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Sharks re-sign Marleau and Pavelski

Sam.Vecenie — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:11:22 -0500

Update: The San Jose Sharks have agreed to terms with C Joe Pavelski and LW Patrick Marleau. Both are 4 year contracts, with Marleau's having a cap hit of 6.9M and Pavelski's a cap hit of 4M. Marleau set a career high in goals this season, with 44. Pavelski was instrumental in the Sharks run in the playoffs, scoring 8 goals and 17 points. He also has back to back seasons of 25 goals.

Fantasy Impact: Good signings for the Sharks. They needed both of these players to return to continue their success in the West. The Marleau signing means the Sharks will continue to have the best line in the NHL right now, with him along with Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton. Pavelski has been one of the best second line centers in the NHL over the past two seasons, and deserved to be paid like one. He's especially looked good each of the last two seasons in the playoffs and also in the Olympics for the United States.

Price rumors continue

jsavino — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:14:41 -0500

Update: Montreal Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier is trying to trade Carey Price. One team in the mix is the Philadelphia Flyers who Gauthier reportedly wants Claude Giroux from. The Flyers won't part with Giroux so that deal isn't going to happen.

Fantasy Impact: The Habs know they need to deal a goalie, and Price seems like the odd man out. It should be interesting to see if they move off their asking price for the young netminder.

Evgeni Nabokov could return

jsavino — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:08:01 -0500

Update: Sources tell Sharkspage's Jon Swenson that the San Jose Sharks are "leaning heavily" toward re-signing goalie Evgeni Nabokov. If Nabokov returns, he'll probably come at a cheaper rate. He carried a $5.375 million cap hit last season and, if he asks for something similar, that will prevent the Sharks from bringing back.

Fantasy Impact: Nabokov is probably the best choice for the Sharks, but it will be interesting to see if they are willing to pay him enough to not go test free agency.

Caps done with Morrison

jsavino — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 10:43:20 -0500

Update: The Washington Capitals do not plan to bring back forward Brendan Morrison next season, according to the Washington Post.

Fantasy Impact: Morrison was little impact to the Caps after a hot start. He will latch on with another team.

Setoguchi has surgery to repair hernia

jsavino — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:20:34 -0500

Update: San Jose Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi recently underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia, according to the San Jose Mercury-News.

Fantasy Impact: Setoguchi will be fine for training camp, but must come back and have a better season in 2010-11 as he clearly fell off the map down the stretch this past year.

Richards, Gagne, Carter must step up

jsavino — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:26:26 -0500

Update: As the Flyers head into Game 6 tonight of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, the team is desperate for a win to stave off elimination. The Flyers know they must get production from their top line of Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, and Simon Gagne, to get on the score sheet. The Hawks top line produced in Game 5, and the result was a win for them.

Fantasy Impact: Richards (two points), whose first-period goal sparked a 5-3 win in Game 4, is minus-6 in the Finals, while Carter (two points) is minus-5. That must change in Game 6.

Leighton to start Game 6

jsavino — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:21:55 -0500

Update: According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette has alluded to the fact the Michael Leighton will be the starting goalie for Game 6. "Our goaltender has the best numbers in the playoffs," Laviolette said after the Flyers' 45-minute skate yesterday afternoon. "I didn't think I had to announce it." Laviolette followed that by saying that he doesn't "comment on lineups or goaltenders."

Fantasy Impact: Laviolette then went on to give Leighton a verbal pat on the back. "I'm very confident in Michael," Laviolette said. "He's played excellent in the playoffs. His home numbers are terrific."

Flyers to go with 6 defenseman

jsavino — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:19:11 -0500

Update: According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette said he was unlikely to opt for five defensemen and 13 forwards instead of the usual six defensemen and 12 forwards. That would have opened up room for Dan Carcillo, who is likely to be scratched again tonight.

Fantasy Impact: Defenseman Oskars Bartulis played just 1 minute, 58 seconds in Game 5, and figures to be limited again in a pivotal Game 6.

Panthers sign Jacob Markstrom

jsavino — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:46:03 -0500

Update: The On Frozen Pond is reporting that Jacob Markstrom has inked an entry-level deal with the Florida Panthers. The Panthers confirmed the signing on Monday and added that he will be with the team in training camp this fall.

Fantasy Impact: Markstrom will most likely spend his time in the minors next season.

Sabres sign Jacob Legace

jsavino — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:42:58 -0500

Update: The Sabres Edge is reporting that Jacob Legace has signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the Buffalo Sabres. The contract will earn him $545,000 this coming season and $565,000 each of the next two years. He was a fifth-round pick, 134th overall, of Buffalo in the 2008 draft.

Fantasy Impact: Lagace posted 35 goals and 38 assists in 60 games in the QMJHL.

Mellanby returning to the Blues

jsavino — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:37:27 -0500

Update: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, is reporting that the St. Louis Blues have hired Scott Mellanby to serve as an assistant to head coach Davis Payne for next season. "I think first of all, I'm excited to be in this spot with St. Louis," said the former Blues player. "We made our home here, and it's a special place for us. And I'm really excited about being back with the team. It's coaching – I'm not playing anymore – but I really miss the daily ups and downs."

Fantasy Impact: Mellanby will be welcomed back to the Blues and he seems thrilled to have the chance to serve as an assistant coach.

Red Wings keep Lidstrom

jsavino — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:19:00 -0500

Update: The Detroit Red Wings and superstar defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom have agreed to a one-year deal, according to the Detroit News.

Fantasy Impact: Lidstrom won't retire and will return for his 19th year with the Wings. Lidstrom is on the tail end of his career, but there are a number of teams would love to have him on their blueline.

Lidstrom will be back

Grant.Freking — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:17:03 -0500

Update: Detroit Red Wings' defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom has signed a one-year contract with the team, accodring to ESPN. The contract is worth $6.2 million. Lidstrom, 40, had been contemplating retirement.

Fantasy Impact: Lidstrom has spent all 18 of his years in the league with Detroit.

Ladd uncertain for game 1

Scott.Western — Sat, 29 May 2010 09:08:55 -0500

Update: According to ESPNChicago.com, Chicago Blackhawks' left winger Andrew Ladd missed his third straight practice due to an upper body injury and he remains uncertain for game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight as the Blackhawks face the Philadelphia Flyers.

Fantasy Impact: In 16 playoff games, Ladd has 2 goals and 1 assist so while it looks like the Blackhawks could win without him, I think they would definitely miss him if his missed more than a game as he is a solid two-way forward.

Yzerman to be named Lightning GM

Sam.Vecenie — Tue, 25 May 2010 11:15:51 -0500

Update: Former Red Wings star and Hockey Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman will be accepting the Lightning's offer to become their new general manager, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. He has been their target ever since beginning their search at the end of the regular season. Yzerman has worked directly under Detroit's Ken Holland for 4 years and was the mastermind behind creating the Canadian roster that won Gold this year at the Olympics.

Fantasy Impact: Just by looking at the Lightning's results from the past two seasons you'd think Yzerman has his work cut out for him, but really this roster is laden with high end talent, such as Cs Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier, RW Martin St. Louis, and 2nd overall pick last year Victor Hedman. The first thing Yzerman will need to improve on is the defense. Over the past two years the defense has been so bad it's been impossible to tell whether or not G Mike Smith can be a starter in the NHL or not. If he can come out of this offseason with a better looking defense, he should consider it a win and I wouldn't be surprised to see this team go from the bottom of the standings to making the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Richards, Flyers win East

Scott.Western — Tue, 25 May 2010 07:30:03 -0500

Update: Thanks in large part to center Mike Richards, the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Montreal Canadiens in 5 games and have now punched their ticket to Stanley Cup Finals as Richards scored a goal and added 2 assists to help the Flyers beat the Canadiens 4-2 on Monday night.

