The season is half way complete, but with the trade deadline a couple weeks away and fantasy playoffs quickly approaching, you are running out of time to fix your lineup in time for it to matter. 

WHO'S HOT

The obvious entry in this slot in Crosby's line.  Kunitz and Dupuis are working magic with the best player in the world.  Let's move on to the less obvious…

Chris Stewart (STL)

After a slow start (ok, a slow couple of years), Stewart is showing flashes of the brilliance that had his name in the conversation for "top power forward".  Since the calendar flipped to March, he can certainly make a case for that title.  Stewart has piled up 6 goals and 7 assists through 8 games this month.  The PIMs and +/- are coming along as well, making him once again an all-around good guy for your fantasy lineup.

Michael Ryder (MON)

Ryder has been one of the most under-rated fantasy forwards over the past decade.  He continues to quietly put up goals year after year without fanfare as he moves from town to town.  Since arriving in Montreal, he has picked up his assist totals, amassing 9 points in 8 games.  He has 3 multi-point contests in the past 5 outings.

Sergei Bobrovsky (G-COB)

No goaltender is as hot as the man in Columbus.  He hasn't lost a game in regulation since February, going 5-0-2 in the process, while averaging less than 1 GAA.  It's probably too late for you to cash in on this mad streak, but he deserves a nod in this space.

Jonas Hiller (G-ANA)

Apparently, Hiller wasn't willing to just step aside and allow Fasth to claim his job after all.  He has reclaimed the crease with an amazing run, going 7-0-1 over this last 8 starts.

Shea Weber (D-NAS)

Weber got off to a tragic start, waiting until Valentine's Day to wake up and contribute.  Since then, he's back to being an offensive beast for Nashville.  His last couple of weeks have been particularly productive, with 6 points in his last 5 games.  He's back.

Ryan Suter (D-MIN)

Speaking of Weber and defensive beasts, his former partner has been exploding on offensive over the same timeframe.  In his last 16 games, he has piled up 17 points.  Doesn't get much better than that.

WHO'S COLD / TIME TO DROP?

If you're going to make room for a new edition, you obviously need to let someone go.  Though it's tough to part company, here are some guys that it may be time to cut ties with...

Joe Pavelski (F-SJ)

Just 1 goal and 1 assist over the past 10 games.  He's even seen his ice time dive down to the 16 minute range as of late.  I'm a big believer in Pavelski and expect him to wake up at some point, but it's hard to keep the faith with these numbers in a short season.

David Clarkson (F-NJ)

Clarkson was a monster at the start of the season, even leading the league in goal scoring through the first month.  Since then, he has disappeared completely.  He has zero goals and just 2 assists through his last 13 games.

Dany Briere (F-PHI)

After a hot streak through February, Briere has disappeared offensively.  He hasn't put up a point in 5 games, with a -8 rating during that stretch.  His ice time is in the 4th liner territory.  Drop him and don't look back.

WHO'S HURT

• Viktor Fasth (G-ANA) - upper body, day-to-day
• Patrick Sharp (F-CHI) - upper body, IR
• Jamie Benn (F-DAL) - wrist, day-to-day
• Entire Florida Panthers lineup
• Raphael Diaz (D-MON) - concussion, IR
• Evgeni Malkin (F-PIT) -upper body, day-to-day

WAIVER WATCH

Brent Burns (D-SJ)

Burns just returned from a series of injuries.  Before this week, he had no points and sat at a -5 on the year.  In his two games since returning, he has been utilized as a forward, which has resulted in 2 goals and 1 assist, while maintaining the valuable "D" designation on the roster.  Take advantage now!

Ryan Whitney (D-EDM)

After a dark period of healthy scratches, Whitney apparently got the message.  In his last 8 games, he's put up 3 goals and 2 assists.

Slava Voynov (D-LA)

Last year, Voynov hit a stretch where he took off as a top fantasy option.  He seems to be back there again as of late.  9 points in his last 8 games for the Kings.

Jake Allen (G-STL)

It may be a short-term situation, but Jake Allen has kicked Halak and Elliot to the curb, as he's gotten the Blues back to winning.  He has gone 7-1 on the season and has gotten the nod in 4 of the last 5 starts for the Blues (all wins), including a shutout last night.

Derek Stepan (F-NYR)

Stepan has been developing into a feature role with the Rangers for a couple of years now.  It seems from a fantasy perspective he has arrived.  He has totaled up 9 points in his last 8 games.

