This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
Antti Niemi has been eating Kari Lehtonen's lunch lately. The signing of Niemi over the summer seemed odd, considering Lehtonen's No. 1 goalie status, but the move is paying dividends thus far. Niemi has won six of seven starts, including three straight, since replacing Lehtonen in-game October 24. Anyone who's owned Niemi in the past knows he won't likely stay hot all season, so handcuffing the two tenders makes for a good strategy. The Stars play four times in the coming week, starting with a trip to Toronto on Monday, so both Niemi and Lehtonen figure to see action. Considering the offense in front of them, the two are on track to put up plenty of wins.
Leafs coach Mike Babcock made a curious decision to start Jonathan Bernier over James Reimer against Pittsburgh on Saturday. Not only was Bernier making his second start in as many nights, but he also entered the contest winless against the Penguins, going 0-4-2. Reimer, meanwhile, held a 4-0-2 mark against the Pens. It's reasonable to question Babcock's decision to start Bernier. Has the Toronto malaise already rubbed off on him? The Leafs confirmed Reimer as Monday's starter against the Stars. He allowed four goals on 15 shots to Dallas the last time the two teams met before being yanked. As a result, Dallas looks like a pretty good bet Monday.
Monday will be a test for Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. He holds a 7-14-1 mark with 2.84 GAA and .908 save percentage against the Blackhawks. Quick also surrendered four goals on 40 shots the last time he faced Chicago. Of course Quick already proved the early-season naysayers wrong by reeling off six consecutive victories. Tyler Toffoli leads the NHL with nine goals. He started off strong last year, compiling eight goals and 18 points in his first 18 games. Over his final 58 contests, Toffoli managed only 15 goals and 31 points. Will he cool off again? He totaled 49 points in 76 games as a 22-year-old. It wouldn't be surprising to see him hit 60 points with another season of experience under his belt. Defenseman Jake Muzzin has picked up his game lately, registering a goal and three assists in three tilts after going pointless in his first seven.
It appears Patrick Kane will not face criminal charges stemming from summer rape allegations. Fantasy owners who took a chance on Kane get a nice bargain. Marian Hossa isn't expected to play Monday. Rookie Artemi Panarin will likely move from the Kane line to the Jonathan Toews unit. Panarin's two goals and 10 points in 11 games are impressive but even more surprising when one considers he missed nearly the entire preseason due to injury. Fantasy owners likely got another bargain with him.
The Flyers' Jakub Voracek has scored five goals in his last 49 regular season games dating back to last year. Voracek has surpassed the 20-goal mark in each of the last three seasons – including 22 goals in a work-stoppage shortened 2012-13 – so what happens next is anybody's guess. Philly has yet to play Pittsburgh and Voracek has potted 11 goals in 24 career contests versus the Pens, so there's that. He's also averaging 4.4 shots per game. Wayne Simmonds (one goal) and Claude Giroux (three goals) haven't exactly lit the lamp with regularity yet, either.
Brandon Sutter's got three goals and seven points in 11 games. It's a great start but there's little precedent for his hot scoring to continue. He peaked at 40 points in 2009-10 and has never collected more than 33 points in any ensuing season.
