Greg Wyshynski with an excellent take on the Colin Campbell – Colie-mail – events.

Philadelphia has traded Patrick Maroon and David Laliberte to Anaheim for Danny Syvret and Rob Bordson. This is a new opportunity for Maroon, who has a lot more room on the depth chart in Anaheim than he did in Philly. Now Matt Beleskey has someone to fight with for a roster spot later this year.

It’s becoming pretty clear that Tom Gilbert doesn’t want to show up for fantasy owners until the final 25 games of the season. He did this last year and to a lesser extent the year before that. He’s a dropsy, if you haven’t already, but don’t hesitate to take a flyer on him in early February.

Devan Dubnyk, I think, should be a start for the week ahead. He’ll get all the starts and I believe he’ll get some wins. In his three starts so far he is 0-0-3. His numbers (and play) are far superior to Khabibulin’s (who is out with a groin injury).

I made the decision to start Dubnyk for this week over Petr Budaj. The latter has played very well, but I would stay away from the Colorado situation for a week or two. Anderson and he will split starts until one of them (Anderson) starts to pull away with the job.

Philly rearguard Sean O’Donnell is actually a plus-11 over the last three weeks (10 games). He has three assists in that span.

Kevin Shattenkirk has five points and is a plus-2 in his last nine games.

Justin Abdelkader has four points in two games and seven in his last eight. His ice time was up to 13:56 Friday. In fact, he had three points in three games, then zero in three, then four in two. Todd Bertuzzi had zero in three, five in three, and zero in two. When one power forward produces, the other does not. I found that interesting, that one line steps up when the other is snakebitten. I never thought of Abdelkader as more than a third liner with upside, and his “upside” odds were starting to dwindle as his role with the team continues to be on a depth line. But this recent Eric-Fehr-like streak makes me believe that I judged too soon. I should wait a couple of years yet before coming to a conculsion with this guy. Big and talented, and the Wings will need that desperately when Bertuzzi is gone.

Gregory Campbell didn’t actually score last night. Colie Campbell just overruled the official scorekeeper on that one.

Trevor Lewis picked up a pair of assists for the Kings. The 23-year-old needs to start making his mark, else he risks “bust” status.

With his fourth shutout of the season, Price tied Thomas for the league lead. Price also leads the NHL in wins with 12.
It feels good to be so right about a player when it seemed I was alone on an island the fantasy hockey world disagreed with me. Of course, I was on a similar island in my defense of Vincent Lecavalier, and that was a swing and a miss…but being right about Price feels good. Feels even better for Montreal management, I’ll bet (where are the Gainey bashers now?)

Angus must feel great – hours after proclaiming Steven Stamkos as one of the “Big 4”, Stammer goes out and bangs off four points (the NHL took away a point upon further review so he had four and not five)

Blake Comeau is pointless in his last seven and has just one in his last 11. He’s still getting 18 minutes a game, but the Isles can’t score to save their life. Will next year’s arrival of Petrov and Niederreiter, combined with another year of experience with their current youngsters, enough to change this? I’d like to think the Isles are on the right track, but…

Stephen Weiss has seven points in his last eight games, pulling out of his funk. He’s a 60-point player – steady as she goes. Fast start, slow start, he’ll end up within two points of 60.

Mike McKenna, in his first NHL start in two years, stopped 24 of 27 in a loss to St. Louis.

Brad Boyes’ alarm finally went off and he has joined us for the 2010-11 season. Welcome Brad! He has points in five straight, seven in that span.

Rookie Mattias Tedenby has three points in five NHL games for the Devils. It is clear that the Devils wanted to keep him in the AHL for a year and bring him along properly, but obviously need the offense. And now Tedenby is showing that he belongs. His ice time is creeping up towards 16 minutes a game. This year, New Jersey has scored five goals once and four goals twice. The rest – three or fewer.

Derek Stepan has five points in his last five games.

Those who have been following the Chris Botta/Islanders/Press pass fiasco – this is my take: Clearly this was personal. The Islanders took his press pass because he was critical of them. That makes them petty. That being said, he only had the press pass in the first place because he was a blogger on the Isles’ payroll. And when they took him off the payroll, they should have at that time treated him as any other blogger – no press pass. If I get six million page views in a month and am unable to get a full press pass in at least two-thirds of the arenas, then why should someone with 1/20th of that traffic?

As for the Isles – that really is petty. And saying that he is “making the news” as opposed to “reporting it” – uh, when he was on your payroll he was more inclined to make the news then now as an independent blogger.

Wow, give Radim Vrbata seven points in his last three games. He’s on a 55-point pace, but he won’t reach that because Shane Doan will take his ice time back. Vrbata is a “sell high”, although you may want to wait another two or three games first.

Pointless and a minus-7 in his last eight games…is it time to send Magnus Paajarvi to the AHL and give Linus Omark a shot? Seriously. Omark has 20 points in his last 15 AHL contests.

Mathieu Garon has three shutouts in his last four starts. I know Mason is the golden boy there…but this stuff can’t be ignored!

Still flailing in the DobberHockey experts league, I just traded Kovalchuk, along with Eberle and Brassard, for Dany Heatley. The logic? I can claim a couple of decent centers via waivers (I won’t say who until I actually get them)… and I don’t know how long Kovalchuk will continue to suck. But he and my goalies have been dragging my team to the basement. Now he’s gone and my goaltending is decent finally (Rinne, Pavelec, Leighton, Bobrovsky, Niemi). Oh, and I have Marc Savard on my IR and…

Marc Savard completed a non-contact practice Friday and said to be feeling really good. I think Christmas is looking good for a return.

The Ducks recalled Dan Sexton. He had five points in four AHL games, obviously has some confidence back, and is one to keep an eye on. Teemu Selanne (groin) is likely out.

Matt Beleskey has five in five AHL games.

Dallas prospect goalie Richard Bachman is 5-2-0, 1.91 and 0.937 in the AHL this year. Great prospect and the Stars have been patient with him.

Awesome shootout move by Dustin Brown: