Whoops – Ryan Vesce is out as well, according to the Mercury. Couture and McGinn are in.

In my ramblings a few months ago, after Bobby Ryan’s performance in the playoffs, I said: “Bobby Ryan isn’t quite ready to be that star just yet. Flashes of brilliance, but occasional cold spells. No longer think ’70 points’ for him next year. Think more like 60.” That received a lot of backlash (which you can no longer see because the site changed over in July). But looking at his start, I think that is where he will get to. He’ll have his cold streaks and his hot streaks and in the end it will be around 60.

Devin Setoguchi is out with a lower body injury. If that lasts beyond Pavelski’s return, then Vesce will have an extended trial in the NHL.

As Angus reports in the forum, Wellwood has a broken toe and Shirokov has been recalled.

Just a heads up on the Frozen Pool section (“Fantasy Tools” can be clicked in multiple spots on this site): It will become a “pay” section in a couple of weeks. The cost will be about fifty cents a month if you purchased my Fantasy Guide and a buck fifty if you did not. I know that much of the Internet is free, but I think we can agree that this tool is unique and amazing and Arbuthnot deserves a bit of coin for all that programming. The pricing is set so that it could be dug out of the back of your couch, but at the same time it weeds out the lazier poolies who coast through their pools by occasionally checking DobberHockey for some free tips and then “borrow” the Fantasy Guide from a friend. In essense, this gives the edge to the managers who deserve it and put in the effort. The rest of the DobberHockey site is and will always be free.

I’m taking questions in the forum for discussion on tomorrow’s Dobber Nation. Just go into the forum in the “Dobber’s Take” section and post your query.

My thoughts on Ryan Vesce, as quoted in my latest Puck Daddy article:”Okay, this one’s a real long shot and it will only last about as long as Joe Pavelski is on the sidelines. Vesce is an AHL star who is too small to plug away on the third line. Finally, the Sharks have called him up to play on the – wait for it – first line. It’s only spot shifts, but at least he is seeing time with skill players (and Dany Heatley and Thornton are towards the top of that list). He has two goals in two games and should continue to do okay until a Pavelski return forces him back to the 'A.”

Daily News is reporting NO suspension for Mike Richards. That’s from Bill Daly himself.

Niklas Bergfors has three points in his last two games. He is playing with Zubrus and Clarkson. It’s worth keepin an eye on. He’ll have his hot/cold streaks this year (his first full NHL season).

Peter Mueller is still looking for his first goal. I’m thinking this is his rookie season all over again – learning under a new coach. If you use his actual rookie year as a blue print, then expect a very rough 20 games, including a healthy scratch. Then a point every two games for the next 30, followed by close to a point per game down the stretch.

Nicklas Backstrom has just one point in his last six games and is a minus-3 in that span.

TJ Oshie will be out for two weeks after an appendectomy. His absence last night meant 17:30 in ice time for Perron, which should really get him going.

Backes still logs the most ice on the Blues, but still has just the two points. It shouldn’t be too much longer before he gets rolling, hang in there.

Clutterbuck and Sykora were back in the MIN lineup last night. Clutterbuck scored the OT winner. He played mostly with Hilbert and Smith. Belanger played with Havlat and Sykora; Koivu with Brunette and Miettinen; Brodziak with Kobasew and Nolan.

Brian Willsie got the call up to replace Tucker. Ryan Stoa has just four points in nine games and won’t see a call up until he starts getting more comfortable with professional hockey.

Tuomo Ruutu was suspended for three games for his hit on Tucker. This resulted in these lines last night: Staal with larose and Whitney; Brindy with Cullen and Walker; Sutter with Jokinen and Samsonov.

JS Giguere has a strained groin. The team called up Justin Pogge.

David Moss returned to the CGY lineup and played with Jokinen and Sjostrom and scored a goal. Iggy played mostly with Conroy and Glencross again, but saw time with Boyd and Nystrom.

Bourque has 11 in his last seven, Dawes has five in his last seven and the two were playing with Langkow last night. Langkow has four points in his last three contests and is a plus-3 in that span, after starting off the season with two in seven (and a minus-9). Hope you hung onto him.

Antoine Vermette has a four-game point streak going and has nine points this season. I’m kicking myself for trading him on draft day, as this should be his breakout year and it could be a doozy.

Chris Stewart has four points in two games since his recall on FRIDAY. Some players just get pissed off over demotions and scratches and they come back hard.

Michael Grabner saw his most ice time yet last night – 16:28. His two points give him four in five games and he could be eligible for either wing in your roto league – he’ll be here for a while since Sedin is out for another month or so. That makes Grabner an excellent pick up – he’s making it hard for Shirokov (who has 10 points in 10 AHL games) to get called up.

It’s time for me to stop ignoring this guy. Ryan O’Rielly has 10 points in 11 games! He’s 18 years old. This is the same points-per-game that he had last year in JUNIOR HOCKEY. Is he another Mike Richards (except much sooner)? I thought Richards would be a 70 or 75-point, two-way leader and instead he’s closer to 85 points. O’Reilly I figured would – eventually – be a 60-point checking center with offensive pop. So far he’s fitting the second-line mold as a 2A with Duchene. It’s early, but then again he is still nine years away from his prime!

Jonathan Toews is “day to day” after that monster hit (shown in the ramblings) a few days ago. I would not expect him back at all this week.

The Caps have assigned Tomas Fleischmann to Hershey for conditioning. I am sure he will be back up before the end of the week. when he returns, it will spell the end of Chris Clark’s occasional top line minutes, and Brooks Laich’s second-line minutes.

Alexandre Daigle’s party money probably ran out, as he has signed a deal to play in the Swiss League again this year.

Top scorers of the past two weeks, courtesy of Frozen Pool:

Mike Richards HAMMERS David Booth:

and the aftermath of the hit:

It looks like Booth will be out for quite a while…