WEISS AND KULIKOV
OK, Stephen Weiss isn't available in many leagues, but in the odd event that he's a free agent in yours, you should definitely give him a shot. He has 29 points in 27 games, including a stunning six in his last two. For that reason, you should make haste, because if you're in a league that's still sleeping on him, it won't last long.
You might have a little more luck with Dmitry Kulikov, a Florida Panthers defenseman who hasn't been on as much of a public scale as de facto leader Weiss. Kulikov probably won't fly under the radar much longer, either, as he scored a goal and two assists on Monday to push his 2011-12 total to 19 points. That's great stuff for a defenseman, even if he resides on a blueline that is surprisingly loaded with rotisserie relevant D-men.
RADIM WORKS BEST IN DESERT
Radim Vrbata might not be very useful when he's on any other team besides the Phoenix Coyotes, but for some reason, he becomes a viable scorer with the 'Yotes. The right-handed shooter has been absolutely on fire lately, with eight goals and 10 points in his last nine games. Overall, he has 23 points in 26 games. While he might be playing over his head to an extent, he's a nice depth option on the wing, if you need some help there. With the head start he has, a 30-goal season isn't a crazy expectation. (He already scored 13.)
ANOTHER VOTE FOR ANDERSON
Look, he's not a superstar, but Craig Anderson is one of the few sometimes-available starting goalies who are worth your time. He won't help you in the GAA and save percentage categories - at least if his work during this season is any indication - but wins are still gold in fantasy and he gets enough swings at that to be useful. Maybe that's not enough for pickier owners, but if you happen to be in a league that counts another quantity stat like saves, then Anderson's workload makes him pretty valuable.
If nothing else, he's an acceptable "settle" option. Think of him as a running back who gets 20 carries per game, even if he doesn't do a whole lot of sensational things when he gets the ball. That might not be exciting, but it's often useful to have "filler" guys like him if you boast superstars who experience dramatic highs and lows.
INJURY SNIPES
Sidney Crosby came back from his scary collision with Chris Kunitz, but I haven't heard much about Evgeni Malkin, who also suffered from a frightening hit on Monday. For that reason, it's wise to keep an eye out for updates at Rotoworld during the next day or so … Henrik Karlsson hurt his knee, which must be a big blow to owners in bizarro leagues involving netminders who never play … Paul Stastny is dealing with a "middle body injury," which is kind of hard to take seriously. Maybe a little time off will help him break out of his slump, though … Jose Theodore is dealing with an illness, but it doesn't sound like he'll be sidelined for very long … Kris Letang is on the IR with a concussion … Mikhail Grabovski missed last night's game with (wait for it) the birth of his child. (Click here for the full injury list.)
Typically speaking, the Hockey Daily Dose focuses on the big stories (or dark horse fantasy candidates) that can make an impact on this season.
Every now and then, you stumble across a big story that just begs for commentary, even if it's more about the future. Monday night provided that, as the NHL announced a radical change in the way teams will compete against each other. Instead of splitting the NHL up into six five-team divisions, the 2012-13 season will feature four "conferences." Two of them will include eight teams while the other two will feature seven.
The changes go on a little longer, but for fantasy purposes, the relevance mostly tapers off after that. For the sake of fun and conversation, I thought I'd share some of my gut reactions on how this change might alter the fantasy landscape next season.
(We'll probably have more scientific explanations as the new setup approaches, mind you.)
GOOD FOR AGING/WORKHORSE GOALIES
There are plenty of teams who follow the wise path of giving their No. 1 goalies a solid amount of breaks, but some are more dependent on a great starter than others. I doubt that the new setup will eliminate back-to-back games, but it's likely that travel schedules will be far more relaxed.
That could be a benefit to Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen and other guys who are leaned upon perhaps a little too much. Again, though, that's just a guess.
AGING PLAYERS, IN GENERAL
Having fresh, young legs keeps becoming more and more valuable in the NHL, even if the Detroit Red Wings often buck that trend. Still, one has to think that Nicklas Lidstrom has grown weary of a tough schedule after playing a ton of games in the NHL.
