michael amato

Why the Kings would even consider trading heart and soul player and team captain Dustin Brown is beyond me.  Ultimately the Kings made the right move by keeping him and were still able to add Jeff Carter in the process.  Some fans may be upset that they weren’t able to also deal for Rick Nash, but over time I think they will realize that was one desperate move not worth making.

Once again the Phoenix Coyotes find themselves firmly entrenched in a playoff spot in the Western Conference despite having an average roster. Much of that credit can be attributed to the strong play of goalie Mike Smith.  A career backup, Smith has found a home in Phoenix and is putting together an incredible season.  There must be something in the water over there, or could it be someone behind the bench?

Dan Girardi isn’t going to be challenging for any scoring titles, but he certainly has plenty of fantasy value.  The all-star was never drafted and has now become one of the league’s best shutdown defenders.

The Devils are enjoying a rebound season and a big reason for that is the play of left winger Patrik Elias.  One of the quieter superstars in the league, Elias continues to get it done at the age of 35.  With 55 points in 57 games, one could argue that this has been Elias’ most impressive season to date.

The lowdown on - Viktor Stalberg - If I had a nickel for every Toronto Maple Leafs cast-off that started to blossom for another team, well I’d have a lot of nickels. Viktor Stalberg is one of those players now starting to emerge for the Chicago Blackhawks. After finishing with just 24 points last season, Stalberg is on pace to post 48 this season.

Forensics - Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott - Many teams have employed a two goalie system in the past, but the tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott are taking it to a new level this season.  With most tandems there is always a clear number one, meaning that one guy is always going to get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to starting big games, as long as he doesn't turn into Andre "Red Light" Racicot.

Forensics - Drew Stafford - After getting through high-school math I never thought I would have to deal with charts, graphs, and percentages again. Then along came Frozen Pool and that all changed. At least this time it's for something I'm actually interested in and can analyze with a goal in mind.