The Daily Dose hasn’t been Sidney Crosby-centric because, frankly, you’re probably quite beaten down by the semi-updates and fake-outs. Still, it seems obligatory to mention that there are some rumblings that he might return this week. File that one with guarded cynicism until more tangible news arises, though.
KOVALCHUK’S BANGED UP
Ilya Kovalchuk strained a muscle in his leg (or something like that, you know how vague teams can be with injury updates), which prompted him to call it “serious” before backpedaling a bit by saying that anything that keeps him from action is “serious.” Still, he might miss the Devils’ Nov. 8 game against the Hurricanes and maybe more – so it’s a serious issue for fantasy owners. Stick with Rotoworld for updates in that area.
WELCOME BACK CARTER?
Optimistic impressions are that Jeff Carter might return from his foot injury as early as Thursday (Nov. 10). The Blue Jackets could use all the help that they can get, whether the two Scotts (Arniel and Howson) are still around or not. Carter is a high-volume shooter (20 shots in five games) who is bound to find the net much more often once he gets healthy. Hopefully that time will be soon because a lot of owners made big investments in the former Flyer.
SAME OLD, SAME OLD WITH CONNOLLY
Well, so much for Tim Connolly being an interesting gamble thanks to his widespread availability and high-profile role alongside Phil Kessel. Word is that it’s not related to his previous shoulder issues and he could miss up to two weeks. It’s almost as if someone has a Connolly voodoo doll (and a cruel sense of humor) at this point.
ONE MONTH WITHOUT WOLSKI
Wojtek Wolski could miss about a month after undergoing hernia surgery. He’s been dealing with issues in that area for some time and it’s quite possible that he never really had a chance to make a good early impression because of that problem. Wolski seemed like a frontrunner to line up with Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards this season, but it just isn't working out.
Wolski’s woes are another example of why the modern NHL really isn’t friendly to the old fantasy strategy of drafting a lesser player who seems primed to find his way on a top line. Maybe that idea is wise if you like to make a lot of cyclical add/drops, but hopefully you didn’t use a good pick on Wolski.
QUICK HITS
Evgeni Nabokov didn’t exactly improve his trade value last night while Al Montoya showed why many Islanders fans want him to be at least in the top duo (until the third period got out of hand, at least) … As expected, Jacob Markstrom was demoted to the AHL – for now.
INJURY SNIPES
Stay tuned for updates regarding Duncan Keith on Tuesday; he’s a toss-up for the Blackhawks’ Nov. 8 game right now … Sergei Kostitsyn (Nashville) and Andy Greene (New Jersey) are in similar situations for their teams … Rich Peverley missed Monday’s game with an undisclosed injury … George Parros will miss a month after undergoing eye surgery, which should only dismay those who need PIMs and the legions of people who admire his 'stache … It sounds like the Red Wings have a flu going around in their locker room, with Todd Bertuzzi and Jiri Hudler among the affected. (Click here for the full injury list.)
As I’ve mentioned before, you might as well divide your roster(s) into two categories: the essentials and the nonessentials.
A good rule of thumb is to put your first 5-10 rounds worth of players in the “essentials” category, but that can vary depending on how well you drafted and what kind of risks you took (not to mention the size of your league). Either way, it is best not to drop an essential player in a fit of passion, but the nonessentials are the guys you can have a little more fun with.
Of course, sometimes you get burned when you drop guys who were just off to bad starts. I get the feeling that a lot of owners will feel that sensation if they parted ways with two Boston Bruins forwards who are still available in about a third of leagues: David Krejci and Nathan Horton.
Both players put together three-point nights against the New York Islanders on Nov. 7, so chances are you better act quick if one of them meets your needs. (Feel free to see if they're available now – just keep the Daily Dose open in a different tab or window if you don’t mind.) Each player brings a different set of pluses and minuses to the table.
KREJCI: On the positive side, I expect Krejci to be a more consistent scorer. He’s more creative and a better facilitator, so he’s less likely to go through the slumps that almost seem to be a part of Horton’s game. Krejci also has the motivation of a contract year, which is something that shouldn't be discounted.
That being said, Krejci’s a center, so he’s not as rare a commodity. He also doesn’t play the type of game that will have anyone call him a “power forward" so he won't light it up across the categories.
