Who's Hot

Sam Gagner (EDM)

Gagner is riding a big two game point streak.  In case you missed it, last night's game featured 4 goals and 4 assists from the Oiler center.  Gagner was a first round (6th overall) pick in 2007, who has since been overshadowed by all the other young studs in Edmonton.  Perhaps this is a sign that he's ready to be part of that conversation as well.

Martin St. Louis (TB)

St. Louis continues to be red hot, riding an eight game point streak.  During that span, he's racked up 13 points.  He and Stamkos are back to dominating the opposition, while the rest of the Lightning roster lags behind.

Mikhail Grabovski (TOR)

Grabovski put together a couple of monsters games before and after the All Star break.  He has 3 goals and 6 assists over the last four games.

Dany Heatley (MIN)

He's a shadow of his former self, but the former sniper has woken up in the past two weeks.  He has points in four straight, including 3 goals and 4 assists.

Logan Couture (SJ)

Yes, he was left alone on the stage during All-Star pickup hour, but that hasn't slowed up down in the real world.  He has a five game point streak running, including 4 goals and 4 assists.

Marc-Andre Fleury (G-PIT)

If Fleury's in net, there's a darn good chance that the Pens are winning.  Despite being unjustly left off of the All-Star roster (Price???), he has put together wins in 8 straight games.

Pekka Rinne (G-NAS)

Not to be outdone by Fleury, Rinne has pieced together wins in 9 straight games.  Over that stretch, his GAA is an amazing 1.56, including 1 shutout.

Who's Cold

Milan Michalek (OTT)

Michalek finally registered an assist in his last game, after going four straight without a point.  He has just 2 points in the last 8 games and is a -5 over that span.

Henrik Zetterberg (DET)

Is the offense dead in Zetterberg's game?  Another three games without a point.  More telling: He has just 1 goal in the last 21 games, putting him on pace for a lousy 14 this season.  Perhaps it's time to label him a defensive forward, as a opposed to a 2-way threat.

Thomas Vanek (BUF)

Vanek missing Buffalo's last game with an upper body injury.  At least he now has an excuse for not scoring.  7 games played and counting without a point for Vanek.

Johan Franzen (DET)

Mr. Streaky is back at it.  Three games without a point, and just 1 in his last five.  All that means is that he's probably due for a 5 goal game.

Corey Crawford (G-CHI)

Crawford was victimized for 5 goals in the Sam Gagner show on Thursday.  He's dropped four straight games, averaging 4+ GAA in that time.  The door is open for Emery if he can step it up.

Who's Hurt

• Jason Blake (ANA) - lower body injury.  Does this mean the rally in Anaheim is over?
• Nathan Horton (BOS) - concussion - day to day
• Adam Henrique (NJ) - groin
• Marc-Andre Bergeron (D-TB) - upper body, day to day
• Ryan Malone (TB) - upper body - IR
• Danny Briere (PHI) - close to returning

Value Picks of the Week

Here are some guys currently undervalued on Fanduel that you should cash in on in the short term:

Mike Fisher (NAS) - $6,100 - 2.8 FPPG

Fisher is the man in Nashville right now as far as goal scoring is concerned.  He has 6 goals in the last 6 games and is priced at just $6,100.

Ryan Whitney (D-EDM) - $4,500

Whitney has been hammered by injuries over the past few years (ok, his entire career), so expectations are low right now.  So is his salary.  He found the scoresheet twice in the Gagner show, giving him 3 points in 3 games since returning from his ankle injury.

Thomas Greiss (G-SJ) - $6,100

He doesn't get a ton of action playing behind Niemi, but when he gets the chance, he delivers at a value.  Greiss is 3-0-1 in 2012 with a 1.22 GAA.  Few goalies linger around 6k on Fanduel, so grab him when you can.

Andrew Shaw (CHI) - $4,600 - 2.9 FPPG

The rookie has seen a ton of playing time on the top lines in Chicago.  Occasionally, he's even popped in some points.  Can't beat that price right now.

