and Dupuis gets more time with that Sidney Crosby fellow. Dupuis is a very easy claim out there as honestly no one is really paying attention.

Manny Malhotra, C, San Jose Sharks: Here is another guy who honestly just gets little credit, but in deeper leagues is a nice third or fourth centre on your team. The 28 points in 55 games do not seem like much, but that +17 ranking and the occasional offensive outburst is enough to at least take a look and maybe even take a gamble at adding a guy like Malhotra. He plays almost 16 minutes a night so, again, you would have to cover a bit and find a guy that plays a bit more. When Maholtra is healthy, he is the type of player that can provide an unexpected spark for your team. You could do worse, but Malhotra is definitely not worse.

Chad LaRose, LW, Carolina Hurricanes: Really? Yes. LaRose was a very solid player in 2008-09, but injuries this season really derailed him badly. It seems those issues are long gone now and he has the ability to be a surprise on your Fantasy team. Granted, we dug really deep here as LaRose is owned by very few Fantasy leagues owners (less than 5 per cent), but his potential — especially on a team that is making a playoff push — should catch your eye. He even played over 20 minutes a couple games ago which is a sign that his stamina is 100 per cent at last. That is important and add in the fact that he is fresh, it makes him a viable pickup that no one will notice. Stash LaRose on your bench and sneak him in a few nights. It will surely pay some dividends for your Fantasy roster.

Next week we go for the jugular and point out some players that you should have added on your Fantasy team sooner, but may still have a chance to acquire. See you then.

This week’s Fantasy Hockey Roundtable was asked: “Now that the Olympics are over, who is the one player you are targeting off the waiver wire for the final push this season?”

Representing the illustrious RotoRob, I went with Steve Downie, that still-hidden gem of a point-producer. Here’s what I had to say:

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

Check out the rest of the Roundtable here.

You are now in the final week of your H2H Fantasy league and you are dead straight on the playoff bubble. Your opponent is not only just as active as you, but he also scours that waiver wire every day. Trade deadlines have passed so that option is also not available. Injuries may be mounting for your team as well. Do you have Denis Grebeshkov on your team? Well, he is out for a while after having testicular surgery (ouch). What if you have Mike Cammalleri? Well, he is out at least another week. It seems like you are going through the motions with no end or solution in sight. We take a quirky yet quick look at three players that may surprise this week in The Wire Troll.

Three To Please

Peter Mueller, C/RW, Colorado Avalanche: People will laugh some at this but Mueller fits in with what Colorado is trying to do and that is score more. He does not have to play a ton of D and all he has to do is pile up points like he did in his rookie season in Phoenix. It really is the perfect setting for a guy like Mueller. He is getting second line time and that PT could increase some this week. Those five points in four games so far is definitely a boon to his confidence along with the 15 to 17 minutes of ice time a night he gets now as opposed to being a healthy scratch in Phoenix. Expect more good times ahead for this youngster and get him now. To think Mueller is available in 95 per cent of leagues across the board — sheesh, what are you waiting for, people?

Dustin Byfuglien, LW, Chicago Blackhawks: This guy is playing for his contract, so to speak. Any guy that is this big and can create so much havoc should have a few more points. The middle part of the season was a dire struggle for Byfuglien (pronounced BUFF-len). However, if he ever figures out how to put the puck in the back of the net with putting a lot of shots on said net, then look out. Byfuglien does average nearly 16 minutes a night and when the opponents and games get larger, so does his intensity. Some may not like that, but I do. Especially this week, where for some this is a winner take all scenario. Win and you are in. When you are facing that situation, I want guys like Dustin Byfuglien on my team and not Ryan Whitney (powderpuff), for example.

Tyler Bozak, C, Toronto Maple Leafs: This is the why not of the week for you Fantasy owners. Yes, he is just a rookie, but his 13 points in 20 games screams “hey, take a flier on me.” You know he is going to get minutes (averaging over 18 a night) and is going to get to play on the first and/or second line. Nick Kulemin and Phil Kessel are no pushovers to play with. I particularly enjoy Bozak’s presence on the ice and his exuberance. Add in the ability to pass the puck and an above average wrist shot and you have the makings of a surprise pickup for the next few weeks as the NHL regular season winds down, but he could also be someone that surprises many that you play against in your Fantasy pools. If you have to take a gamble this week, why not take it on Bozak because honestly you could do much worse.

Next week we get you ready for the playoffs with an upside down edition of The Wire Troll. You will really have to see it in order to believe it.

The trade deadline has passed, but the biggest moves happened well before the Olympics. Still, enough moves happened to affect depth charts all around, and if you’re in the stretch run of your Fantasy league, you know that it’s all about secondary scoring. Hey, isn’t that how the NHL works too?

The Phoenix Coyotes have gotten by so far on a very structured, defensive system, but GM Don Maloney knew they needed help scoring. Exit underachieving Peter Mueller, enter…underachieving Wojtek Wolski. Wolski’s pure talent is undeniable, but he lacks consistency and grit. Can Dave Tippett beat some sense into him? It’s a risk, as Tippett doesn’t exactly have a reputation of working well with young players. However, Wolski is getting time with Shane Doan and at least to start, he’s been given an opportunity to shine. Just watch his ice time closely from game to game — if his production drops, then beware the short coach’s leash.

On the flip side, Mueller is going to play for Joe Sacco, a guy who’s gained a reputation as a player’s coach that works well with young guys. Mueller should thrive in this environment, and he could definitely be a good sleeper pick for some secondary scoring.

Joe Corvo was brought in to Washington to provide additional depth, both from an offensive and a defensive standpoint. Corvo’s numbers weren’t that great in Carolina so far this season, but he’s being given every opportunity to work with Washington’s high-powered offense. Corvo’s getting time both on the power play and shorthanded, and so far is seeing about 20 minutes a night. He should get points simply by being on the Washington power play.

Secondary scoring? The Atlanta Thrashers are looking for primary scoring with Ilya Kovalchuk now in New Jersey. Clarke MacArthur’s teased 25-goal potential in Buffalo and now he’s going to get a chance to be a go-to guy in Atlanta. However, coach John Anderson is still sharing his minutes around, meaning that MacArthur’s minutes are being equaled by guys like Maxim Afinogenov and Rich Peverly. In other words, it’s scoring by committee.

