Fantasy FanHouse http://fantasy.fanhouse.com Fantasy FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Fantasy FanHouse http://fantasy.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Brad Richards' Star is Fadinghttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/04/04/brad-richards-star-is-fading/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/04/04/brad-richards-star-is-fading/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/04/04/brad-richards-star-is-fading/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When the Dallas Stars spent BIG (Mike Smith and forwards Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern and a 4th round draft pick in 2009) to acquire Brad Richards from the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was seen as the final offensive piece needed to put the Dallas Stars over the hump.

In his first game with the Stars, Brad Richards had FIVE(!) assists, and looked like a whole new man. It was easy for any Stars fan to get excited about their new acquisition.

Since that game, however, Richards has just one goal and four assists in 11 games, and now finds his 'Ironman' streak at an end. Not surprisingly, Brad Richards, who was -25 with the Lightning, is -2 in his brief tenure with the Stars.

Richards said hasn't been feeling well overall and didn't play in the Dallas Stars' game in Phoenix, which the Stars won 4-2.

Richards said it's not flu and it's not lingering effects from the mono he had earlier in the year. However, he has to be feeling really bad because he will stop a streak of 354 consecutive games played by missing Thursday night's game. It was only the third game he has missed in his pro career. The other two were due to a death in his family.

The Stars are 2-7-2 with Richards in the lineup, falling from second overall in the NHL and in the Western Conference to fifth place in the west.

Apparently, Richards has been battling mono all season, and that could account for his poor play. Don't you think, however, the Dallas Stars should have realized they were getting damaged goods, in the first place? Did they not do their homework?

While I acknowledge Richards' awesome playmaking skills, I have to wonder why the Dallas Stars thought he'd fit in well with their team. Richards, despite 500 points in 564 career games, is an overall -57. Even with his great offensive output, Richards is one of the biggest defensive liabilities in the game, and not the type of player usually associated with the Dallas Stars.

If Richards can't shake off this mono cloud over his head, the Stars may very well win the award for worst trade of the season. Don't forget, Brad Richards is a mighty big cap hit for a player who has so many warts.

Brad Richards' Star is Fading originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brad RichardsBradRichardsJes GolbezFri, 04 Apr 2008 14:10:00 EST Rick DiPietro to Have More Hip Surgeryhttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/03/19/rick-dipietro-to-have-more-hip-surgery/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/03/19/rick-dipietro-to-have-more-hip-surgery/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/03/19/rick-dipietro-to-have-more-hip-surgery/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just 10 months ago, Rick '15 Years!' DiPietro, the 'savior' goaltender of the New York Islanders franchise, had to undergo major hip surgery on his left side. This prompted me to comment, "Any time you sign a player to a long-term contract, a major injury is a big worry. When that player is your #1 goalie and you signed him to the most insane deal ever, you have to hope this hip problem doesn't become a constant thorn in Ricky's side. Hip problems doesn't always just go away, as any senior citizen will tell you."

You would hope a major surgery would clear away the problems, but now DiPietro will have to face another surgery on his other hip, and the problems for their prized goalie continue to mount.

I guess it is no coincidence that DiPietro's play regressed quite a lot this season, as he dropped from 91.9% to 90.2% in the save percentage department. Rick tweaked his hip at the All-Star break, and never seemed to be in the fine form that he showed in his breakout campaign. The Isles, in the meantime, lost any hope at making the playoffs as their #1 goaltender looked about as good as Dan Cloutier handling a Nick Lidstrom shot.

Two hip injuries, some nasty concussions ... and the Isles still have over a decade left on this guy's contract. While DiPietro was perfectly healthy when he signed that massive deal, it just goes to show that any player can break down like an American-made car once they actually go on a road trip or two.

Rick DiPietro to Have More Hip Surgery originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Rick DiPietroRickDipietroJes GolbezWed, 19 Mar 2008 15:13:00 EST Sheldon Souray Done for the Yearhttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/02/12/sheldon-souray-done-for-the-year/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/02/12/sheldon-souray-done-for-the-year/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/02/12/sheldon-souray-done-for-the-year/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As if Oilers fans weren't depressed enough about how badly the Dustin Penner signing has turned out, or the numerous injuries to star players, or the fact that the team has little chance at making the playoffs, now we have word that Sheldon Souray (the guy who is trying to kiss Doug Weight in the picture there) will miss the rest of the regular season with yet another big injury.
The defenceman who signed a five-year, $27 million contract in the offseason will not suit up with team for the rest of year, following arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder late last week.

