This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
January 19 Daily Puck
by John Toperzer, RotoWire Writer
Around the Rink
Lots of injuries to key players - Ales Hemsky (concussion), Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed but probably knee) and some an anticipated return Wednesday (goalie Niklas Backstrom).
Sergei Shirokov scored his first NHL goal Tuesday. Keep an eye on his progress with the Canucks. He failed last year, took his medicine in the AHL and is getting another chance.
T.J. Oshie returned to action Tuesday. He should be a great second-half pickup as long as he's recovered from his ankle injury. He's available in the Yahoo! Friends & Family League, but I just don't need him - something I may later regret.
Florida goalie prospect Jacob Markstrom might be a good pickup, with Tomas Vokoun potentially on the move. Scott Clemmensen will still be there, but Markstrom is the future and would figure to see decent time. Actually Vokoun owners would be the real winnners if he gets traded to a Cup-contending franchise.
Braden Holtby, recently recalled by Washington with the day-to-day injuries to Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth, failed earlier this year with the Caps and probably won't have a long stay with Bruce Boudreau this time around. But he has done well following his return to the AHL. Holtby holds a 10-5-2 record, 1.82 GAA and 937 save percentage with Hershey.
Who's Hot
J.P. Dumont - Potted a hat trick for the Predators. He looked like a goal scorer when he came up with Buffalo
January 19 Daily Puck
by John Toperzer, RotoWire Writer
Around the Rink
Lots of injuries to key players - Ales Hemsky (concussion), Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed but probably knee) and some an anticipated return Wednesday (goalie Niklas Backstrom).
Sergei Shirokov scored his first NHL goal Tuesday. Keep an eye on his progress with the Canucks. He failed last year, took his medicine in the AHL and is getting another chance.
T.J. Oshie returned to action Tuesday. He should be a great second-half pickup as long as he's recovered from his ankle injury. He's available in the Yahoo! Friends & Family League, but I just don't need him - something I may later regret.
Florida goalie prospect Jacob Markstrom might be a good pickup, with Tomas Vokoun potentially on the move. Scott Clemmensen will still be there, but Markstrom is the future and would figure to see decent time. Actually Vokoun owners would be the real winnners if he gets traded to a Cup-contending franchise.
Braden Holtby, recently recalled by Washington with the day-to-day injuries to Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth, failed earlier this year with the Caps and probably won't have a long stay with Bruce Boudreau this time around. But he has done well following his return to the AHL. Holtby holds a 10-5-2 record, 1.82 GAA and 937 save percentage with Hershey.
Who's Hot
J.P. Dumont - Potted a hat trick for the Predators. He looked like a goal scorer when he came up with Buffalo years ago, based upon his QMJHL stats with Val d'Or. At this stage of his career, he figures to be a good short term pickup, so long as the investment price remains low.
Jeff Carter - He won't be headed to the All-Star Game, but the Philly forward has a four-game consecutive goal streak and is plus-6 over those four contests.
Who's Not
Max Talbot - Has just 11 points (5, 6) in 47 games and hasn't scored in 20. Some outlets had him scoring 20 goals in 2010-11. Not going to happen.
Recommended Pickup
Andrew Brunette - Potted his 12th goal of the year Tuesday and figures to get moved at the deadline, possibly to Pittsburgh.
Probable Starting Goalies
Toronto (Jonas Gustavsson) at Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist), 7:00 p.m.
Columbus (Mathieu Garon) at Florida (Tomas Vokoun), 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota (Niklas Backstrom) at Calgary (Miikka Kiprusoff), 9:30 p.m.
RotoWire Goalie Grid
Injury Roll Call
Toronto vs. Rangers
Toronto
Nikolai Kulemin - Questionable, expected to play Wednesday but missed practice Tuesday.
Kris Versteeg - Questionable, returned to practice Monday and should be to go against the Rangers.
Mike Brown - Out, suspended three games on Jan. 14 and has served one.
Rangers
Erik Christensen - Out, hopes to begin skating in 7-10 days with sprained knee.
Columbus vs. Florida
Columbus
Steve Mason - Questionable, suffering undisclosed injury and will be re-evaluated Wednesday.
Florida
Chris Higgins - Out, will miss Wednesday's tilt with a hamstring injury.
Bryan McCabe - Out, expected to miss 4-6 weeks while recovering from a broken jaw.
Minnesota vs. Calgary
Minnesota
Niklas Backstrom - Probable, expected to play Wednesday but hip has kept him out.
Marco Scandella - Out, dealing with concussion in addition to ear injury.
Jose Theodore - Out, getting closer with groin injury.
Calgary
Robyn Regehr - Probable, returned from hip flexor Monday and should be good to go.
Cory Sarich - Questionable, suffered lower-body injury Monday and is day-to-day.
Transactions
T.J. Oshie - Activated off of injured reserve by St. Louis.
Chris Summers - Defenseman recalled by Phoenix.
Justin Braun, Andrew Desjardins & Brandon Mashinter - Assigned by San Jose to AHL Worcester.
Bobby Butler - Forward recalled by Ottawa.
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