VINCENT LECAVALIER
Tampa Bay Lightning, C
Comment: It took Vinnie 13 games to finally score a goal and when he does the flood gates run wild. In his last three games Lecavalier has potted five goals.
ILYA KOVALCHUK
Atlanta Thrashers, LW
Comment: Just like Vinnie, Ilya doesn't care that his team sucks. He'll keep posting goal after goal. Kovie has seven goals and 10 points in his last seven games and won't slow down. Hossa who?
JAROME IGINLA
Calgary Flames, RW
Comment: Iggy's on FIIIREEE! Four goals and seven points in just his last three games. The Edmonton native and Flame for life tastes that division title and wants to go into the playoffs at a scorching pace.
BRAYDON COBURN
Philadelphia Flyers, D
Comment: This young kid hasn't scored a ton of points over the last month and a half but he's picking up his game for the playoffs. Coburn has five points in his last three games and is still leading the Flyers in plus / minus. That plus / minus will stay well above even and he's not shy of getting you penalty minutes.
CAM WARD
Carolina Hurricanes, G
Comment: Five straight wins came to a crashing halt when he was absolutely shelled against a Sabres team fighting for its life on Friday. Before that, though, Ward had won eight out of his last nine and hadn't lost in regulation since Feb. 9th and a shutout in that time. He's back to that Conn Smyth form. Clear that 7-1 shallacking from your memory as Ward will be fine this week.
CHRIS DRURY
New York Rangers, C
Comment: After a wild and crazy Feb. in which he only posted two pointless games, Drury walks into the middle of the month with only a goal to show for his last six games.
DANIEL SEDIN
Vancouver canucks, LW
Comment: Somebody please tell Daniel that Vancouver needs him to play if they want to make the playoffs. He's managed just three points in his last nine games. Something isn't right in Vancouver. I wonder if they could have fixed it at...THE TRADE DEADLINE!!
RADIM VRBATA
Pheonix Coyotes, RW
Comment: Vrbata couldn't keep up the pace of being the 'Yotes go-to-guy for the entire season. It's really starting to bog him down now as he hasn't notched a goal since Feb. 18 and only has one point in his last six. I wouldn't expect Vrbata to be a major factor in the Coyote's potential playoff push.
MATHIEU SCHNEIDER
Anaheim Ducks, D
Comment: No matter how talented Schneids is there's just too much competition in the back end in Anaheim. Schneider has just one point in his last six games and the production was already starting to trickle as January and February wore on.
RICK DIPIETRO
New York Islanders, G
Comment: DeePee doesn't seem like he wants to help the Islanders make the playoffs. Or maybe it's that terrible defense in front of him. Either way he isn't going to win you any fantasy matchups, losing all but one of his last seven in regulation. Add a bloated GAA in that and you've got one disaster after another.
PAUL STASTNY
Colorado Avalanche, C
Comment: He isn't nearly as hot on the road as he is at home but Stastny plays well against his opponents (eight points in six against the Flames being a high point). Keep him in as he's starting to heat up and Colorado's playoff chances hinge largely on the Sakic / Stastny combo.
DAYMOND LANGKOW
Calgary Flames, C
Comment: The entire Calgary top line will make the column today. Go with Langkow for the same reason you go with Huselius: Iggy. Langkow and the rest of his linemates are on fire and will have three solid matchups to keep their streak going.
ZACH PARISE
New Jersey Devils, LW
Comment: Absolutely INSANE. Parise has been a goal scoring phenom lately, notching five goals in three games last week. He had a nice string of five straight games with a goal in late Feb. and looks to keep it coming. He's a bit streaky but worth the spot.
KRISTIAN HUSELIUS
Calgary Flames, LW
Comment: He's talented, sure. But that's not the reason. One word: Iggy. Jarome is going to be huge this week and Huselius will benefit. So should you.
JOFFREY LUPUL
Philadelphia Flyers, RW
Comment: He's back and I have a real good feeling about him. After a quiet first game back I fully expect Lupul to get right back into his game. His team is struggling to stay in the playoffs and this is a kid who has tasted playoff action and wants a piece of it again. Going up against the suspect / struggling goaltending of Atlanta and NYI Lupul has ever chance this week.
BRAD BOYES
St. Louis Blues, RW
Comment: He wasn't appreciated until now. The former problem child is well on his way to 40 goals, notching five in his last three games. Looks like it was a mistake to let him go, eh Toronto and Boston? Out of the three matchups this week I expect Gerber to be the only real threat. Cary Price has been phenomenal but I can't see the magic lasting all the way to the playoffs. And Gerber isn't that scary...he's just the best option Ottawa has.
