Happy Easter everyone!

The Avs have signed Kevin Shattenkirk to an ELC. Shattenkirk is the No.3 ranked d-man prospect on my list, as he has tremendous upside and is a surefire NHLer. I believe he will make the team next year and have an immediate impact, with Calder consideration. If the Avs hang onto Liles, then it will be Quincey who will see his numbers slip.

So I pick up Colton Orr in the Expert’s league to make a charge at the PIM category and after five games he has given me two PIM. He has scored two goals though, which is weird. So in the big picture, he hasn’t been a bad pickup.

Evander Kane got an assist in his return to the lineup and played nearly 17 minutes. He’ll be a fixture in the top six next year, after being brought in slowly this season. It wouldn’t surprise me to see 55 or even 60 points from him.

Gilbert Brule will be out for the rest of the season with a sprained ankle, unless the Oilers can win 20 of their next four games and get into the playoffs. Brule had a promising start to the campaign and will probably be a decent scorer on the third line next year on a much-improved squad. That would mean 40-45 points.

The Kings have signed diminutive winger Brandon Kozun to an entry level deal. Like most small, skilled players, Kozun has a tough battle ahead of him. Ignored on the first go-around at the draft, he was finally picked in the sixth round as a 19-year-old. He has 215 points in the last two WHL seasons and had 14 points in eight playoff games. He led the WHL in points, beating Jordan Eberle by one. But again – he’s 5-9 and if you see him in the NHL on the first line, it won’t be for six years.

Tom Gilbert – 11 points in 12 games. Damn tease…

It’s looking as though both Thomas Vanek and Tim Connolly will continue to miss action – at least another two games, I’d say. When they do return, the Buffalo News is indicating that it will not necessarily mean that both Nate Gerbe and Tyler Ennis will come out. The two youngsters have played well, while Drew Stafford struggles. So it may be Stafford who you see come out instead.

The MLB season starts today – hopefully you have picked up the DobberBaseball Fantasy Guide, just $8.50 CDN. Buy it here.

So with all my yapping about Connolly’s healthy season (actually it looks like he’ll get in 74 or 75 games), and Gaborik’s health season (he’ll play 76)…I haven’t touted Steve Sullivan. Who would have bet on 82 games for Sully? I believe he has played 116 in a row now.

Alex Goligoski has 20 points in the last 50 games. He had 13 in 15 to start the year and that is the potential we’re talking about here. With Sergei Gonchar out of the mix next season, look for Goli’s breakout – possibly a rather huge one – to occur then. He had a pair of points yesterday.

The wind is out of the sails of the players in this trade: Guillaume Latendresse has but a point in four games, while Benoit Pouliot just a point in seven. Prediction for next year: Latendresse gets 52 points in 68 games; Pouliot tallies 56 points in 79 games.

Playoff races:

7. BOS 84 with 4 to play
8. PHI 82 with 4 to play
9. NYR 82 with 4 to play
10. ATL 81 with 3 to play

8. COL 89 with 5 to play
9. CGY 89 with 4 to play

Huge win for Calgary, but it really shouldn’t have come down to this. Nothing but a tailspin for three months and now they start winning? The Flyers play Detroit today, the hottest team in the NHL so I’ll pencil them in for a loss. Suddenly, the Rangers look very promising to make the postseason. Both Colorado and Calgary play today against tough teams.

Philly actually plays the NYR in each of their last two games of the season. Talk about huge, that’s as big as playoff games.

Registration for DobberHockey’s Playoff Pool Challenge opens either later tomorrow or more likely Tuesday over at pickuphockey.com. First prize will be a hockey jersey, with second and third prizes a DobberHockey Ultimate Fantasy Pack.