Joe Thornton (SJ) - $6,700 - 3.2 FPPG

Thornton is quietly creeping back to a point-a-game level for the season.  He's even started to see some entries in the goal column.  He has 7 points in the last three games.

Taylor Hall (EDM) - $6,400 - 3.6 FPPG

Hall just can't get any respect from the salary setters at Fanduel, despite being on pace for 30 goals in his sophomore season.  He has 3 goals and 4 assists over the last three games.

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Who's Hot

Any Goalie facing the Penguins or Sabres.  With an insane number of injuries to both squads, particularly on offense, Pittsburgh and Buffalo seem incapable of scoring right now.  The Pens have gone 5 games without scoring more than 1 goal.  Ouch.

David Krejci (BOS)

It took him long enough to get going this season, but he seems to be back in playoff form at this point.  Krejci is now riding a 9 game point streak.  During that stretch, he's amassed 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 points.

Ilya Kovalchuk (NJ)

Kovalchuk is finally  starting to earn that outrageous salary.  He has registered 2 points in each of the last four games and has 5 goals in that span.  His shot totals are impressive, averaging about 7 a game right now.  #17 is back.

Curtis Glencross (CGY)

Glencross is the midst of a career year, thanks to an impressive run in January.  He has 4 goals and 9 points over the last 6 games for the Flames.  He's really clicking with Olli Jokinen right now.

Saku Koivu (ANA)

While little brother Mikku is struggling in Minnesota, the old man in Anaheim is looking young again.  Since returning from injury on New Year's Eve, Saku has put up 9 points in 5 games, including a hat trick on Tuesday against the Stars.  He's leading a mini-resurgence for the Ducks right now.

Craig Anderson (G-OTT)

Anderson's GAA climbed to dismal 3.36 at Christmas time, since then, that number has been in a freefall (which is a good thing), and the wins have been piling up (even better thing).  He's 6-0-1 in his last seven games, posting a .940 save percentage during this amazing run.

Jonas Gustavsson (G-TOR)

With Ottawa stepping it up on defense, Toronto has answered the call with the Monster.  Over the past four games, he's 4-0 with two shutouts.

Adam Henrique (NJ)

Henrique is continuing to pile up the points in his rookie season.  He has six points in the last four games on a line with Kovalchuk.

Dan Boyle (D-SJ)

At age 35, Boyle doesn’t seem to be slowing down much.  He's on a fine run right now, with six points over the last two games.

Who's Cold

Tomas Plekanec (MON)

Over the past five games, Plekanec has one lousy assist.  He's still earning top line minutes in Montreal, but the production is completely absent.  He's on pace for a mere 15 goals this season.  The -12 plus/minus rating isn't helping either.

Pascal Dupuis (PIT)

When the Pens were healthy, Dupuis was obviously feeding off the momentum.  Lately, he's gone cold with no points in the last 6 games.

Marian Gaborik (NYR)

Mr. Streaky is back on the down slope now.  His stats are a perfect sine wave.  After piling up 7 goals in five games, he has just one tally in the last 6 games.

Tomas Fleischmann / Stephen Weiss (FLA)

The hot start will soon be forgotten if he can't break out of the funk.  No points in three games for Florida's top two offensive threats.

Who's Hurt

• Jonas Hiller (G-ANA) - just when the Ducks started scoring, their goalie goes down again
• Thomas Vanek (BUF) - questionable for tonight (upper body)
• Derek Roy (BUF) - out indefinitely
• Patrick Sharp (CHI) - out a month (hand)
• Jeff Carter (COB) - out indefinitely with a separated shoulder
• Jordan Eberle (EDM) - out 2 to 3 weeks (knee)
• James Neal (PIT) - back from supposed broken foot in a day
• Jordan Staal (PIT) - out 4 to 6 weeks (MCL)

Value Picks of the Week

Here are some guys currently undervalued on Fanduel that you should cash in on in the short term:

Sergei Bobrovsky (G-PHI) - $6,600 / 4.6 FPPG

With Bryzgalov in a hole, his countryman has stepped it up for the Flyers.  He's making the case for more and more starts, going 6-2 over his last 8 games with a 1.66 GAA in that span.

