Each week (or so) we'll dip a toe in the fantasy pool, test the water, and find out which players are hot and which ones are not over the past fortnight (that's two weeks).
(Statistics cover the period from Jan 29th to Feb 11th)
HOT
| TOP FORWARDS | ||||||
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | PPG | Comment |
| Kesler, Ryan C VAN | 4 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 2.50 | Sundin-Kesler-Demitra line is hot-hot-hot |
| Demitra, Pavol C VAN | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2.33 | He's healthy…for now |
| Cullen, Matt C CAR | 5 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 1.80 | 9 points last 5 games, 17 points in other 44 |
| Sundin, Mats C VAN | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1.75 | The rust has all been removed from the Mats machine |
| Datsyuk, Pavel C DET | 7 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 1.71 | Now on pace for a career high 99 points |
| Ovechkin, Alex LW WAS | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 1.67 | Probably won't reach 60 goals like last year but still a great season in the works |
| Blake, Jason LW TOR | 6 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 1.67 | 32 points in last 29 games means he's for real…even if we can't believe it |
| Moore, Dominic C TOR | 6 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 1.67 | After averaging 17 points the last three years he's on pace for 51…we did not see this coming |
| Langenbrunner, Jamie RW NJ | 7 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 1.57 | Langenbrunner-Parise-Zajac line is almost as hot as Sundin's |
| Parise, Zach C NJ | 7 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 1.57 | Fifth in the league in points |
| TOP DEFENDERS | ||||||
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | PPG | Comment |
| Green, Mike D WAS | 6 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 2.50 | More points than ANY player the last two weeks |
| Edler, Alexander D VAN | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 1.75 | Before this four game streak only had 1 point in 10 games |
| Niskanen, Matt D DAL | 7 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1.14 | After a slow start he's picked it up lately |
| Rafalski, Brian D DET | 7 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 1.14 | Mr. Consistency keeps plugging away |
| Colaiacovo, Carlo D STL | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1.00 | He's healthy and producing…but for how long |
| OTHERS OF NOTE | ||||||
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | PPG | Comment |
| Boyes, Brad C STL | 7 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 1.43 | 5+4=9 in his current six game point streak |
| Hartnell, Scott LW PHI | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 1.40 | Closing in on his career high of 48 points already |
| Frolov, Alexander LW LA | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 1.33 | After 67 points in 71 games last year we were expecting this kind of production all year |
| Clowe, Ryane RW SJ | 6 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 1.33 | 15 points (but only 3 goals) in last 11 games |
| Weiss, Stephen C FLA | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 1.33 | On pace to crack 60 points…barely. |
| Ott, Steve LW DAL | 7 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 1.29 | 16 PIM's to go along with 9 points |
| Zajac, Travis C NJ | 7 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 1.29 | FHS hearts Zajac |
| Lehtinen, Jere RW DAL | 7 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 1.29 | Early season injurys are a thing of the past...11 points in last 8 games |
| Fehr, Eric RW WAS | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1.17 | Half of his points this season (14) in last two weeks |
| Kronwall, Niklas D DET | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 1.00 | The forgotten man in Detroit |
| Walker, Matt D CHI | 6 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0.83 | No points in Dec, no points in Jan…five points in February are a fluke |
PICK UP OF THE WEEK: JASON BLAKE W TOR
Quite a few big guys out there to pick up but we're going to swallow our pride a bit and recommend you pick up one of our most hated fantasy plays...Jason Blake. As we mentioned above, Blake has put together a pretty impressive 30 game streak. When you're producing over such a long span it just can't be a fluke anymore...can it? You would think his plus-minus would be brutal playing on the lowly Leafs but it's a respectable +6 (+7 in last 29 games). If that wasn't enough, Blake will really help those of you in leagues that count shots...he's on pace for 292 shots this year. On the downside, Blake hasn't been producing much on the PP...even though he's fifth on the team in minutes.
Honourable Mention: If you're as big of a Blake fan as we are you might want to try these guys instead...Ryan Kesler, Alex Edler, Scott Hartnell, Alex Frolov, Steve Ott, Jere Lehtinen
COLD
WORST FORWARDS
Player
GP
G
A
PTS
PPG
Comment
Frolik, Michael C FLA
6
1
0
1
0.17
Only 1 point since 3 pointer on Jan 27th
White, Todd C ATL
7
0
1
1
0.14
Maybe new Kovy-White-Little line will shake things up
Jokinen, Olli C PHO
6
0
0
0
0.00
90 point guys don't normally go 6 games without a point
Brind'Amour, Rod C CAR
3
0
0
0
0.00
At least he was only a -2
Little, Bryan C ATL
7
0
0
0
0.00
Only two points since New Years Day
Cheechoo, Jonathan RW SJ
6
0
0
0
0.00
That's zero points in eight games for the former 56 goal man
Hanzal, Martin C PHO
5
0
0
0
0.00
Injury might have come at a good time
WORST DEFENDERS
Player
GP
G
A
PTS
PPG
Comment
Hainsey, Ron D ATL
7
0
1
1
0.14
1 point in last 9 games…lucky Hainsey cashed in last season
Johnson, Jack D LA
6
0
0
0
0.00
Back from injury keep an eye on him for next season
Redden, Wade D NYR
5
0
0
0
0.00
We weren't expecting much from him this year…but two points in last 24 games?!?!
Weber, Shea D NSH
7
0
0
0
0.00
Nine games without a point…wasn't he a Norris candidate?
Girardi, Daniel D NYR
5
0
0
0
0.00
After a nice start has only 1 point since Dec 1st
DROP OF THE WEEK: ROD BRIND'AMOUR C CAR
The last couple of years, Rod the Bod has been a big fantasy force. He's been pretty much playing at a point-a-game clip for three years now... well, up until this season that is. He's on pace for only 45 points this year and has racked up a very impressive golf score of minus-30 so far this year. We've heard rumours that his name should really be Roid Brind'Amour...we're not sure how people came up with that rumour. No idea if those steroid rumours are true or not but he's just not getting it done. Add the fact that he's now a bit banged up with a groin injury and it's time to cut him loose. There are much, much better options out there.
Dishonourable Mention: Martin Hanzal, Ron Hainsey, Jonathan Cheechoo, Jack Johnson