December 31st
Who’s Hot
Ryan Kesler: When analyzing a mighty squad such as Vancouver, it is very easy to get caught up in the Sedins and Luongo, but this Michigan native has proven that his name can also be thrown into the mix! Currently riding an 8 game point streak, with 14 points (7 Goals, 7 Assists); Kesler is on-pace for a whopping 79 points, which would indeed be a career high. Getting valuable time on the PP has also helped the former 2003 first round draft pick, as 14 of his 34 points this season have been with the extra man. Expect Kesler’s numbers to stay relatively where they are, because with a coach like Alain Vigneault, who has already shown his trust in Kesler, there just might be a chance that he takes the slumping Burrows’ spot on the first line with the Sedins!
Loui Eriksson: Playing on the top line with the red hot Brad Richards, Eriksson is doing just fine himself notching 12 points in his last 8 games. Playing for the Pacific division leading Dallas Stars, Eriksson is only 2 points shy of Richard’s 42 points for the team lead. With a +15 rating on the season, there is no doubt that when the Swede is on the ice, good things will happen. On pace for 85 points, a career high, the former 2003 draft pick is not only extremely talented when it comes to putting the puck in the net (16 goals on the season) but he is extremely conscience and sportsmanlike drawing only 4 minutes in penalties on the season. Considering Dallas’ surprising success, there is no doubt that if Eriksson continues to play on the first line and on the PP, he will continue to produce at a high pace!
Nicklas Lidstrom: Considering the 6 foot 1 Swede is 40 years of age, the expectations going into the 2010-11 season were not very high. Being that Lidstrom now has the second most points by a defenseman in the league; he has truly proven that age is but a number. Currently riding a 5 game point streak (4 goals, 5 assists), the former 1989 draft pick has 13 points in his last 8 games, including a rare hat-trick. Playing for the talented Red Wings squad that includes names such as Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Cleary, and Franzen, the defensemen rarely get noticed, but when one notches 35 points in only 37 games, and is on pace for an outstanding 77 points, the Detroit fans must be appreciative.
John Tavares: Recently coming off an outstanding 6 game point streak, Tavares single handedly lifted his team to win 5 out of their last 7 games, placing them 6 points ahead of the struggling Devils’. Notching 7 points in his last 7 games, while playing for an extremely weak Islanders squad (who just recently traded their #2 defensemen to Montreal), is considered amazing. With Okposo, Streit, Weight, Hunter, and Mottau on the IR, Tavares has been left practically alone, to lift the struggling Islanders out from the last place spot in the league! With a -17 rating and the way the Islanders have been playing this year, don’t expect Tavares’ numbers to stay where they are and take advantage of current success while it stays.
Bryan McCabe: Playing for the recently cold Panthers’ McCabe has been surprisingly hot notching 6 points in his last 6 games, leading all defensemen on his team with 19 points. Coming off a brutal November where he posted only 1 goal and 3 assists in 13 games, December has turned the Ontario native’s season 360 degrees. Maybe its McCabe finding his scoring touch or simply just the Christmas spirit, nonetheless the 35 year-old is sizzling while his squad is not, which is a good sign. Expect McCabe’s numbers to stay relatively where they are and when the Panthers regain their momentum, you might even see a bigger soar in the point department!
Who’s Cold
James Neal: Playing on the 1st line with Louis Eriksson and Brad Richards for the majority of the season has favored well for the 23 year old notching 28 points in that period of time. However, when Marc Crawford decided to demote Neal to the third line trouble began. Neal currently has only 1 point in his last 9 games while posting a -1 rating. We have also seen his shots per game go down from approx. 4 to 2. Dallas has been a very productive squad all year, but for Neal it depends who is feeding him the puck. Watch to see on what line the Canadian is on in the future and place in your lineup accordingly. Nonetheless, Neal is on pace for a career year, but fantasy owners must be patient!
Thomas Vanek: Playing on the top line with Derek Roy and Jason Pominville, fantasy owners have seen Vanek’s numbers go through the roof with 24 points in the period of time. However, now with their best player out for the season, the whole Buffalo squad is in jeopardy. Without his star center man to feed him the puck, Vanek has only 1 point in his last 8 games while posting a -7 rating. Expect the Austrian’s numbers to rise a little bit but not to reach where they were with Derek Roy in the lineup. As for the Sabres’ success, well, all rests in the mighty hands of Ryan Miller!
Sergei Gonchar: Playing for an Ottawa squad without their star player (Jason Spezza) has not faired too well for the Russian defensemen who was already struggling to find his scoring touch. With only 3 points in the whole month of December and a -20 rating on the season, don’t expect Gonchar’s numbers to rise, especially without the presence of Spezza on the PP (where Gonchar has notched the majority of his points on the season). If he is not already dropped from your lineup, I strongly suggest you do so as the high expectations that were placed on Gonchar at the beginning of the season have not been met, and his line mate, Karlsson, has picked most of his slack.
Marc Savard: Out with a concussion for the whole months of August, October, and November, there was much optimism when Savard returned to the lineup on December 2nd. However, posting only 4 points in his 12 games this season has been a disappointment, along with his -12 rating. Savard is truly not lacking any talent, notching 88 points in the 2008-09 season, but it seems that the March 7th, 2009 incident (Savard knocked out from Matt Cooke cheap shot to the head) has forever changed the way the 191 pounder plays the game of hockey. Considering Boston’s mighty success this season, expect the Canadian’s numbers to rise once the the 1993 draft pick finds his scoring touch
No comments:
Post a Comment