Souray was placed on the injured reserve list in January after aggravating his shoulder in a game against the Florida Panthers. He originally suffered a second-degree sprain on the same shoulder in an Oilers' game at Vancouver in October.

Souray certainly wasn't justifying his monster price tag with a measly three goals and -7 in 26 games. At an average $5.4mil per season, Souray has racked up a nice $207,692 per game played this season. Of course, the Oilers knew they were getting a player with long string of injuries, right? Right?

Previously on FanHouse:
Souray's Wait Over as Edmonton Comes Calling.

Sheldon Souray Done for the Year originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Sheldon SouraySheldonSourayJes GolbezTue, 12 Feb 2008 15:24:00 EST Smyth Out Six to Eight Weekshttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/01/04/ryan-smyth-out-six-to-eight-weeks-with-ankle-injury/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/01/04/ryan-smyth-out-six-to-eight-weeks-with-ankle-injury/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2008/01/04/ryan-smyth-out-six-to-eight-weeks-with-ankle-injury/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

As if two straight losses against the lowly Phoenix Coyotes wasn't bad enough for the Colorado Avalanche, the Rocky Mountain club will now be without power winger Ryan Smyth, who will be gone 6-8 weeks with a broken ankle. This is already on the heels of captain Joe Sakic's hernia surgery, which will keep him out of the lineup for just as long, if not longer.
"The fracture was discovered following additional medical tests which included an MRI exam," Avalanche head trainer Matthew Sokolowski said yesterday in a release. "We expect him to make a full recovery."

In the ultra competitive Northwest Division and Western Conference environment, the Avs are clinging to a playoff spot by a single point. The loss of Ryan Smyth will surely help the likes of Anaheim, Columbus, and St. Louis, who are all chasing the Avs.

Without a lot of top prospects in the minors, one wonders if GM Francois Giguere will be ready to make a deal or two. While Giguere stated that he expected other Avs forwards to step up during Sakic's absence, it'll be hard to fill in the gaps left by missing TWO of the team's best offensive forwards. No other player can bring Smyth's level of strength and tenacity in the trenches, save for Andrew Brunette, a Ryan Smyth-lite. If I look at the Avs now, I see a team that is liable to lose a lot of physical battles in the offensive zone.

Gentlemen, start your rumor engines.

Smyth Out Six to Eight Weeks originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Joe SakicJoeSakicRyan SmythRyanSmythJes GolbezFri, 04 Jan 2008 11:12:00 EST Sakic to Miss 2-3 Months with Hernia Surgeryhttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/12/28/sakic-to-miss-2-3-months-with-hernia-surgery/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/12/28/sakic-to-miss-2-3-months-with-hernia-surgery/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/12/28/sakic-to-miss-2-3-months-with-hernia-surgery/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche got some very bad news yesterday as their beloved captain is going to be out a very long time with a nasty hernia.

Hopefully, the injury isn't so severe that it could mean the hastened end to Joe Sakic's illustrious career in the NHL. It's certainly not easy to recovery from a painful hernia, and Sakic is at that age where each passing month is a fight against father time to maintain a high level of physical ability.
"Joe's rehabilitation has not progressed as anticipated and upon further evaluation the decision has been made to perform surgery in order for him to fully recover," Avalanche team physician Andrew Parker said.

If Sakic misses the length of time prescribed, it will be the longest absence of his NHL career. Prior to the injury, which has kept him out 12 straight games, Sakic had played in 232 consecutive games.

Sakic was struggling somewhat this season putting just 22 points in 24 games (with a gross -6) and looking rather 'tired', and now we know why.

Amazingly, the Avalanche have gone 8-4-1 since their captain has been out of the lineup, as some of the other forwards have picked up the slack. Of course, this short-term trend is unlikely to continue, and the Avs could find themselves fighting for their playoff lives by the time Sakic gets back.

