The Daily Puck: Stamkos Surging

The Daily Puck
George Kurtz, RotoWire Writer

Projected Goalie Starters

For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid.

Carolina (Cam Ward) at Pittsburgh (Marc-Andre Fleury), 7:00 PM ET
Los Angeles (Jonathan Quick) at Buffalo (Ryan Miller), 7:30 PM ET
Minnesota (Jose Theodore) at Detroit (Jimmy Howard), 7:30 PM ET
Washington (Michal Neuvirth) at Atlanta (Ondrej Pavelec), 7:30 PM ET
Ottawa (Pascal Leclaire) at St. Louis (Ty Conklin), 8:00 PM ET
Chicago (Marty Turco) at Calgary (Miikka Kiprusoff), 9:00 PM ET
Phoenix (Ilya Bryzgalov) at Edmonton (Devan Dubnyk), 9:00 PM ET
Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist) at Colorado (Peter Budaj), 9:00 PM ET
Columbus (Steve Mason) at Anaheim (Jonas Hiller), 10:00 PM ET

Injuries for Teams Playing Friday

Day-to-Day (Includes DL players close to returning)
Drew Stafford (W) Buffalo - (Shoulder) No definitive timetable has ever been given for his return. Unlikely to play Friday.
Tom Poti (D) Washington – (Groin) Has missed the past three games, questionable at best to play Friday.
Dustin Byfuglien (D) Atlanta – (Lower body) Did not practice Thursday but is walking with less of a limp, questionable to play Friday.
David Perron (W) St. Louis – (Concussion) As with all concussions, it's almost impossible to determine when he will return.
Michal Rozsival (D) Rangers – (Shoulder) Close to a return, but Friday won't be it.
Anton Stralman (D) Columbus – (Flu) Missed Wednesday's game, should play Friday.

Long Term or IR
Jordan Staal (C) Pittsburgh – (Hand) Not expected to return until mid to early December.
Scott Parse (W) Los Angeles - (Hip) Out 3-4 months.
Alexei Ponikarovsky (W) Los Angeles – (Finger) Out until early December.
Guillaume Latendresse (W) Minnesota - (Groin) Finally started skating but looks to be out until December.
Pierre-Marc Bouchard (D) Minnesota - (Concussion) Symptoms returned just as it seemed he was close to being ready.
Josh Harding (G) Minnesota – (Knee) Out until at least early next year.
T.J. Oshie (W) St. Louis - (Ankle) Underwent surgery a week ago, out at least three months.
Daymond Langkow (W) Calgary - (Neck) Has experienced numbness below the waist, career could possibly be over.
Ales Kotalik (W) Calgary - (Knee) Still has yet to begin skating.
Shane Doan (W) Phoenix - (Lower body) Is skating with the team but won't play Friday.
Nikolai Khabibulin (G) Edmonton - (Groin) Out at least a week.
Chris Drury (C) Rangers - (Finger) Could return in the next couple of weeks.
Vaclav Prospal (W) Rangers - (Knee) Not expected to return until mid to late December.
Peter Mueller (C) Colorado - (Concussion) As with most concussions, no set timetable.
TJ Galiardi (W) Colorado - (Wrist) Should return before Christmas.
Craig Anderson (G) Colorado - (Knee) Barring a setback, will return next week.
Kristian Huselius (W) Columbus - (Ankle) Another player without a set timetable, unlikely to play Friday.
Joffrey Lupul (W) Anaheim - (Back) Could return by the end of November.

Transactions

Olli Jokinen (C) Calgary – Suspended three games
Brett Carson (C) Carolina – Re-assigned to the AHL, placed on waivers
Brett Sutter (C) Carolina – Traded from Calgary
Matt Fraser (W) Dallas – Signed to a three-year entry-level contract
Nikolai Khabibulin (G) Edmonton – Placed on IR
Martin Gerber (G) Edmonton –Recalled from the AHL
Justin Falk (D) Minnesota – Assigned to the AHL
Yannick Weber (D) Montreal – Recalled from the AHL
James Wright (C) Tampa Bay – Recalled from the AHL
Mattias Ritola (W) Tampa Bay – Suspended two games
Korbinian Holzer (D) Toronto – Assigned to the AHL
Ladislav Smid (D) Edmonton – Placed on the IR
Mathieu Roy (D) Tampa Bay - Recalled from the AHL
Jon Sim (W) Islanders – Assigned to the AHL
Brayden Schenn (C) Los Angeles – Assigned to the AHL

Hot

Steven Stamkos (C) Tampa Bay – This guys isn't hot, he's on fire. Not only has he been lights out over the past week with six goal and 11 points, but he already has 19 goals and 35 points. Look out Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin; there is a new superstar on the block.

Peter Budaj (G) Colorado – While Budaj hasn't been a brick wall in net since taking over the injured Craig Anderson, he's been far from a sieve. He has a 2.64 GAA and 91.7 SV% on the season, and even when Anderson returns has likely secured himself more starts than your traditional backup goalie.

Cold

Alex Goligoski (D) Pittsburgh – After starting the season like a house on fire, Goligoski has cooled down lately, so much so that he has been taken off the top power-play unit. He is scoreless in his last four games and will need to pick up his play before being on the ice with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Martin Brodeur (G) New Jersey – Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for Brodeur and his owners, he had to leave Thursday night's game with what is assumed to be a recurrence of his elbow injury. Broduer has already missed time due to this injury and both he and the team weren't playing well even when he was 100 percent healthy. Brodeur and teammate Ilya Kovalchuk are looking like two of the biggest busts this fantasy season.

Recommended Pickup

Jack Johnson (D) Los Angeles – Drew Doughty may get all the publicity but Johnson is having a season that could beat what was considered his breakout season last year. Johnson already has 12 assists, and though he only has one goal, a few more of those are sure to wrinkle the twine between now and season's end.