Fantasy Stars of the Week - Week #15

The biggest and brightest from the past week in Fantasy Land, as voted by FHS writers.

Three Stars of the Week:

3rd Star, from the St. Louis Blues, numero 41, Jaroslav Halak... dude hasn't lost in regulation since November 27! This week Halak played all three St. Louis games (sorry Elliott owners) and posted three wins - two of them shutouts - and a 0.67 GAA and .966 SV%. Hitchcock has always meant fantasy gold for goalies - if Steve Mason could post 2.29 and .916 playing for Hitch, the sky's the limit for Halak. FHS Votes: 1 first, 1 second.

2nd Star, from the New York Islanders, numero 20, Evgeni Nabokov... three games, three wins, only two goals allowed. Add in a shutout and sick 0.85 GAA, .978 SV% peripherals, and Nabby made his owners pretty damn happy this week. Not bad for a guy who wouldn't even suit up for the Isles a year ago. With the trade deadline approaching, expect the Isles to continue to ride Nabokov like a cheap mule as he is showcased to the teams he'd rather be playing for. FHS Votes: 2 seconds, 1 third.

1st Star, from the Pittsburgh Penguins, numero 71, Evgeni Malkin... last week's 2nd Star honours obviously weren't enough for Malkin. In four games this week, he threw down 5+2=7, plus-6, and 20 SOG. He's currently on a six game goal scoring streak, with nine goals in that span, and has been held off the scoresheet only eight times this season. He missed a few maintenance games early in the season, but over 82 games his stats this year prorate to 52+64=116, plus-24, 68 PIM, 36 PPP, and a muy loco 392 SOG. FHS Votes: 3 firsts, 1 second.

Honourable mention: Marc-Andre Fleury (4 GP, 4 wins, 2.15 GAA, .915 SV%), Tobias Enstrom (4 GP, 3+1=4, 4 PIM, 12 SOG), Alex Pietrangelo (3 GP, 1+3=4, plus-5)

Rookie Star of the Week: Matt Read, PHI - 2+2=4 in four games this week. The 25 year-old rookie is now on pace for 29+31=60, plus-27 and 191 SOG. He also leads all rookies with 15 goals on the year, and Bob Mackenzie continues to feel nice n' smug about picking Read for the Calder back in October.

HM: Sean Couturier (4 GP, 1+2=3)

Breakout Star of the Week: Cody Hodgson, VAN - in two games this week, the kid scored 2+1=3, a plus-2 rating, and 5 SOG, all while averaging under 14 minutes TOI/G. With 14 points in his last 16 games, Hodgson is picking up steam and could make a second-half push for a Calder nomination.

HM: Jason Blake (3 GP, 1+1=2, 9 SOG, 2 PPP)

Breakdown of the Week: Ryan Miller, BUF - so maybe we should just rename this one the Miller Award. Three games, three disasters: 12 goals allowed, 5.02 GAA, .836 SV%, and the poor guy just continues to shit the bed this year. Buffalo is now tied for last in the Eastern Conference.

DHM: Also Ryan Miller, just because.

Free Agent Star of the Week (less than 50% owned in Yahoo! leagues): Peter Mueller, COL - with only 14% ownership, Mueller should still be well below your league's radar. Only six games into his latest concussion comeback attempt, Mueller found a bit of a groove this week with 3+1=4 and a very robust 18 SOG over four games. Get him while you can if you don't mind the injury gamble.

HM: Lee Stempniak (3% owned, 3 GP, 3+1=4, plus-5), Evgeni Nabokov (34% owned and climbing)

Check out our past Fantasy Stars of the Week here.