While I realize the Avs have some pretty good offensive depth in their lineup, Sakic is one of those rare players that makes others better. Guys like Andrew Brunette, Marek Svatos, and Ryan Smyth need Sakic to feed them the puck to be fully effective. In the long run, the loss of Sakic is likely going to create a huge ripple effect in the Western Conference and Northwest Division.

Sakic to Miss 2-3 Months with Hernia Surgery originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Joe SakicJoeSakicMarek SvatosMarekSvatosRyan SmythRyanSmythJes GolbezFri, 28 Dec 2007 11:39:00 EST Red Wings to be Without Mathieu Schneiderhttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/10/red-wings-to-be-without-mathieu-schneider/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/10/red-wings-to-be-without-mathieu-schneider/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/10/red-wings-to-be-without-mathieu-schneider/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It appears that the Red Wings have suffered a big blow to their chances against the Anaheim Ducks. Stalwart defenseman Mathieu Schneider apparently suffered a broken wrist in Game Five vs. the San Jose Sharks, and will not be available in the 3rd round series.

Red Wings defenseman Mathieu Schneider broke his wrist in the first period of Detroit's Game 5 victory over San Jose on Saturday in the Western Conference semifinals, knocking him out of the remainder of the playoffs.

Schneider, who scored the overtime goal in San Jose on Wednesday night that evened the series at 2, was hurt when checked by Sharks captain Patrick Marleau.

"He's a big part of our game. He's a top-four defenseman who plays a lot of minutes," Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "He's a big part of our power play, so yeah, he'll be missed."


While the Wings have good depth on the blueline, Schneider's offence (52 points in 68 games this season) will be impossible to replicate.

As my AOL colleague James Mirtle notes, the Wings were forced to use forward Mikael Samuelsson on the point during Power Plays, as well as the ancient Chris Chelios. The Wings best hope in the series was to take advantage of the man advantages the Ducks were bound to give them. Without Schneider blasting bombs from the point, it's going to be hard for the Wings to have an effective Power Play unit.

Schneider plays almost 24 minutes of night, and his time will have to be distributed to poorer defensemen such as Brett Lebda and Kyle Quincey. Given the physicality of the Ducks' forwards, the Wings will be at a real disadvantage when these two youngsters are facing some immense pressure.


This will be a good test for Detroit's superior depth on D. Who knows? Maybe they can pull it together.

Red Wings to be Without Mathieu Schneider originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 10 May 2007 13:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Detroit Red WingsDetroitRedWingsNHLJes GolbezThu, 10 May 2007 13:02:00 EST Humpty Dumpty DiPietro Has Major Hip Surgeryhttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/04/humpty-dumpty-dipietro-to-have-hip-surgery/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/04/humpty-dumpty-dipietro-to-have-hip-surgery/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/04/humpty-dumpty-dipietro-to-have-hip-surgery/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

As if Rick DiPietro didn't have enough problems trying to think straight after suffering two successive concussions, the prodigy with the 15-year contract is now recovering from major hip surgery.

Rick DiPietro had hip surgery this week, and the New York Islanders goalie is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp in September.

DiPietro, sidelined by two concussions 12 days apart late in the regular season and the start of the playoffs, had arthroscopic surgery Monday in Vail, Colo., to repair a tear in his left hip.

Any time you sign a player to a long-term contract, a major injury is a big worry. When that player is your #1 goalie and you signed him to the most insane deal ever, you have to hope this hip problem doesn't become a constant thorn in Ricky's side. Hip problems doesn't always just go away, as any senior citizen will tell you.

DiPietro truly established himself as a premier net-minder this season, after struggling to find his groove after being rushed by the Islanders earlier in his career.

After putting up a pedestrian 90.0SV% in 2005-06, DiPietro improved that number drastically this season to a 91.9% figure, 6th best in the entire NHL. Consider that he was playing behind a rather poor defense, and Ricky has to be considered one of the more underrated (but not under-compensated) players in the league.

