The IR – Higgins, van Riemsdyk, Harding and more
Peter Harling makes his columnist debut, digging up whatever information he can from the top secret world of NHL player injuries...
Ryan Callahan vs. Dany Heatley
Callahan vs. Heatley - I wish I could have gotten this week’s Cage Match out before the start of the season. I feel like it could have saved you all some pain. Much like last week’s Filppula vs. Ribeiro Cage Match I will be comparing an in-decline veteran with an up-and-coming youngster. This week it is Dany Heatley vs. Ryan Callahan. Does the vet have anything left in the tank? Is the youngster ready to usurp him? Let’s find out. Ring that bell!
Forensics – Ryan McDonagh and Nikita Nikitin
Let’s take a look at Frozen Pool Forensics noteworthy players of the week. From people in the know, one name has been bandied about among the top young blueliners in the game today. He’s six feet tall, 210 lbs and measures 42-34-42. He likes long walks on the beach, bubble baths, the colour green and stargazing. Of course, I’ve given you too much information… I could almost hear your screaming Ryan McDonagh at your monitor/iphone/ipad/IIe/Lisa.
I Like… Big… Busts and I Cannot Lie (West 2011)
Plenty of “busts” so far this campaign. Let's discuss a few that have caught my attention and see if a deviation is expected or are things going to remain status quo to drive you further insane.
Kane is able
Heading into the 2009 NHL entry draft, the top North American ranked skaters were John Tavares and Matt Duchene. As it turns out, these two and the top-ranked European skater (Victor Hedman) occupied the first three picks in the draft. At number four overall, the Atlanta Thrashers would select Vancouver native Evander Kane. Kane had just wrapped up a 96-point performance in 61 games for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL and would turn pro the very next season.
Between the Lines – Henrique, Tavares, Florida’s 3 and more
This week on Between The Lines, we change things up a bit. We will give you the lines heating it up and a quick look ahead. Also, there will be an eye toward anything that may change up those line combinations. Some will be very obvious and some not so much.
15 Points to Consider – December
The merits of PIM in fantasy hockey, Parise's struggles, Nugent-Hopkins, Gunnarsson, and more.
Changing Things Up: Daily vs. Weekly Line-ups
A couple weeks ago, I experienced a poolie’s worst nightmare. After setting my weekly line-up Sunday night, I awoke on Monday to the news that my starting goalie (Roberto Luongo) was out with an undisclosed injury – an upper body injury, no less (the worst kind!).
Scouting to the Max
(#17 Max Lalander looks to make a move)
From the league that brought you Henrik Zetterberg, Alex Edler and Tomas Holmström, a raw young talent with superstar potential is making waves in front of his hometown crowd- when he's not in the penalty box.
Looking Ahead – Week 9
A tough decision can be made easier with these charts showing you the best five and worst five schedules for upcoming seven-day periods. Some of you used them last year but for the benefit of new readers here is a refresher. The number next to the team indicates the 'multiplier' to use on a player's point-per-game pace to give you an idea how many points to expect for that week.