SURFING THE PLUS/MINUS WAVE
It’s hard to remember the last time a season started with so many players falling to the injury bug. But while under-conditioning and unbalanced schedules that the NHL has cobbled together in anticipation of the February Olympics break are being blamed by some, so far the biggest culprit for missed man-games can be directly traced to H1N1 virus outbreaks that are storming locker rooms around the league. As for rotisserie players struggling to catch up in certain scoring categories, more often than not it’s more luck-of-the-draw versus actual strategy, particularly when you’re talking short-handed points or game-winning goals. Plus/Minus is one category that can be readily manipulated depending on who you pluck off waivers. Below are a few suggested players who still might be waiting to be spirited away to your lineup as a means of getting in the black with your plus/minus.
PLUS/MINUS MASTERS
Jakub Voracek (RW, CLS) – As the anchor for Columbus’ second line, Jakub Voracek has had had three multi-point games this season and is a fixture on the second power-play unit. Fourteen percent owned in Yahoo! Leagues, Voracek has a neat +5 plus/minus rating.
Steven Reinprecht (C, FLA) – What’s not to love about Steven Reinprecht? Once a promising young player with the Colorado Avalanche who tallied a career-high 46 points back in the 2001-2002 season, (later equaled with the Phoenix Coyotes during the 2007-2008 season), Reinprecht floated around with mostly injury-plagued stints skating for the aforementioned Coyotes and Calgary Flames. Only fourteen-percent owned in Yahoo! Leagues, Reinprecht is enjoying a career renaissance on both the first line and power-play unit between Corey Stillman and Nathan Horton. Having only tickled the twine 14 times in 73 games last year, Reinprecht is wielding a +3 plus/minus with nine goals potted during an eight-game stretch.
Manny Malhotra (LW, SJ) – Hard as it is for me or any other Broadway Blues fan to say anything nice about this bust of a Rangers draft pick, Malhotra is at least temporarily putting himself in a good position with the San Jose Sharks following stints with the Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets. Currently playing alongside a thoroughly rejuvenated Patrick Marleau on the second line and centering the second power-play unit, Malhotra is only one percent owned in Yahoo! Leagues and touting an impressive +6 rating. At the very least, grab him for the short term until lands out of a Top 6 forward position and is demoted from any PP time.
Cody McLeod (LW, COL) – Skating on the second line of a surprising Colorado Avalance squad, Cody McLeod is playing alongside highly touted rookie Matt Duchene and one-time hot prospect Marek Svatos. Only four percent owned in Yahoo! Leagues, McLeod is carrying a +6 plus/minus rating and while he’s not getting any time on the power-play, McLeod’s scrappy ways have already earned his owners a princely sum of 22 PIMS thus far.
Mike Fisher (C, OTT) – The Dany Heatley trade was supposed to right the Ottawa Senators’ collective ship. It seems to have done the trick as the Sens are currently holding onto sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Credit Mike Fisher, an all-around talent whose work on the second line skating between Mike Foligno and Alex Kovalev and spot on the second power-play unit has gotten him 13 points, of which he has 5 power-play points, 2 shorties and 2 GWGs to go with his +3 plus/minus. The 1998 Ottawa second-rounder is still very gettable with only twenty-three percent ownership in Yahoo! Leagues.
DL DEBUTS
Alex Ovechkin (C, WAS) – First it was Evgeni Malkin and now Alexander Ovechkin is the latest superstar to hit the IR. Felled by a shoulder injury, the league’s second-leading scorer is currently listed as week-to-week with Yahoo reporting that it may be as long as another four or five weeks before Ovie suits up.
Eric Staal (C, CAR) – Felled by an upper body injury incurred during a recent tilt against the San Jose Sharks, Eric Staal is expected to miss between two to four weeks recovering from this injury. In the process, Staal’s streak of consecutive games played stalled at 349, ranking him second in franchise history behind Dave Tippett (419) and third overall in the active player category behind Calgary’s Jay Bouwmeester (354) and Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin (350).
Cam Ward (G, CAR) – The bad breaks keep piling up for the hapless Canes as goalie Cam Ward ended up having his leg get accidentally lacerated by Rick Nash’s skate during the first period of a November 7th game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Carolina netminder is expected to miss up to four weeks so if you are a Ward owner, get thee to the waiver wire and pick up backup Michael Leighton ASAP.
