THE HOTTEST LINE YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF
Well, maybe the Nashville Predators won’t miss David Legwand that much.
Their young trio of Craig Smith (14 points), Patric Hornqvist (11 points) and Colin Wilson (nine points) is absolutely on fire right now. Hornqvist’s goal-scoring streak came to an end against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, but his three assists evened out his season stats quite nicely. Overall, I’d say that Hornqvist is the “safest” choice of the three young guns because he has a longer track record of success.
I’m a bit lukewarm on Wilson at this point (not that he isn’t promising long-term), but Smith is awfully intriguing. For all the (mostly deserved) attention Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has received, Smith jumped into first place in scoring among rookies after Nov. 9. He’s also tied with Shea Weber for the team lead in SOG with 45 (three per game), which is a promising sign that he’ll be a big part of the offense over the long haul.
Again, I’d say Hornqvist is the safer bet, but Smith is awfully promising and Wilson isn’t a bad choice, either. Smith is more likely to be available than Hornqvist, though, so don't hesitate to "settle" on him.
CHRIS PRONGER COMES BACK
As surprising as it might sound, Chris Pronger managed to come back on Nov. 9 after that scary injury that almost claimed his eye. He didn’t exactly get eased into action, either, as he registered an impressive 25:22 minutes of ice time. Pronger only had one shot on goal in that time, but his four penalty minutes were surely appreciated.
Speaking of the Philadelphia Flyers, Jakub Voracek might be worth a look. After scoring just one point in a stretch of six games, Voracek scored four points in his last two to reach nine overall. He might not knock your socks off, but you'd be wise to keep him on your radar if nothinge else.
QUICK HITS
So who was the biggest beneficiary of that bizarre 1-3-1 trap-related standoff between the Flyers and Lightning last night? How about Dwayne Roloson, who earned a win after making just 14 saves … Philly handed Braydon Coburn an extension that will pay him an average of $4.5 million per year, giving the team a stunning four defensemen who carry cap hits of $4 million or more … Say what you want about Sean Avery, but anyone willing to drop the gloves with Zenon Konopka deserves a little respect.
INJURY SNIPES
Sergei Kostitsyn returned to action last night. Time will tell if he’ll be a go-to guy for offense in Nashville again this season, though … Mason Raymond practiced for the first time since he was injured in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals … Daniel Alfredsson skated with the Senators, but it’s unclear when exactly he’ll play again … Mike Green might be back sometime this weekend, which would be a welcome development for fantasy owners and the Washington Capitals alike … Anton Babchuk is on the injured reserve with a hand injury … Word is that Jeff Carter probably won’t play tonight, but stick with Rotoworld for updates. (Click here for the full injury list.)
Generally speaking, fantasy owners should know what to expect from a player by the time he’s 28-30 years old. Sure, there are definitely exceptions – Tim Thomas didn’t become an everyday NHL player until he crossed that barrier – but usually there’s enough information to assess a given person’s relative worth.
29-year-old sniper Marian Gaborik bucks that trend in a serious way, although almost no one should doubt his high-end skills. Gabby is really tough to peg for the simple reason that he just can’t stay healthy.
Drafting Gaborik usually requires a considerable gamble, even if the exact round of that risk varies from league to league and season to season. This time around it was a particularly enticing siren call because of the free agent addition of Brad Richards, aka the most potent passer who’s ever skated alongside him from the center position. (Actually, let’s be honest – Richards is Gaborik’s best offensive teammate, period. One could quibble about Mikko Koivu being just as good of an all-around player, but that doesn’t matter so much in the roto-realm.)
As exciting as his skills and newfound position might be, I was pretty cold on Gaborik because of the daily headaches that can come with his nagging injuries. So far, Gaborik has been well-worth the gamble, though. The New York Rangers forward has nine goals and 15 points along with a +8 rating in 14 games in 2011-12. It’s not like he’s getting a crazy amount of bounces, either. Only James Neal (64 SOG) has more shots than Gaborik’s 62 and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ winger has an extra game under his belt.
So can he keep it up? The answer is as simple as it’s always been: only if he stays healthy. Sadly, there’s no way to really know that will happen, either. In cases like these, I’d normally recommend a trade in which you cash in on his value. The thing with Gaborik is that he breaks that mold, too; if you’re in a moderately competent league, managers will be reluctant to make a swap for Gabby for anywhere near equal value.
Then again, maybe that’s the beauty of drafting a guy like Gaborik. The bottom line is that you’ll probably ride the roller coaster all season, so hold on tight.
(Now as far as red-hot Rangers you might actually be able to grab, Derek Stepan scored seven points in his last three games to push his season total to 10. He might be worth a short-term grab since he’s available in a huge chunk of leagues.)
After the jump: the hottest line you’ve probably never heard of, the return of Pronger and more.
THE HOTTEST LINE YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF
Well, maybe the Nashville Predators won’t miss David Legwand that much.
Their young trio of Craig Smith (14 points), Patric Hornqvist (11 points) and Colin Wilson (nine points) is absolutely on fire right now. Hornqvist’s goal-scoring streak came to an end against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, but his three assists evened out his season stats quite nicely. Overall, I’d say that Hornqvist is the “safest” choice of the three young guns because he has a longer track record of success.
I’m a bit lukewarm on Wilson at this point (not that he isn’t promising long-term), but Smith is awfully intriguing. For all the (mostly deserved) attention Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has received, Smith jumped into first place in scoring among rookies after Nov. 9. He’s also tied with Shea Weber for the team lead in SOG with 45 (three per game), which is a promising sign that he’ll be a big part of the offense over the long haul.
Again, I’d say Hornqvist is the safer bet, but Smith is awfully promising and Wilson isn’t a bad choice, either. Smith is more likely to be available than Hornqvist, though, so don't hesitate to "settle" on him.
CHRIS PRONGER COMES BACK
As surprising as it might sound, Chris Pronger managed to come back on Nov. 9 after that scary injury that almost claimed his eye. He didn’t exactly get eased into action, either, as he registered an impressive 25:22 minutes of ice time. Pronger only had one shot on goal in that time, but his four penalty minutes were surely appreciated.
Speaking of the Philadelphia Flyers, Jakub Voracek might be worth a look. After scoring just one point in a stretch of six games, Voracek scored four points in his last two to reach nine overall. He might not knock your socks off, but you'd be wise to keep him on your radar if nothinge else.
QUICK HITS
So who was the biggest beneficiary of that bizarre 1-3-1 trap-related standoff between the Flyers and Lightning last night? How about Dwayne Roloson, who earned a win after making just 14 saves … Philly handed Braydon Coburn an extension that will pay him an average of $4.5 million per year, giving the team a stunning four defensemen who carry cap hits of $4 million or more … Say what you want about Sean Avery, but anyone willing to drop the gloves with Zenon Konopka deserves a little respect.
INJURY SNIPES
Sergei Kostitsyn returned to action last night. Time will tell if he’ll be a go-to guy for offense in Nashville again this season, though … Mason Raymond practiced for the first time since he was injured in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals … Daniel Alfredsson skated with the Senators, but it’s unclear when exactly he’ll play again … Mike Green might be back sometime this weekend, which would be a welcome development for fantasy owners and the Washington Capitals alike … Anton Babchuk is on the injured reserve with a hand injury … Word is that Jeff Carter probably won’t play tonight, but stick with Rotoworld for updates. (Click here for the full injury list.)