The landscape of fantasy hockey changes very quickly.  Just look at the San Jose.  Two weeks into the season, you couldn't go wrong with a lineup stacked with Sharks.  Since the calendar turned to February, no team has been worse.  At the same time, owners were ready to bail on the likes of Kessel, Ovechkin, and Kovalchuk.  Don't look now, but all 3 are hot.  It's critical to stay on top of the trends, which is why you're going to continue scrolling down this article...

WHO's HOT

Phil Kessel (O-TOR)

It took him 10 games before acquiring his first goal; however, it has been a sweet ride since he broke through.  7 points in his last 4 games.

Alex Ovechkin (O-WAS)

After the worst start to his career, he has shown some good signs of life lately.  He has 7 points in his last 4 games and is currently riding a 3 game goal streak.

Cam Ward (G-CAR)

It was a tough start, but the wins and quality performances have started to come around for Ward.  He has won 4 of 5 starts.

Patrick Elias (O-NJ)

8 points in his last five games, including 2 straight 3-point nights.

WHO's COLD

The fast-starting rookies are dropping off:

Nail Yakupov (O-EDM)

Following a 6 game scoring streak, Yakopov hasn't seen the scoresheet in the last 3 contests.

Cory Conacher (O-TB)

After a stunning start to the season, Conacher has hit a wall.  He's now gone 5 games without a point, heading into Thursday night.

Dougie Hamilton (D-BOS)

After a strong, much heralded start, the rookie has dried up offensively.  6 game scoreless run right now.

Brian Elliot (G-STL)

After a fast start, Elliot and the Blues have crashed and burned following the injury to Halak.  Nothing but losses and four straight games allowing 4+ goals.  He's being dropped all over the place.  May be the time to stash him on the bench, as this won't last forever.

Marian Gaborik (O-NYR)

Mr. Streaky has just 1 stinkin' point in the last 7 games.

WHO's HURT

• Jonas Hiller (G-ANA) - lower body injury.
• Mikka Kiprusoff (G-CGY) - sprained MCL

• Erik Karlsson (D-OTT) - achilles.  Out indefinitely.

• Jaroslav Halak (G-STL) - still toying with a return date.
• James Reimer (G-TOR) - strained MCL.  Who knows when?

WAIVER WATCH

Jiri Tlusty (O-CAR)

Tlusty has been mixing well with the older Staal lately, compiling a nice 9 points in the last 6 games.  He is coming off back to back 2-goal performances going into Thursday night.

Mike Cammalleri (O-CGY)

I wrote this guy off years ago. Mostly from banging my head against the wall.  The Flames are starting to put up goals and Cammalleri is part of that action.  He had a 3-game vacation with a hip flexor, but sandwiched around that were 7 points in 2 games. 

Chris Stewart (O-STL)

Stewart has been a big disappointment since arriving in St. Louis; however, the streaky winger has been showing signs of life lately.  He has 2 multi-point games in the last 3 games.  Keep an eye on him.

Brayden Schenn (O-PHI)

Schenn has piled up 7 points in the last 7 games as he continues to gain ice time and a more prominent role with his new team.

Alex Steen (O-STL)

Steen continues to roll, and therefore, continues to disappear from waiver wires, but he still remains in many leagues.  He has 12 points in 13 games, including 8 points in the last 7 games.

Cody Franson (D-TOR)

Somebody just stepped it up on the Toronto blueline.  His name is Cody Franson.  Riding a 4-game point streak, he has an impressive 8 points in 10 games, yet remains unclaimed in many leagues.  He's hitting his prime now at age 25, so jump on it now.

Ben Scrivens (G-TOR)

It's unclear how long Reimer will be out, or how long until the new management team in Toronto pulls the trigger for a new man in net.  For now, it falls on Scrivens.  Toronto has been winning games, so if you're desperate for goalie starts, it's worth a look at Scrivens.

Michal Jordan (D-CAR)

No idea if this guy will be able to translate offensive success into the NHL, but it's his name is Michal Jordan, and he will be starting his career in North Carolina.  Different sport, but history shows this might be a good thing.

Believe it or not, after this weekend we will be 1/4 through this NHL season already.  If your league has playoffs, you may be a 1/3 through the regular season already.  In other words, if you don't like your team by now, you'd better act quick.  Fortunately, we're hear to help.  Here is this week's edition of the fantasy hockey planner:

WHO's HOT

Pittsburgh.  Kunitz.  Crosby. Malkin.  Dupuis.  Even Matt Cooke is starting to put points on the board.

Patrick Kane

Kane has been inconsistent in recent years, but he has come out on fire this season.  The hotness continues, with 6 goals and 8 points in his last 4 games.

Henrik Zetterberg

Similar story for Hank.  With 4 goals and 5 assists over his last 5 games, he's risen near the top of the scoring leaders.

Pekka Rinne (G-NAS)

After a sluggish start, Rinne is on fire.  He's won 4 straight, allowing just 3 goals during that span.

Sheldon Souray (D-ANA)

Seems like he has a new sweater every year, but one thing stays the same: he scored goals.  He's potted one in each of the last 3 games, giving him 4 on the season.  That's more goals than Kessel, Sharp, Hall, Richards, Nash, Semin, Ryan, and many other goal-scoring forwards.

WHO's COLD

In terms of goals, see Souray's file above… here are a few more disappointments:

Jordan Eberle (F-EDM)

Just one lousy assist in the last 5 games. This guy was supposed to challenge the leading scorers this year.

Mikko Koivu (F-MIN)

Those good vibes to start the season on fire with Parise have vanished.  Four straight games without a point.  -3 over that span.

Rick Nash (F-NYR)

Just one point in his last 4 games.  Ice time is starting to be reduced.

Milan Michalek (F-OTT)

After a solid start, he's registered just 1 assist in the last 5 games.  Somebody missing Spezza?

Evander Kane (F-WPG)

3 games without seeing his name on the scoresheet.  He did register 7 shots on goal last night.  Need one to go in now, Evander.

Marian Gaborik (F-NYR)

Is there a streakier human being on the planet?  After four straight games without a point, he broke through with a goal last night.  Guess it's time for another hat trick, Marian?

Shea Weber (D-NAS)

You're killing me, Shea.  1 lousy point on the season?  Please don't look where I had him ranked pre-season.

WHO's HURT

• Cam Fowler (D-ANA) - upper body injury
• Brad Marchand (F-BOS) - same
• Ray Whitney (F-DAL) - lower body injury
• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (F-EDM) - upper body, day to day
• Patric Hornqvist (F-NAS) - sprained knee
• Jaroslav Halak (G-STL) - practicing, but not ready to play yet

WAIVER WATCH

Viktor Fasth (G-ANA)

You may have already missed the boat on this one.  Fasth isn't your typical rookie up for a cup of coffee.  He's 30 years old and has had success in Europe.  Now, he's challenging Hiller for the job in Anaheim.  4-0 so far in his NHL career with a GAA under 1.

Colin Wilson (F-NAS)

The Preds are quietly making their move, and 3rd year winger Colin Wilson is leading the charge.  He has 6 points over the last 3 games.

Martin Hanzal (F-PHO)

Seems to be recovered from some early season injury woes, and is running the show in Phoenix.  4 goals and 1 assist over the last 4 games for the Coyotes.

Andy Greene (D-NJ)

Before last week, it was foolish to suggest the name Andy Greene on a fantasy hockey website.  However, 2 goals and 4 assists later, he deserves a nod.

Jiri Hudler (F-CGY)

The Flames are a team worth looking at in fantasy circles.  They've played just 8 games, meaning you can take advantage of those extra games going forward.  Hudler is on to consider.  7 point in 5 games this season.

We're two whole weeks into the 2013 fantasy hockey season, which means it's time to revive the weekly fantasy hockey planner.  As in seasons of old, each Friday you should plan to spend your lunch break catching up on the latest news, trends, and fantasy advice right here.  Whether traditional season-long fantasy games is your thing, or if you've gotten hooked on daily leagues, I'll try and give you an edge over your competition. 

WHO's HOT

Really, it's still pointless to talk about who's hot.  Just look at the point standings.  It's all Sharks, Hawks, and Bolts.  Come back next week for a more relevant conversation on this topic.

WHO's HURT

Got to stay on top of those injuries.  Here's the latest with big-time fantasy impact:

• Jason Spezza (F-OTT) - out indefinitely

• Justin Faulk (D-CAR) - recovered and should be back in action soon
• Gabriel Landeskog (F-COL) - day-to-day
• Steve Downie (F-COL) - out for the season.  Time to drop.
• Scott Hartnell (F-PHI) - broken foot.  Not good.
• Joffrey Lupul (F-TOR) - broken arm.  Not good.

