Fantasy Hockey Developments

It’s back to work here at Sports Ruckus after a much-needed holiday break. Without further ado then, here are the latest developments in the fantasy hockey world, over the past ten days:

On the injury front, a glimmer of hope is finally starting to appear on the horizon for the Detroit Red Wings, after an injury-plagued start to the season. Valtteri Filppula (wrist) returned to the team last week and now Henrik Zetterberg (separated shoulder) is expected back tonight against the Ducks, or Thursday against the Kings. Niklas Kronwall (sprained MCL) is also anticipated to be back in the lineup in the next 5-7 days, providing some much-needed stability and depth to the Wings blue line. Although Franzen (torn ACL) is still not expected to return until March, the rejuvenated health of the Wings, along with the solid play of emerging goalie Jimmy Howard, should provide Lidstrom and Datsyuk owners with a glimmer of hope. After registering just 8 points in his first 26 games, Lidstrom has stepped up his production and has tallied 11 points in the past 15, and although he still only has one goal on the season, that should improve as the team gets healthier and back into their familiar grooves. The same is hoped for Pavel Datsyuk who is currently on pace for a 67 point season, his worst since entering the league. These returns from injury may pose an opportunity for fantasy owners to buy low, certainly on Datsyuk, and perhaps even on Lidstrom, although that ship may have already started to sail. Despite Detroit’s aging core of players, the talent still remains for a strong second half.

Despite leading his team to its first playoff appearance in three years last year, head coach Andy Murray was fired by the St.Louis Blues on Sunday after a slow start to the season that was marked by a league-worst 6-14-3 record at home. 39 year-old Davis Payne, coach of the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Peoria, was named as the interim replacement and hopes to bring a more relaxed approach to team bursting with young talent that may have been worn down by Andy Murray. Despite all the negatives surrounding the team however, there is reason for optimism. Firstly, although the Blues powerplay currently ranks 25th in the league, it’s comprised mostly of the same players from last year’s team, whose powerplay ranking was 8th overall. Special teams play is often one of the most noticeable changes brought in by a new coaching staff, and with skilled players like Andy McDonald, Brad Boyes and Erik Johnson on the man advantage, I believe a turn-around will be coming. Secondly, the most surprising (and puzzling) statistic for the Blues is their road record: 11-4-3, which is in the top five across the league. In fact, if it wasn’t for their strong play on the road, the Blues might be challenging the Hurricanes for the worst overall record. Such a backwards disparity between a team’s home and away play is an oddity, and unlikely to continue. Under a more relaxed approach, look for the Blues to improve their home record. Thirdly, team leaders Brad Boyes (13P in 16G) and Andy McDonald (12P in 16G) have started to turn things around, hopefully providing a platform off which some of the younger players can build on. David Backes finished last year with 36 points in 45 games, but has struggled thus far with just 21 points. T.J Oshie scored 27 points in 35 games after the All-Star break last year, but has only 20 points this season. A coaching change may be just what these players need to turn their game around. What does all this mean for fantasy owners? If you’re looking to take a flyer on some players, consider the St.Louis Blues – last season’s finish proved that they clearly have the talent to turn things around. You may still be able to buy low on Boyes, Backes or Mason, but don’t discount the potential of an Oshie or Colaiacovo.

The Bruins announced the signing of former-Sabre Miroslav Satan on Saturday, with the hope that he will bring some scoring depth and speed to a team that ranks near the bottom of the league in offense. With the trade of Phil Kessel to the Leafs, the B’s have sorely lacked a player who can finish a play off alongside Marc Savard. Unfortunately, I don’t think Satan will be the answer – after all, despite playing alongside one of the league’s best playmakers in Sidney Crosby for much of last year, he still only managed to score 17 goals in 65 games. He’s worth a flyer only in deep leagues, but is unlikely to provide much benefit. In other Bruins notes, Tuuka Rask will have some added fantasy value in January as the Bruins play four sets of back-to-back games. Rask played the opener of the first back-to-back set yesterday, losing 3-2, despite logging a .914 save percentage.

Teemu Selanne (broken hand) is nearing a return to the Ducks after spending the past five weeks on the IR. He is practicing with the team again and is hopeful to play as early as Thursday against the Blues. On the flipside, Kevin Bieksa owners are sure to be disappointed after Bieksa suffered a nasty leg laceration last week – a similar injury two years ago cost Bieksa 47 games, so don’t bother holding on to him. Cut him and look elsewhere for help.

Finally, if you’re looking for a little scoring depth, 3rd overall pick Matt Duchene has started to show why he was so highly touted by scouts. Despite not having reached his 19th birthday, Duchene has shown he can play with the big boys, finishing off the month of December with 13 points in 14 games. His goal totals have been on the rise each month, and his plus-minus has started to stabilize. Although we can’t say with a certainty, this is certainly reminiscent of the play of Steven Stamkos last year, who after a slow start to the year, finished with 28 points in 34 games after the All-Star break. Stay tuned!