Adam Henrique (C-NJ) - $5,900 / 3.1 FPPG

See above on what he's doing.  Don't pass on him this week.

David Krejci (C-BOS) - $6,400 / 3.1 FPPG

Again, see above.  His salary hasn't kept pace with his recent production.

Taylor Hall (LW-EDM) - $6,300 / 3.7 FPPG

Hall is carrying the weight in Edmonton with Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins on the shelf.  He has 4 goals and 2 assists over the last 5 games and comes rather cheap.

Daniel Alfredsson (RW-OTT) - $6,400 / 3.5 FPPG

Remember that old guy from Ottawa?  Just maybe he's going to actually deserve that All-Star berth.  He has come on in a big way over the last month, racking up 17 points in 13 games.

For more on daily fantasy hockey, check out my articles on the Fanduel Insider at http://www.fanduel.com/insider

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With NFL action winding down, many fantasy addicts will be turning to the NHL.  Read on to get a jump on some trends before setting your rosters this weekend.

Who's Hot

Alex Ovechkin (WAS)

#8 is finally shaking off the cobwebs and putting the puck in the net.  He has 6 goals in the last 5 games and a total of 11 points on a recent 7 game scoring streak.  It's safe to make him a regular once more on your Fanduel lineup.  He's still lingering just under 8k, but that won't last long.

Blake Wheeler (WPG)

Despite being separated from sniper Evander Kane on the top line, Wheeler continues to produce for the Jets.  He has 9 points in his last 7 games and remains a bargain on Fanduel.

John Tavares (NYI)

The Islanders are showing signs of life in early January, thanks in large part to the performance of J.T.  His last three games have featured multiple points, giving him 7 points in the past week.  He's proven himself to be one of the streakiest players in the league, so climb on board while the going's good.

Steve Downie (TB)

One way or another, Downie is generating fantasy points.  After posting 7 points in 3 games, he was held scoreless on Sunday; however, he managed to put up 20, yes 20, penalty minutes that night.  Playing sidekick to St. Louis and Stamkos is a recipe for fantasy success.

Eric Staal (CAR)

Signs of life from the Captain in Carolina.  After a six game scoreless streak, he showed up with a three point game against Toronto and followed that up with 2 points versus the Lightning.  He's an attractive center option who remains undervalued on Fanduel.

Dion Phaneuf (D-TOR)

Phaneuf continues to make his case for the Norris Trophy this season, and he's been a fantasy workhorse lately.  The Toronto defenseman has 5 points in his last 3 games, and 8 in his last 7.  He's also piling up the shots on goal, averaging 5+ a game over the past two weeks.

Tomas Vokoun (G-WAS)

First he was forgotten, now he's unstoppable.  After a 5-game stint on the bench, Vokoun has responded in fine fashion, going 4-0 with a 1.25 GAA over that stretch.  He's officially out of Hunter's doghouse.

Evgeni Nabokov (G-NYI)

If you were bold enough to take a chance on the low-priced Nabokov this past week, you probably cashed in.  He's gone 3-0 with a 1.62 GAA over this past week.

Who's Cold

Danny Briere (PHI)

While the top line in Philly is pulling its weight, Briere has been MIA.  He hasn't scored a point since Dec. 19th and has just 1 in the last nine games.

Milan Michalek (OTT)

Michalek once led the league in goals this season, then came the five game concussion hiatus.  Since that time, he just hasn't been the same player.  He has just a single assist and no goals in the last five games.  He didn't even register a shot against Tampa last night.

Derek Stepan (NYR)

After a fantastic run in December, things have slowed down considerably for Stepan.  He just registered an assist last night to break a four game scoreless streak.

Corey Perry (ANA)

Nothing outside of Selanne is working in Anaheim this season.  Even last year's MVP has hit the wall.  He has just 1 point in his last 5 games.

Brent Burns (D-SJ)

The last six games have netted zero points and a -3 rating for Burns on the Sharks defense.

