The Fantasy Guide, available here, will have its next update this afternoon (probably late) – including an in-depth look at the KHL and NHL. I offer four categories of players who are at risk to flee to Russia and offer up candidates to keep an eye on for next summer – and why. As well, I’ll have roster updates (Bertuzzi, etc) and new player lowdowns.

When I was reviewing for the restricted free agents yesterday, as I flipped through the pages of capgeek.com I noticed Benn Ferriero on the Sharks. The name was familiar and I figured that earlier in the summer I had mentioned that he signed. It turns out, that this was a new signing done by the Sharks – and that he had not been signed by the Coyotes. I think the situation is similar to that of Blake Wheeler in that he needed to be signed or he would become a free agent. Unlike Wheeler, however, since Ferriero was a seventh-round pick, the team was not compensated. At any rate, he had a solid college career, but the problem was that his sophomore campaign was his best one and his numbers declined from there. He’s also on the small side. However, San Jose – as far back as I can remember – has limited offensive prospects. Every year they seem to find one who is NHL ready, but every year there is really only that one to choose from. Ferreiro does not have the upside of McGinn or Couture, perhaps 65 points, but there is something there in terms of PIM and points. I can see him becoming a checking 45-point player who hovers around the 80-90 PIM mark, perhaps as early as 2010-11. He is ranked 243 on my prospects list, but moves up with this signing into the top 180.

To answer a question in the comments under yesterday’s ramblings – if I own Babchuk and he signs in the KHL for even one year, I would drop him. Too unstable.