Fantasy Impact: Richards is becoming a big time leader in the NHL for his club and his play has been backing this up. In 17 playoff games he has 21 points.

Byfuglien, Blackhawks advance

Scott.Western — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:28:05 -0500

Update: Hoping to win game 4 at home and sweep the San Jose Sharks, the Chicago Blackhawks did just that as right winger Dustin Byfuglien scored the game winner in the third period as the Blackhawks defeated the Sharks Sunday afternoon in Chicago. The win gave the Blackhawks a sweep of the Sharks and have now advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Fantasy Impact: After a slow start to his 2009 postseason, Byfuglien now has 10 goals in his last 10 games, including 4 goals in 4 games against the Sharks. Byfuglien is becoming a force for the Blackhawks right in front of our eyes.

Pyatt will be game-time decision

Sam.Vecenie — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:04:12 -0500

Update: F Tom Pyatt will be a game-time decision for tonight's Game 5 vs. the Flyers according to ESPN's Scott Burnside. He has what the team is calling an "upper body injury." F Mathieu Darche has been told he will be playing tonight. Pyatt did not skate with the team during today's morning skate.

Fantasy Impact: Not exactly a crushing blow, but it doesn't help nonetheless. Pyatt has been their best penalty killing forward during the playoffs. Considering Darche has been told he will play, that doesn't bode well for Pyatt's availability. Pyatt played 11 minutes in Saturday's Game 4 loss. The Flyers lead the series 3-1, so this is a must win for the Canadiens.

2 goals by Marleau not enough

Scott.Western — Sat, 22 May 2010 10:25:32 -0500

Update: Coming into a must win game 3 against the Chicago Blackhawks for the San Jose Sharks, center Patrick Marleau did all he could to help the Sharks try and win game 3 on Friday night as he scored both of his team's goals. Unfortunately for him and the Sharks, the Blackhawks scored three goals to win. Now down 3-0 in the Western Conference Finals, the Sharks are in serious trouble.

Fantasy Impact: Marleau has had an up and down postseason thus far but he has been playing better as of late. In 13 playoff games, Marleau has 7 goals and 5 assists. Marleau is set to become a UFA this summer.

Byfuglien nets OT winner

Scott.Western — Sat, 22 May 2010 10:17:21 -0500

Update: No doubt the biggest goal of his young career, Chicago Blackhawks forward Dustin Byfuglien scored the Overtime game winner as the Blackhawks defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Friday night. The win gives the Blackhawks a demanding 3-0 series lead over the Sharks in the Western Conference Final. Game 4 is Sunday afternoon on NBC.

Fantasy Impact: Byfuglien is having a solid postseason thus far as he has scored 7 goals while adding 2 assists in 15 games played. Byfuglien is becoming a a very solid NHL player and frequent contributor to the Blackhawks' success.

Leighton posts another shutout

jsavino — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:58:31 -0500

Update: Michael Leighton was a wall on Tuesday, stopping all 30 shots he faced as the Flyers shutout the Canadiens 3-0 to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Habs have now not scored in both games of the series.

Fantasy Impact: Leighton has not allowed a goal in this series and he has looked incredible since taking over for Brian Boucher. The Flyers are getting big time goal production in front of him, and this team is very dangerous.

Halak collapses...AGAIN

jsavino — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:48:15 -0500

Update: Jaroslav Halak was touched for three goals on just 23 shots Tuesday as the Canadiens fell 3-0 to the Flyers and now trail 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals as the series shifts to Montreal.

Fantasy Impact: Halak has been brutal after back to back standout performances against the Capitals and Penguins. The team isn't helping much on the offensive end, having not scored yet in the series.

Toews nets game winner

jsavino — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:45:56 -0500

Update: Jonathan Toews scored the game-winner and added an assist in Tuesday night's 4-2 win over the Sharks. The win gives the team a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Fantasy Impact: Toews has points in 11 straight playoff games. He is totally on fire, and he has three points in the first two games with the Sharks.

