This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
January 12 Daily Puck
by John Toperzer, RotoWire Writer
Around the Rink
Somewhat surprisingly, Detroit Red Wings players Henrik Zetterberg, Jimmy Howard and the still injured Pavel Datsyuk will all be watching the All-Star game from the comfort of their living rooms. I can see the front office not wanting them to risk injury by playing in Raleigh later this month, but they should be there.
I've heard that a definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Do you hear me Brian Elliott? Why do I start thou?
Anton Stralman is one of a select few I consider dead to me, based on performance, or lack thereof.
Milan Lucic missed Tuesday with a purported undisclosed injury. Hopefully the time off helps clear his head. Lucic has one point, an assist, in his last 11.
Glad Cody Franson is on a couple of my fantasy teams, but when his numbers - five goals and 13 points, plus-5 rating - are better than Erik Johnson's - three goals, 13 points, minus-6 - something's wrong. Johnson was on a short list of core fantasy defenders heading into 2010-11, but he's simply been rotten to the core.
Logan Couture was cheap-shotted by Colton Orr on Tuesday with a knee-to-knee hit. Hopefully Couture won't miss as much time as Orr should.
Goalie Jose Theodore holds a 19-4-1-2 career record against the Penguins and is 234-223-29-22 versus the rest of the NHL. Go figure.
January 12 Daily Puck
by John Toperzer, RotoWire Writer
Around the Rink
Somewhat surprisingly, Detroit Red Wings players Henrik Zetterberg, Jimmy Howard and the still injured Pavel Datsyuk will all be watching the All-Star game from the comfort of their living rooms. I can see the front office not wanting them to risk injury by playing in Raleigh later this month, but they should be there.
I've heard that a definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Do you hear me Brian Elliott? Why do I start thou?
Anton Stralman is one of a select few I consider dead to me, based on performance, or lack thereof.
Milan Lucic missed Tuesday with a purported undisclosed injury. Hopefully the time off helps clear his head. Lucic has one point, an assist, in his last 11.
Glad Cody Franson is on a couple of my fantasy teams, but when his numbers - five goals and 13 points, plus-5 rating - are better than Erik Johnson's - three goals, 13 points, minus-6 - something's wrong. Johnson was on a short list of core fantasy defenders heading into 2010-11, but he's simply been rotten to the core.
Logan Couture was cheap-shotted by Colton Orr on Tuesday with a knee-to-knee hit. Hopefully Couture won't miss as much time as Orr should.
Goalie Jose Theodore holds a 19-4-1-2 career record against the Penguins and is 234-223-29-22 versus the rest of the NHL. Go figure. I still don't know how to pronounce his name, though I wish I had his hair.
Is it just me or should the Salvation Army get a cut of the 2011 All-Star sweater revenue. Here's the Salvation Army logo, and here are the two All-Star team jerseys.
All-Star participant and host team player Eric Staal says he would draft his team's goalie, Cam Ward, first, if he's named captain. Staal then went on to say he'd try to "ice" (translation = "pick") his brother Marc later in the draft.
Not a huge Justin Williams fan, probably due to his injury-riddled tendencies, but there's no denying he's having quite the year. Williams has 35 points (16, 19), a plus-12 rating, 45 PIM and 125 shots. I wonder what percentage of first place fantasy teams roster Williams?
Who's Hot
Patrice Bergeron - First career hat trick for 25-year-old center, who's already in his seventh NHL season. Looks like he's 100 percent back after several years of concussion worries.
Pekka Rinne - Five wins since New Year's Eve. He's allowed just one goal in each of those five contests.
Who's Cold
The Pittsburgh Penguins offense - Three goals in three games since Sidney Crosby got hurt. Throw secondary scoring recommendations like Chris Kunitz out the window until No. 87 returns.
Mathieu Garon - 23 goals allowed in his last five starts, all losses.
Daniel Alfredsson - Twenty-six points (13, 13) and a minus-12 rating for a healthy Alfie?
Recommended Pickup
Jussi Jokinen - He's back and scored two goals and added an assist Tuesday. Jokinen's producing at the same rate he did in 2009-10, when he compiled 65 points.
Projected Starting Goalies
Pittsburgh (Marc-Andre Fleury) at Montreal (Carey Price), 7:30 p.m.
Washington (Semyon Varlamov) at Tampa Bay (Dwayne Roloson), 7:30 p.m.
Colorado (Craig Anderson) at Chicago (Corey Crawford), 8:30 p.m.
St. Louis (Jaroslav Halak) at Anaheim (Jonas Hiller), 10:00 p.m.
Injury Roll Call
Pittsburgh vs. Montreal
Pittsburgh
Arron Asham - Probable, returned to practice Tuesday after missing Monday's game with virus.
Sidney Crosby - Out, didn't practice Monday or Tuesday, team hasn't given detailed update this week.
Montreal
Michael Cammalleri - Questionable, missed Tuesday's game and is day-to-day, check updates.
Washington vs. Tampa Bay
Washington
Alexander Semin - Questionable, missed Tuesday's tilt and isn't expected to play Weds. with groin.
Boyd Gordon - Questionable, also missed Tuesday but could return from foot Weds., check updates.
Tom Poti - Questionable, didn't play Tuesday due to undisclosed injury, has missed time w/concussion.
Tampa Bay
Sean Bergenheim - Questionable, missed both weekend games w/upper respiratory ailment.
Mike Smith - Out, expected to return to practice this week from knee injury.
Colorado vs. Chicago
Colorado
Cody McLeod - Out, returned to practice Monday but no timetable for return.
Kevin Shattenkirk - Questionable, missed Monday's practice and likely won't go Wednesday.
Paul Stastny - Probable, missed last week with illness but returned Monday, scoring goal.
Kyle Cumiskey - Questionable, has returned to practice and could return, check updates.
Chris Stewart - Questionable, activation anticipation during team's five-game homestand.
Chicago
No recent injury news reported.
St. Louis vs. Anaheim
St. Louis
T.J. Oshie - Out, still experiencing pain in left ankle, team hoping for return after All-Star break.
Anaheim
Ryan Getzlaf - Out, return from sinus fracture sometime between Jan. 25 and Feb. 8.
Transactions
Jon Matsumoto - Assigned by Carolina to AHL Charlotte.
Philip McRae - Recalled by St. Louis from AHL Peoria.
Ryan Reaves - Recalled by St. Louis from AHL Peoria.
T.J. Hensick - Assigned by St. Louis to AHL Peoria.
Mike Brodeur - Recalled by Ottawa from AHL Binghamton.
Jim O'Brien - Recalled by Ottawa from AHL Binghamton.