One of the most surprising things about the trade deadline is the fact that Philadelphia didn’t acquire a goaltender. With Ray Emery’s injury being worse than expected — so bad, in fact, that Emery’s career may be in jeopardy — it’s time for Philly to start looking at alternatives. Oh wait, the deadline passed and there are none? Okay then, well…it’s up to career backup Michael Leighton to carry the load. Yes, Leighton’s start has been impressive, but in most cases like this, there’s a reason why these guys never manage to solidify a number one position (see the Martin Biron file). In that case, picking up a guy like Brian Boucher may not be a bad move if you need depth goaltending, as there will almost certainly be some point where Leighton wears out his welcome and the Flyers will have no other choice than Boucher.

The other big story of the week is, of course, the Olympics. Now that the tournament is over, one has to wonder how much the intensity and fatigue of such a short tournament will wear on the best players in the game. For younger guys like Nashville’s Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, there should be some carryover momentum. You’ve also got guys like Pavol Demitra, who proved everyone wrong and was the best forward in the tournament. As for older guys like Brian Rafalski, who is still getting around 20 minutes a night, there should be some hesitation about putting them on their starting roster. Think about it this way: you’ve essentially inserted a playoff series with a huge emotional letdown into the season. When guys are at that point when their body starts working against them, it’s natural that those high-intensity games will have some overrun.

News & Notes

Patrice Bergeron may have won Olympic gold but he also tweaked his groin in the final game of the tournament and is day to day. People speculated that Columbus’s Derrick Brassard was on the move because he was scratched from a game early this week, but it turns out to be an upper-body injury instead. If you haven’t heard, don’t expect Sheldon Souray back this season — the hand he injured in a fight against Jarome Iginla is now infected and will keep him out of the lineup (but unfortunately, still on Edmonton’s payroll).

Okay, so you were playing a variety of Fantasy Olympic Hockey leagues that were out there. Maybe it was Rinkotology or one of those DobberHockey leagues. Either way, it is pretty much time to get back into the stretch run that is the last six weeks of the Fantasy Hockey regular season. Remember just two weeks ago when we went on our little vacation? Well, that time is over and quick. I have to admit it was nice to have a couple weeks off…sort of. What did I do on my vacation? Well, here is some of what was actually accomplished.

I did manage to grout some tile in the bathroom that needed it. Also, I went down the Jersey Shore and shoveled enough snow to fill a soccer field, or at least it felt like it. Then I shoveled a couple times at the house as well. I think that was just to get an extra workout in or maybe Mother Nature was seriously ticked off. There were even some killer meals made that were purely homemade. Legend has it, baked ziti, stuffed eggplant parmigiana, and several other high quality meals were cooked. Saturday, however, was a simple pizza and beer night to get ready for the Fantasy stretch that awaits us all.

It is not the normal six week dash that comes March 1 every year now. With the Olympics, the schedule is condensed tighter than any can of sardines ever could be. You will see some teams play 15, 16, even 17 times in the month of March. Add in the Trade Deadline on Wednesday and literally you go from Olympics to a ton of changed lineups faster than a Corvette goes from zero to 60. There is seemingly too much to digest just this week alone for the Fantasy hockey GM. However, let’s not try to worry about that outside stuff and concentrate on those players who you may be able to nab off the wire this week. Maybe we’ll fret over some of the player upheaval next week.

Pre-Trade Deadline Waiver Pickups

Raffi Torres, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets: He will not be in Columbus after Wednesday and if he is, I will be very shocked. Torres may only have 99 shots on goal but he has 19 goals (almost a 20 per cent success rate). Honestly, that is hard to pass up and, really, he is the perfect second tier trade for teams to make. A contender could squeeze another 10-to-12 goals out of him and that may be enough to give you that final push in your league. Torres has seven goals on the man advantage which is another good selling point. He is also available in at least 90-to-95 per cent of leagues and as many as 97 per cent in ESPN leagues. Go out there and get this guy before Wednesday because someone will and it might as well be you.

T.J. Galiardi, LW, Colorado Avalanche: He will still be on the first line when the Avs come back to play this week, so you may want to get him now before others realize this. Yes, his season has been a bit up and down, but you have to expect that from youngsters. Playing with Paul Stastny cannot hurt, however. Hey, the 26 points in 51 games is decent for someone that has only been picked up in 2-to-5 per cent of most leagues and as low as 1-to-2 per cent in ESPN leagues. The reality is you could do worse and Galiardi is a perfect fill-in for a third or fourth left winger as he is relatively off the radar. The next guy we look at may not be quite as much.

Alexander Steen, LW, St. Louis Blues: I keep waiting for this guy to truly break out as he has all the potential in the world to do so. So what happens? The St. Louis Power Play goes MIA for most of the season which has undoubtedly hurt Steen’s production some, or at least I think it has. Twenty-eight points in 48 games is pretty decent and his availability is high. A 90-to-95 per cent availability rate means he is out there if you are persistent. This is the type of player you want for March as I think he could score another eight or nine goals before the end of the year, maybe more. The Blues usually put a push together before the season ends and I think this year will be no exception. While they may not make the playoffs, I think Steen will be a main contributor. It is time for him to step up for Fantasy GMs everywhere.

So with the trade deadline coming up Wednesday, there are some very attractive players to keep an eye on. Will Tomas Vokoun be somewhere else and better yet, how about Carey Price? There are many questions this trade deadline considering the most valuable piece of the pie (Ilya Kovalchuk) was traded it seems like months ago. Hopefully you can digest all the movement and keep an eye on it because it may affect your Fantasy team as well.  Until then, see you next week and welcome back to Fantasy Hockey.

This is not going to be your normal Wire Troll. Yes it is Valentine’s Day (well, it was when I wrote it, but RotoRob was too busy making sweet, sweet love yesterday…err, onanism counts, right?). With a little bit of love and maybe an ounce of prevention, we will help you avoid the landmines that you should stay away from come March 1. In a twist, these are the players you may want to stay away from if you see them on the waiver wire. Do not be tempted by the Olympic Break either. Some of these players may be freshly placed on your local waiver wire as well.

Now our short and sweet three.

The Landmines

Stephane Robidas, D, Dallas Stars: Up until December 31, it looked so good. Robidas had potted 10 goals up until then and it looked like he was having a great season. But there is one problem. He has not found the back of the net since and has no points and a -5 in his last six games. Now I know his 33 points is going to look attractive, but even his ice time has decreased by two to three minutes a night since his pre-2010 levels. Rumours from Dallas suggested he might even be a healthy scratch before the Olympic Break in an effort to try to maybe shake him up a bit. Either way, come March 1, there wil be better options out there. Do make sure you weigh all options before settling on Robidas.

