JASON SPEZZA
Ottawa Senators, C
Comment: The focus on the Senators has shifted from their ridiculous offense to their six game skid. Under that shadow, it's easy to miss Jason Spezza's seven game point streak, in which he's totaled thirteen points. He's only picked up three goals in that time, but that's alright because you know he'll just keep pumping it out to the Dans on either side of him.
ILYA KOVALCHUK
Atlanta Thrashers, LW
Comment: Kovalchuk is on his way to a career year, posting his 21st goal of the season Saturday night. Going into December, Kovalchuk has 16 goals and 27 points in his last 15 games. He's doing this almost entirely by himself these days. Just imagine if Atlanta's offense as a whole picks up and Kovie won't be the only one for defenses to focus on.
DANY HEATLEY
Ottawa Senators, RW
Comment: Heatley slowed down a tad during November. He was scoring with regularity to start the season and, after a few line experiments, has found his goal-scoring groove again with what looks like the permanent top line in Ottawa (Alfredsson, Spezza, Heatley). He has six goals in his last seven games. Offense is not the problem in Ottawa these days.
JAROSLAV SPACEK
Buffalo Sabres, D
Comment: Spacek's streakiness has been exacerbated with Buffalo's quiet start. But hopefully things have changed. After a quiet November, Spacek (and his team) has woken up. He's garnered seven points and two goals over his last four games.
ROBERTO LUONGO
Vancouver Canucks, G
Comment: Going into Sunday, Luongo was riding not only a three game winning streak, but also three straight shutouts! You can't get any better than no-goal hockey from a goalie. Luongo's return to form means good things for Vancouver and fantasy owners. We've been waiting to see him settle down into his normally amazing rhythm.
ERIC STAAL
Carolina Hurricanes, C
Comment: The outlook to begin the season was that Staal would be needed more for his defensive game than his offensive game. I don't know if you can use that for an excuse as to why he's only scored three points in his last 10 games.
ALEX TANGUAY
Calgary Flames, LW
Comment: Two goals in his last eight contests? They were his only two points in that time, too?! Someone tell me if Jarome Iginla gets all of his points without letting Tanguay touch the puck because I don't understand this. A translation of my ramblings: he's cold but will return back to form...probably even this week.
JUSTIN WILLIAMS
Carolina Hurricanes, RW
Comment: Carolina has been an offensive machine this season and yet it isn't from the guys you'd normally expect. Williams, who has played well thus far, has hit a bit of a cold patch. He's scoreless in his last four games and has earned himself a minus-3 overall in that time.
JONI PITKANEN
Edmonton Oilers, D
Comment: Although he was out for about a month, Pitkanen is basically right where he left off: absolutely frozen. His last point (and second on the year) dates back to Oct. 8.
MARTIN GERBER
Ottawa Senators, G
Comment: Ottawa has lost six straight games. You can only blame 50% of those losses on Gerber while Emery racked up the other three. Either way, Gerber — who was the NHL's best goalie to start the season — is slowing down big time. The thing that would scare me if I owned him: is this just a short little cold streak or is Gerber regressing back to his play from last season? The next two weeks could lead to Gerber losing significant starts and begin sharing the load with Emery. With one of the Sens best defenders and shot blocking leaders, Anton Volchenkov, out for possibly four weeks, fantasy owners will see more and more of Gerber's recent poor play.
MARC SAVARD
Boston Bruins, C
Comment: Games against Toronto and Montreal (and the Islanders, depending on which version of Rick DiPietro shows up) could be huge for Savard. He's a monster on the road, notching 22 points in 13 road games. He won't get you a ton of scores but he's been racking up the assists as of late and linemate Glen Murray is beginning to find the net more and more which only means more points for Savard.
MATS SUNDIN
Toronto Maple Leafs, C
Comment: Sundin is the complete opposite of Savard's. On the road he's merely average but in 15 home games Sundin has 24 points, eight goals and a plus-13 rating. He'll get you your goals and rack up the assists. The Toronto powerplay hasn't found itself yet but when it does you can add those fantasy points to Sundin's impressive season. This week should be great for owners with two home matchups against the unstable Predators and Bruins. Expect Sundin to keep his streak of a point in every home game since the season began (15 games) alive.
BRENDEN SHANAHAN
New York Rangers, LW
Comment: The best help a player can get to extend a point streak is a week of solid matchups. Shanahan won't be getting the BEST medicine this week but good things will still happen. Atlanta and Toronto's inconsistent defensive play will be great for Shanahan while the Rangers might be able to capitalize on a Carolina team that allowed eight goals on Saturday night. The Rangers' offense has found itself and Shanahan is proving all of his doubters wrong...again.
RICK NASH
Columbus Blue Jackets, LW
Comment: Nash has quietly returned to form this season, playing solid hockey and getting fantasy owners some terrific points. He's coming off a streak-ending week and has some great matchups ahead. Look for a new streak to begin with questionable goal tending in Dallas and Colorado ahead. A game against The Great Wall of Minnesota usually means a low fantasy output, but Nash plays well against Minnie. He plays even better at home and that's great for a week of home games.
GLEN MURRAY
Boston Bruins, RW
Comment: He's not going to be a league leader in any category this season but he's finally starting to put up the production fantasy owners were hoping for. He is the best goal scorer the Bruins have and it's finally starting to show again. We've already established that linemate Marc Savard will have a great week, right? Expect Murray to jump in on that, too. He's notorious for slow starts and begins to turn his game up around this time of year, which is what he's been doing entering December.