Humpty Dumpty DiPietro Has Major Hip Surgery originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>New York IslandersNewYorkIslandersNHLRick DiPietroRickDipietroJes GolbezFri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 EST San Jose Expecting a Holmstrom Eclipse of the Hearthttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/02/san-jose-expecting-a-holmstrom-eclipse-of-the-heart/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/02/san-jose-expecting-a-holmstrom-eclipse-of-the-heart/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/02/san-jose-expecting-a-holmstrom-eclipse-of-the-heart/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Some good news for Wings fans as Tomas Holmstrom, who has missed the first three games of the Sharks/Wings series, is expected to be back in the lineup for Game Four.

Holmstrom, like so many NHLers, suffered an eye injury due to his utter refusal to wear a VISOR. Yes, Holmstrom could have lost vision in one eye thanks to the lack of protection in that region of his body.
Holmstrom has been out since April 22, when Calgary's Craig Conroy hit him with his stick in Detroit's series-winning victory over the Flames. The left wing had 30 goals and 22 assists during the regular season, but missed the first three games against the Sharks.

Holmstrom lost vision in the eye on the night of the incident, and his sight remained cloudy for a few days while team doctors evaluated him. He wasn't allowed to skate or work out because the doctors feared the increased blood flow could cause further damage.

"Of course I was scared," said Holmstrom, who had just one assist in six games against Calgary. "They didn't know how badly injured the eye was. They didn't want to get the blood going and hurt the eye."

Although Holmstrom had just one lone assist in the series against Calgary, his big Swedish booty causes major problems for opposing goaltenders and defenders alike.

The Wings are just 1-for-10 on the Power Play against the Sharks, and don't have anyone else nearly as effective as Holmstrom at creating havoc.

Bertuzzi? He's now a finesse forward, apparently ... Evgeni Nabokov can expect some blocked vision in the hours to come.

San Jose Expecting a Holmstrom Eclipse of the Heart originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 02 May 2007 15:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Detroit Red WingsDetroitRedWingsNHLSan Jose SharksSanJoseSharksTomas HolmstromTomasHolmstromJes GolbezWed, 02 May 2007 15:42:00 EST Mats Sundin is Tragically Hiphttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/01/mats-sundin-is-tragically-hip/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/01/mats-sundin-is-tragically-hip/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/05/01/mats-sundin-is-tragically-hip/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Mats SundinSome bad news for Leafs fans as captain Mats Sundin may require surgery on his hip. Apparently, this is the same type of injury that put a huge damper on Alexander Mogilny's career ...
According to a report out of the Toronto Sun, sources in the medical community have told the newspaper Sundin requires immediate hip surgery. If the report is accurate, it would complicate his yet-to-be resolved contractual status with the team.

If this news is true, then it makes the decision to retain Mats Sundin a bit harder.

In the era when free agent contracts are an exercise in throwing the dice and going all-in with the chips, Mats Sundin has truly been the NHLs most consistent player.

Three things you can generally count on with Mats Sundin:

  • He'll play almost every game, every season. He rarely suffers a major injury.
  • He'll average about a point-a-game.
  • He'll give you great 2-way play and fight throw all of the obstacles thrown his way.

    If Mats' hip wasn't a problem, then I don't understand how the Leafs could do anything but sign the guy to an extension on his current deal. Why pay big bucks to see if a guy like Todd Bertuzzi or Keith Tkachuk 'might' provide more offense? They likely won't, while Sundin provides a sure-fire return to any team who has him.

    • Mats Sundin is Tragically Hip originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 01 May 2007 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

     

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    ]]>    Maple LeafsMapleLeafsMats SundinMatsSundinNHLNHL InjuriesNhlInjuriesJes GolbezTue, 01 May 2007 11:15:00 EST     Vancouver Hit With Deadly 'Flu' Outbreakhttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/29/vancouver-hit-with-deadly-flu-outbreak/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/29/vancouver-hit-with-deadly-flu-outbreak/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/29/vancouver-hit-with-deadly-flu-outbreak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

    Rory FitzpatrickCommon symptoms of The Flu include headaches, fatigue, stomach discomfort, runny noses, coughing, and loss of appetite.

    Apparently, there is a new strain of flu to hit the Vancouver area, causing things like shoulder and lower back injuries to Canucks defensemen.

