The Daily Puck: T.J. Oshie is Back, Looking Sharp

The Daily Puck
by Kevin King

Philadelphia (Sergei Bobrovsky) vs. Chicago (Corey Crawford), 12:30 p.m

Philadelphia injuries:

No Relevant Injury News

Chicago injuries:

No Relevant Injury News

Florida (Scott Clemmensen) vs. New Jersey (Martin Brodeur), 3:00 p.m

Florida injuries:

Bryan McCabe (D) - Out; had surgery a week ago to repair a broken jaw and will miss three-to-five weeks.
Jay Garrison (D) - Doubtful for Sunday after re-aggravating groin injury that made him miss nine games earlier in the season.
Dmitri Kulikov (D) - Not expected to play Sunday, but did travel with the team to New Jersey.
Chris Higgins (LW) - Also not expected to play Sunday but did travel with the team and hopes to play before the All-Star break.
Tomas Vokoun (G) - Out for Sunday with undisclosed injury.

New Jersey injuries: 

Nick Palmieri (RW) - Questionable for Sunday; did not play Saturday due to upper body injury but coach Jacque Lemaire is hopeful he can take the ice against the Panthers.
Vladimir Zharkov (RW) - Questionable with an illness that caused him to miss Saturday's game against the Flyers. Most likely a game-time decision.
Colin White (D) - Questionable for Sunday after leaving Saturday's game against Philly with a lower body injury that the severity of which was not immediately known.

Buffalo (Ryan Miller) vs. N.Y Islanders (Rick DiPietro), 3:00 p.m

Buffalo injuries:

Patrick Kaleta (RW) - Out for Sunday with complications stemming from broken hand. Could be out through next weekend's All-Star break.
Tim Connolly (C) - Out on Sunday with hip flexor. Could also be out through All-Star break.
Drew Stafford (RW) - Out for Sunday with groin injury. Hopeful to return on Tuesday night.
Cody McCormick (RW) - Probable for Sunday after leaving Friday night's game due to an illness.

N.Y Islanders injuries:

Milan Jurcina (D) - Out; was placed on IR on Friday retroactive to Jan. 17 and will not be back until the beginning of February at the earliest.
Nathan Lawson (G) - Will not start Sunday and is day-to-day after injuring his knee in the first period of Friday night's win against the Sabres.
Rhett Rakhshani (RW) - Remains out, but resumed skating on Saturday as he recovers from a concussion.
Rick DiPietro (G) - Probable to start Sunday after staying in New York with an illness while the Isles traveled to Buffalo on Friday.

Atlanta (Ondrej Pavelec) vs. Tampa Bay (Dwayne Roloson), 5:00 p.m

Atlanta injuries:

Chris Mason (G) - Out; placed on IR earlier in the week and figures to be out through next weekend's All-Star break.
Evander Kane (C) - Out; a vaguely diagnosed "mid-body" injury has Kane sidelined without a real definitive timetable for his return.
Fredrik Modin (LW) - Out; was placed on IR with undisclosed injury on Wednesday.
Jim Slater (C) - Doubtful for Sunday after suffering a concussion earlier in the week.

Tampa Bay injuries:

No Relevant Injury News

Nashville (Pekka Rinne) vs. Edmonton (Devan Dubnyk), 8:00 p.m

Nashville injuries:

Francis Bouillon (D) - Out with upper body injury.
Marek Svatos (RW) - Out with lower body injury.

Edmonton injuries:

Sam Gagner (C) - Probable to return from bruised forearm injury on Sunday.
Nikolai Khabibulin (G) - Out for Sunday after missing his second straight practice on Saturday for undisclosed reasons.
Ales Hemsky (RW) - Out as he recovers from a concussion.
Gilbert Brule (C) - Out with ankle injury but is back on the practice ice and could return after next weekend's All-Star break.

TRANSACTIONS

Evgeni Nabokov (G) - Claimed on waivers by the N.Y Islanders.
Paul Byron (C) - Recalled from Portland by Buffalo.
Matt Ellis (C) - Recalled from Portland (AHL) by Buffalo.
J.P. Anderson (G) - Recalled from Mississauga (OHL) by San Jose.
Cory Emmerton (C) - Recalled from Grand Rapids (AHL) by Detroit.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Who's Hot

Nathan Gerbe (LW) Buffalo - Gerbe is playing inspired hockey of late, and has three goals in the last two games, netting twice on Friday night against the Islanders. He has four well-deserved PIMs in his last two games as well, as the little guy has gone into Napoleon mode.
Tim Thomas (G) Boston - Timmy has not lost in regulation in his last 11 appearances, including winning his last five. In those five games he has only allowed nine goals, despite having 176 shots put on him. This is what a Vezina winner looks like.
Lubomir Visnovsky (D) Anaheim - It's at a point where Visnovsky owners wonder what's wrong with the guy if he dares not to show up on the scoresheet once in a while. He has at least one point in seven of Anaheim's last eight games.

Who's Cold

Chris Drury (C) N.Y Rangers - Maybe it's the jaded Buffalo sports fan in me, but as long as he keeps doing nothing on the ice, I'm going to keep putting Drury's name in the "who's cold" section. He's great on face-offs, and a good two-way player, but still, there is no reason for him to have a 13-game pointless streak.
Dustin Penner (LW) Edmonton - Penner has had a really ugly week. In three games this week he is without a point, and is a minus-5. He has a chance to get back in the good graces of his owners Sunday night against the Preds after earning them negative points in weekly leagues.
Craig Anderson (G) Colorado - Anderson was yanked Saturday afternoon after giving up four goals in the first two periods. It doesn't help that he let five goals past him on Thursday night against Nashville. His 3.13 goals-against is worse than back-up Peter Budaj, who may not be the back-up much longer.

Recommended Pickup

T.J. Oshie (RW) St. Louis - Oshie got dropped in a lot of leagues once he hurt his ankle early in November, despite nine points (1 G, 8 A) in St. Louis' first eight games. Projections had him near 60 points heading into the season, yet he was thrown away by a lot of his owners. He's back, he looks sharp, and he's most likely the best wing option available in your league.