MARTIN ST. LOUIS
Tampa Bay Lightning, RW
Comment: St. Louis isn't just a mediocre player playing alongside the NHL's best right now. He's one of the NHL's best playing with the NHL's best. That means great things for fantasy owners. His goals are coming sporadically but his points and assist remain league-best material. Vinnie Lecavalier seems to be heating up again and if Vinnie gets a point it means that St. Louis most likely getting one too. The Lightning hope to pounce on injured teams (Ottawa, Carolina and the Islanders) this week.
BRIAN CAMPBELL
Buffalo Sabres, D
Comment: A great rule of thumb to follow is that when an underachieving, struggling team begins to play up to expectations, make sure you start their best players. Campbell was stuck in the freezer for most of November but is following the rest of his team on offense and is beginning to heat up again.
ED JOVANOVSKI
Phoenix Coyotes, D
Comment: Jovo is keeping up with his stellar play and has a busy week ahead. The two games against LA's weak goaltending could be enough of a reason to play Jovo but add to it a game against Pittsburgh and you've got a recipe for success!
MARTIN BRODEUR
New Jersey Devils, G
Comment: I told you last week that he'd extend that winning streak all the way through the week and that's just what happened. Brodeur is at his best again and will continue his play. Washington will be his best matchup this week and should hold Boston back a bit.
HENRIK LUNDQVIST
New York Rangers, G
Comment: For almost the entire season I've ignored Lundy simply because I've been focusing on New York's offensive woes. But now that the offense is back on track, I was able to step back and notice that Lundqvist really IS an MVP caliber player this year. He's been playing some solid hockey and catches Carolina in the midst of a cold streak and should be able to hold back Toronto and Atlanta this week.
MATT CULLEN
Carolina Hurricanes, C
Comment: Why am I picking on the Hurricanes this week? Oh well. Cullen's great start was just that: a great start for an average player. He has one point in his last four and has slowed down for much of November. I think he drank the truth serum and is starting to show who he really is again. Expect little to nothing from Cullen this week.
ROBERT LANG
Chicago Blackhawks, C
Comment: A goal against Manny Legace on an off night is not enough to convince me that Lang is in for a good week. He'll be facing Vancouver and Robbie Luongo (possibly the reason that goals are down in the NHL these days?) to start the week. That and a matchup against Anaheim's powerful D and great goaltending will be enough to tell you to sit Lang this week.
ALEXANDER SEMIN
Washington Capitals, LW
Comment: Semin will be receiving limited icetime this week depending on the strength of his (very) weak ankle. That is the bad news. There really isn't any good news, actually, as he'll be squaring off against Martin Brodeur and the surging Devils. Wait until Semin proves to be healthy and clicks with Michael Nylander before you start him.
KRISTIAN HUSELIUS
Calgary Flames, LW
Comment: Who was more freaked out when the Flames signed Mike Keenan? Kristian Huselius or Kristian Huselius fantasy owners? He was scoring with reckless abandon to start the year but has been struggling more and more lately and is finding himself back in Keenan's doghouse. His minutes are dropping with more frequency and if he doesn't find his game soon he could be buried for a while. Keenan doesn't just ruin players, he ruins fantasy teams.
JOFFREY LUPUL
Philadelphia Flyers, RW
Comment: Explain to me how you can have only two assists in your last nine games when you are playing with either Mike Richards or Daniel Briere? I can't figure it out. He doesn't look to be heating up, and with Colorado Philly's only decent matchup I’d suggest holding back.
DUSTIN BROWN
Los Angeles Kings, RW
Comment: Even though he's going into this week on a nice streak AND he's playing Edmonton, I'm still telling you to sit him. He isn't great against a revamped Phoenix (and faces them twice), he is facing an Oilers team who might be temporarily recharged with returning players and a scorching hot Buffalo goalie in Ryan Miller who could stonewall LA's usually potent offense. Sit this one out.
CHRIS CAMPOLI
New York Islanders, D
Comment: Campoli is showing his true colours now. He's riding a chilly 11 game pointless drought and is minus-4 on the season. Expect the trend to continue. He may even find himself dropping in the depth chart if Coach Ted Nolan decides to bring back Marc-Andre Bergeron with regularity.
MATT CARLE
San Jose Sharks, D
Comment: Carle has been very disappointing on the year. He was expected to be much more on offense but hasn't found it. He only has one point in all of November and to make matters worse is a minus-5 on the year. All he has right now is potential but he's just not reaching it.
DOMINIK HASEK
Detroit Red Wings, G
Comment: Even if Coach Mike Babcock decides to start the inconsistent Hasek over Chris Osgood I still would tell you to sit him. Hasek's numbers are brutal and won't get you where you need to be this week.
CRISTOBAL HUET
Montreal Canadiens, G
Comment: Montreal's annual slide has begun. They'll be a very streaky team until March and kick start it again for a playoff run as usual. If Huet keeps up his poor play (just two wins in all of November) he'll find himself to be the backup to Carey Price. I expect Price to get at least one start this week and, if he has a good game, Coach Guy Charbonneau will likely stick with the hot goalie.
J.P. Del Monte is UPDATE! National Hockey League Editor.
