| Written by Tim Hays |
|
Posted on 12/19/2007 11:19:38 PM |
ON THE IR
Bryan McCabe, D, TOR - Bad news for the Leafs, as veteran defenseman Bryan McCabe will be out for at least 6-8 weeks to recover from surgery following a severely broken hand. His hand was broken in three places after suffering a hard check in Toronto’s game against Montreal earlier in the week. McCabe underwent surgery on Monday, and the best case scenario is 6-8 weeks recovery, so hope everything heels correctly so that McCabe can get back on the ice.
Brendan Morrison, C, VAN - The Canucks were dealt a big blow at the center position when Morrison underwent surgery on his wrist that will keep him out for up to three months. Morrison has a cast that runs from his finger all the way past his elbow and will be immobilized for up to six weeks. Morrison hopes to be back in time for the playoffs, but his fantasy value as of now is zero, so throw him to the waiver wire.
Raffi Torres, LW, EDM - Torres suffered a possible season-ending injury earlier in the week when an injured knee turned out to be a sprained ACL. As any sport fan knows, an ACL injury usually means the end of the season, but Torres could be back in 3-4 weeks if surgery is not needed to repair his knee. He is not worth enough in fantasy to have him sitting on your roster, so pitch him now, and pick up a player who will be in the lineup.
DAY-TO-DAY DILEMMAS
Mikael Samuelsson, RW, DET - Samuelsson suffered a minor elbow injury this week, but said that he is alright and should not miss any time due to it. The Wings wingman is still supposed to be ready to play in Detroit’s next game against the Kings, but you may want to take it easy with him for now, as he may see decreased ice time if his elbow is still feeling a bit sore. Samuelsson only has 14 points in 29 games, so he probably is not worth having on your fantasy team to begin with unless you are in a very deep league.
Martin Erat, RW, NSH - Erat has been battling a strained neck, but returned to the Predators lineup with great efficiency Tuesday when the team faced off vs. the Minnesota Wild. Erat had missed the two previous games with the injury, but showed no signs of ailment in the most recent game, which shows that he is once again ready to light the lamp. Erat has 26 points in 29 games this season and has been a very pleasant surprise so far for the struggling Predators.
Cory Stillman, LW, CAR - Stillman had to be helped off of the ice this weekend with a leg injury, but returned in the ‘Canes next game and helped rally the team from a 2-goal deficit to win in OT. His injury appears to be just a stinger, and he is ready to be placed back in your fantasy lineup on a night to night basis. Carolina’s team has been a fantasy powerhouse this season, and Stillman is right at the core of it with 36 points in 32 games to lead the team in goals and points.
SUPERSTAR SCARE
Sergei Gonchar, D, PIT - Gonchar, the NHL’s number one defenseman on the power play, missed a game earlier in the week, but he was merely suffering from the flu and should be back in action later in the week. Even though he missed some time early, Gonchar ranks near the top of the league in almost all fantasy stats, and will continue to run the Pittsburgh power play from the point, as he is one of the best at that role. Gonchar is a great fantasy defender, and hopefully he can shake this bug and get back onto the ice. |