Cam Barker, D, Minnesota Wild: Yes, he was traded last week for Nick Leddy and Kim Johnsson. Barker was a salary cap casualty, but the reality is he vastly underperformed in Chicago this season. Fourteen points in 51 games is not really all that great for someone who had higher expectations thrust upon him. Minnesota will expect him to take on more of a scoring role and he may play more, but will he really improve that much offensively? In the short term it may be a struggle and unless you can wait until your Fantasy playoffs, Barker may be someone you should stay away from. If he plays 15 or 16 minutes a night, that still just is not worth it for you Fantasy owners out there. Seek other options if you can ASAP. Do not be sucked in.

Dainius Zubrus, C, New Jersey Devils: I know it will be tempting to pick him up since he is paired with Ilya Kovalchuk, but steer clear of Zubrus for now. Zubrus really is feast or famine and it usually is more famine than feast for his owners. The potential is there and his body is tailor made for a team that can use a power forward, but for whatever reason Zubrus just can never produce enough. The key is that there are better options you can trade for — especially during the break. For example, see if you can sneak an Andrei Markov on your team. He has about the same point per game production as Zubrus, but once he gets going, look out! With Zubrus, on the other hand, what you see is what you get, unfortunately.

On behalf of yours truly, I wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day and of course President’s Day on Monday. See you next weekend with more shenanigans and Fantasy hockey advice here on The Wire Troll.

This week, the Fantasy Hockey Roundtable was asked: “While the Olympics don’t count toward Fantasy points, they’re still fun to watch. Which NHL player will dominate this Olympics? Why?”

Here’s what our panel had to say:

Olympics Men’s Hockey is usually won by strong goaltending. While I expect to see a Canada-Russia final I do see the Slovakians finishing a surprising third due to the performance of Jaroslav Halak. While most experts have Sweden finishing third, it’s a team that looks better on paper and tends to underachieve. With Bob Gainey stepping down earlier this week, there are rumblings of Carey Price being traded. If this happens, Halak will be riding into the Olympics full of confidence. If a trade doesn’t occur he will be proving his worth on the world stage. Either scenario bodes well for Halak.

Marcus Schalle, dobberhockey.com

Much to the chagrin of my American friends, I’m going to predict a Canada-Russia final. Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby will meet in what promises to be an epic battle in front of a worldwide audience.

It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist (or even an expert hockey writer) to predict that the league’s two brightest stars will shine at the Olympics. Ovechkin will be featured in a feared Russian attack that will include Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Datsyuk, and teammate Alexander Semin. Crosby, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to play alongside wingers such as Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla. Ovechkin may be the scorer feared more right now, but remember that it’s Crosby who has the Stanley Cup and who is playing on home soil.

What about the goalies? Martin Brodeur and Ryan Miller may put up stellar performances against opponents like Norway and Switzerland, but expect shooters like Crosby and Ovechkin to dominate once it’s time for the medal round.

Ian Gooding, fantasyhockey.com

There are two players who I really like for the Olympics, and they happen to play on the same team and possibly the same line — Alexander Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk. Russia has a plethora of scoring talent — these two being two of the hottest — which makes it the favourite to win the tournament. The team also has standouts Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin, Andrei Markov, Sergei Gonchar, Sergei Fedorov, Alexander Semin, and goalies Evgeni Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov. It is going to be very hard to stop this team, but mainly, the offensive pair of Ovie and Kovy.

Kevin Orris, fantasypros911.com

While Canada’s greatest strength is its depth, I think Team Russia could have the scariest top line if it goes with Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, and Evgeni Malkin. Even with Malkin and Datsyuk having down years by their standards, I could see that line putting up Nintendo numbers in the Olympics. Another trio that I’d keep an eye on is Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau. I’d still put the Russian line ahead of them in raw talent, but Heatley, Thornton and Marleau already have plenty of experience playing alongside each other and while other players are trying to adjust to new teammates, the Canadian trio will have the advantage of being able to keep it simple and just do what they’ve been doing all season: averaging a combined
3.4 points per game.

If I had to pick one NHL player to dominate though, I’d put my money on Ovechkin. He’ll be extremely passionate when it comes to playing for his country and I don’t think he’ll change his style in the slightest to try to avoid an injury. Ovechkin is remarkably consistent and the NHL’s best player should also be the Olympic’s greatest attraction.

Ryan Dadoun, Rotoworld.com

He’s an oldie but a goodie. Martin Brodeur loves big games and the spotlight. I think he’ll blow people away in the Olympics.

Right now, his Devils are struggling. He’s looking to get the taste of losing out of his mouth. Playing behind Team Canada, he’s going to be re-engergized and ready to show the world just how good he is.

But also, you have to think Alexander Ovechkin will relish the opportunity to show up Canada on home ice. He has the ultimate chance to show North America just how great European players can be.

Steven Ovadia, RotoRob.com

Once upon a time, a Washington Capital victory was news. Man, have times ever changed! Now, it makes headlines when the team loses, which – despite a fantastic comeback effort – is what happened Wednesday night, ending the team’s 14-game winning streak – a franchise record.

Trailing 5-2 in Montreal at the end of two periods, it sure looked like the Caps’ streak was going to end without a whimper. But three third-period goals, including the tying marker with just 19 seconds left, forced overtime. And then the Caps came within eight seconds of heading to a shootout before Tomas Plekanec finally ended the drama, giving the Habs a 6-5 win.

Amazingly, it’s been almost a month since Washington last lost a game, and this incredible streak left them just three wins shy of the NHL record of 17 straight wins, set by the 1992-93 Penguins.

For the Caps, Brooks Laich is making last year’s breakout look like just a prelude to something very special. He scored the final two goals for the Caps, winding up with a hat trick and reaching the 20-goal mark in just 60 games. He set his career high with 23 last year, and will easily blow past that given his recent pace (seven goals in the last 10 games). Laich has really snuck up on us as a real Fantasy asset this season, but we doubt he’s still available unless you’re in a very shallow league.

One player who has a better chance of still being on your wire – but likely not for long – is Montreal’s Plekanic. His OT winner was part of a two-goal outburst, giving him six goals and five assists in the past 10 games. He’s bounced back nicely after last season’s disaster, and the durable centre should top 20 goals for the fourth straight season. We identified his career year as worthy of Fantasy attention a couple of months ago, and he’s gaining traction on the wire recently. Wednesday’s outburst should intensify that trend.