You almost have to wonder if older players (especially West ones like Lidstrom, Teemu Selanne and even Ray Whitney) might find themselves more intrigued about participating in the 2012-13 season if they can rest their old bones just a bit more. I doubt that will be a big factor, mind you, but every little push in the right direction can help. The less jet lag the better, after all.
ENFORCERS
OK, so the first two examples were shots in the dark, but this one could hold a bit more water.
It's not a bulletproof rule, but guys who drop the gloves a lot often develop rivalries. It only seems natural, then, that they often drop gloves more frequently in rivalry games. So what happens when an enforcer gets to see 2-3 other teams a few more times per season?
My guess is that the number of vendettas will grow, which means that savvy fantasy GMs can try to eke out PIM wins by timing the right enforcer pickup-and-drops. Again, I'm not saying that this is going to make an enormous difference. Then again, if such a strategy earns you bragging/mockery rights at the water cooler in a given week, then isn't that worth those extra minutes of thought?
Perhaps that enforcer talk could extend to superstar players who tend to shred up rivals too, but that seems random compared to the more predictable world of hockey fisticuffs.
After the jump: sleeper candidates and injury updates.
WEISS AND KULIKOV
OK, Stephen Weiss isn't available in many leagues, but in the odd event that he's a free agent in yours, you should definitely give him a shot. He has 29 points in 27 games, including a stunning six in his last two. For that reason, you should make haste, because if you're in a league that's still sleeping on him, it won't last long.
You might have a little more luck with Dmitry Kulikov, a Florida Panthers defenseman who hasn't been on as much of a public scale as de facto leader Weiss. Kulikov probably won't fly under the radar much longer, either, as he scored a goal and two assists on Monday to push his 2011-12 total to 19 points. That's great stuff for a defenseman, even if he resides on a blueline that is surprisingly loaded with rotisserie relevant D-men.
RADIM WORKS BEST IN DESERT
Radim Vrbata might not be very useful when he's on any other team besides the Phoenix Coyotes, but for some reason, he becomes a viable scorer with the 'Yotes. The right-handed shooter has been absolutely on fire lately, with eight goals and 10 points in his last nine games. Overall, he has 23 points in 26 games. While he might be playing over his head to an extent, he's a nice depth option on the wing, if you need some help there. With the head start he has, a 30-goal season isn't a crazy expectation. (He already scored 13.)
ANOTHER VOTE FOR ANDERSON
Look, he's not a superstar, but Craig Anderson is one of the few sometimes-available starting goalies who are worth your time. He won't help you in the GAA and save percentage categories - at least if his work during this season is any indication - but wins are still gold in fantasy and he gets enough swings at that to be useful. Maybe that's not enough for pickier owners, but if you happen to be in a league that counts another quantity stat like saves, then Anderson's workload makes him pretty valuable.
If nothing else, he's an acceptable "settle" option. Think of him as a running back who gets 20 carries per game, even if he doesn't do a whole lot of sensational things when he gets the ball. That might not be exciting, but it's often useful to have "filler" guys like him if you boast superstars who experience dramatic highs and lows.
INJURY SNIPES
Sidney Crosby came back from his scary collision with Chris Kunitz, but I haven't heard much about Evgeni Malkin, who also suffered from a frightening hit on Monday. For that reason, it's wise to keep an eye out for updates at Rotoworld during the next day or so … Henrik Karlsson hurt his knee, which must be a big blow to owners in bizarro leagues involving netminders who never play … Paul Stastny is dealing with a "middle body injury," which is kind of hard to take seriously. Maybe a little time off will help him break out of his slump, though … Jose Theodore is dealing with an illness, but it doesn't sound like he'll be sidelined for very long … Kris Letang is on the IR with a concussion … Mikhail Grabovski missed last night's game with (wait for it) the birth of his child. (Click here for the full injury list.)