HORTON: The former Florida Panthers winger combines hot-and-cold scoring with a solid ability to generate penalty minutes; he already has 26 PIM this season and finished with 85 in 80 games in 2010-11. Perhaps he can go to the box to vent his frustrations during nights he doesn’t score.
On the negative side (beyond the inconsistency), Horton has had a history of being injury-prone. He played 80 games last season but that stomach-churning Aaron Rome hit makes him a significant concussion risk.
If it comes down to deciding one or the other, lean toward your greatest area of need. I’d say Horton is a bit more valuable because he’s a winger who can rack up PIM, but honestly, if you’re lucky enough to have both available you’d probably be wise to stock up on both. It never hurts to have two-thirds of the best line from the 2011 playoffs on your team, after all …
THE OTHER JOE PA
The San Jose Sharks are inching their way up the NHL ranks thanks to a deep attack, with Joe Pavelski being the surprising leader in points with 17. That’s not meant to be a slight against Pavelski – he’s been improving steadily for years – but you’d expect Joe Thornton or Patrick Marleau to be the standard bearer. Pavelski isn’t likely to maintain his 20.5 percent shooting success rate, but a career year isn’t out of the question.
CROSBY WATCH
The Daily Dose hasn’t been Sidney Crosby-centric because, frankly, you’re probably quite beaten down by the semi-updates and fake-outs. Still, it seems obligatory to mention that there are some rumblings that he might return this week. File that one with guarded cynicism until more tangible news arises, though.
KOVALCHUK’S BANGED UP
Ilya Kovalchuk strained a muscle in his leg (or something like that, you know how vague teams can be with injury updates), which prompted him to call it “serious” before backpedaling a bit by saying that anything that keeps him from action is “serious.” Still, he might miss the Devils’ Nov. 8 game against the Hurricanes and maybe more – so it’s a serious issue for fantasy owners. Stick with Rotoworld for updates in that area.
WELCOME BACK CARTER?
Optimistic impressions are that Jeff Carter might return from his foot injury as early as Thursday (Nov. 10). The Blue Jackets could use all the help that they can get, whether the two Scotts (Arniel and Howson) are still around or not. Carter is a high-volume shooter (20 shots in five games) who is bound to find the net much more often once he gets healthy. Hopefully that time will be soon because a lot of owners made big investments in the former Flyer.
SAME OLD, SAME OLD WITH CONNOLLY
Well, so much for Tim Connolly being an interesting gamble thanks to his widespread availability and high-profile role alongside Phil Kessel. Word is that it’s not related to his previous shoulder issues and he could miss up to two weeks. It’s almost as if someone has a Connolly voodoo doll (and a cruel sense of humor) at this point.
ONE MONTH WITHOUT WOLSKI
Wojtek Wolski could miss about a month after undergoing hernia surgery. He’s been dealing with issues in that area for some time and it’s quite possible that he never really had a chance to make a good early impression because of that problem. Wolski seemed like a frontrunner to line up with Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards this season, but it just isn't working out.
Wolski’s woes are another example of why the modern NHL really isn’t friendly to the old fantasy strategy of drafting a lesser player who seems primed to find his way on a top line. Maybe that idea is wise if you like to make a lot of cyclical add/drops, but hopefully you didn’t use a good pick on Wolski.
QUICK HITS
Evgeni Nabokov didn’t exactly improve his trade value last night while Al Montoya showed why many Islanders fans want him to be at least in the top duo (until the third period got out of hand, at least) … As expected, Jacob Markstrom was demoted to the AHL – for now.
INJURY SNIPES
Stay tuned for updates regarding Duncan Keith on Tuesday; he’s a toss-up for the Blackhawks’ Nov. 8 game right now … Sergei Kostitsyn (Nashville) and Andy Greene (New Jersey) are in similar situations for their teams … Rich Peverley missed Monday’s game with an undisclosed injury … George Parros will miss a month after undergoing eye surgery, which should only dismay those who need PIMs and the legions of people who admire his 'stache … It sounds like the Red Wings have a flu going around in their locker room, with Todd Bertuzzi and Jiri Hudler among the affected. (Click here for the full injury list.)