Paul Martin (D, NJ) – Devils d-man Paul Martin wound up with a broken left forearm courtesy of the Penguins during a 4-1 October 24th win over Pittsburgh. Martin won’t be back for another four to six weeks.
Shea Weber (D, NAS) – Scoring has been a major issue with the Nashville Predators this season. It just got worse now that one of their top offensive weapons went down with a foot injury after blocking a shot during an October 31st 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Shea Weber is expected back in two weeks, so expect fellow former Hab blueliner Francis Bouillon and rookie Cody Franson to pick up the slack for the time being.
Shawn Horcoff (C, EDM) – Barely recovered from a bout with the flu, Shawn Horcoff came down with a shoulder injury after getting nailed by the New York Islanders’ Andy Sutton. Horcoff should be back within 7-10 days
Radek Martinek (D, NYI) – The Islanders’ defensive corps suffered a huge loss after Radek Martinek tore his ACL following a hit by Zach Parise during a 2-1 November 6th loss to the New Jersey Devils. The Czech blue-liner is out for the rest of the season.
Chris Drury (C, NYR) – The Rangers captain was the recipient of an opening shift blindside hit from Calgary’s Curtis Glencross during a 3-1 Flames victory over New York on November 7 that resulted in a concussion. Currently listed as day-to-day, the fact that Drury is suffering from a significant head injury means his status is open-ended at best.
Brandon Dubinsky (C, NYR) – Any luck the Blue Shirts may have had avoiding injury ran out during the aforementioned Calgary loss as Brandon Dubinsky joined Drury’s lead in leaving the game hurt after injuring his wrist blocking a shot by Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf. The Rangers were forced to finish out the game double-shifting third and fourth line centers Artem Anisimov and Brian Boyle. Dubinsky’s status is still up in the air.
Jason Williams (RW, DET) – A November 7th 5-1 spanking administered to the Detroit Red Wings by the Toronto Maple Leafs was not only humiliating but the scene of Jason Williams’ recent trip to the IR, where he joins teammates Johan Franzen, Valtteri Filppula and Andreas Lilja. Williams fractured his right fibula crashing hard into the boards during the second period and won’t be back for at least two months as the Red Wings’ injury woes continue to mount.
WAIVER WIRE FLYERS
Tomas Fleischmann (LW, WAS) – Timing is everything and with Alexander Ovechkin out for a significant chunk of time, Tomas Fleischmann came off the IR and started lighting the lamp fairly quickly. In the six games since he returned from a blood clot in his leg, Fleischmann has potted five goals and two assists, (including one game-winner), while enjoying a five-game scoring streak. Of course, skating on both the first line and power play unit alongside Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin doesn’t hurt.
Pascal Dupuis (LW, PIT) – As streaky as they come, speedster Pascal Dupuis merits a look as he’s been temporarily placed on the second line with Jordan Staal and Ruslan Fedotenko as a result of Evgeni Malkin’s recent IR stint. DuPuis’ two goals in the past four games while playing as a Top 6 forward in the still formidable Penguins offense means he has some value, albeit temporarily.
Nicklas Bergfors (RW, NJ) – Always a keen evaluator of talent, GM Lou Lamoriello has once again plucked yet another gem of a player from obscurity, this time in the shape of a 2005 Swedish first round draft pick. While the return of sniper Patrick Elias is on the horizon, Nicklas Bergfors has done a fine job filling in on the second line and second power play unit and in the process putting four in the net, notching five helpers, getting five points on the PP and racking up a pair of game-winning goals for the Devils through 15 games.
Andrew Raycroft (G, VAN) – With superstar first-string netminder Roberto Luongo out with cracked ribs since October 24th, Andrew Raycroft has been shouldering the lion’s share of netminding duties and in the process won four games and posted one shuout. Ride him until Luongo makes his imminent return.
Jeff Tambellini (LW, NYI) – The son of former Islander Steve Tambellini has been on fire as of late, with five points in the past five games including his first career hat trick. Keep an eye on him as he’s skating on a potent second line with fellow first round draft pick Josh Bailey and lunch pail scrapper Jon Sim. Add in his filling in for Doug Weight on the point during the power play and Tambellini has the potential to earn any risk-taking owners some valuable stats.