Carter unlikely to play

Scott.Western — Tue, 18 May 2010 12:28:08 -0500

Update: Scott Burnside of ESPN is reporting that Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said it was still "a stretch" to suggest injured center Jeff Carter would return to action in the Eastern Conference finals against Montreal.

Fantasy Impact: Carter, who has broke his foot back against the New Jersey Devils during their first round series and had surgery April 23rd, skated for the first time on Monday since surgery. Carter still has a chance to return if the Flyers make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, which would definately give the Flyers a scoring boost.

Sabres, Grier come to terms

Scott.Western — Tue, 18 May 2010 12:23:28 -0500

Update: The Associated Press is reporting that The Buffalo Sabres agreed to terms on a one-year contract with veteran forward Mike Grier. Grier, who could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, reached the deal with the Sabres on Monday.

Fantasy Impact: Grier, never one to light up the scoreboard, excels at being a gritty forward who has the ability to add scoring depth to a team. In 73 games this season with the Sabres, the 35 year-old had 10 goals and 12 assists.

Leighton shuts out Habs

Scott.Western — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:54:39 -0500

Update: Hoping to shut down the surprise team of the NHL playoffs, The Philadelphia Flyers did just that as goalie Michael Leighton made 28 saves as he and his Flyers shut out the Montreal Canadiens 6-0 in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals Sunday night in Philadelphia.

Fantasy Impact: Leighton's surprise season continues with each passing game. After taking over for Brian Boucher during the Flyers Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Boston Bruins. In 4 playoff games, Leighton has a superb .958 save percentage.

Niemi shuts down Sharks

Scott.Western — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:43:48 -0500

Update: A question mark for the Chicago Blackhawks all season long became a strength on Sunday afternoon as Blackhawks goalie Antti Niemi made 44 saves as he only allowed one goal to the San Jose Sharks to help the Blackhawks take the first game of the Western Conference Finals. The Blackhawks defeated the Sharks 2-1 as they now currently own the home-ice advantage.

Fantasy Impact: The 26 year old rookie is trying to put all the questions about his ability to lead the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Finals to rest and this type of showing will do just that. In 13 playoff games, Niemi has .918 save percentage.

Backstrom inks $67M contract

Grant.Freking — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:38:55 -0500

Update: 22-year-old Washington Capitals' center Nicklas Backstrom signed a 10-year, $67 million deal Monday to remain with the Capitals, the Associated Press is reporting. Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin combined for 210 points this year, making them the highest-scoring duo in the league. Backstrom set career highs with 33 goals and 68 assists this year.

Fantasy Impact: Backstrom is also extremely durable; he's yet to miss a game in three years. Ovechkin is in the third year of a 13-year, $124 million contract, so the Caps have now locked up their two best players.

Betts expected to play

Scott.Western — Fri, 14 May 2010 07:55:32 -0500

Update: According to Anthony Sanfilippo of the Trentonian is reporting that the Philadelphia Flyers expect thier checking line center, Blair Betts, who left game 6 early after hurting his shoulder, is expected to play in tonight's gmae 7 against the Boston Bruins.

Fantasy Impact: This is good news for the Flyers who obviously need to win to keep their season alive. Betts is a very valuable player for the Flyers as his is an excellent defensive hockey player and one of their top penalty killers.

Coyotes deal youngest Staal to Carolina

Sam.Vecenie — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:43:03 -0500

Update: The Phoenix Coyotes have dealt the rights to F Jared Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes in return for a 5th round draft pick in the upcoming 2010 NHL draft.

Fantasy Impact: Staal was the Coyotes 2nd round pick in 2008, and is without a doubt the least skilled of the Staal clan. Brothers Eric, Jordan, and Marc have all made their mark somehow to this point in the NHL, with Eric and Jordan having Stanley Cup championships to their name. To trade a 2nd rounder of two years ago for a 5th rounder obviously means that the youngest Staal wasn't panning out as the Coyotes expected. Hopefully he'll be able to right the ship when he begins playing with the Canes AHL affiliate in Albany. Maybe one day he'll even get a chance to play with brother Eric, who is the captain of the Hurricanes.