TOMAS KABERLE
Toronto Maple Leafs, D
Comment: The Leafs are fighting for their life and desperation translates to surprising point totals so go with Kabbie for the week. It was a toss up for me between Kaberle and Kubina. On one hand you have a guy who scores goals in Kubina but on the other hand you have a guy in Kaberle who is much more consistent and steps up his game. You know what, I changed my mind ......
PAVEL RUBINA
Toronto Maple Leafs, D
Comment: Even though his only three points this month have come in the last two wins there's something you have to consider: He has three goals in those two games, a plus-3 rating and, most importantly two Game Winning goals. Kubina is a Stanley Cup Champion and knows what it takes to win: GREAT, clutch play. Aside from Sundin and Kaberle (and maybe Toskala) I'd put my money on Kubina.
MARTIN GERBER
Ottawa Senators, G
Comment: As the season wore on I decided I would stay away from the mess that was the Ottawa goaltending situation. However, Gerber's been playing very well (three straight wins, a shutout and hasn't allowed more than two goals in his last four starts) and he's going to be getting the nod the rest of the way for the Sens over Emery. A safe bet as, at the very least, he should get you some wins.
CHRIS OSGOOD
Detroit Red Wings
Comment: The former third round draft pick from 1991 (!) is still proving age means little when you've got heart and talent. With Hasek day-to-day Ossie should get the nod for at least the next week or so. He's playing well after faltering a bit in Feb. And with that defense in front of him healthy again? No worries here.
MIKE RIBEIRO
Dallas Stars, C
Comment: A quiet week and a streaky player usually equate to very little for your fantasy squad. Ribeiro — although playing out of his mind this year — has done so in massive spurts. After a three day layoff I expect Ribeiro to do very little against JS Giguere in Anaheim and possibly be stonewalled by LA's newfound confidence on D and in net. Oh yeah, did you know that Brad Richards is now their No. 1 (I mean, FINALLY, their No. 1). That really hurts Ribeiro.
PETER FORSBERG
Colorado Avalanche, C
Comment: I hope you didn't drop a quality player to grab FOPPA. I really, really hope not. OK he MIGHT get you an assist...or even three. But he'll likely only give you one or two starts. The guy is a walking groin / ankle / back / whatever injury. DON'T DO IT!!!!
PAVOL DEMITRA
Minnesota Wild, LW
Comment: The old argument for Demitra was that if he had a healthy season he'd get you those fantasy points. Well...it sure hasn't been a lost season for the bald one. He's already played 58 games and is nowhere near a point-per-game pace with only 43 on the year. It looked like he was picking iot up again but has now gone scoreless in his last three. The streaks will keep coming. Tooooo streaky for my liking.
VACLAV PROSPAL
Philadelphia Flyers, LW
Comment: I'm gonna keep hammering this into you: Don't start Prospal. His season takes a massive hit with him being away from St. Louis and Lecavalier. I don't care how talented Richards, Carter or Briere are...it doesn't translate to Prospal.
NIKOLAI ZHERDEV
Columbus Blue Jackets, RW
Comment: Zherdev hasn't scored since Feb. 19 and has only notched scattered assists since then. Osgood and Kiprusoff will both play very well this week so I don't put much faith in ole Nikolai.
DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN
Chicago Blackhawks, RW
Comment: The Buffster gets you points as a forward too! Just not this week. The young utility man has been playing alongside Jonathan Toews but I don't know how long that will stick at all. I doubt for very long. Like, the next game.
CHRIS PRONGER
Anaheim Ducks, D
Comment: You get consistency with Pronger but are his stats simply so amazing that you would risk the possibility of him sitting out the entire week? At the time of writing this the decision regarding Pronger's river-dancing on Phil Kessel's leg hasn't been made.
MICHAL ROZSIVAL
New York Rangers, D
Comment: Do yourself a favor and keep sitting him. You don't need more reason than this: six points in 20 games. That's what you've been getting from him recently. At least his plus / minus has been sticking around even. But that's it.
MIKE SMITH
Tampa Bay Lightning, G
Comment: I smell a bad week for Smith owners. And poor Smith...I don't think it'll be his fault. He'll be eaten alive by Buffalo and Pittsburgh. Do yourself a favour and wait until the Lightning bring in some defense next year.
KARI LEHTONEN
Atlanta Thrashers, G
Comment: If he even GETS the starts you'll be sorry. Philadelphia might hurt him badly but the two games against Carolina are sure to sting. Eric Staal alone could ruin Lehtonen's week (five goals and 11 points in six games against the Thrashers this year).
J.P. Del Monte is UPDATE! National Hockey League Editor.
