Fantasy Fortnight: Who's Hot? Versteeg, Eberle, Byfuglien, RNH, Giguere

Our Fantasy Fortnight posts take a look at who has been hot (we'll do them today) and who has been cold (later this week) over the last two weeks.  The time frame of two weeks is ideal as you get a large enough sample size but you also get a flavour for who is on the recent hot/cold spells.

Statistics are for games up to and including Tuesday November 22nd, 2011.

HOT FORWARDS

Stephen Weiss - 6 gms with 3+7=10, Kris Versteeg - 6 gms with 6+6=12 and Tomas Fleischmann - 6 gms with 4+4=8
We'll combine these three since they form the super hot first line on the Panthers.  They combined for just 115 points last year but have 66 already this year.  Wow.  Did not see this coming. I somehow ended up with Weiss and Versteeg in one league and while it may not last I sure wish I had Flash as well.

Tyler Bozak - 7 gms with 4+5=9
He started the season slowly but has really been picked up steam lately.  I'm no Bozak fan and his recent streak won't continue but he's a lock to improve on his paltry 32 points from last year. 

Jordan Eberle - 7 gms with 4+6=10
While Hall and RNH get all the hype Eberle (relatively) quietly puts up the points.  He has 21 points in 21 games and I bet he would be cheaper than his linemates in a deal... even thoiugh he could end up out producing them both.

Brad Marchand - 6 gms with 4+4=8
We all know about his post season exploits but did you know he's actually out-producing that pace so far this year?  (.76 vs. .79 ppg).  His shots are up and he's going to help your team in plus-minus and PIM's as well.

Pascal Dupuis - 6 gms with 1+6=7
Crosby's back and it looks like Dupuis is on his line (three assists in Sid's return).  Don't get too excited though.  He's been Sid's linemate in the past and it either didn't last or he didn't produce like you'd want. Other than a 48 point season a 100 years ago with Minny he's never topped 38 points in his career.  He's on pace for 65 points right now... I'll be floored if he tops 50.

Follow the jump for more hot forwards, d-men, rookies and goalies....

Other hot forwards....
Marian Hossa - 6 gms with 2+8=10
Mike Richards - 6 gms with 6+1=7
Jonathan Toews - 6 gms with 5+5=10
Joffrey Lupul - 7 gms with 3+6=9
Chris Kelly - 6 gms with 4+3=7
Erik -Cole - 7 gms with 3+4=7
Ryan Smyth - 7 gms with 4+4=8
Tim Connolly - 4 gms with 2+4=6

HOT DEFENSEMEN

Steve Montador - 6 gms with 4+3=7
He's playing a lot more on the PP lately (as a forward) and after 26 points with the Sabres last season I like his chances to play over a 30 point pace the rest of the way.  Or maybe that's wishful thinking as I just snagged him in my main league.

Dustin Byfuglien - 5 gms with 2+4=6
I was a bit surprised the other day when I read in the Daily Dosage that Dusty is playing at a better pace than last year (.65 vs. .70 ppg).  He's on pace for for whopping 57 points, 139 PIM's and 299 shots.  Let's see if his second half is better than last year's.

Jason Garrison - 6 gms with 2+2=4
Playing with Brian Campbell at ES and on the 2nd PP unit is doing good things with Garrison's numbers (on pace for 44 points and 225 shots).  He had only 18 points in 73 games last year so don't expect this to continue but a 30 point season islooking like a good possibility.

Sergei Gonchar - 6 gms with 2+3=5
I had no plans to invest in a 37-year-old injury prone d-man to start the year but I ended up with Gonchar in three different leagues.  I picked him up on the cheap in hopes he could be a good fourth d-man.  He's on pace for 56 points and assuming he can stay healthy (a big assumption) he's going to make me look like a genius (unfortunately I'm looking like a fool on many other picks).

Nick Leddy - 6 gms with 0+7=7
We (cautiously) recommended Leddy in the FSR, so we're feeling kinda good that he's on pace for 57 points so far.  He's doing all his damage at ES as he has only three assists on the PP (even though he's getting more than two minutes of PPTOI / game).

Other hot defenders...
Shea Weber - 6 gms with 2+5=7
Ryan Suter - 6 gms with 1+5=6
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - 5 gms with 1+6=7
Niklas Kronwall - 6 gms with 4+1=5
Brian Campbell - 6 gms with 1+5=6
Duncan Keith - 6 gms with 2+4=6
Joe Corvo - 6 gms with 0+5=5
Brad Stuart - 6 gms with 3+1=4

HOT ROOKIES

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - 7 gms with 2+8=10
He's leading the Oilers in PPP and PP TOI  and is on pace for 85 points.  He can't keep this up can he?  It's been a long time (Crosby) since we've had a 1st overall pick play over a point-a-game in his rookie season.

Matt Read - 6 gms with 6+1=7
RNH had all the hype but Read is nearly matching him blow for blow.  He's on pace for 64 points but the last two games he's been playing on the scoring lines.   It's starting to look like a two dog race for the Calder.

Other hot rookies...
Bobby Butler - 6 gms with 2+2=4
Craig Smith - 6 gms with 2+2=4
Jeff Petry - 7 gms with 1+3=4
Colin Wilson - 6 gms with 3+1=4

HOT GOALIES

Mike Smith- 5 gms with 3 wins, a 1.76 gaa and a 0.953 sv%
He's currently 14th in the league in gaa and 4th in sv%.  They would be the best numbers of his career if he can keep it up.  If this continues Dave Tippett should get an automatic spot in the HOF.

Niklas Backstrom - 5 gms with 3 wins, a 1.8 gaa and a 0.949 sv%
All that talk of Josh Harding must have motivated Backstrom.  He's played four to Harding's two the last fortnight.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere - 4 gms with 2 wins, a 1.74 gaa and a 0.924 sv%
While Giguere has been on fire... Varlamov has been stinking it up (2 gms, 2 losses, 5.08 gaa and a .811 sv%).  Ladies and gentlemen we have a goalie controversy.

Other hot goalies...
Carey Price - 5 gms with 3 wins, a 0.98 gaa and a 0.96 sv%
Jimmy Howard - 6 gms with 4 wins, a 1.95 gaa and a 0.934 sv%
Tim Thomas - 4 gms with 4 wins, a 1.25 gaa and a 0.954 sv%
Pekka Rinne - 6 gms with 3 wins, a 2.39 gaa and a 0.927 sv%
Marc-Andre Fleury - 4 gms with 3 wins, a 1.76 gaa and a 0.925 sv%
Antti Niemi - 3 gms with 3 wins, a 1.33 gaa and a 0.958 sv%
Henrik Lundqvist - 3 gms with 3 wins, a 1.67 gaa and a 0.949 sv%