Dobber here. You long-time readers will remember an old dark horse of mine – Brett Sterling. About nine months ago, after last training camp, we pretty much gave up on him in the fantasy world and left him for dead. The former AHL rookie-of-the-year has had several cups of coffee with Atlanta with mixed results ranging from scoring with minimal minutes, to not scoring at all when given three or four games in Ilya Kovalchuk’s spot (during the Russian’s injury a couple of years back). Anyway, break out the defib – Sterling is alive and his fantasy career is on life support. He has signed a two-way deal with the Penguins. Now, given that coach Dan Bylsma gave Chris Bourque ZERO chance on a scoring line last year, it is hard to imagine that Sterling will get one. So he should not be drafted. But if he gets a couple of lucky bounces early in camp, stranger things have happened. A slim dark horse, but still a dark horse.

Not sure if it is PR leaking information… but it sounds like the Islanders are very close on Kovalchuk. Money rules all! I hope he signs today so I can write my thoughts on how this move impacts him and the rest of the Islanders lineup.

Fantasy Mailbag is open today!

Sheldon Souray has cleared waivers.

Edmonton has signed AHL superstar Alexandre Giroux to a one-way contract for 2010-11. He will get a chance to earn a spot in the NHL, but I’d say this is more of an expensive AHL acquisition. The Oilers affiliate was the worst in the AHL last season, and they have a new location (Oklahoma City) this year.

Giroux has 139 goals in his last 181 AHL games.

Derek Boogaard will be paid $4700 per minute this next season if he averages the same ice time he did in 2009-10. Alex Ovechkin received $5000 per minute. Something doesn’t quite add up…

How’s this for a curveball – Darren Dreger is reporting that the Islanders may make Ilya Kovalchuk a huge contract offer.

After not qualifying him, Toronto signed John Mitchell to a one-year contract worth about $700,000. Mitchell is a fringe player who may see the odd shift on the second power play unit.

Nik Kulemin finally signed on the dotted line yesterday – two years and $2.35 million per.  I see him slotting in on the second line Bozak and Versteeg, or on the top line with center-to-be-named and Kessel.

Cody Hodgson won’t be attending Vancouver’s prospects camp next week. Don’t be alarmed though, both sides feel it is best for him to continue with his training program in Ontario (he is currently working out with Steve Stamkos).

Hodgson’s spot in the top nine is pretty safe unless he has a poor training camp – the Canucks like Malhotra because he can easily slide over to the left side.

Kulemin is a beast with the puck and showed flashes of creativity throughout the 2009-10 season. I could see 50-55 points from him this coming campaign.

Sheldon Souray on waivers – with two years and $5.4 million per left on his deal, don't expect any teams to bite. The Oil will have to take some salary back if they want to move him. Souray has tremendous fantasy value if he ends up in a good situation. When healthy (always a concern with him), he is one of the best for goals, points, shots, and penalty minutes.

10 teams have called with regards to acquiring Kevin Bieksa. I'd expect him to be moved within the next week. He should bounce back to the 35-40-point, 100-150 PIM level next season with a fresh start.

Sleeper of the day – Colorado winger David Jones. He missed most of this past season after tearing his ACL in November. He is big and fundamentally solid at both ends of the ice. I could see him playing a top six role and scoring 20-25 goals. He had 10 in only 23 games in 2009-10.

He was a teammate of fellow Avalanche Brandon Yip in Junior A in 2003-04, as well as Nashville goalie prospect Mark Dekanich (the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL). Stacked team to say the least.

David Poile yesterday on the FAN 590 said he has talked to Radulov and expects him back in 2011-12. Said he thinks “Radulov badly wants to come back.”