Fleury pulled as Pens eliminated

Scott.Western — Wed, 12 May 2010 21:53:31 -0500

Update: Hoping to play his best to help his Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Montreal Canadiens in tonight's game 7, Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was less than spectacular as he allowed four goals on only 13 shots before being pulled in the 2nd period. The Penguins lost the game 5-2 thus being eliminated by the Canadiens.

Fantasy Impact: Fleury has been known to be a very streaky goalie since he was a rookie almost 7 years ago and this postseason was no exception. His inconsistent play is a big reason why the Penguins will not repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.

Halak forces Game 7

jsavino — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:15:46 -0500

Update: Jaroslav Halak turned away 34-of-37 shots on Monday night, helping the Canadiens edge the Penguins 4-3, and force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Fantasy Impact: Halak was the reason the Habs knocked off the Caps in round one, and he is on the verge of helping to pull off yet another stunner. Stay tuned.

Leighton to take over for Flyers

jsavino — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:13:17 -0500

Update: Michael Leighton turned aside all 14 shots he faced in relief of Brian Boucher who was injured in the second period of the team's playoff game on Monday night.

Fantasy Impact: The Flyers have forced a Game 6 back in Philly on Wednesday night. Michael Leighton will most likely be the team's netminder from here on out.

Boucher done for playoffs

jsavino — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:08:31 -0500

Update: According to CBC's Jeff Marek, Philadelphia Flyers netminder Brian Boucher was forced from Philadelphia's playoff showdown with Boston in the second period on Monday. Boucher hurt both his legs in the second period.

Fantasy Impact: Michael Leighton took his place and turned aside all the shots he faced.

Markov out but Gil optimistic

Scott.Western — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:32:11 -0500

Update: Scott Burnside of ESPN is reporting Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov will not play in tonight's do-or-die sixth game against the Penguins, but fellow defenseman Hal Gill skated in full equipment after the morning skate and is a game-time decision despite suffering a cut to his leg in Game 5 Saturday.

Fantasy Impact: Markov being out makes Gil's potential loss that much more significant. In 8 playoff games, Markov has 4 assists while Gil has one assist in 12 games.

Gill hoping to play tomorrow

Scott.Western — Sun, 09 May 2010 18:38:32 -0500

Update: Rotoworld.com is reporting that Montreal Canadiens Defensemen Hal Gill remains hopeful that he will be able to play tomorrow for the Canadiens as his team faces and elimination game tomorrow night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at home. Gill was cut by Chris Kunitz of the Penguins on his leg during last night's 2-1 loss.

Fantasy Impact: The Canadiens cannot afford to lose one of their veteran defensemen as they try to stave off elimination. As a big defensemen, Gill is ver valuable to a team as he helps clear the area in front of his net to help give his goalie a better view of the puck.

Thornton helps Sharks advance

Scott.Western — Sun, 09 May 2010 10:28:43 -0500

Update: Hoping to take care of the Detroit Red Wings and eliminate them on their home ice, the San Jose Sharks, with the help of Center Joe Thornton, did just that. Thornton contributed to both Sharks' goals as he scored one and added an assist to help the Sharks beat the Red Wings 2-1 and eliminate the Red Wings in 5 games. Next up for the Sharks is the winner of the Chicago-Vancouver series in the Western Conference Finals.

Fantasy Impact: If the Sharks are going to win this years Stanley Cup Finals, they are going to need Joe Thornton to step up and play to his abilities. Thus far, he has done just that as he has tallied 3 goals and 8 assists in 11 postseason games.