EARLY WAIVER SURPRISES

Most likely, if you haven't jumped on board with these quick starters, it's too late.  But if you're in a sleepy league, here are some monster surprises to start this unconventional season:

• Andrei "The Zombie" Markov (D-MON) - how many times can this guy come back from the dead?  After three straight injury-riddled seasons, most of us had given up caring.  Many (count me in) assumed he would never be a fantasy factor again.  Yet, here he is, #1 on the charts among defensemen in points and goals.  How long until he's back on the IR?  Doesn't matter.  If it's not too late, claim him now.
• Vladamir Teresenko (F-STL) - I'll admit.  Never heard of him before last week.  Guess I didn't catch enough of those KHL games during the Dark Ages (aka lockout months).  Through 7 NHL games, he has 5 goals and 9 points, playing alongside Andy McDonald and Alex Steen.  Trust me, you're probably too late for this bandwagon.
• Cory Conacher (F-TB) - Another rookie bursting out to a fantastic start.  He's partially part of the rising tide in Tampa Bay (ranked #1 in goals scored so far).  And he's doing it without the help of Stamkos and St. Louis.  Good news or bad?  In other words, should we trust the Captain LeCavalier can keep it rolling enough to make Conacher a long-term play?  Worth taking a flier on if he's still free.
• David Clarkson (F-NJ) - The loss of Parise hasn't hurt the fortunes of Mr. Clarkson.  And if your league favors well-round stat producers (beyond goals and assists), Clarkson is gold.  In addition to healthy point totals, he has strong numbers in hits, PIMs and shots.
• Sam Gagner (F-EDM) - While the focus has shifted to the younger guns in Edmonton, Gagner is still a young gun himself.  Despite being at just 23 years old, many have pushed him to back burner with the arrival of all the other 1st round forwards to crash the Oilers bench.  Don't forget, this guy had a couple of crazy games about this time last year. 

ON WAIVER WATCH

If you missed the first round of waiver claims, here are a few more recent risers that haven't hit the top 40 in scoring yet:

• Wade "The Other Zombie" Redden (D-STL) - so, this is Redden's first official trip back from the grave.  Now that the Rangers have opened the tomb and allowed him to stumble West into a fine Blues defense, he's back to being fantasy relevant.  2 goals in first 3 games is a nice start, but apparently, the undead are not immune to the flu.  He'll be sitting this weekend, but it's worth stashing him on your bench for when the sniffles go away.
• Matt Frattin (F-TOR) - after just 4 games with limited ice time in Toronto, Frattin has piled up a nice 4 goals and 2 assists.  Should his ice time increase, he could be a player worth seizing in the weeks to come.
• John Mitchell (F-COL) - With O'Reilly still out of the picture, Mitchell has recently seized the opportunity in Colorado.  He just registered a 3-point effort against Calgary, giving him 4 goals in 7 games.
• Frans Nielsen (F-NYI) - The Islanders just keep scoring.  While the top line may be gone in your league, it's a safe bet that Nielsen, and his 7 points in 7 games are still available.

FUTURE WAIVER WATCH

If you're playing in a deep league, or just want to stay ahead of the curve, here are a few off-the-radar players to keep an eye on for the next few days:

• Alex Galchenyuk (F-MON) - Currently logging 3rd line minutes, but making the most of it for Montreal.  The 18 year old rookie has 5 points in his first 6 NHL games.
• Zach Boychuck (F-PIT) - The first round draft pick of Carolina couldn't stick with the Canes, but struck potential gold this week when he was claimed off waivers by the Penguins.  Word is, he'll get an audition next to guys named Malkin and Neal.  Tasty.
• Mika Zibanejad (F-OTT) - Just claim him for the name.  Somebody will have to pick up those minutes left behind by Spezza's injury.  2 points in 2 games so far.  Let's see what he does with top tier wingers and more than 10 minutes of playing time a night.

If you're trying out daily fantasy, use my referral codes.  Please.

Draftstreet:

http://www.draftstreet.com/register.aspx?r=LANDSHARK

Fanduel:

http://www.fanduel.com/?invitedby=landsharkhockey&cnl=da

Daily Joust:

http://dailyjoust.com/contests/?refer=Landsharkhockey

Draft Day:

http://www.draftday.com/go/landshark

As a follow up to my previous article on CBS Fantasy Hockey Draft Strategy, I wanted to come back with a breakdown of how you should approach drafting in a standard head-to-head Yahoo league.  Many of the principals are the same as CBS (and any league for that matter), so if you missed it, check it out here:

http://www.landsharkhockey.com/post/2013/01/16/2013-CBS-NHL-Fantasy-Draft-Strategy.aspx

For now, I'll focus on the specific things you need to know for Yahoo Fantasy Hockey leagues in order to draft a winning team.