Most of the Fantasy focus for the Capitals has been on their ridiculously potent offense, which is miles ahead of any other NHL team. At the other end of the rink, they’ve been middling, but it hasn’t mattered because of all those freaking goals they’re scoring. Come playoff time, that could be a different story, but right now, it’s a non-factor with Bruce Boudreau’s club putting up W after W.

As a result, goalie Jose Theodore has been somewhat ignored until fairly recently, when he started to get hot. Starting with his shutout win on January 13, he looked very strong for a couple of weeks, going eight straight games without giving up more than three goals or saving less than 90 per cent of his shots. Unfortunately, in the past week, things have gone downhill quickly. He gave up five goals on 38 shots against the Rangers, four on 35 shots vs. the Pens, and then – in a relief role Wednesday – his former team beat him four times on just 25 shots.

With young goalies Michal Neuvirth and Semyon Varlamov earning more and more PT this season, Theodore hasn’t seen nearly as many starts as he did in his first season in the nation’s capital. However, Varlamov has been out for a couple of months with a knee injury, opening the door for Theodore to regain value. And, as we mentioned, until recently, he was doing just that. But as we expected, Varlamov is back now, and could make his return this weekend, meaning that Theodore’s value is about to take another hit. For now, wait and see how this plays out after the Olympic Break, unless you have an obviously better option sitting on the wire.

One Capital whose Fantasy value is never in question is defenseman Mike Green, who continues to roll. He scored his 16th goal of the season Wednesday, adding an assist and turning in a +2 performance in the losing effort. Green now has six points, including two goals, in his last five games, putting him back over a point-per game pace. He’s avoided major injury this season, and while he won’t come close to duplicating last season’s 31-goal explosion, Green is headed for a career best in points. If he stays hot down the stretch, 80 points isn’t out of the question.

For the Habs, Glen Metropolit tied his career high with his 12th of the year, giving him a mini hot streak (for him) of two goals in the past four games. However, unless you’re in a very, very deep league, he’s miles from Fantasy relevance until he regularly starts getting at least 15 minutes per game, which has occurred just three times in the past 10 games.

Montreal’s Maxim Lapierre, who has been a massive disappointment after showing some potential last season with 15 goals, is exhibiting signs of life. He scored his third goal in the past 10 games Wednesday, which hardly qualifies as a hot streak, but considering that he only scored twice in the first 51 games, it’s definitely something. He’s light years from offering Fantasy value, but could be worth watching at the very least, assuming he’s coming around somewhat.

Also, keep an eye on Tom Pyatt. He had 11 goals and 29 points in 36 games for Hamilton in the AHL before getting the call back to Montreal on Tuesday. While he failed to record a single point in limited PT in 19 games with the Habs earlier this season, Pyatt fired a goal and an assist in his first game back with the big club, going +1 and seeing 16:11 of ice time. He’s playing with Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta, so Pyatt could ride their coattails into being a sneaky Fantasy play.

This week the Fantasy Hockey Roundtable was asked “Over the course of 48 hours, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers combined to complete three major trades. What player(s) do you think will benefit the most from the transactions? Who do you think was hurt the most due to the moves?”

Representing for RotoRob, I wrote:

I think Christopher Higgins will most benefit from the Calgary series of trades, just because he seemed to be putting himself under so much pressure in New York, perhaps because he was playing so close to home, that he could hardly shoot straight. His time in New York was such a failure, he really has nowhere to go but up.

In terms of players hurt from moves, I’m not sold on Ilya Kovalchuk in New Jersey. I’m not sure how he’ll fit in with their system and I’m not sure how much he’ll appreciate not being the focal point of his team’s offense. And I’m not sure if he’ll struggle with the defensive responsibilities of playing for the Devils. It seems like there are a lot of places where the deal can go south for him. It’s a good thing he’s a rental.

Read the rest of this week’s Roundtable on RotoWorld.

Next Sunday will the final day of games before the Olympic Break. Sometimes you just think you will never get there, but the reality is it is only a week away. This will be a nice easy column as we prep the next week for the Olympics and Opening Ceremonies on Friday. The strangest thing this time of year is that most Fantasy owners are looking at NHL trades and not the waiver wire. That is reality, my friends. Looking at a lot of teams, they are hitting some kind of wall that cannot be explained this week. I noticed offense is down and numbers are down in general.

Simply, these are weeks that try everyone’s soul. Your mettle is tested as a Fantasy hockey owner. As a side note, it’s nice to see that the Caps and Pens are playing today, but at least offering an option for another game. Think of how crippled that city is from nearly 20 inches of snow with probably even more in the suburbs. Throw us a bone, Capitals brass if you please. At the very least this important game will be played and able to determine some outcomes. Imagine losing a week because you have Alexander Ovechkin and he did not play. I can comprehend the outrage as a Fantasy hockey owner because I had it happen to me a couple years ago when a hockey game was moved from a Sunday to a Monday.

Better yet, a break like that could affect a player you picked up off the waiver wire just for Sunday. Sure, it is kind of bush league in a sense, but it is a lot more common than people think. If you ever wondered why some leagues like ESPN and even Fanball put in weekly transaction limits for commissioners, that is why. Keep aware out there and watch your opponent’s transaction count if your league has a limit. Occasionally, you may be able to pick up someone they cannot.

Now our focus this week is the Olympic Break freeze on February 12. Why? Simple. Expect more trades that could affect waiver wires. A guy like Alex Tanguay could have relevant Fantasy value if he is traded in the coming week. There are other guys that you may want on your team. Now these are the type of players you may not expect, so here are our quick three for the road. I do think at least two of the three may be traded either before the “Break” or the Trade Deadline itself come March 3.

Happy Trails?

Alex Tanguay, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning: Tanguay has points in three straight games and as long as Vincent Lecavalier picks his play up, Tanguay will feed off of it. Tanguay needs an elite first line player with him to produce nowadays, but in the right situation, he will thrive. Talk is he could be traded before February 12. I still think he is too young to have gone this far off kilter. There is hope for him and I do think a change in scenery to a contender will not only do him some good, but even merit him being picked up. You might even take a gamble and add him right now if injuries have you down.

Raffi Torres, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets: Torres is another guy who should have more shots, but at least he has more than Tanguay. Torres scored his 17th of the season Saturday, but the fact that he’s getting less than 14 minutes of ice time a night screams trade candidate. I do think Columbus is kind of misusing him to a point, but that is balanced out by some of his questionable decisions on the defensive side of things. Torres is not Rod Brind’amour bad there, but still not all that good. The key here is to hope he ends up with a good second line situation if indeed he does change addresses. I do think Torres is a wildcard player that you want to keep one eye on.