Mikka Kiprusoff (G-CGY)

Kiprusoff hasn't won a game in his last 4 appearances and is averaging 3+ goals against over that stretch.  The Flames are back on the downward spiral.

Who's Hurt

• Brad Marchand (BOS) - missed the romp in Calgary last night with the flu
• Rene Bourque (CGY) - not hurt, but won't be playing for 5 games, thanks to the ruling from Shanahan
• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (EDM) - will miss a month with a shoulder injury
• Slava Voynov (D-LA) - missed last night's game with an upper body injury
• Shea Weber (D-NAS) - returned last night from concussion issues
• Jaromir Jagr (PHI) - will miss a couple weeks with the ole' groin injury
• Nicklas Backstrom (WAS) - questionable for Saturday (head)

Value Picks of the Week

Here are some guys currently undervalued on Fanduel that you should cash in on in the short term:

Evgeni Nabokov (G-NYI) - $5,600

(see above)

Erik Karlsson (D-OTT) - $6,600

I rarely endorse a defenseman in this price range, but Karlsson is in another universe right now for Ottawa.  At least one of those Ottawa All-Star berths were merited.

Nazem Kadri (C-TOR) - $4,300

Since finding his way back from the minors, Kadri has done his fair share with limited playing time.  If he can earn a few more minutes on one of the top lines, we might see some serious production from the young center.

Jiri Hudler (LW-DET) - $5,300

Hudler is heating up with 3 goals in the past two games.  You'll be hard pressed to find better value on the wing than Hudler at this salary right now.

Michael Ryder (RW-DAL) - $6,200

Ryder just can't get any respect from the salary setters at Fanduel this season.  Despite sitting at 17 goals for the year, he remains value-priced.  He has 12 points in the last 10 games.

P.A. Parenteau (RW-NYI) - $5,900

He's bouncing around between lines on the Island, but continues to produce.  He's registered 8 points in the last 7 games.

For more on daily fantasy hockey, check out my articles on the Fanduel Insider at http://www.fanduel.com/insider

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Before tuning out for your New Year's celebration, be sure to get in on the NHL fantasy action on Fanduel this weekend.   Saturday's schedule features a healthy 12 contests.  Here's your cheat sheet:

Who's Hot

Evgeni Malkin (PIT) / James Neal / Chris Kunitz

Malkin is unstoppable right now.  11 points in the last 4 games.  He's currently riding an eight game point streak.  His magic is rubbing off on James Neal, who is riding a concurrent streak of his own and is leading the league in goals.  Start Malkin every chance you get.  Kunitz has also ridden the wave with 8 points in his last 5 games.

Brad Marchand (BOS)

Marchand has been a beast in his sophomore season, and it's heated up big time recently.  Including the hat trick / 5-point performance on the 23rd, he has accumulated 11 points in the last 7 games.  He's also a +10 over that span.

Thomas Vanek (BUF)

The streakiness continues for Vanek.  Right now, he's hot again.  On his recent 6 game scoring streak, he has 4 goals and 5 assists.  Surprisingly, he hasn't managed many shots recently.  If he can get the shot totals up, he could make a run at the Rocket Richard.

Michael Ryder (DAL)

4 straight games with a goal at this point.  He has an impressive 8 points over a 6 game scoring streak.

Marion Gaborik (NYR)

The five game goal streak ended on Wednesday, but he did manage four shots on net.  Gaborik has surged to the top of the goal scoring standings, with 7 goals in his last 6 games.  He's one of the streakiest players in the league, so jump on board until this run ceases.

Michael Del Zotto (D-NYR)

Del Zotto went 6 games without a point in mid November.  Since that time, he's been the hottest defenseman in the NHL.  He's averaged a point a game over the last month and sits at +23 on the season.

Alex Burrows (VAN)

Burrows continues to benefit from his sweet spot along side the Twins in Vancouver.  He has 5 goals and 3 assists over his last 7 games for the Cancucks.

Tuomo Ruutu (CAR)

There hasn't been much to get excited about in Carolina this season, so I have to highlight it when it surfaces.  Ruutu has become the defacto offensive leader as of late with Skinner on the shelf and Staal MIA.  He is riding a four game goal streak and has 7 points in his last 6 games.

