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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We're now into the 2nd half of the 2011-12 NHL campaign.  Many things have changed in the 2nd quarter that are worth reviewing to help us project what we should expect to close out the rest of the year.  To start, we'll take a quick glance at the point standings at the end of the first quarter (end of November):

POINT LEADERS

1. Phil Kessel - 31

2. Claude Giroux - 29

3. Joffrey Lupul - 29

4. Kris Versteeg - 26

5. Thomas Vanek - 26

6. Nicklas Backstrom - 25

7. Jonathan Toews - 25

8. Jason Pominville - 25

9. Daniel Sedin - 25

10. Henrik Sedin - 25

Obviously, injuries have played a part in the demise of some players from the top of the heap, but a few things jump out right away:

• Kris Versteeg (and the rest of the Florida resurgence) has fizzled out significantly
• The hot start in Buffalo (Vanek / Pominville) is a memory
• Evgeni Malkin and Steven Stamkos have surged in the 2nd quarter to the top of the current point race. 

GOAL LEADERS

In terms of goals, the picture hasn't changed all that dramatically.  The top five are pretty consistent:

Then:

1. Kessel - 16

2. Stamkos - 14

3. Neal - 13

4. Giroux - 13

5. Toews - 13

Now:

1. Stamkos - 31

2. Kessel - 24

3. Toews - 24

4. Neal - 24

5. Gaborik - 23

It's worth noting here that while Giroux has kept up the point production, his goal totals have dried up.  He had just 5 in the 2nd quarter.  Meanwhile, Gaborik surged in the 2nd Quarter, adding 13 to his total.

TOP 2nd QUARTER PRODUCTION

So who were the leaders over the past quarter of action in the NHL?  A few names may come as a bit of a surprise:

1. Evgeni Malkin - 30

2. Pavel Datsyuk - 30

3. Matt Moulson - 30

4. Henrik Sedin - 28

5. John Tavares - 28

6. Ilya Kovalchuk - 27

7. Zach Parise - 27

8. Steven Stamkos - 27

9. Jason Spezza - 26

10. Jarome Iginla - 26

T10. Daniel Alfredsson - 26

The biggest surprise for me on this list is Matt Moulson.  The guy has flat out come on in the past month.  After the first quarter, he was sitting on just 12 points, good for 128th place in the NHL.  He's now risen to 9th place in the league in total points.  Taveres and Parenteau have also enjoyed quite a resurgence on the Island in recent weeks.

The Devil superstars have also made an impressive run as of late.   Kovalchuk went from 13 to 40 points, while Parise rose from 12 to 39.

RISE OF THE DEFENSE

Turning our attention to defense, here are your leaders for the 2nd quarter:

1. Erik Karlsson - 23

2. Dennis Wideman - 18

3. Kevin Bieksa - 18

4. Alex Edler - 17

5. Shea Weber - 17

6. Michael Del Zotto - 16

7. Dan Boyle - 15

8. Kimmo Timmonen - 14

9. Brian Campbell - 14

10. Mark Streit - 13

The biggest surprise on this list has to be Dennis Wideman (WAS).  At the end of the first quarter, he had a respectable 13 points, good for 20th in the league.  Since Mike Green went permanent IR, Wideman has assumed the role of point producer and has surged into 5th in the league among defenseman.

WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?

So that's the good news.  Now what of the bad?  Most of the major drop offs on the leaderboard can be attributed directly to injury (Letang, …).  Some falls do not have the luxury of that excuse.  Here are some of the biggest disappearing acts over the 2nd quarter:

• Marc-Andre Bergeron (D-TB) - Bergeron started the season on fire, ending the first quarter in 3rd among defensemen with 19 points in 22 games.  He has just 2 points since then.  2 points.
• Alex Burmistrov (WPG) - After a nice start to the season, Burmistrov has amassed a mere 5 point in the 2nd quarter
• Matt Duchene (COL) - 9 goals and 17 points in the first quarter was a decent start.  He's added just 3 goals and 4 assists since then.
• Ryan Smyth (EDM) - Smyth was one of the biggest stories to start the year with 12 goals in the first quarter.  Since then, he has just 3 tallies.

GOALIES

Finally, we'll turn to the net where there has been a significant swing in production.

Q1 Win Leaders:

1. Fleury - 13

2. Lehtonen - 13

3. Howard - 13

4. Thomas - 11

5. Crawford - 11

Q2 Win Leaders:

1. Anderson - 14

2. Howard - 14

3. Rinne - 14

4. Luongo - 11

5. Kiprusoff - 11

The biggest story here has to be the re-emergence of Craig Anderson in Ottawa.  He was among the worst at this position through December.  Over the past month, he has been unstoppable, going 9-1-1.  Similarly, Mikka Kiprusoff has breathed new life into his season since the weather turned cold.

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

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

If you want to try daily fantasy hockey on Fanduel, use this link:

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