    "There's a very serious flu bug going around."

    Even Canucks coach Alain Vigneault couldn't keep a straight face Saturday when he tried his flu-bug defence in describing the implausible number of injuries which have left his blueline in tatters.

    There is something very serious going around, but it's not the flu.

  • Kevin Bieksa - It's now believed that he is suffering an upper rib or shoulder injury, and not a real flu as was thought before.
  • Sami Salo - Suffered a back/tailbone injury after a slew foot from the Stars' Ladislav Nagy. Yep, he's got "the flu".
  • Rory Fitzpatrick - The latest victim of this mysterious 'flu', who will miss Game Three. The true cause of his injury is not quite known, but I doubt he's popping NyQuil and drinking a bucket of chicken soup right about now.

    First had had Upper and Lower Body Injuries, and now we have The Flu? This is getting really quite silly. I know hockey is war and war requires subterfuge, but how much worse can these descriptions get? "Overtime Induced Fatigue"?

    With their blue line ravaged, the Canucks had to call up defensively-challenged Yannick Tremblay. His unofficial nickname is The Turnstile ... This isn't good news :(

    See also: Pre-Series Canucks Injury Update.

    • Vancouver Hit With Deadly 'Flu' Outbreak originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 29 Apr 2007 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

     

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    ]]>    Kevin BieksaKevinBieksaNHLRory FitzpatrickRoryFitzpatrickSami SaloSamiSaloVancouver CanucksVancouverCanucksJes GolbezSun, 29 Apr 2007 10:40:00 EST     Pre-Series Canucks Injury Reporthttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/25/pre-series-canucks-injury-report/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/25/pre-series-canucks-injury-report/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/25/pre-series-canucks-injury-report/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

    Sami SaloWhile the Ducks are nicely rested and marinated for the second round, the Canucks are banged up and sore after a long, punishing series against the Dallas Stars.

    The key injuries to note:

    Sami Salo - Suffered a sore tailbone after being slew-footed by Ladislav Nagy late in Game Seven, and did not return. He's being very coy about his injury status, claiming he has the 'flu', something Vancouver office managers seem to hear a lot the day after a long OT game.

    Kevin Bieksa - Definitely has the flu, and isn't hiding that fact at all:
    "I'm not feeling good," Bieksa admitted during a round of interviews at Vancouver International Airport. "I don't know if I will be able to play. I'm not sure. I've had some blood work done and we're just waiting to see the results. Right now, I don't know exactly what it is."

    Matt Cooke - Has not skated since suffering a groin pull in Game One, and had his status changed from 'day-to-day' to 'week-to-week'. There are rumours that Cooke could be available for Game Four or Five, but the team, obviously, is being very vague about his true status. The Canucks could definitely use his hitting and physical style against the goonish Ducks.

    While suffering through attrition and injuries is part of the price that has to be paid to raise the Stanley Cup, the Canucks do not have the depth of the Anaheim Ducks to suffer too many bumps and bruises without facing a significant reduction in their on-ice ability.

    For Bieksa, I'm kind of glad that he's under the weather. If Bieksa isn't feeling so hyper and rambunctious, he's a lot less likely to take dumb, aggressive penalties with his stick and utilize his positioning a lot more. Perhaps Vigneault will realize Bieksa has been dreadful on the Power Play, and give some more ice-time to Brent Sopel.

    Pre-Series Canucks Injury Report originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 13:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

     

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    ]]>    Brent SopelBrentSopelKevin BieksaKevinBieksaMatt CookeMattCookeNHLSami SaloSamiSaloVancouver CanucksVancouverCanucksJes GolbezWed, 25 Apr 2007 13:16:00 EST     Eric Lindros: The Big Gamble That Didn't Pay Offhttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/18/eric-lindros-the-big-gamble-that-didnt-pay-off/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/18/eric-lindros-the-big-gamble-that-didnt-pay-off/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/18/eric-lindros-the-big-gamble-that-didnt-pay-off/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

    Eric LindrosOne of my co-workers took Eric Lindros in our annual office pool, hoping to cash in on an extremely risky pick in the hopes Eric might decide to go retro and score 70-80 points. The Dallas Stars, when they signed Lindros to a contract, were also hoping to catch the same lightning in a bottle.