Steve Reinprecht, C, Florida Panthers: For my money, Reinprecht is the perfect player to acquire for the Trade Deadline and I do think Florida may be tempted to entertain some offers for him. His 33 points are not overly impressive until you look at how feeble the Panther offense can be at times. I think they may score more off the ice than on truthfully. Now, Reinprecht has no points in his last 10 games, but this is a serious case of buying low. Florida may unload him and considering that he can win some clutch faceoffs, you may be on to something if you can get him before other people do so. What would be an ideal place for him to be dealt? Back to Phoenix may be a slightly intriguing concept. I am sure Shane Doan would love to have him back.

Next week look for a nice Valentine’s Day edition of The Wire Troll. We will give out some love and some advice too. Until then, enjoy the last full week of Fantasy hockey for a while.

Ilya Kovalchuk is now a New Jersey Devil, though it’s yet to be seen how he’ll work under Jacques Lemaire’s defensive-automoton system. Kovalchuk doesn’t have the best work ethic, so it’ll be interesting to see how they clash. However, what does it mean for the Thrashers? Maxim Afinogenov, who is Facebook friends with Kovalchuk, will be affected negatively without having his buddy there. However, Kovalchuk’s ice time will have to go somewhere. Bryan Little, who’s seen a massive drop from his 31-goal year last season, and rookie Evander Kane will be looked upon to step up their game in Kovalchuk’s absence.

The Kovalchuk fiasco has also overshadowed the return of oft-injured (but talented) goaltender Kari Lehtonen. Lehtonen’s doing an AHL conditioning stint right now, but he’ll be back with the big club in a few days. If you want to be preemptive about things, pick him up now and stick him on your bench. Word has it that Lehtonen’s being actively shopped, most likely based on the results of his AHL trip. Goaltending is always in demand, and wherever Lehtonen goes, he’ll get the chance to be a starter.

It’s hard to believe that a trade involving a former Conn Smyth winner who won a Stanley Cup a few years back could be overshadowed, but everyone’s so hot and bothered about Dion Phaneuf in Toronto that most people forget about Jean-Sebastian Giguere. Here’s the key thing to remember: in Fantasy, starts are king. Even if the team loses, you should still get points for shots. Giguere and his $7 million contract are going to get the bulk of Toronto’s remaining starts, so pencil that in, despite the inevitable losses.

Speaking of starts, let’s move a little northeast from Toronto up to beautiful Montreal. Jaroslav Halak, he of the many trade rumours, has gotten most of the recent starts for the Habs, and why not? Halak’s proven himself to be more consistent than Carey Price, and Jacques Martin must ride the hot hand right now with the playoff races so tight.

Olli Jokinen, the former 90-point centre who plays like a 60-point forward, is now on Broadway, and he’s had his chance to line up with Marian Gaborik and Vaclav Prospal. He’s not a John Tortorella-type player, though, and I imagine that this marriage won’t last too long before Torts starts shuffling Jokinen around. However, he’s bound to have one or two big games in his first handful — most guys do after a big trade. Wait for this moment, then unload Jokinen while his value is peaking.

What will happen in Columbus without Ken Hitchcock? Everyone knows Hitch is a demanding fellow who can be tough on young guys. Derrick Brassard’s rough sophomore campaign may not have much to do with Hitchcock (Brassard praised him in the media for helping him become a more NHL-ready player), but he’s got a clean slate now. Keep in mind that the interim coach is Hitchcock’s assistant Claude Noel, and Noel hasn’t done enough to really establish an identity, though the safest thing for a team in transition is to gradually change systems. Because of that, Noel may get his young guys to respond better, but don’t look for Columbus to explode offensively a la Washington or Chicago. It is, however, worth watching Brassard and even Steve Mason (he of the atrocious goals-against average).

News & Notes

The Red Wings are almost at full health with Johan Franzen getting his skating legs back. Mike Green is sidelined with a three-game suspension, but it gives him time to let his left knee heal. Teammate Semyon Varlamov is on the mend and should be able to return after an extended absence. In Chicago, Dave Bolland is back, but will be given a few games to get back into form, though Joel Quennville will give Bolland a chance to mesh with Marian Hossa.

This week, the Fantasy Hockey Roundtable was asked: “Which three players have been the most disappointing so far this year?”

Here’s what we said for RotoRob:

It’s hard to pick just three players who have disappointed me this season. I’ve been let down by so many, so many times. But if I had to pick just three, I would go with:

1. Evgeni Malkin — He finished last season with 35 goals. This year, Malkin had just 18 in his first 47 games, and just six goals in January. He finished last season so strong, looking like nothing could stop him. Malkin had 50 goals in his eyes after he lifted the Cup. By the time Christmas rolled around, he looked like he would be grateful to
score just 20 goals.

2. Alexei Kovalev — His disappearance isn’t surprising, but it is disappointing. Kovalev’s last two seasons in Montreal were great. But with 13 goals in 51 games for Ottawa, he hasn’t lived up to anyone’s expectations. Ottawa had to know Kovalev is one of the game’s streakiest players, but for whatever reason, it chose to throw its lot in with him. A lot of Fantasy owners made the same mistake.

3. Christopher Higgins — He’s never had huge numbers. In fact, his career-high is just 27 goals. But coming to the offense-minded Rangers, it was reasonable to expect Higgins to finally have that breakout season he always seemed to be flirting with. The idea was that he would just hang out in front of opposing nets and collect goals. For whatever reason, that hasn’t happened in New York. And when Higgins does have the rare scoring chance, he can’t cash in. He’s snake-bitten, as you can see with his six goals on the season.

I can hear it now. People will ask just what in the wide wide world of sports is a Mooby? It is a made-up award name for Waiver Wire Pickup Of The Year. Yes, if you watched Clerks 2, you will also know it from there. At any rate, there were some excellent candidates for this award in the early part of the season and with February starting on Monday, now is as good a time as any to do this. When we looked around, several candidates immediately popped into our minds, but readers were kind enough to point out a few we forgot along the way.

After considerable thought, we narrowed this down to our three best choices and ultimately came up with a winner for this semi-prestigious award. There were problems in doing this, but after much thought and foresight, it can now be done. Below I present the nominations for the first ever Mooby for Best Waiver Wire Pickup of the Year.