Tuukka Rask (G-BOS)

It's safe to say that going with Boston's goaltender on any given night is a decent move.  Rask has been even better than Thomas when given the chance.  He's won four straight, while allowing just one goal during that span.

Who's Cold

Brad Richards (NYR)

While Gaborik is soaring along side Stepan, Richards has been sitting back an observing.  He has just one point in 8 games and hasn't shown up on the scoresheet since Dec. 17.  He's getting shots on net and surprisingly has added some PIMs, perhaps out of frustration.

Ryan Getzlaf (ANA)

Getzlaf has been held off the scoresheet in 3 straight games, while going -4 over that stretch.  He hasn't scored a goal in 9 games now.

Rick Nash (COB)

It's probably time to permanently adjust our expectations for Nash, at least until he gets some help or changes uniforms.  The goal scoring glory days seem to have passed him by.  He has just one goal in the past 8 games and has just 24 points on the season.

Dmitry Kulikov (D-FLA)

Kulikov got off to a fantastic start this season, but the Winter weather hasn't been kind.  He hasn't registered a point in 9 games.

Carey Price (G-MON)

In his last five games, Price has gone 1-4 with a 3.65 GAA and .888 save percentage.  Rough start for the new coach.

Who's Hurt

• Sheldon Souray (D-DAL) - at least he has an excuse for hurting my fantasy lineup now.  He'll be out two weeks with a sprained ankle
• Kari Lehtonen (G-DAL) - returned to action last night
• Shea Weber (D-NAS) - is doubtful for tonight (concussion)
• Simon Gagne (LA) - was placed on the IR with an upper-body injury (concussion?)
• Stephen Weiss (FLA) - questionable for tonight (upper body)
• Sean Couturier (PHI) - on IR with a head injury
• John-Michael Liles (D-BUF) - another concussion victim
• Dustin Byfuglien (D-WPG) - knee

Value Picks of the Week

Here are some guys currently undervalued on Fanduel that you should cash in on in the short term:

Adam Henrique (C-NJ)

He's not the most prominent rookie in the league, but he's earning his keep on Fanduel right now.  He's averaging 3.1 FPPG and will run you a mere $5,700.  He's averaged over a point a game for the last 15.

Artem Anisimov (C-NYR)

Anisimov is the lucky third wheel on the Gaborik / Stepan line, doing all the scoring for the Rangers lately.  He's priced at just $5,900.

Brad Marchand (LW-BOS) 

See above.  Marchand is one of the hottest players in the league, but is priced modestly at $7,100.

Steve Ott (LW-DAL)

3 FPPG for Ott at just $5,800 in cap hit.  He contributes across the board, including PIMs, making him a steady fantasy option most nights.

Viktor Stalberg (LW-CHI)

Stalberg has been benefitting from a lot of offensive production in Chicago, but his salary on Fanduel remains rock bottom.  He'll run you just $5,900 right now.

Rich Peverley (RW-BOS)

Peverley just hit the injured list, but prior to that, he put up 2 goals and 5 assists in four games.  He's a value at $5,900.

For more on daily fantasy hockey, check out my articles on the Fanduel Insider at http://www.fanduel.com/insider

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Who's Hot

Kris Versteeg (FLA)

Over the past 3 games, Versteeg has been lighting it up for the Panthers.  He has pounded in 4 goals and 3 assists over that span.  Versteeg has bounced around the league quite a bit over the past few years, but never had the opportunity for first line minutes like he has in Florida.  Do not write this off as a fluke.

Jonathan Toews (CHI)

Following a relatively slow start, the Captain has started to earn his pay.  4 goals and 2 assists in 3 games has him on pace for a 40 goal season.

Brad Marchand (BOS)

The Bruins are surging, as is sophomore Brad Marchand.  He's put home 4 goals over the past 3 games.