Roster Limits

The first thing to note about the standard Yahoo settings is that they choose to break down forwards by specific position (C, LW, RW), as opposed to grouping wingers, or all forwards together.  This has a noticeable impact on your strategy.  It used to be on Yahoo, that Left Wingers came at a premium; however, this year they dramatically opened up the number of players that qualify at multiple positions.  That designation is gold here.  The flexibility gives you far more options when it comes to setting your day to day lineup.  So, while I would otherwise favor Stamkos and Crosby over Malkin, he's the only one of the three to (arbitrarily) be granted C/LW status.  That makes the reigning MVP the best option on offense this year.  I can't over-emphasize the edge that this gives you to have that flexibility.

I/R Spot

Yahoo has a unique option that lets you carry one player on the IR that won't count against your other roster spots.  Take advantage of this throughout the season, and even during the draft.  I recommend drafting a player you know will start the season injured (e.g. Kesler).  At the start of the season, you can put him into the IR spot and you'll have a free pick to backfill it.  Always look to pick up hurt stars and keep the spot filled.

Point System

As opposed to CBS, which awards fantasy points based on stats, the standard head-to-head Yahoo leagues are scored on an old-school rotisserie fashion.  (Note: this is one major reason I rarely play on Yahoo.)  This setup affects your strategy in several major ways.

1. Pay attention to all categories. 

In a points based system, +/- can largely be ignored.  In a Yahoo league,  having the best +/- is just as important as goals.  This makes no logical sense, but that's the way it is, so plan your draft accordingly.  If a guy is notoriously bad in +/- or refuses to take a penalty to save his life, downgrade that player. 

2. Goons are welcome. 

Because penalty minutes are valued equal to goals, why not draft a goon to round out your wingers?  One player could single-handedly win that category for you, so even if Zenon Konopka  only nets you 2 goals again next season, his 15 Pims a week may be worth it.

3. Bring on the backup goalies. 

Total goals allowed and saves matter not here.  It's all about the averages (GAA / save %).  What that means is that a workhorse who may lead the league in saves won't necessarily be as valuable as a guy who plays every other game and puts up a low GAA in the process.  So don't necessarily shy away from backups or goalies in a split-crease scenario.  You have to meet a minimum games played each week, so the best strategy here it to grab a top-notch, # 1 goalie early in the draft, then wait it out for your 2nd goalie.  There will be plenty of solid backups out there into the 10th round and beyond.   Options like the split crease in St. Louis become viable, as they'll both see a game or two a week and should register decent numbers behind that solid Blues defense.  In a points-based league, these two would slide to late in the draft.  This approach may hold you back in wins and shutouts, but you'll benefit in the other categories.

4. Sadly, Defense is irrelevant

It breaks my heart to say this, but in this format, you can and should treat defense as an afterthought.  If you can grab one of the top 5 defensemen early, go for it, because the talent level drops off significantly after that.  Karlsson and Weber will score like a forward and so they are worthy of early selection.  However, since defense and offense are grouped together in Yahoo leagues for scoring, they have relatively little value.  Best plan is to grab 1 elite defenseman if you can early, get your second D around round 8-10, then fill up your other starting spots before rounding out this position.

Draft Room Rules

Unlike CBS, Yahoo leaves you the keys and lets you drive your car how you please.  There is no restriction on the number of players you can draft at any position.  If you want to fill your bench with 4 goalies, you're free to do so.  I only point this out, as it's a dramatic difference from the approach in CBS.  Here, you're free to take the best player available at all times.

Player Rankings

Finally, take a close look at those Yahoo player rankings and play off of them accordingly.  The average GM will tend to follow Yahoo's picks rather blindly.  Be informed and watch for these situations.

Undervalued

Here are some undervalued players that you can wait on and grab as a steal later than you would in other draft rooms:

Goalies: Halak!, Fleury, Lindback

Defense: Kronwall, Ekman-Larsson, Carlson

Centers: Nugent-Hopkins, Benn (despite the contract issues), Skinner

Left Wing: Lupul, Pacioretty, Clowe

Right Wing: Gaborik, Vrbata, Michalek

Overvalued

Here are some names that will fly off the board before their time, based on Yahoo overrating them:

Goalies: Lehtonen, Price, Howard

Defense: Timmonen, Seabrook, Bieksa

Centers: Datsyuk, Zetterberg (demise in Detroit is upon us), Backes

Left Wing: Heatley

Right Wing: Pominville, Alfredsson, Jagr