SCOTT GOMEZ
New York Rangers, C
Comment: The Man from Alaska has finally returned to form. Gomez is riding an eight game point streak, scoring two goals and four assists in four games last week. The top line of Straka / Gomez / Jagr has found a rhythm.
KRISTIAN HUSELIUS
Calgary Flames, LW
Comment: Huselius has been less streaky this year. He's rarely gone more than two games without registering a point and he's been explosive these past two weeks. He's had two five-point nights (a hatrick included) in his last five games. In that stretch he's had five and thirteen points.
MARIAN GABORIK
Minnesota Wild, RW
Comment: What a night for Gaborik: five goals and six points in one game! Aside from one scoreless game this month, he's been on a streak since Nov. 24. In his last 12 games he has 11 goals and 16 points.
MICHAL ROZSIVAL
New York Rangers, D
Comment: With limited offensive options on the blueline, someone had to step up in New York and Rozsival seems to be doing just that. He has two goals and five points in his last three games while also totaling 16 PIMs and three PP points.
TOMAS VOKOUN
Florida Panthers, G
Comment: Vokoun has been quite the story for the Panthers this season. He's making a habit of closing off months in fine fashion, winning three of his last four and losing only in OT on Saturday night. He finished last week with a terrific 2.25 GAA and a .933 SV% and is looking like the Vokoun of old.
NIK ANTROPOV
Toronto Maple Leafs, C
Comment: Has the Antro of old returned to the Maple Leafs? After a terrific start to the season, Antropov has been slowing down. He hasn't scored a point in three games, and the Leafs haven't been scoring much recently. One good thing is that Antropov's still playing the way he has all season and, barring injury, this cold streak should pass quickly.
RICK NASH
Columbus Blue Jackets, LW
Comment: The weather report in Columbus: a major blizzard has cooled their star player, as Nash is now scoreless in his last six games. December has been a sad month for Nash.
PATRICK KANE
Chicago Blackhawks, RW
Comment: Kane has just one goal and five points in his last nine games. Those aren't terrible stats, but it's a significant slowdown — especially because you've been counting on him to score goals this season. It hasn't been a great month for Kane, following a very slow Nov. He'll pick up the pace again but wait until after these Christmas holidays to start him.
MATHIEU SCHNEIDER
Anaheim Ducks, D
Comment: The fears have been proved true: Neidermeyer's return has meant Schneider's production is down. He'll still get you those points but he'll have to get used to his drop in icetime. In his last four games Schneider has one goal and an even rating.
MARTIN BIRON
Philadelphia Flyers, G
Comment: What a brutal Dec. for Marty and his fantasy owners: he owns a 1-4-2 record for the month, which includes four losses in his last five games. He's allowed three goals or more in his last four starts and has had some inflated stats.
SIDNEY CROSBY
Pittsbugh Penguins, C
Comment: Sid the Kid is on a roll, and you should capitalize on that. Washington is playing poorly on their own end; the same can be said about Buffalo and their Jekyll and Hyde goaltending. Look for Crosby to light it up along with his linemate Evgeni Malkin.
ANZE KOPITAR
Los Angeles Kings, C
Comment: Looks like a good week ahead for Kopitar. He has at least a goal against the Blackhawks, Avs and Sharks. He rarely goes more than a game or two scoreless, and if that's the case, he should begin another nice streak this week.
MARTIN ERAT
Nashville Predators, LW
Comment: Erat has been cold lately, but we know what streaky players are all about. He just needs the right situation to catch a hot streak, and what better than a week against Columbus and their struggling goaltenders, San Jose and their terrible play at home and a Chicago team that Erat plays very well against?
EVGENI MALKIN
Pittsburgh Penguins, LW
Comment: Malkin has been playing with Crosby more and more as the season moves on, and when you have two players of this caliber consistently playing together magic can happen. The way Washington has been playing defense lately makes me think that this game alone will be enough of a reason to make Malkin a must-start, but factor in that he likes to score against the Bruins (and their goaltending woes) and Ryan Miller's aversion of keeping pucks out of the net and you have a great Fantasy week ahead.
PATRICK SHARP
Chicago Blackhawks, RW
Comment: Sharp has picked up his play again after slowing down in December. He's having an amazing year and aside from your usual goals, assists and points he's providing some great supplementary fantasy points (six short handed goals, five game winners and a plus-13 rating). In his last two games he has three goals and an assist and is going to carry that into this potentially great week. Sharp only has two games to show his stuff, but in three meetings with Nashville this year he has three goals and in his only meeting against LA he has a goal and two assists. Expect the Christmas gifts to keep on coming from Sharp in this short week.
