VINCENT LECAVALIER
Tampa Bay Lightning, C
Comment: Once again, Vinnie sits at the top. There's not much to say here about the league leader in points. He has tallied a goal and a helper in each of his last two games. Vinnie. He'll get his 300th career assist this week and possible break forty-five points.
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN
Washington Capitals, LW
Comment: Alexander the Great is clawing his way back up the scoring charts with an eight game point streak totaling seven goals and ten points. He was doing great with old coach Glen Hanlon and is continuing his strong play with new skipper Bruce Boudreau. Expect a boost in his powerplay points, as it seems like Boudreau has turned the unit around.
JAROME IGINLA
Calgary Flames, RW
Comment: Iggy has been the model of consistency that both fantasy owners and Flames fans have hoped for this season. He follows up disappointing games with great streaks and this is a trend that should continue through the next busy week. He hasn't been as explosive as usual during the early part of November but is finding his scoring touch now that December is around the corner. Let's hope for cold-listed line mate Alex Tanguay's sake that Iggy's offensive streak rubs off and proves me wrong.
SERGEI GONCHAR
Pittsburgh Penguins, D
Comment: Gonchar will be looking to repeat his stellar season last year and possibly surpass his total of 67 points. He's put up 12 points in his last eight games, six of them coming with the man advantage. He's been a force as the Penguins powerplay quarterback and fantasy owners couldn't be happier right now.
ILYA BRYZGALOV
Phoenix Coyotes, G
Comment: We knew Bryzgalov was a damn good goaltender but who knew that he'd turn Phoenix around? He's won four straight starts and began his career with Phoenix with a shutout against the offensively gifted LA Kings on the road!
JOE SAKIC
Colorado Avalanche, C
Comment: Ageless Joe scored his first goal in 13 games, dating back to October 26th. He started the year strong and is struggling a bit in November, going pointless in four up until last Saturday.
ALEX TANGUAY
Calgary Flames, LW
Comment: With linemate Jarome Iginla scoring with regularity it's hard to imagine that Alex Tanguay has gone pointless in his last four games. Just like Colorado Joe, this cold streak shouldn't last but know that the usually consistent Tanguay has hit a hitch in his late November road.
JAROMIR JAGR
New York Rangers, RW
Comment: Jagr is really missing Nylander and Straka. You can see it not only on the score sheet (goose eggs in his last five games) but also in his play. Hopefully his game play picks up with Straka slated to return.
ANDREI MARKOV
Montreal Canadiens, D
Comment: Like his fellow chilly Canadiens net minder, Markov has struggled as of late. He's been held scoreless in his last four and has dipped to a very disappointing minus-7 over his last six games, giving him a minus-5 rating on the season.
CRISTOBAL HUET
Montreal Canadiens, G
Comment: Huet has lost four of his last five starts and has really struggled this November. Don't worry, poolies; this won't spell the end of his starting job but keep in mind that if this type of play DOES keep up going into the second half Montreal fans and media will be pushing for young backup and future star Carey Price
DANIEL BRIERE
Philadelphia Flyers, C
Comment: Briere is hammering out the goals with a hat trick last Wednesday. He's managed three goals and eight points in his last three games. He dipped to a slower pace early in November but is starting to turn up the heat again. He's played some of his best games against Carolina and is a monster on the road this season, which means you should really watch for him Wednesday night.
NICKLAS BACKSTROM
Washington Capitals, C
Comment: We don't know what kind of lines new coach Bruce Boudreau will settle on as his regulars but what we do know is that Washington is buying into his new system. Backstrom has five points in his last two games with three of them coming off the man advantage. With a solid workload this week expect this hyped-up rookie to really begin producing.
ILYA KOVALCHUK
Atlanta Thrashers, LW
Comment: Kovie has gone pointless in his last two games and what better way to get back on the scoring path than to face the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs? Kovalchuk always has giant games against the Leafs, however, they will be his easiest target this week as he'll be facing some solid goaltending against the Islanders and the Devils but something tells me the flood gates might remain open after a big game in Toronto.
THOMAS VANEK
Buffalo Sabres, LW
Comment: As one of the only Sabres to produce on offense, so you can expect Lindy Ruff to ride Vanek's newfound hot streak and give him plenty of ice time. As a fantasy owner, this is the opportunity you've been waiting for all season. Follow Ruff's lead and hope he makes it a seven game streak by week's end. Matchups against Washington and St. Louis should help him continue this trend.
DANY HEATLEY
Ottawa Senators, RW
Comment: Heatley's found his way back onto the list that he'll surely dominate for the majority of this season. He's back to his wicked ways, notching a goal in his last four games. Getting shutout by the Maple Leafs was his only stumbling block on his way to a nine game point streak.
MARTIN ST. LOUIS
Tampa Bay Lightning, RW
Comment: St. Louis is the only true threat to Dany Heatley as the best right winger in the league right now. He spends most of his time playing alongside Vinnie Lecavalier and the two are helping each other out like crazy. If Dominik Hasek is in net for Detroit it could spell good things for St. Louis this week as Hockey Town is his only true roadblock to a terrific week of matchups.