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid
Dallas Stars (Antti Niemi) at Toronto Maple Leafs (Jonathan Bernier), 7:30 PM
Los Angeles Kings (Jonathan Quick) at Chicago Blackhawks (Corey Crawford), 8:30 PM
Philadelphia Flyers (Steve Mason) at Vancouver Canucks (Ryan Miller), 10:00 PM
Injury News For Teams Playing Monday
Dallas Stars
Patrick Eaves, RW - Eaves (lower body) will miss Saturday's game against the Sharks, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. (10/31/2015)
Travis Moen, LW - Moen (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. (10/21/2015)
Curtis McKenzie, LW - McKenzie (lower body) is expected to be sidelined for the next 2-to-3 weeks, NHL.com's Mark Stepneski reports. (10/22/2015)
Jack Campbell, G - Campbell is expected to miss a "couple weeks" with a hand injury, Mark Stepneski of the Stars' official site reports. (10/2/2015)
Brett Ritchie, RW - Ritchie (wrist) returned to the ice donning a non-contact jersey Saturday, Sean Shapiro of Wrong Side of the Red Line reports. (10/10/2015)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Scott Harrington, D - Harrington (upper body) won't play Saturday against the Penguins, Jonas Siegel of TSN Radio 1050 reports. (10/31/2015)
Stephane Robidas, D - Head coach Lou Lamoriello indicated Friday that Robidas (groin) remains without a definite timetable to return to practice, Jonas Siegel of TSN 1050 reports. (10/30/2015)
Nick Spaling, C - Spaling (undisclosed) has been placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Oct. 24, David Alter of National Post reports. (10/30/2015)
Los Angeles Kings
Christian Ehrhoff, D - Ehrhoff exited Saturday's game against the Predators with an upper-body injury and is not expected to return, Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider reports. (10/31/2015)
Matt Greene, D - Greene (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Friday, Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider reports. (10/23/2015)
Dwight King, LW - King broke a bone in his foot and will be out for 8-to-10 weeks, Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider reports. (10/12/2015)
Chicago Blackhawks
Phillip Danault, C - Danault underwent hip surgery Monday to repair a torn labrum, Brian Hedger of NHL.com reports. (8/18/2015)
Marian Hossa, RW - Hossa (lower body) is questionable for Monday's game against the Kings, Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago reports. (11/1/2015)
Michal Rozsival, D - Rozsival (ankle) isn't expected to return at any point this week, Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago reports. (11/1/2015)
Duncan Keith, D - Keith (knee) was placed on long-term injured reserve Wednesday. (10/21/2015)
Philadelphia Flyers
Sean Couturier, C - Couturier (upper body) remains day-to-day, but his status for Monday's game against the Canucks is uncertain, Sam Carchidi of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. (10/31/2015)
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, C - Bellemare (lower body) has been placed on injure reserve, Randy Miller of NJ.com reports. (10/29/2015)
Christian Marti, D - Marti will be out until mid-November while recovering from shoulder surgery, Randy Miller of NJ.com reports. (9/24/2015)
Logan Pyett, D - Pyett was diagnosed with sarcoma in his upper left leg Friday and is out indefinitely, NHL.com's Dan Rosen reports. (10/9/2015)
Vancouver Canucks
Dan Hamhuis, D - Hamhuis (lower body) returned to the ice for practice Sunday morning. (11/1/2015)
Chris Higgins, LW - Higgins (foot) skated on his own Tuesday, Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun reports. (10/20/2015)
Brandon Prust, LW - Prust (ankle) will miss four-to-six weeks with an ankle injury. (10/30/2015)
Jacob Markstrom, G - Markstrom (lower body) returned to the ice Tuesday, Jon Abbott of TSN 1040 reports. (10/20/2015)
Hot
Cory Schneider, G, NJ – Great things have been predicted for Schneider since he served as a backup for what seemed like eons in Vancouver. Now in his third season with the Devils, the 28-year-old appears to be on the cusp of a breakout. Of course, having an offense never hurts and New Jersey is scoring in the early going. Schneider has crafted a 6-2-1 mark with a 2.17 GAA and .919 save percentage.
Nikita Kucherov, RW, TB – It might be a tad early to declare him hot, but it's better to be too early than late. Kucherov scored a goal (on eight shots) and two assists in two games over the weekend after picking up just one point in his first eight. Questions have surrounded the winger and the lack of production from youngsters Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat, but fantasy owners who picked Kucherov early in drafts have reasons to be encouraged.
Cold
Alex Stalock, G, SJ – Martin Jones hasn't been the lock-down option he was during the first couple weeks but Stalock hasn't done anything to deserve a deeper look. He allowed four goals to the Stars on Saturday after surrendering five goals in his only other start. It was just a year ago when it looked like Stalock might take over the starting reigns in San Jose. It hasn't worked out that way.
Anze Kopitar, C, LA – At the risk of alienating hockey fans who root for this supremely talented and creative player, he's struggled to maintain his star level of production over the last couple seasons. In 2014-15, Kopitar scored only 16 goals and 64 points, numbers he hasn't seen since his rookie season of 2006-07. He might be one of the most fun players to root for, but it's reasonable to ask whether his game is in a slow state of decline.
Recommended Pickup
Mike Condon, G, MON – With Carey Price sidelined for at least the next week with a lower-body injury, Condon figures to see at least two of the Habs' three homes starts in the coming week. He stopped 18 of 19 shots in a 5-1 win over Winnipeg on Sunday, improving to 4-0. Montreal recalled Dustin Tokarski on Sunday, so whichever goalie gets the nod in Week 5 makes for a decent start.