BRAD BOYES
St. Louis Blues, RW
Comment: I bet Boston fans are wishing they (and their team) didn't give up on this kid. He's been phenomenal (21 goals on the year) and six in his last seven. Andy McDonald's arrival in St. Louis has been a great boost to both Kariya and Boyes' production. They are starting to heat up all over again.
NIKLAS KRONWALL
Detroit Red Wings, D
Comment: I could tell you to put Lidstrom or Rafalski in from D-town but why not tell you to put in the future defensive leader of this team? He had five assists last week and keeps his solid +/- up high. He won't see a ton of PP time since Liddy and Raffy take up most of it but he's finding ways to get on the scoreboard.
SERGEI GONCHAR
Pittsburgh Penguins, D
Comment: Do you really need a reasons to put in a top Penguins player this week? Come on! He's the best offensive defenseman in the NHL right now and he'll get more than a few chances to show off his skills (and rack up some PP points).
VESA TOSKALA
Toronto Maple Leafs, G
Comment: Toskala is playing like a champion recently, keeping the Buds in games they shouldn't be in. The week ahead looks good for him as he plays very well against Rangers (won all the meetings this year). The Leafs are a good road team and, aside from some collapses in the third period and OT, they have been playing good defensive hockey. Toskala has been a huge part of that, playing his best hockey of the year. Even if they don't get a good winning streak going he should get you all the points you need.
MANNY LEGACE
St. Louis Blues, G
Comment: The biggest obstacle this week in St. Louis' way is Detroit and, if all goes well, they will be without both Zetterberg and Holmstrom. That's wishful thinking, of course, but even if those two are in Legace will still play great hockey. He's been phenomenal lately and his team is scoring bucket-loads of goals so you'll at least get a few wins in.
SHAWN HORCOFF
Edmonton Oilers, C
Comment: Let's be honest: you knew I was right when I said don't start him last week. You know I'm right when I say it again this week. The magic might return in the second half but, again, it'll only be brief. Anaheim and Minny are no way to get you fantasy points from Shawn Horcoff.
OLLIE JOKINEN
Florida Panthers, C
Comment: Sit Ollie?! Are you crazy? Yes. He's due for a poor week and it could be this one: one assist in two games against the Canadiens this year (who need to get their act together), and Atlanta (who look like they've have gotten their act together). Both are teams with quality goaltending, and Florida has been winning because Tomas Vokoun has been keeping them in games, not because they've been scoring like crazy.
MARTIN STRAKA
New York Rangers, LW
Comment: In his last five games, he has four goals and seven points. Jagr is getting in on the action with a little assist streak of his own. If Jagr is picking up his play again and back to 'Happy Jagr', it will only mean great things for Straka's production. That sounds like a lot of reasons to start him! Well, how about a week against Carolina just one day after Christmas and Toronto's Vesa Toskala? They might be clicking but they also tend to fade into obscurity just as quickly.
BRENDAN SHANAHAN
New York Rangers, LW
Comment: If I don't think Straka and New York's only somewhat consistent scoring line won't do well....why would I think Shanny would do any better?
PETR SYKORA
Pittsburgh Penguins, RW
Comment: I don't understand how you can't score alongside Sidney Crosby? I guess Coach Michel Therrien was wondering the same thing because Sykora has been a second liner alongside the struggling Jordan Staal. Sykora hasn't scored in his last five games and has found himself a minus-3 rating.
ALES HEMSKY
Edmonton Oilers, RW
Comment: Just like linemate Shawn Horcoff, I don't think Hemsky will do it for you. The matchups are poor and there aren't many of them. Plus, he's one hell of a streak player.
DION PHANEUF
Calgary Flames, D
Comment: This and the next one will leave you scratching your head. Don't start the Big D. In three games against Van City Phaneuf only has one assist and has is a minus-2 against the Ducks this season.
ED JOVANOVSKI
Pheonix Coyotes, D
Comment: Jovocop didn't get what he wanted for Christmas (an easy week of games against Dan Cloutier). Instead, he got a matchup against both Minnesota and Detroit. Jovo has a minus-4 rating in two matchups against Detroit and no points and doesn't fare much better in Minny. You'll be tempted to use both Phaneuf AND Jovo this week but close your eyes and tough it out.
PASCAL LECLAIRE
Columbus Blue Jackets, G
Comment: Leclaire has fallen big time from his amazing start. he hasn't won a game since Nov. 24 and his starts have slowly been dwindling away as coach Ken Hitchcock weans in a goaltending tandem in CLB once again.
ILYA BRYZGALOV
Pheonix Coyotes, G
Comment: You might get lucky and have his stats not explode on you this week but there's a good chance that this will be Bryz' worst fantasy week of the season, going up after a short layoff against Detroit's potent offense and the Marian Gaborick show.
J.P. Del Monte is UPDATE! National Hockey League Editor.