Toews' hat trick lifts Chicago

Scott.Western — Sat, 08 May 2010 09:40:47 -0500

Update: Heading into game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinal tied 1-1 with the Vancouver Canucks, the Chicago Blackhawks got a huge lift from their captain and center Jonathan Toews as he registered his first career playoff hat trick while adding 2 assists as the Blackhawks defeated the Canucks 7-4 on Friday night in Vancouver.

Fantasy Impact: Toews is having a very impressive postseason so far as he as scored 5 goals while adding 13 assists in 10 games thus far. Toews is quickly establishing himself as one of the young stars in the NHL.I expect his strong play to continue.

Gagne, Flyers stay alive

Scott.Western — Sat, 08 May 2010 09:34:29 -0500

Update: Coming back from an injured toe, Simone Gagne, the Left Winger for the Philadelphia Flyers scored the game winning goal in overtime to prevent the Flyers from being swept by the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Friday night. Game 5 will be played in Boston on Monday night.

Fantasy Impact: Gagne returned just in the nick of time to help the Flyers stave off elimination and live to play another game. In 5 games this post season, Gagne has 1 goal and 2 assists.

Gagne may play in Game 4

jsavino — Fri, 07 May 2010 09:29:26 -0500

Update: ESPN is reporting Philadelphia Flyers forward Simon Gagne has returned to the ice a little more than two weeks after he broke a toe on his right foot and is questionable for Friday's Game 4 against the Boston Bruins. Gagne was a surprise participant at Thursday's practice.

Fantasy Impact: The Bruins hold a 3-0 series lead and are one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1992.

Guerin not in lineup

Scott.Western — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:08:56 -0500

Update: ESPN's Scott Burnside has reported that Pittsburgh Penguins veteran winger Bill Guerin has been ruled out of tonight's game 4 against the Montreal Canadiens with an undisclosed injury.

Fantasy Impact: Losing a veteran forward like Guerin will definitely be a loss for the Penguins as he adds a strong veteran presence to the young Penguins team. In 8 games this postseason, he has 3 goals and 5 assists.

Bruins lose Krejci

jsavino — Thu, 06 May 2010 09:16:30 -0500

Update: The Boston Globe is reporting that Bruins forward David Krejci may have a broken wrist after being blasted by a hit from Flyers captain Mike Richards early in the first period.

Fantasy Impact: The Bruins appear to have this series locked up with a 3-0 lead, but losing Krejci for the Eastern Conference Finals would be a major loss as this team already struggles to score goals.

Pavelski turning heads

Scott.Western — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:12:04 -0500

Update: Although it might be too early to talk about potential Conn Smyth winners for playoff MVP, the leading candidate so far has got to be San Jose Sharks forward Joe Pavelski. Coming off a two goal and three point performance in the Sharks 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, Pavelski now leads all playoff goal scorers with 9 goals while adding 5 assists. The Sharks currently lead the best of seven series with the Red Wings 2-0.

Fantasy Impact: It's been a magical playoffs for Pavelski thus far as he is really helping the Sharks try and get over the playoff hump. A series win over the Red Wings will give them all the confidence in the world as they move forward this postseason.

Flyers D-men play big minutes

Geno_Nevertegi — Sat, 01 May 2010 17:08:29 -0500

Update: The Philadelphia Flyers lost Game one of the Eastern Conference Semi Finals on Saturday 5-4 in overtime to the Bruins. The team trailed a number of times before surging back late in the third period to tie the game. Chris Pronger, Matt Carle and Kimmo Timonen all topped 30 minutes of ice time for the Flyers in the loss.

Fantasy Impact: Pronger is the difference in this series. He was brought in to be the anchor on the blueline, and he was just that in round one, and will be called upon in round two to get it done. Expect this to be a long series.

B's could lose Sturm

Geno_Nevertegi — Sat, 01 May 2010 17:04:21 -0500

Update: Boston Bruins left winger Marco Sturm left Saturday's game in the first shift favoring his right leg. He couldn't even get to his skates to leave the ice until a trainer came out to help him at the first whistle.