ED JOVANOVSKI
Phoenix Coyotes, D
Comment: Aside from Wayne Gretzky, no one could be happier about Ilya Bryzgalov's arrival in the desert than Jovanovski. JovoCop is riding a four game point streak (six points in four games) and is slowly chipping away at that abysmal minus-7 rating.
CHRIS PRONGER
Anaheim Ducks, D
Comment: Pronger has waited a long time to score a goal (October 20th) but awarded poolies with two goals on last Friday. Although he hasn't notched many goals this season he's still been an incredible productive offensive force with 11 points in his last 10 games and a ridiculous amount of penalty minutes.
PASCAL LECLAIR
Columbus Blue Jackets, G
Comment: Leclair had his sixth shutout of the season last week and is getting lots of help on offense so it should be a no-brainer that he should get the nod this week. He's been less-than-stellar through most of November but is picking up his play and has a solid three-game week against some west coast Canadian teams with less-than-consistent offenses.
MARTIN BRODEUR
New Jersey Devils, G
Comment: THIS is where Brodeur belongs. He's finally back in the saddle and once again proving he's the best player on the Devils. Brodeur has been solid, posting a four game winning streak and given up no more than two goals in any game during that span.
JONATHAN TOEWS
Chicago Blackhawks, C
Comment: It's not so surprising that Toews and teammate Patrick Kane have slowed down as of late. They'll both still be frontrunners for the Calder trophy, but they were bound to slow down at some point. Toews has scored only three points in his last seven games. Expect a change of pace around Christmas time as both young Blackhawk stars kick it up a notch, but until then facing a consistent Manny Legace and a scorching hot Ilya Bryzgalov isn't what the doctor ordered.
SCOTT GOMEZ
New York Rangers, C
Comment: Looks like Gomez is back in the fantasy doghouse this week. It was a toss up for me: Gomez or Drury? The only the thing saving Drury was the fact that he notched two goals in his last game of the week and so Gomez gets the nod. He's played his best hockey as of late but is still not playing up to snuff and is going to be facing some great goaltenders in Rick DiPietro and Martin Gerber for the Isles and Sens so don't expect great numbers.
CHRIS KUNITZ
Anaheim Ducks, LW
Comment: Anaheim's top line hasn't been very explosive as of late. Kunitz is a streaky player who hasn't found a great rhythm. He'll be facing two of the league's best goaltenders who are beginning to find their form again (Roberto Luongo and Miikka Kipprusof). The only saving grace he may find this week is his matchup against Edmonton.
BRIAN ROLSTON
Minnesota Wild, LW
Comment: The versatile winger has hit a cold streak with only two points in his last seven. Playing in Minnesota's stifling defensive system doesn't help matters but when you've got games against Ilya Bryzgalov, Manny Legace and Roberto Luongo things couldn't look even worse. Don't expect great things (or even good things) from Rolston this week.
BILL GUERIN
New York Islanders, RW
Comment: The new Captain of the Isle is continuing a brutal scoring slump right now, going pointless in his last 10 games. That normally would be balanced out by Guerin's ability to get fantasy owners some solid penalty minutes but ever since he started wearing the 'C' his PIM's have dropped drastically, garnering only eight minutes on the season.
DARCY TUCKER
Toronto Maple Leafs, RW
Comment: If you drafted Tucker it was because he's been a powerplay stud the past few years. This year is very, very different. Tucker only has six points on the season and has scored one goal (his only point) in his last eight games. His time on the top powerplay unit might come to an end soon since his production has dropped drastically.
CHRIS CAMPOLI
New York Islanders, D
Comment: Campoli was a great band-aid solution for owners of Bryan Berard, Marc-Andre Bergeron or any other floundering defensemen. He had a solid October but has only notched two helpers since October 27th and only one powerplay point and is finally showing his true offensive colors.
BRENT BURNS
Minnesota Wild, D
Comment: Burns isn't an offensive force either five-on-five or with the man-advantage so you normally wouldn't expect giant games from him. Just like his team mate Brian Rolston, a week against great goaltenders will be bad news for an a team in need of an offensive spark.
TIM THOMAS
Boston Bruins, G
Comment: Aside from a seven goal shellacking by the Canadiens, Thomas has been pretty respectable in the last two weeks. He's going into a tough week facing the incredible potent Philadelphia and Tampa Bay offenses. Also, Florida is in the mix and since their offense has been struggling they might use the defensively lax Bruins as a way to break out of their cold streak.
DWAYNE ROLOSON
Edmonton Oilers, G
Comment: Don't let Saturday night's win fool you. It won't fool Coach Craig MacTavish, either, so don't expect a ton of starts or any great fantasy production from Rollie the Goalie. A poor November is still in the cards.
J.P. Del Monte is UPDATE! National Hockey League Editor.