    I laughed at both parties, knowing Lindros was likely to be a big bust. They didn't listen, though, as they thought they were smarter than everyone else who knew better.

    Coming off of a mediocre season with his hometown (of sorts) Leafs, where he scored just 22 points in 33 games, there were doubts that Lindros could even play half of a season's worth of games. The Stars were obviously quite desperate to expect Lindros to provide something positive, while skilled players like Yanic Perrault sat at home unsigned. It was the hockey equivalent of spending $100,000 on scratch-and-win tickets instead of investing in government bonds.

    Things started off well for Lindros (and my co-worker) as "The Big Ego" started the season with one goal and four assists in his first three games with the club! Lindros had seemingly re-found his scoring touch, and brought some life to the moribund Stars power play. Still, I knew Humpty Dumpty would fall from the wall when the clock struck midnight, and all of the Los Angeles Kings' men couldn't put him back together again.

    It didn't take long for an acolyte of the Hockey Gods to come and smack him with a +4 Rod of Reality, causing Lindros to go dry with just three points in his next eight games. The oft-concussed Lindros suffered a wrist injury, and was so afraid of suffering another big blow that he continued to play on the periphery like a big scaredy cat.

    When it was all said and done, Lindros suffered through another injury-plagued season, potting just 5 goals and 21 assists in 49 games. He hasn't played a single playoff game, and one wonders if he could help the Stars provide any offence.

    Eric Lindros practiced with the Dallas Stars on Monday, but did not play in Game Four on Tuesday.

    Lindros, who has been out since early March with a groin injury, is hoping that the Stars can extend their playoff run, enabling him to play, but with Dallas down three games to one in the best-of-seven series, it appears that Lindros's season is over.


    Is a Game Five comeback possible? Whatever the case, Lindros ought to just hang them up. He is a shell of the player that he used to be, can barely survive a month without suffering some kind of injury, and doesn't provide all that much benefit to an NHL club. Lindros would likely be too slow for the fast pace of this Canucks/Stars series, and could provide any type of quick fix for the Stars' offensive woes.

    Eric Lindros: The Big Gamble That Didn't Pay Off originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

     

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    ]]>    Dallas StarsDallasStarsEric LindrosEricLindrosHockeyNHLJes GolbezWed, 18 Apr 2007 15:26:00 EST     Flames Hope for Rockin' Robyn and Freezy Friesen to Returnhttp://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/16/flames-hope-for-rockin-robyn-and-freezy-friesen-to-return/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/16/flames-hope-for-rockin-robyn-and-freezy-friesen-to-return/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/16/flames-hope-for-rockin-robyn-and-freezy-friesen-to-return/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

    If the Calgary Flames are to beat the Detroit Red Wings, they will need to utilize their physical advantage a lot more than they have been this series, while staying out of the penalty box at the same time.

    Help may be on the way if Jeff Friesen is able to return for Game Three of the series:

    "I'm just looking forward to getting back in. It's a fun time of year," the veteran said after a long, hard skate in yesterday's session. Friesen, a Stanley Cup champion with New Jersey in 2003, had a disappointing regular season with six goals and six assists but down the stretch became a key factor on a line with Stephane Yelle and Marcus Nilson.

    Having watched his team shellacked 4-1 in by the Wings in the opener of the best-of-seven opening-round playoff series, Friesen is champing at the bit.

    "Obviously, we didn't play the way we need to win. You want to add whatever you can," he said.
    While Friesen has been pretty much garbage offensively, he has speed and can play a physical game, something the Flames need both of.

    Unfortunately, the player they need to return the most, Robyn Regehr, is unlikely to play in Game Three as he's still nursing his knee injury after re-injuring it during Game Two.

    "He didn't rush back too soon," said head coach Jim Playfair.

    "He was medically cleared. We'll get an evaluation on him (this) morning back in Calgary and we'll have a better, clearer understanding of where he's at."


    Medically cleared, as in 'the leg is still attached to his body'?