Fantasy Impact: Losing Sturm in this series would be huge for the Bruins who just got back Marc Savard. The B's won game one in overtime, but this is going to be a long series, and they cannot afford to have players going down.

Savard nets OT winner

Scott.Western — Sat, 01 May 2010 15:08:50 -0500

Update: Playing his first game since suffering a concussion two months ago, Boston Bruins forward Marc Savard scored the game winning goal in overtime as the Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on Saturday afternoon in the first game of their Eastern Conference Semifinal playoff game.

Fantasy Impact: Savard couldn't of asked for a better start to his playoff season. An overtime game will defeinately help Savard get his conditioning back to form as he is a very important player for the Bruins.

Staal has surgery, day-to-day

Scott.Western — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:02:00 -0500

Update: According to Scott Burnside of ESPN, Pittsburgh Penguins center Jordan Staal had surgery to repair a damaged tendon on the top of his foot but will not miss the remainder of the playoffs. Staal was cut by the skate of Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban during a collision near the Pittsburgh blueline midway through the Penguins' 6-3 victory over the Canadiens Friday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Fantasy Impact: The 21 year old Staal has yet to miss a game due to injury in his young career although it appears as if he will miss game 2 tomorrow night. So far in the postseason, Staal has 2 goals and 2 assists.

Pavelski leads Sharks past Wings in Game 1

Sam.Vecenie — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:28:30 -0500

Update: C Joe Pavelski led the way for the Sharks with two goals and one assist in a 4-3 win against the Red Wings. The Sharks put together a 1:19 stretch in the first period where they scored 3 goals, the first of which was by Pavelski. RWs Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley also added goals in the first period flurry.

Fantasy Impact: This is a big win for the Sharks. It wasn't a must-win, but they are a team that has had it's struggles in the playoffs before, so to get ahead early defitniely helps their cause. The Red Wings after that 3 goal stretch were the better team, but you can't expect to win after giving up 3 first period goals. G Evgeni Nabokov was solid as well, which will be a key for this team going forward given his past big game struggles.

Halak superb as Canadiens down Caps, win decisive Game 7

Sam.Vecenie — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:23:05 -0500

Update: G Jaroslav Halak stood on his head for the 8th seeded Canadiens as they defeated the 1st seeded Caps 2-1 in the decisive Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Halak made 41 saves. D Marc-Andre Bergeron scored on the power play in the 1st period, and C Dominic Moore added the insurance goal late in the 3rd to seal the deal. The Canadiens blocked 41 shots on the night.

Fantasy Impact: This has to be a major disappointment for the Capitals, who it seems are more built towards being a regular season juggernaut than a playoff powerhouse. They need to seriously consider making over their team this offseason, starting with Coach Bruce Boudreau. Also, LW Alexander Semin may be moved as well after his immense playoff disappointment, not scoring a single goal this series after scoring 40 in the regular season.

The Canadiens now move on to face the Penguins, who beat the Senators in 6 games. The series will begin on Friday in Pittsburgh, meaning the Canadiens don't get much of a layoff before having to jump right back into another series. The Canadiens will have to count again on Halak to lead the way to beat the defending Stanley Cup champions. Halak led the Canadiens to a 32/33 mark on the penalty kill against the NHL's top regular season unit. If he plays like he did against the Capitals, the Canadiens have a chance to defeat any team in their path.

Savard cleared to play in East semis

Sam.Vecenie — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:04:57 -0500

Update: Bruins C Marc Savard has been cleared to play in Game 1 of the Bruins next series according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Savard has been out since March 7, due to the controversial hit by Penguins LW Matt Cooke.

Fantasy Impact: Savard battled injuries early in the year as well, and only ended up with 33 points in 41 games. However he is their best playmaking center. The Bruins will begin either on Friday or Saturday depending on the outcome of tomorrow's Game 7 in the Eastern Conference quarters between the Capitals and the Canadiens. If the Candiens win, the Bruins will play the Flyers, and if Washington wins, Savard will get a rematch with the team that knocked him out in the Penguins.