Alex Goligoski has a lower body injury that will sideline him for 2-3 weeks. The team is already missing Letang, Orpik and Gonchar. Letang is still a week or two away. Look for the Pens to make a small deal – either a trade or waiver wire – to solve the problem. Because Nate Guenin ain’t the solution. This is enough to remove Goli from my Top 10 (see below) and re-insert Mark Streit (also see below).

Regarding Mark Streit – a reader brings up a great point (below). I am a believer and fan of Streit and his 60-point seasons and I was going to keep him in the below list. However, I looked at how well the Isles are doing. And let’s face it, they are doing better than we expected. And yet, he is still falling a little short. So I wonder if perhaps the reliance on offense from the defense has shifted away. If he’s not putting up the points now, when will he? So that had me thinking he will bounce back, but only to about 50 points – which falls short of the Top 10.

Colorado’s Cody McLeod has six points in his last eight games, as well as 27 PIM and plus-5 in that span. He’ll post career highs in all three of those cats. Also shots on goal are at two per game – again a career best.

Zenon Konopka couldn’t crack an NHL lineup as a power forward… so he is filling a “goon” role now. Despite being just 6-1, 213, Konopka has 71 PIM to lead the league. He is on pace for 342. He has yet to be scratched so there is little reason to believe that he won’t get at least 250 PIM. I also think he can get 10 or 12 points, since he’s not one of those two-point goons like a Colton Orr. He has had seven fights this year.

Niklas Bergfors has 12 points in his last 11 contests. Half of those points have come on the power play.

Steven Stamkos is on pace for 95 points this season. He has only been shut out three times in 17 games. Nine of his 20 points have come on the power play. He can be considered in a 1A and 1B situation with Lecavalier.

Corey Perry has nine goals in his last nine contests. He has 14 points in that span. Just four of those points have come on the PP – and of his 13 goals this season, only TWO are on the power play. He is getting all his goals at even strength!

Bryan Little’s groin injury will keep him out day to day.

Zach Bogosian has seven points in his last nine contests. He is going to be a top 10 d-man scorer in this league. Not this year (he currently sits 26th), but within three.

For the record, I think eight of the current top 10 will remain there – Kaberle, Boyle, Green, Pronger, Doughty, Del Zotto, Goligoski and Kronwall. The last two spots will go to one of: EJ, Niedermayer, Quincey, Barker, Rafalski or – you won’t believe this but I still believe in – Gilbert. The two who fall out of the top 10 will be Keith and Jovo Cop.

Horcoff was back in the lineup last night and immediately thrown back on with Hemsky and Penner. Gagner centered the secodn line with Comrie and O’Sullivan.

Yesterday I indicated that Sheldon Souray wouldn’t be back until Thursday at the earliest, but he was back yesterday. He had been skating in practice, but not hard, leading to speculation that he needed more time. The Grebeshkov injury rushed things. As a result, Tom Gilbert was held to just 17:49 of ice time, although he did still see 4:05 of PP time. He’ll get out of this funk, he just needs more time. Like I said – I’m very under the weather (not much better today)…so perhaps the brain is a little cloudy.

I watched my first CAR game of the season yesterday and… again I was a little impressed with Samsonov. He makes the moves, sets up the man and the man fluffs it. You’d think the law of averages would give him 15 points by now, but he’s still stuck at seven. Since his wrist surgery, his high is 53 points and 23 goals. Before that it was 70 and 29. I’m thinking he doesn’t have the same mobility in the wrists, so his goal totals will forever be low (sub-20) and his assist total will depend on chemistry with his linemates.

Bryan Rodney has two points in his last two games for the Hurricanes – both have come on the power play. If you want a dark horse defenseman, he may be your guy. At least on a short-term basis.

Remember when I said Andrew Ebbett makes a great dark horse now that Bolland is out? It’s hard for that to happen when he’s a healthy scratch – so strike that statement. He was scratched despite Versteeg being out with a UBI (he is day to day).

Have a question in your baseball keeper league? Ask it over at the DobberBaseball forum!

David Backes is questionable for Tuesday’s game with an UBI.

More later…