    Regehr, one of the league's more underrated defensemen, is the Flames top penalty-killing defensemen, logging an average of 4:13 of PK time per game during the regular season. With the Flames spending so much time in the sin bin, the Flames have been at an obvious disadvantage with Regehr out of the lineup.

    The likes of David Hale just don't bring nearly as much to the table, nor can the other Calgary defensemen, save for Rhett Warrener, provide the same defensive presence as Regehr does on a nightly basis.

    Flames Hope for Rockin' Robyn and Freezy Friesen to Return originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 15:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

     

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    ]]>    Calgary FlamesCalgaryFlamesNHLRobyn RegehrRobynRegehrJes GolbezMon, 16 Apr 2007 15:29:00 EST     Could Bertuzzi Return for Game Two?http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/13/could-bertuzzi-return-for-game-two/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/13/could-bertuzzi-return-for-game-two/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/13/could-bertuzzi-return-for-game-two/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

    Todd "Grumpy Bear" Bertuzzi hasn't exactly been a primo pickup for the Detroit Red Wings thus far.

    In just 8 games with the club, Bertuzzi had a modest 2 goals and 2 assists, as he was recovering from back surgery. Before the playoffs, Bertuzzi suffered a minor concussion and battled through more back pain.

    So, is he going to be ready soon?

    Bertuzzi didn't play in Thursday's Game 1, which Detroit won 4-1, or in the regular-season finale because of a concussion and a neck injury. "He's been cleared medically," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "Now, he has to get cleared by our therapy people as far as being ready to play.

    "If he's ready to go, he'll be in."

    Bertuzzi skated briefly on his own Thursday and took part in an optional practice Friday. "It felt pretty good," he said. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow after another hard skate."


    If Todd does return, he'll need to be a lot better than he's been in past playoffs.

    In 24 career playoff games, Bertuzzi has just 6 goals and 8 assists. More importantly, Bertuzzi has been undisciplined, taking 82 minutes in penalties, and displaying his usual disdain for backchecking.

    Could Bertuzzi Return for Game Two? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 21:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

     

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    ]]>    Detroit Red WingsDetroitRedWingsHockeyInjuriesNHLPlayoffsTodd BertuzziToddBertuzziJes GolbezFri, 13 Apr 2007 21:30:00 EST     The Canucks are Dropping like Flies!http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/13/the-canucks-are-dropping-like-flies/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/13/the-canucks-are-dropping-like-flies/http://fantasy.fanhouse.com/2007/04/13/the-canucks-are-dropping-like-flies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

    Ryan KeslerWednesday's quadruple OT game versus the Dallas Stars took a toll on the Vancouver Canucks in more ways than one.

    If the playoffs are a battle of attrition, the Canucks are not off to a good start ...

  • Poor Ryan Kesler is going to be out 4-5 weeks after suffering a broken finger and having pins inserted to fix it. He had just returned from a hip injury which caused him to miss more than half the season.

  • Alex Burrows went face-first into the boards during the first overtime on Wednesday and left the game with a concussion. Burrows says he has no concussion symptoms and wants to play in game two tonight.

  • Matt Cooke, who had tried a knee/hip check on Ladislav Nagy, suffered a pulled groin during the second period of game one. He is listed as day-to-day, and is unlikely for game two.

  • Brent Sopel, who missed game one due to back spasms, apparently suffered quite an embarrassing injury:
    Brent Sopel had a fight with a cracker. And the cracker won.

    The reason defenseman Brent Sopel was out of the lineup Wednesday was "He picked up a cracker yesterday [Tuesday] and his back blew out and just spasmed out," remarked Canucks coach Alain Vigneault.


    That must have been some cracker! Sopel will skate this morning and see if his back is OK enough to dress for the Canucks tonight.

    To compensate for the recent injuries, the Canucks have called up forwards Jannik Hansen and Nathan Smith from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.

    • The Canucks are Dropping like Flies! originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

     

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    ]]>    Alex BurrowsAlexBurrowsBrent SopelBrentSopelDallas StarsDallasStarsHockeyInjuriesMatt CookeMattCookeNHLPlayoffsRyan KeslerRyanKeslerVancouver CanucksVancouverCanucksJes GolbezFri, 13 Apr 2007 11:59:00 EST