Brian Campbell (D-FLA)

For the past several years, Campbell's claim to fame was being the most overpriced defenseman in the NHL.  He's now challenging for the league lead in assists among all skaters.  He has 5 points over the last 3 games.  Like Versteeg, Campbell needed a chance to shine as the go-to guy.

Nick Leddy (D-CHI)

Leddy has started to steal minutes away from Seabrook and is becoming a regular fixture on the power play.  He's underpriced.  Four points in the last 3 games.

Brian Elliott (G-STL)

Elliott continues to make the case for split time in St. Louis.  After deferring to Halak for 3 games, he's extended his win streak with a shutout and a 1 goal performance.

Who's Cold

Alex Burmistrov (WPG)

After a stellar start, Burmistrov has just 1 assist over his last 6 games.  He's still throwing an average of 3 shots on net per game, so look for this funk to end soon.

Mike Ribeiro (DAL)

While the top line in Dallas is running well, Ribeiro has fallen from grace.  He has just 1 assist in the last 4 games.  All those pre-season points don't seem to matter much now.  Just 1 goal on the season makes him a hard sell.

Rick Nash (COB)

You almost feel guilty picking on Columbus, but we need to expect more from the captain.   He has just 1 goal in 9 games and hasn't showed up as a plus player since the fourth game of the year.

Alex Ovechkin (WAS)

1 point in four games isn't quite a tragedy, but when it comes at the highest possible price tag, you're not getting your money's worth at this point from #8.

Jake Gardiner (D-TOR)

Gardiner (along with most of theLeafs) has gone cold recently, being held pointless in 5 games.  He's still earning huge minutes for Toronto and has the skills to put points on the board.  When the Leafs start to turn things around, keep him in mind to balance your roster.

Corey Potter (D-EDM)

Potter was a huge value pick in October.  At this point, it's hard to justify playing him.  No points and a -5 over the past 5 games.

Keith Yandle (D-PHO)

Yandle isn't producing any where near the level that he did last season.  He has points in just 2 of the last 7 games.

Evgeni Nabokov (G-NYI)

Nothing is going right in New York right now, and Nabokov is not helping his cause if he wants out.  He has just one victory on the season and it came in his first start back in early October.  Since then, he's dropped 5 games with a GAA approaching 3.

Who's Hurt

• Ryan Miller (G-BUF) - With the well-publicized Lucic collision, Miller's status looks bad for the near future.  Turn to Enroth and ride the wave as long as it lasts.
• Marek Zidlicky (D-MIN) - Zidlicky left Tuesday's game with a head injury.
• Nino Niederreiter (NYI) - Niederrieter made his season debut on Tuesday.  He'll stay on the cheap for a bit, and can provide some punch for the Isles.
• Tyler Kennedy (PIT) - TK returned to the Penguin lineup.  Look for the happy shooter to contribute soon.
• Mikhail Grabovski (TOR) -out two weeks with a lower body injury
• Roberto Luongo (G-VAN) - Luongo's status is in question, as he's out with an upper body injury.  It's Schneider's turn to shine.

Value Picks of the Week

Here are some guys currently undervalued on Fanduel that you should cash in on in the short term:

Tyler Seguin (BOS) - $7,500

By the end of this weekend, it's conceivable that Seguin could be leading the league in scoring.  Yet, he remains a bargain at 7.5k.   He registered 7 goals over a 4 game stretch in the past two weeks, earning NHL 1st Star honors.

Stephen Weiss (FLA) - $6,500

The rally is on in Florida, as the rebuilt Panthers roster looks to end a decade of misery.  Weiss remains the top offensive threat in Miami and is closing in on a point a game pace.  His cap hit is a bargain right now.

Kris Versteeg (FLA) - $7,800

(See above) - His salary just took a huge bump.  It may happen again soon.

Sean Avery (NYR) - $5,600

 Now that he's back collecting a big league paycheck, Avery has 2 goals in 5 games, with 12 PIMs for good measure.  One of the cheapest forwards available.

Matt Read (PHI) - $5,700

With so much talent crowding the ice in Philly, it's easy to overlook a rookie on the third line.  With 10 points in 14 games, he's an early contender for the Calder Trophy.