While the NHL trade deadline is just under a month away, fantasy leagues all over are getting to the point where rosters have to be frozen. If you find you’re lacking in a specific category, we’re here to help — and not in a Christian Bale career-advice kind of way.

• Are you hurting when it comes to +/-? Boston Bruins players are the leaders in that category, and considering the B’s overall record, it’s not too surprising. However, the New Jersey Devils are a pretty good honorable mention, and some of their players might be available on the waiver wire. While Travis Zajac (43 points, +26) and Zach Parise (59 points, +21) are probably happily owned by fantasy GMs, Jamie Langenbrunner (42 points, +19), Mike Mottau (10 points, +18), and Colin White (11 points, +17) may be more under the radar.
• And if you need someone who’s essentially a bonus player at this point, Brendan Shanahan’s off to a good start with his new/old team.
• Power play points are always a tricky thing to look at because they come and go in waves depending on whether or not a team is hot or cold. While most key power play performers are notable players who are generally unavailable, a few guys are putting up special teams numbers despite mediocre regular seasons. Minnesota’s Marek Zidlicky hasn’t equaled his output from Nashville, but he’s still one of the top power play goalscoring defensemen in the league. Up front, seven of teammate Owen Nolan’s 12 goals are power play markers, and eight of Kyle Wellwood’s 14 goals have come on the man advantage.
• The league’s leaders in shorthanded points are mostly familiar names (Simon Gagne, Patrick Marleau, Mike Richards). However, a few surprises stand out, like Chicago rookie Kris Versteeg . You’ll notice that a bunch of players are tied around the 2-3 shorthanded point mark…the common denominator with a lot of those players? Obviously, they get a lot of PK time, but it’s also important to note that they’re all pretty fast skaters. After all, if you’re busting past the defense on a shorthanded scoring chance, you usually need good wheels to do it. While it’s hard to say that someone like Richard Park will outdo Shane Doan in this category, it’s important to look at traits like speed and PK ice time when trying to get some fantasy shorthanded points.
• I always like it when fantasy leagues count shots on goal as it’s pretty easy points and allows the wealth to be spread around outside of the usual suspects. We all know that Alexander Ovechkin and Vincent Lecavalier just love shooting the puck, but there are a few other players that put a lot of pucks on net (unfortunately, they have low shooting percentages). Check out players like Dustin Brown, Jason Blake, and Bill Guerin – players having OK seasons on mediocre teams, but who shoot the puck a lot.
• Finally, a quick injury report: Tomas Holmstrom’s groin is being repaired through the miracle of sports hernia surgery. The cost? Three-to-five weeks. Eric Staal left Carolina’s Thursday night victory against San Jose early with a lower body injury that has left him day-to-day while teammate Rod Brind’Amour is out at least a week to rest his ailing back. Paul Stastny should return to the Colorado lineup in about two weeks, and our favourite future Hall-of-Famer, Martin Brodeur, will be ready to steal the crease back from Scott Clemmenson in about 2-to-3 weeks. Do I hear a goalie controversy coming up?

The Week Ahead

• Just about every game matters now when it comes to Western Conference jockeying. Key four-point games include Edmonton at Minnesota (Sunday), Colorado at Columbus, and Phoenix at Dallas (Wednesday).
• In the Eastern Conference, fewer teams are in the playoff race. In the matchup that everyone can avoid, don’t tune in to Atlanta at Tampa Bay (Tuesday) unless you’ve got fantasy points involved.
• Saturday, the Kings, desperately trying to claw their way back into the playoff picture, head to the Swamplands to take on a scorching Devils squad. We’re talking about a poor road team that’s among the lowest scoring teams in the league going up against the hottest teams in the NHL, and one of the best defensive squads. But wait, the Kings have found their goal-scoring groove. After managing just four goals in four games, they’ve suddenly lit the lamp 25 times in past six games. Good sign No. 2 for the Kings: Anze Kopitar, who’s been a big disappointment this season, ripped two goals and an assist Thursday for his first three-point game since December 11. If he heats up, he’ll again be a must-own player, and will go a long way towards helping LA gain some ground in the tough Western Conference.
• Your main event for the week: No. 1 Western seed San Jose at No. 1 Eastern seed Boston, Tuesday night.

Last weekend was the All-Star Game and while it was great to read that RotoRob actually stepped away from the computer, from a fantasy perspective it was kind of buzzkill. Gaudy offensive numbers that didn’t count for anything. I could barely watch.

Coming back to the real world of fantasy hockey, though, I think we all know the big story this week: Mike Cammalleri.

How hot is this Calgary Flame? He’s put up eight goals in the past four games and nine goals in the past three weeks. Just to give you some context, New York Ranger Scott Gomez has 10 goals this season.

So yeah, Cammalleri is doing some crazy fantasy stuff this week. And amazingly, with no assists. He’s just looking to shoot the whole game.

As we head toward the trade deadline, a lot of players who aren’t as exciting or prolific as Cammalleri can be expected to change teams. And sometimes that change of scenery is enough to jump start a player.

Take St. Louis’ Keith Tkachuk. His 15 goals and 16 assists are nice, but if the Blues move him, and they do tend to love to move older players for younger ones and/or draft picks, Tkachuk could find himself on a playoff-bound team and start really putting up numbers. Pittsburgh is still looking for a big body to replace Ryan Malone. The Florida Panthers might want some veteran leadership if they find themselves more firmly entrenched in their playoff spot. And the Rangers desperately need someone who can maintain position in the slot for their awful power play. So Tkachuk is someone to watch.

Also, Bill Guerin seems a lock to leave the Islanders via a trade. His 14 goals and 18 assists aren’t much, but they could dramatically amplify on a solid team where he’s not the primary scoring option. Because, for all the talk about how the Islanders are in a youth movement, he’s still playing over 15 minutes a night and has the ears of everyone in the room. Guerin plays under a lot of pressure.

Of course, the older-player-to-new-team gambit doesn’t always work. For every Brendan Shanahan, who put up two goals in his first four games with New Jersey, there’s a Mats Sundin who has the same number of goals, plus one more assist, in his first eight games back.

Oh. And goalie Ollie Kolzig is out for the season in Tampa. He wasn’t playing very well, but he was a warm body for your fantasy roster. I’d say that goalie Mike Smith will get more work because of the injury, but he was already doing the lion’s share of the goaltending in Tampa.

The Week Ahead

• Saturday, the Rangers take on Bruins. Which Rangers team will show up? The tight defensive team or the pressing run-and-gun team that can’t score and gives up soft goals?
• Saturday also sees Florida take on the Islanders. Florida is desperate to stay in the playoff picture so you can bet it’s grateful to be playing the Isles. Speaking of the Panthers, All-Star Jay Bouwmeester scored his 11th goal of the season Thursday, continuing his development as a real goal-scoring threat from the blueline. The six-year vet has an excellent chance to put up his first 20-goal season.
• Tuesday, Phoenix plays Nashville. It’ll be nice. Both teams can discuss how they feel about leaving the American south for Canadian cities. Because it’s going to happen. Of course, in Phoenix’s case, it will be a homecoming.