Our Nominees

Matt Moulson, LW, New York Islanders: Moulson literally came out of absolute no man’s land. People kind of chuckled when I first put him on The Wire Troll months ago, yet he is still the gift that keeps on giving and really has helped the Isles in their quest for a playoff spot in ways that the team’s brass could never have envisioned. This ninth round pick (263rd) has 20 goals on the year already, 33 points, and a +2. Playing with guys like John Tavares and Kyle Okposo have helped, but Moulson has a knack for hitting the back of the net. If only Los Angeles had held on to him a bit longer, but then again one man’s trash is sometimes another man’s treasure. Just think what could happen in his second year on Long Island, but then again Moulson will not be on many waiver wires next season.

Patric Hornqvist, RW, Nashville Predators: This time, it’s a seventh round pick who did little if anything, who makes our nominations. Honestly, he started off kind of inauspiciously as well. With only five goals in the first two months, no one saw the breakout coming except maybe for some really devoted Nashville fans. Sure enough December hit and Hornqvist started to take off. Ever since, he has 16 goals and like Moulson, he just seems to find the back of the net. The nice bonus is that he has a whopping 55 shots on goal in January. Hey, that would put him on pace for top five in the league if he fired pucks like that for the entire season. Hornqvist will be on many radars next year and really it was all because of a little extra boost in confidence (apologies if that sounds like one of those Enzyte commercials). I can see the trouble I am going to get into for that one.

Craig Anderson, G, Colorado Avalanche: To be fair, not a lot of people drafted him because they figured Colorado would be near the bottom of the league, but we were pretty much proven all wrong when the Avalanche stormed out of the gates and Anderson had 10 wins before most goalies could breathe. There was a little lull around Thanksgiving and part of December, but Anderson has a 26-13-5 record with a 2.45 GAA and a .924 save percentage with five shutouts. I guess getting shellacked with shots in Florida can really translate into wins in the right environment. Now he will definitely be picked higher in drafts next year and it’s safe to say won’t have a 5 per cent ownership rate like he did in the preseason. We almost put Antti Niemi from the Blackhawks here, but the platoon situation with Cristobal Huet made Anderson an easier choice on the palate.

So who won you may ask? Well thanks to Twitter, we did a tough unscientific poll on this one and believe me there were quite a few players named not on this list. What to do? What to do? Well, it was a very close vote and there will be some protest I am sure, but our winner overall was Moulson. Congrats to Moulson, who has been consistently good all year, and though Hornqvist was a very close second, Moulson was just a hair better and the fact that he was a ninth round pick is just icing on the cake.

Next week we welcome the second month of the year and start the process of working the wire for the Olympic Break. Until then, hopefully your teams are hanging in there and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to fire away. You can contact us through the handy “Fantasy Question” link in the left hand column.

For all the Marty Turco fans out there, we get it that you are very sad. Alex Auld has taken the reins for now and who knows when or if Turco will get the starting job back. These are the times that try Fantasy owners and their souls. Remember when J.S. Giguere lost his job to Jonas Hiller last year? I know you do. When these type of adverse situations hit, how do you react? Depending on how you react, you can actually cause further Fantasy damage than you could ever, ever imagine.

This can also happen any time a first line player gets demoted to third or fourth line status. The very impatience of Fantasy hockey owners is what bites them in the caboose later. What becomes worse is those dreaded platoon goalie situations that every owner also dreads. However, what seems like one person’s pain can be another owner’s gain. There is nothing more satisfying than to steal someone’s damaged goods and watch them blossom. It is like the gift that keeps on giving.

So is there any potential signs of players that could be lurking out there on waivers in one of these situations? Well, here are a few to think about on your next extended visit to The Wire Troll. Do not forget to leave a tip where the tip jar once was. Someone stole it!

Players Taking Advantage Of Others’ Shortcomings

Benoit Pouliot, LW, Montreal Canadiens: It seems funny that a guy who could not crack the top six in Minnesota goes to Montreal and turns into a scoring machine. But that is exactly what has happened with Pouliot. He has 11 goals in 15 games as a Hab and that is more than noteworthy, that is impressive. Though Pouliot has only three assists, he is someone you could pick up if in desperate need of goal scoring. Until he develops a more rounded game, the ice time may not increase for a bit, but 15 minutes a night is not bad for him. Keep Pouliot on the radar as some forward options dwindle away. Frankly, you could do much much worse.

Mathieu Garon, G, Columbus Blue Jackets: Yes, Steve Mason is damaged goods this year. I said it. Sometimes I get these things right and if you listened to me, you did not draft Mason in your Fantasy hockey league. Garon’s 2.80 GAA and .904 save percentage is not that impressive, but is effective. Mason owners who cannot handcuff with Garon are going apeshit in some cases because this is the time of year where pickings are slim for netminders. Columbus should ride this wave of consistency while it can because in the Ken Hitchcock realm, you are only as good as your last save at times. Look out below…err…above?

Jochen Hecht, C, Buffalo Sabres: We chose Hecht for our final pick of this week because finally he is getting a little more ice time. His average is up to nearly 17 minutes a night and his 11 points in the last 11 games is a big boost to Buffalo’s balanced attack. My podcast co-host, I am sure, is so happy to hear this as Hecht is streaky. We know this. However, Hecht’s line has gone under the radar all month and they can keep it going while the top line struggles a bit. Expect him to stay on this roll until possibly the Olympic break. Take a look at players like this when shaping your Fantasy team going forward.

What we are going to do next week is very important as we break down our three best Fantasy waiver wire pickups of the year. Right now it is a dogfight between a player from Long Island and a player from the Music City. See next week who they are in The Wire Troll.

This week’s Fantasy Hockey Roundtable was asked: “Which player is most likely to be traded by the March 3 trade deadline?”

Here’s what we had to say for RotoRob:

It’s tough to pick who’s most likely to be traded when you consider that pretty much all of the Carolina Hurricanes are up for grabs. In addition to that whole team, Sheldon Souray seems destined to be traded out of Edmonton. The team is horrible and he’s one of the few valuable pieces. Plus, it seems he wouldn’t mind leaving the Oilers either.

No one claimed Minnesota’s Petr Sykora off waivers, but I think there’s some team that’ll be willing to take a chance with him. He’s never been an offensive juggernaut, but he’s playoff tested, and that might be enough to entice a team to grab him. Of course, intangibles don’t show up on Fantasy scoresheets, so for our purposes, it really won’t matter.

Here’s the rest of this week’s Roundtable.

Okay, maybe it’s time to put all those jokes aside. After all the rehabs, setbacks, and snarky comments about an undeserved contract, Rick DiPietro is back fighting for his starting gig. His stats so far? Two wins, one loss and no overtime losses with a .926 save percentage, a 1.96 GAA, and a shutout. Not bad for a guy who used to be a living punchline. You need a starting goalie? Here’s your chance, though things will probably turn into a .500 situation simply because DiPietro’s on the Islanders.

