Welcome inside the latest edition of Eastern Edge, a weekly fantasy hockey column at Dobber Hockey analyzing the top trending fantasy news impacting your fantasy hockey squad on a week-to-week basis.

Given how intense the past few weeks have been when it comes to news, injuries, trades, and fantasy hockey fallout, this week has been relatively calm. Which actually makes a lot of sense considering the stretch of the NHL and fantasy hockey schedule that we currently find ourselves in. However, a lot of leagues are already well into the playoffs and others are about to start, so even if the NHL newsreel has slowed, fantasy GMs still in the hunt for a payday can't take their foot off the gas – even for a single game – which is why we have you covered on all the top fantasy hockey news you need to know out east.

Caps Cooking, Ovi Back In His Kitchen?

Don't look now, but the Washington Capitals are very much back in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. We'll give you a few guesses as to the reason, but you're only going to need one: Alex Ovechkin. Ovi really is back in his kitchen, scoring slappers from his office just above the faceoff dot with bullet-like precision. The Great Eight has five goals and five assists in the last 10 games, including three on the power play and two game winners while shooting at a much more Ovechkin-like clip of nearly 14%.

Things in Washington are actually quite simple: Ovechkin goes, the Caps go. Aside from that glaring fact, this team is far too mediocre at too many positions and lacks teeth with the extra man (20th-best PP) and on the kill (16th-best PK), that's just far too much pressure on a guy like Charlie Lindgren to continue to carry this team. No disrespect to Lindgren, who has been a major reason for why the Caps are still hanging around for a wild-card spot, but he doesn't have enough pedigree or talent in front of him for Washington to go on a prolonged run. Although, that doesn't mean they can't stay on a nice heater and at least punch a ticket.

If Ovechkin continues to cook and score goals like we all know he can, it means two things: peripheral fantasy pieces that have seen a nice little bump in value of late like Connor McMichael, Dylan Strome, and even T.J. Oshie can continue to be relied on, and the Capitals will remain a threat for a postseason spot. Make sure you stay up-to-date on the situation in Washington and tap into it while the Capitals are still rolling.

Teravainen's Status For Red-Hot Hurricanes

Another injury to one more key piece and yet the Carolina Hurricanes just keep on winning. Sure, Teuvo Teravainen's injury isn't serious and it won't hinder the team too much, but it's still another ailment to a top piece and obstacle for this Carolina group to hurdle. Teravainen is definitely fantasy relevant, as 47 points in 66 games would indicate, so you're likely going to have to either swap him out of your lineup or hope he returns in the timeline head coach Rod Brind'Amour is putting out there. Brind'Amour told the media Monday he expects Teravainen to be ready for the end of the week. If that's the case, GMs owning Teravainen are likely in the clear with minimal damage.

In terms of the Hurricanes as a whole, this is a team fantasy GMs are going to want a piece of down the stretch. Frederik Andersen's return from serious injury, additions of big pieces at the deadline in Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel, and wins in 8 of 10 have this Carolina team surging at the most opportune time of the NHL season.

Carolina got deeper and more talented up front, they already flaunt a blue-line core that has allowed the fewest shots against each night at an impressive 25.7, and now they have their number-1 netminder back – a netminder who also owns solid postseason numbers in his career to the tune of a .917 save percentage, 2.42 goals-against average, and three shutouts. 

Like we said, the vibes are very real in Raleigh. Tap into them if you can.

Marner Update + Matthews' New Linemates

Whether fantasy hockey GMs want to admit it or not, when news pops with the Maple Leafs' top offensive pieces, it has to be dissected. Such is the case with recent comments from Leafs head coach Shledon Keefe on Mitch Marner's injury status. According to Keefe, Marner will not be joining the Buds on their current mini two-game road trip that sees Toronto with an excellent opportunity to put four points in the win column against the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals. As the Leafs look to increase their lead on Tampa for the third and final divisional spot in the Atlantic, Keefe is getting creative while trying to replace Marner on Matthews' wing.

A longtime line mate of Marner, Matthews has struggled to find the scoresheet during Mitch's recent absence, registering only one goal over the last three games – by Matthews's standards that's a slump. Keefe is currently giving Tyler Bertuzzi and Pontus Holmberg a look on 34's flanks, but who knows how long that sticks. Until someone starts clicking with Matthews you might see a continued dip in his production.

However, once Marner is back in the fold, which should be sooner than later, expect that duo to light it up down the stretch in a big way. Toronto has games down the stretch against the New Jersey Devils (three times), Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings, so expect this Leafs group to get their guns off to wrap up the season.