DobberBaseball’s second annual Fantasy Guide is now released. Updated for another two months (just like the hockey one), you can buy it here! Just $8.99 – still the cheapest on the market, as we want to prove ourselves to you.

Twitter is all a-flutter about a possible deal done involving Kari Lehtonen going to Dallas. Stay tuned…

The Caps have recalled Semyon Varlamov

Johan Franzen WILL make his return to the Detroit lineup tonight

Gaborik leaves practice (knee). Better late than never! More details when I have them. This from Steve Zipay (Twitter). Follow me on Twitter.com/DobberHockey

Boston prospect Joe Colborne has 28 points in 26 games for the U. of Denver, good for third on the team behind a pair of NHL prospects two years his senior. Unless the Bruins trade Krejci, they will be in no hurry to sign Colborne for next season. Give him one more year in college before coming over. A Krejci trade will change things, obviously.

I’m doing a final review of the prospects list, so I’m throwing any observations and thoughts up here.

I know the Yotes keep calling up Boedker (and occasionally Porter), but the prizes of the organization remain Turris and MacLean. Maclean, 21, leads San Antonio in scoring and he just about made the team this past fall. I think he’ll make the team next year and he could surprise. His specialty is goals. The team will ease in two rookies next campaign and if I were to guess I would say it would be Porter and MacLean, with Turris and Boedker making the jump full time in 2011-12 or midway through next year.

Still give me Shirokov over Grabner – just for the upside. Shirokov leads Manitoba in scoring and the Canucks are being selective with the recalls of him. They are doing right by him to play it safe. If he has another kick-ass camp next year, he’ll make an impact in 2010-11.

Lars Eller has just five points in his last 13 AHL games.

Player to watch for next season – centerman David McIntyre (NJ). He’s finishing up his fourth year for Colgate and I’m sure will sign a pro contract after that. He has 71 points in his last 63 NCAA contests.

I stuck a highlight of the Jeff Carter hit on Anssi Salmela after his goal at the bottom of the ramblings. Suspendable? Discuss.

Rene Bourque’s shoulder injury will probably keep him out until after the break. Meanwhile, look for Jamie Lundmark to get some minutes again.

Ryan Getzlaf sprained his ankle last night and left the arena in crutches and a protective boot. No information has been released, but I would make a safe assumption that he misses the Olympics, unfortunately. Jeff Carter will probably draw in now for Team Canada. Anyway – re-activate Dan Sexton, as I’m sure he’ll be recalled.

Nazem Kadri played his first NHL game for the Leafs last night and didn’t look out of place. He played 17:26 and was a minus-1, but he was on the ice for a Leafs PP goal. He played with Stempniak and Stalberg.

J-S Giguere went over seven periods without allowing a goal as a Maple Leaf before finally giving up three to the Sharks.

Devin Setoguchi has 10 points in his last 11 games.

Matt Lombardi had a five-point game last night to bring him up to 40 on the campaign. He had gone five games without a point.

Robert Lang replaced Peter Mueller (who had replaced Scott Upshall) on the Lombardi/Doan line and as you can see, the line really clicked. Although they did play Edmonton. Still, besides five for Lombardi, Doan added two and Lang added three and the trio was a combined plus-13.

Mueller, by the way, was back down to 11 minutes last night. He just teased us the other night when he got three points. At least Mueller owners can cling to that. Seriously though, I think he’ll be fine. Look for him to get 50 points next year and then take a huge step the following year.

This is the second day in a row I’ve come down on Horcoff, but his minus-3 last night puts him at minus-31 on the year. That’s colder than the North Pole, I’m sure. I’m going to cheer him on to try to reach minus-50. C’mon Shawn! You can do it! Just 19 more goals! How does he sleep at night? Ah yes, on a big pile of money with many beautiful women…

Sigh. Poolies hate it when things are unexpected or unclear between the pipes. But in Montreal things are quite clear and little has changed over the last couple of months – Jaroslav Halak is the starter and he is playing like a Top 10 NHL goalie. The Habs won’t trade him (per the new GM, for what that’s worth, but per Dobber – because that’s my hunch). That’s the only thing that has changed – the not trading part. So Halak will start 15-18 of the final 22-odd games that are left and as a goalie I rate him an 8.7 out of 10. His potential may be as high as 9.0 but he has pretty much reached as high a level as he is going to (which, in the Top 10, is pretty damn good). Regarding Carey Price – he is probably sitting at a 7.5. He has had some great runs this season so I am not concerned about his future. His potential is a 9.9, which is Roy/Brodeur/Luongo territory. That is why the Habs won’t trade him either. Because in the end, he will be the more important goalie. Keep in mind, doubters, that at his age Ryan Miller was still not in the NHL. Keep in mind that after winning a gold medal, and after winning CHL goalie of the year, Price stepped onto the ice with men in the heart of a playoff battle and led Hamilton to a Calder Cup. His SP and GAA – the true indicators of the talent within as opposed to W/L – is better than last season. I think they’ll sign both goalies and have a 1A/1B situation next year a la Fernandez/Roloson (back in MIN a few years ago when they won a Jennings). In 2011-12, I think Price will be the full-time starter and at that point they will trade Halak. That’s the scenario that makes the most sense to me. And if Halak rips off 10 straight shutouts now, that won’t change a thing. If Price comes in and rips off 10 shutouts in a row, that won’t change a thing either. I keep an eye on the big picture and hold onto that image until too much info is proving otherwise. I try not to swing like a pendulum as poolies tend to do!

Less than 24 hours after setting up a way for Dobber Nation to buy a $15 Marlies ticket to send a kid to an AHL game via the Children’s Aid Society, 20 tickets have sold. You guys have really stepped up. My goal is to send 50 kids to the March 27 game against Rochester – center ice seats. Still 30 to go! Buy a ticket for a kid HERE.

We have over 1650 people signed up for the Olympics hockey pool – of course we do, it is after all “free” and there are great prizes available to be won. The only reason you haven’t set up a team yet could only be cowardice – you’re afraid I’ll embarrass you. If you ever get a spine, click here to join. Takes five minutes to pick your guys, if you’re one of those babies who whines about lack of time.

Salmela/Carter clip… replays start at 4:15