More goalie news: it looks like Marty Turco’s time in Dallas is coming to an end. While no team’s going to trust Alex Auld as a full-time starter over the long haul (that experiment failed too many times), he’s a good stop-gap solution as the Stars re-evaluate their goalie situation. Auld plays best in spurts, and he’s getting playing time right now. This produces two interesting solutions for the Fantasy owner: Auld, who’s probably overlooked by most people, can be a short-term boost. Turco is probably getting dropped in a number of leagues, and any starter has some value over the long haul if you get points for saves. Keep an eye on the Dallas situation, and if you need goaltending, think short-term with Auld and see if anyone drops Turco for a long-term depth goalie. Just don’t ask Auld to play the puck.

While Cristobal Huet isn’t embroiled in a goaltending controversy like he was last year with Nikolai Khabibulin, Antti Niemi – he of the many vowels — is proving himself to be a capable and reliable backup. Even Huet has remarked about Niemi’s recent play, and he’s a good short-term ride, especially with a packed schedule over the next two weeks. Huet has his ups and downs, and the goaltending situation has been a source of heartburn in Chicago every now and then, so it makes sense that Niemi will get a longer look than most backups.

Out west, I’ve talked about avoiding the San Jose’s streaky secondary scoring (try saying that five times fast). Ryane Clowe is the ultimate secondary Fantasy teaser, capable of scoring goals, getting PMs, and putting up a lot of shots on net, but about one-third of the time, and only in big chunks at a time. He’s starting to get hot again, which means his value should rise over the next dozen games or so. That would be a good time to package him in a trade for the stretch run.

Sticking in San Jose, Dan Boyle’s going to be out a few games. While there has been plenty of reason to stay away from Rob Blake this season, he’s shown some of his old form in the past few games and should only get more power play time with Boyle out. Beware of San Jose’s inconsistent power play, though — it’s fantastic on the road and mediocre at home. That should gauge when you play Blake.

Who would have thought the Phoenix Coyotes would still be going strong this far into the season? We’ve talked about streaky Radim Vrbata before, and he’s on another one of those rolls right now. Most Coyotes outside of Shane Doan and Ilya Bryzgalov fly under the radar, so you shouldn’t have a problem picking up Vrbata while he’s still on fire — and feel free to drop him when he starts to cool down. There’s a reason why the Coyotes don’t have a single guy eclipsing 40 points.

Speaking of streaks, look at one Tim Connolly. The Buffalo Sabres don’t quite have the sexy offense they did a few years ago when Daniel Briere and Chris Drury sold them a ton of merchandise, but Connolly is showing that when he’s healthy, he’s a stud. December and January have been extremely kind to Connolly; however, my Spidey-sense tells me that he’s peaking right now. He’s due for an injury or a slump, and his trade value is at an all-time high.

Ranger pundits thought the team had turned a corner with 14 goals in two wins against Montreal and Tampa Bay. These games, though, were sandwiched between three games where the Blueshirts only managed to pop in one goal. While it might be tempting to pick up a sleeper hopeful like Brandon Dubinsky, you’ve got better gambles elsewhere.

News & Notes

Eric Staal had a successful first game wearing the captain’s C; keep an eye out to see if this promotion elevates Staal’s game — and how it trickles down to the rest of his teammates…Remember how Bill Guerin’s stats took off after he went to Pittsburgh at last year’s deadline? It’s time to start scouting the lower tier for playoff-push trade bait…Are we ready to say Evgeni Malkin is back for good? I wouldn’t go that far yet, but he is trending upward and Malkin’s two point-less streaks of three games and four games should be a thing of the past thanks to the return of his confidence.

Monday being Martin Luther King day and all, I figured there had to be some way to tie this into Fantasy hockey. I know this sounds crazy, but undaunted, what we are going to try to do this week is take a look at those who have fulfilled our dreams this season and maybe those who we dare to dream will do bigger things in the last part of the season before the Fantasy playoffs start.

We’ll look at a pair of players who have fullfiled our dreams but are on the wire first.

The Fulfillers

Steve Downie, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning: It is rare to see an enforcer do so well offensively, but Downie is a player in the Sean Avery mold, yet he’s even even more of a loose cannon if that’s possible. However, Downie has finally found a home to be a pest and score a bit in Tampa. The 10 goals are quite a shock, but the five tallies on the man advantage is just downright insane. The buzz is increasing on Downie as he is one of the hottest players on the waiver wire in the last two weeks. Also, he’s still a tough customer with 117 PMs, which makes him a great fit on your Fantasy team especially in leagues where ATOI (Average Time On Ice) does not count or you can put a minute hogging defenseman in to supplement. Downie has only been picked up in 10-to-15 per cent of leagues and is at least worth a shot.

Jason Chimera, LW, Washington Capitals: Chimera started off very slowly with the Columbus Blue Jackets and, well, anything there seems to be an ill fit aside from Rick Nash lately. Chimera was dealt to the Washington Capitals between Christmas and New Years and a recent four-game point streak (he’s scored five points during this stretch) has his owners buzzing and waiver wire folks starting to take some notice as he’s a physical winger with a knack for finding the net or the open guy. His ice time is also up to almost 15 minutes a night for the season, a sure sign that the Capitals really are appreciating the effort and execution. Chimera also has 75 PMs and is being increasingly relied upon by the Caps as a quasi-enforcer of sorts. Needless to say, if you are desperate for help on the wing and you need it now, Chimera has only been taken in 1-to-3 per cent of Fantasy hockey leagues.

The Ones We Need to Dream Harder

Cam Barker, D, Chicago Blackhawks: Thirteen points in 40 games for a defenseman is not always so bad, but people had high hopes for Barker at the start of the year. He basically has gone from a 20-to-22 minute a game defenseman all the way down to 13 a night. Somehow he is still owned in 80-to- 90 per cent of Fantasy leagues out there. Why? We have no clue. If there ever was a player that needs to find a way to step up, it is him. Yes, Barker has been injured, but think of what Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook have done this year. ’Nuff said!

Petr Sykora, RW, Minnesota Wild: Why is Sykora here? Simple — because there was so much more expected in Minnesota. Granted, he has been injured more often than Peter Forsberg, but Sykora’s production value has been null and void. He started out the year owned in almost 90 per cent of Fantasy leagues and now has dropped to just below 30 per cent. And Sykora is still dropping. By the way, he’s been a healthy scratch in his last six games. Maybe the first thing Sykora owners can dream of is him just getting some playing time. Then, hopefully, some point production of any kind would be somewhat of a bonus, I guess.

We indeed hope that everyone enjoys the holiday and a day off. More importantly, remember the message of Martin Luther King and that it can even apply to Fantasy owners everywhere.

With RotoRob.com hosting this week, the Fantasy Hockey Roundtable was asked “Did you grab Miroslav Satan when the Bruins signed him last week? Why or why not?”

Here’s what the experts had to say:

Count me out of the Miroslav Satan sweepstakes in any of my leagues. Sure, Satan might benefit ice time-wise with the Bruins because of injuries to Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron. However, this was the same player who the Penguins placed on waivers at last season’s trade deadline and then subsequently sent to the minors after there were no takers. During the Penguins’ Stanley Cup run, Satan found himself in the press box when Petr Sykora wasn’t there. Once upon a time, Satan was a consistent 60-to-70 point player, but don’t fool yourself — those days have passed. Don’t expect him to help your Fantasy team a great deal.

Ian Gooding, fantasyhockey.com

No. Mid-season signings are a gamble even when the player is a former stud like Mats Sundin or Peter Forsberg. They typically need a while to shake off the rust and their failure rate seems to hover around 50 per cent. That being said, the allure of players like Sundin and Forsberg is their upside. With Satan, you’re getting most of the risk for none of the upside. He scored 17 goals and registered 19 assists in 65 games last season and had just 41 points in 80 games in 2007-08. The most you can realistically hope to get out of Satan is about a point and a penalty minute every other game. Unless your team has been plagued with injuries or you’re in a particularly deep league, he’s just not worth the risk.

Ryan Dadoun, Rotoworld.com

Maybe I’m an optimist, but I grabbed Satan in some leagues where I had some guys who weren’t doing much for me anyway. As everyone has pointed out, Satan is a risk, especially given the way he pretty much petered out at the end of last season. But at the same time, he’s now rested and desperate to prove he’s an NHL-caliber player. Then, factor in that players new to teams often have an explosive start from the excitement of playing someplace else. Satan hasn’t shown that explosive scoring with his two points in four games, but he’s putting up numbers for a Boston team that’s coming off of a three-game losing streak going into last night’s game against San Jose.

Obviously, Satan isn’t going to save anyone’s Fantasy season (or Boston’s real-life one), but if you have an extra roster spot, you could do worse than to grab him.

Steven Ovadia, RotoRob.com

After taking the holidays off, the Fantasy Hockey Roundtable returns this week to address the question “Which player surprised you the most in the first half of the season (either by performing well above or well below your expectations) and do you think he’ll rebound or collapse? Who do you think will be the surprise player of the second half?”

Speaking for RotoRob, this was my two cents:

Michael Del Zotto of the Rangers has surprised me, both in terms of performing above and below expectations. It was shocking when he started the season so strong — putting up four goals and eight assists in October. But since then, he’s cooled considerably, scoring just one goal and eight more assists the rest of the way. Those numbers wouldn’t be so surprising if Del Zotto hadn’t had started so strong. But given that this is his rookie season, it’s probably just growing pains. I expect him to finish the season quietly.

For the second half of the season, I’m anticipating a huge dive in Sidney Crosby’s numbers. He’ll be coming out of a long postseason and the Olympics. Sid the Kid is tired and it’s already starting to show. Who knows how gassed he’ll be after playing for Team Canada?

Read the rest of the Fantasy Hockey Roundtable on RotoWorld.com.

People often ask me ‘hey did you see that, or did you go to that game?’ Well, Sunday night was one of those rare instances that I got to see something people do not see very often. This was a resumption of a hockey game that had been suspended because the arena circuit breaker blew. The Devils were nice enough to compensate fans who were at the original game with tickets to another game on top of honouring their tickets to Friday. About 3,500 brave souls went to this “abbreviated” game where the final 29:12 was wrapped up. The Devils were down 3-0 at “halftime” and lost 4-2. They did come close, but as you know, close is not good enough (except in horseshoes and nuclear war).

So what did we learn from this game, that technically lasted a little over two days? Well, quite a bit, honestly. Most Fantasy leagues can have this feeling where the week goes for far longer than it should (or at least it feels that way). Even for me, this week is going to feel like a 10-day marathon, even though I know it’s only seven days. Anytime you play an opponent that you know is superior to you always makes a person feel that way. However, there are some things you can do to ease the pain. There are not that many quick fixes on the waiver wire, but there may be a few that could at least aid in your quest.

Here Comes Relief

Steve Downie, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning: I never thought I would see this day, but it has happened. Downie has some actual Fantasy relevance and not just for fighting. He has nine goals on the season but a surprising five of them have come on the Power Play. Many scouts did say that Downie had a knack for the net and if he could just stay out of the penalty box a bit, he could prove it. Well, now he is. A bonus is that even though Downie’s ATOI is not stuff of legend, at least his 92 PMs are an added assist to your Fantasy hopes. Some will say that he is just two seconds from exploding in the wrong direction, but with waiver wires becoming desolate for talent lately, you could do much worse.

Tom Poti, D, Washington Capitals: Here is another player I did not think would wind up in this column. Out of nowhere, Poti has a five-game point scoring streak and is worth a look in deeper leagues where literally everything is cleaned out. The ice time has also bumped up to an ATOI of 21:11 which is respectable for a Capital defenseman not named Mike Green. Washington has a pretty beneficial schedule and with an offense that is amongst the tops in the league, all Poti really has to do is feed the puck near the net and rack up the assists. Seven points (one goal, six assists) in his last five games is testament to that very fact. You could really steal him cheap as he is owned in only 2-to-3 per cent of all Fantasy leagues.

Miroslav Satan, RW, Boston Bruins: I know this one is a gamble. But Satan was working out all year for an opportunity like this and Boston needs goal scoring. The marriage is perfect really, and as Satan gets in better game shape, the results will start coming. Yes, he only has one goal in his first three games, but the time to pick him up is now. Most owners are kind of asleep at the wheel thinking Satan will not produce, but once Boston gets healthy, everyone knows he will. Do you really want to be left off the boat here? Okay, Satan is no Phil Kessel replacement, he will fill a void on your Fantasy team — especially if it’s decimated by injury.

Now just step back a little and take this all in. Next week, The Wire Troll is going to have some fun help you fish for goalies. With the few that are still left, this could take a while. Good luck this week, everyone. Battle on.