March 08, 2008
Dobber Sports
2008-03-08
Jochen Hect will be back in the Buffalo lineup tonight. The team was 2-4-1 when he was out of the lineup – he brings the intangibles that help a team win, but is an stablished 55-point player.
Vincent Lecavalier has just two points in six games since Brad Richards left and is a minus-7 in that span. Martin St. Louis has one point and is a minus-9. Richards, meanwhile, is pointless in Dallas after his five-point debut.
Meanwhile, Michel Ouellet has seven points in his last seven games.
Enver Lisin practiced with Vrbata and Reinprecht and that line will be intact for today's game. Lisin had fallen to 137 on my fantasy prospects list because of his… well, flakiness. He frightens poolies with the threat of fleeing to Russia – hell, I even thought he spent training camp in Russia. It appears he is safe to consider as a solid prospect once more, with upside in the mid to high 60s, and he will rise when I update the list (later today or tomorrow).
Barry Trotz started last night's game with Arnott, Dumont and Bonk on a line, but by the third period he had Radulov back on the big line and eventually Dumont and Rads combined on the overtime winner.
David Legwand left last night's game with a foot injury. The results of the X-ray have not been released.
Remember how I complain about my expert league team's fortunes and how goaltending plus Sid's injury have killed me? I wonder if you also remember that I drafted Jose Theodore with my last pick and everyone laughed at me – even the guy that took Budaj a few rounds earlier. I'd like to say I get the last laugh, but I dropped Theodore in January… probably about one game before he went nutty.
Jordan Leopold was scratched last night.
The Red Wings have recalled Darren McCarty. He has injured ribs, but appears to be ready to go. Don't expect a lot of points from him – but the PIMs should be pretty significant to start and he should chip in the odd point.
The Wild scratched Mark Parrish last night, but since Eric Belanger left the contest with a leg injury, Parrish should be back in the lineup Sunday against San Jose. Parrish will never see 50 points again. Belanger's offense improves with each season, but it would seem that 60 points will never happen with him either. I would cap him at 55.
Philippe Boucher is out for three weeks with a shoulder separation.
Dallas line combos: Ribeiro with Morrow and Eriksson, Modano with Hagman and Miettinen, Richards with Ott and Lehtinen. Nice way to use Richards. Anyway, regardless of my opinion on that third line… Steve Ott already gets you the PIM's but now he should give you some points too.
Despite his hot streak, Craig Anderson will not get the start today. Vokoun will go back in.
Matt Lombardi has just two points in 18 games. He is quickly losing his dark horse status. He had his opportunity and now Dustin Boyd and Mikael Backlund are knocking on the door. Take Lombardi out of the mix – he's a dropsy. If Backlund isn't ready for second line duty next year, expect Boyd to see more ice and possibly put up 50 points next season.
Robert Nilsson has points in eight of his last nine contests – he gets streaky like this, if you haven't noticed.
Marc-Andre Fleury got the hook last night after giving up three goals on 20 shots.
Interesting stat: Pascal Dupuis has scored in his first games for Minnesota, New York, Atlanta and now Pittsburgh.
Todd White's lacerated elbow kept him out of the lineup again last night. Bryan Little played nearly 20 minutes and over four on the PP but was pointless. He has one point in six games since his recall, despite plenty of ice time. It indicates to me that next season he won't break out either. He holds a lot of upside, but I think you'll be sitting on him for a couple of years. Not the early impact that poolies expected.
Frantisek Kaberle has eight points in his last 13 games. It looks like adding Corvo is helping his numbers.
Riley Cote vs. Andre Roy – second fight this season, not really a fight as Roy loses focus and gets decked:
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYGO1e8QFgo]