Turco gets the start against the Avs tonight. A mediocre performance means this thing drags on for another week (again). A horrible performance shifts the starting job firmly into Crawford’s court. A great performance probably shifts it slightly into Turco’s direction.

Jody Shelley got two games for the hit I show below.

Evgeni Nabokov and his KHL team have mutually agreed to walk away from his contract. The only team in the NHL that can afford him and needs him is Tampa Bay, with $10 million in cap space. However, he would need to clear waivers. That being said, I don’t think a team would pluck him off waivers if he was going through at a $4 million cap hit. Need a goalie? Put him on your bench for a week or two. Drop him if it doesn’t pan out. But I’m thinking TB.

Sergei Kostitsyn has really turned things around. He has five points in his last four games and is a plus-7 in that span. More importantly, his ice time is creeping upwards, which only helps things.

Corey Perry had five points in Sunday’s win. Bobby Ryan, who had three points himself, scored one of his goals using Mikko Koivu’s stick – and Mikko shoots the opposite hand! I stuck a clip at the bottom…

Well if that doesn’t give Michal Neuvirth the next couple of starts, nothing will. The ping pong game that is the starting goalie position in Washington continues. Seven goals allowed by Varly. Not all were his fault, but it is what it is.

It’s obvious that Bruce Boudreau is changing his coaching style for better success in the playoffs. Less run-and-gun, more responsibility and better defense. But this team isn’t built for defense (and adding Scott Hannan ain’t gonna change that). I guess the team is hoping that a weaker regular season playing a better system will result in better playoff results. I don’t think it will. I think their old style was perfect – they failed the first year because of inexperience. They failed last year because of Halak. Don’t quit on what was so successful during the regular season just because of that.

Brandon Dubinsky – come on. Twenty-seven points? Seven in his last six. His usual early-season surge is lasting longer than in prior years.

Ryan Callahan had four points in 12 games prior to the blowout, in which he scored two to snap out of it.

It is looking as though Kristian Huselius will/could be back in the lineup by this weekend or next week according to Puck Rakers.

Sean Leahy speaks my mind perfectly with this article on how veterans feel that young players need to be respectful and more vanilla. (hint: I think the veterans are whiners)

In the last 17 games, Brandon Prust had 10 points, 44 PIM and was plus-5.

Chris Drury is targeting Wednesday for a return. That should impact some wingers (I’m assuming he’ll be wing), and that makes Prust a bit of a risk. Then again, Prust is such a nice flier to take…

In the DobberHockey Pro League, Sentium has the same problem I do – lack of time to run his team and remember deadlines has sunk him to last place. He is volunteering to step aside or bring on a co-manager to turn this team around. I think it is a very feasible challenge to get this team into the Top 5. I’m still hoping/thinking that I can turn my own team around and get there and I’m having a lot of fun buckling down. Since I’ve redoubled my efforts, I’ve only missed two deadlines (both last week – ouch), and I briefly got my team up to 8th before it shot back down to 12th in the last two days. Anyway, if you’re interested in taking on this challenge, email me at dobber at dobberhockey dot com.

Matt Stajan was rightfully scratched for Friday’s game. The last time this happened, that I can remember, was in Toronto and he then proceeded to pretty much turn his career around from that of a defensive center to that of an offensive one. Wake-up call. My hunch is he’ll be putting points on the board. However, in practice he was on the fourth line so it remains to be seen.

Need offense? Then why not recall the AHL’s top goal scorer? That’s precisely what the Habs did when they called up Max Pacioretty yesterday.

After a horrible start in the AHL, Colorado prospect Ryan Stoa has 10 points in his last nine contests. The addition of Fleischmann seriously hurts any chance he has witht his NHL club though.

Sheldon Souray scored his first goal of the season – but it was in the AHL. Poor Souray. How does he sleep at night? (On a big pile of money with this beautiful woman)

A good little player who I’m starting to like as a prospect is Matt Calvert (CBJ). He has 17 points in his last 19 games in his first pro season (AHL). Still two years away though. Maybe three. And as a small player (stop rolling your eyes) it could be six years before we see big NHL numbers.

Aaron Voros is out for about a month with a broken orbital bone.

The Isles recalled Rhett Rakhshani from Bridgeport. If he plays it will be his first NHL game for the former college star.

He is ranked 134 on my prospects list. He leads Bridgeport with 24 points in 27 games and should be watched for sure.

Marco Sturm is still a week away from returning to action. The Kings brought him in anyway, so they must be confident.

The Devils have sent Alexander Vasyunov back to Albany of the AHL.

The Rangers needed to score seven goals…that seemed to be the only way for Frolov to get a point. It was his first point in 11 games. Anisimov was also pointless in 10 before snapping it last night.

I new he was slumping, but didn’t know it was this bad – Daniel Alfredsson, 10 games without a point.

ME Vlasic has just three points this year, but all three of them have come in the last two games.

I think it was November 21 that I criticized Tom Gilbert and recommended a drop (I dropped him). He has eight points in 10 games since then (I, uh, picked him back up and fortunately got him for a low waiver bid price)

Two defensemen have 13 points in their last 10 games: Shattenkirk and Byfuglien. Other hot d-men: Mark Giordano (seven in his last seven), Marek Zidlicky (seven in eight) and Justin Braun (seven in eight). The Sharks can’t send Braun down when he’s this hot. He’ll be here for at least a couple more weeks.

Alex Steen has seven points in his last six games.

After his brief hot run, Simon Gagne is now pointless in his last three.

Shelley with the ugly check on McQuaid. How many games should he get? Any?

Ovechkin drops the gloves!

Bobby Ryan scores with Mikko’s stick: