Community Picks: Toronto Maple Leafs 0% vs Calgary Flames 0%

by Jason Chen All eyes likely will be on the Lightning-Penguins matchup Friday night, with two teams trying to salvage their seasons after disappointing starts. The Penguins are finally heading in the right direction with four consecutive wins, and Sidney Crosby is on a tear with 14 points in his last eight games, fully capable of carrying the team in absence of Evgeni Malkin (lower body), who had been their most consistent and best player this season. The Lighting, meanwhile, are also making some noise, winning six of their last seven games, including a 5-4 triumph over the Pens on Jan. 15, thanks to Vladislav Namestnikov's hat-trick. [ Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest now ] The Lighting will give Marc-Andre Fleury all he can handle, but they will also have to provide Ben Bishop with some defensive structure, since the big goalie has fared very poorly against the Pens, posting a career 0-2-0 record with a 4.93 goals-against average and .856 save percentage. History indicates that this game should feature more than a few goals, though the counter-argument is that both teams may concentrate more on limiting the other's team offense and end up slugging it out in a tight-checking, low-scoring game. Given that Pittsburgh's defense isn't very deep and Tampa Bay's not playing to its full potential, I'd bet on seeing some fire-wagon hockey.  GOALIE Karri Ramo, CGY vs. CLS ($32) -  Defense hasn't been a problem for the Flames lately with just five goals allowed in their last three games, but scoring certainly has. Ramo has stopped 78 of 83 shots during that span, doing his best to give his team a chance to win, and the Blue Jackets are playing the second half of a back-to-back. In their last five games, the Flames have won both of the games in which they scored first, so if the Jackets get the first goal, just hope that Ramo faces a lot of shots at the end of the day. Ramo provides some upside for DFS players wishing to spend their cap elsewhere, and also remember the Flames are one of the best teams at home in the Western Conference.  Goalie to Avoid: Ben Bishop, TB vs. PIT ($40) -  The last time I recommended a goalie to avoid because their opponent was too good, Roberto Luongo shut out the Blackhawks, so what do I know ... but that doesn't happen too often, right? Right?! Bishop has been one of the league's best recently, but his track record against the Pens isn't very good (see above), and he faces an offense that isn't anything like the conservative outfit Mike Johnston deployed earlier this season. Frederik Andersen ($36) may be the better bet against Arizona.  CENTER Sidney Crosby, PIT at TB ($30) -  When he's scoring like he is (eight-game points streak, four points in his previous game), there's just no stopping him. Maybe the Pens offense will be easier to fend off with Evgeni Malkin out of the lineup, but it'd be an act of insanity to bet against him, a player who is once again entering the conversation as the league's best player. He's probably the surest thing Friday night.  Center to Avoid: Jordan Staal, CAR at WPG ($19) -  He just had his four-game points streak snapped Wednesday against Calgary, and even with his 12-point January, Staal is a hard sell. Since leaving Pittsburgh he's been just average offensively, failing to score 20 goals in any season despite recording four in six seasons with the Pens. Ryan Getzlaf ($22) and Mark Scheifele ($21) offer much more upside for just a few dollars more, while Sean Monahan ($17) and Tyler Johnson ($16) provide even better value. WINGs Johnny Gaudreau, CGY vs. CLS ($27) -  Johnny Hockey's recorded a point in three straight games six times this season, and if he records a point against the Blue Jackets he'll make it seven. Sean Monahan and Gaudreau ran the table against the Hurricanes and could very well do the same Friday, especially with the BJ's coming off a game against Vancouver the night before and still without the services of their top two goalies. Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG vs. CAR ($18) -  This is my bargain pick of the day. The Danish puck wizard is on a five-game points streak with seven points during that span, including his first career hat-trick. Although the odds are stacked against the Jets, don't count them out just yet. Against a mediocre Hurricanes defense and goaltending, Ehlers should do some damage. His playing time has worked against him in the past, but not so anymore. He played a season-high 19:04 against the Devils as recently as Jan. 23 after playing 18:45 in the previous game.  Wingers to Avoid: Nick Foligno, CLS at CGY ($22) -  Flash in the pan or the real deal? After posting 73 points in 79 games the previous season, Foligno's production has been chopped in half with just 26 points in 43 games. After recording an average shooting percentage of 17.1 over the last two seasons, Foligno's efficiency has dipped to a career-low 5.9 percent. It likely means he'll improve on the six goals he scored prior to the All-Star break, but that turnaround hasn't come yet with just two assists in his last five games.  Brandon Saad, CLS at CGY ($25) -  I'd hate to single out the Blue Jackets because they've got a nice group of top-six players and have unfortunately been on the wrong side of Lady Luck this year, but their wingers just aren't very appetizing. Although he's received some criticism for failing to deliver this season, Saad is actually on pace for another 50-point season, but at that price his production comes at too much of a premium, especially when Ehlers, Nikita Kucherov ($24) and Patric Hornqvist ($23) come slightly cheaper. Cam Atkinson ($22) is the better value play if DFS players are committed to a Blue Jacket; he has five points in his last three games, including a hat-trick effort against Montreal.  DEFENSE Kris Letang, PIT at TB ($27) -  When healthy Letang's among the league's best and the Lightning defense won't be able to deny him. True, the Lightning have been pretty solid in their own end this year, but the Pens are flying as high as ever this season with Crosby leading the way. Not having Evgeni Malkin will hurt a little, but it shouldn't affect Letang's effectiveness, especially on the power play. Letang had 14 points in January and was named the third star of the month. Mark Giordano, CGY vs. CLS ($28) -  Usually it's not wise to spend all the cap space on defensemen, but Giordano and Letang are clearly two of the best given how well they've been playing. Giordano has seven points in his last six games, and without the services of Dennis Wideman may have to play even more minutes for Bob Hartley. Oliver Ekman-Larsson ($22) could be part of the conversation for Friday's top two defensemen, but he's facing a Ducks squad that's caught fire recently, winning five of their past six. If Giordano is too pricey, T.J. Brodie ($18) is a viable alternative. Defensemen to Avoid: Sami Vatanen, ANH vs. ARI ($19) -  The Ducks are winning games (finally) but Vatanen hasn't quite jumped aboard yet. The talented Finnish defender has just one assist in his last five games and four shots on goal in his last four games, offering little in terms of peripherals. He's still playing a big role for the Ducks, but until that offense comes a little more consistently, it's best to look elsewhere for options.  Jaccob Slavin, CAR at WPG ($16) -  Slavin has been on the radar of the Blue Line Buzz for some time, but there's a time to be optimistic and a time to be realistic. The fourth-round pick from Colorado College has been a pleasant surprise for the Hurricanes and will be a key piece of their revamped defense, but he also has just one assist in his last six games and just 10 shots on goal in that span. His ice time continues to increase, showcasing Bill Peters' growing trust in him, so believe the hype but just a friendly reminder he's not a Justin Faulk ($18) or even Noah Hanifin ($12).  Get a FREE RotoWire 10-day trial (no credit card required) at RotoWire.com  The Penguins are finally heading in the right direction with four consecutive wins, and Sidney Crosby is on a tear with 14 points in his last eight games, fully capable of carrying the team in absence of Evgeni Malkin (lower body), who had been their most consistent and best player this season. The Lighting, meanwhile, are also making some noise, winning six of their last seven games, including a 5-4 triumph over the Pens on Jan. 15, thanks to Vladislav Namestnikov's hat-trick. [ Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest now ] The Lighting will give Marc-Andre Fleury all he can handle, but they will also have to provide Ben Bishop with some defensive structure, since the big goalie has fared very poorly against the Pens, posting a career 0-2-0 record with a 4.93 goals-against average and .856 save percentage. History indicates that this game should feature more than a few goals, though the counter-argument is that both teams may concentrate more on limiting the other's team offense and end up slugging it out in a tight-checking, low-scoring game. Given that Pittsburgh's defense isn't very deep and Tampa Bay's not playing to its full potential, I'd bet on seeing some fire-wagon hockey.  GOALIE Karri Ramo, CGY vs. CLS ($32) -  Defense hasn't been a problem for the Flames lately with just five goals allowed in their last three games, but scoring certainly has. Ramo has stopped 78 of 83 shots during that span, doing his best to give his team a chance to win, and the Blue Jackets are playing the second half of a back-to-back. In their last five games, the Flames have won both of the games in which they scored first, so if the Jackets get the first goal, just hope that Ramo faces a lot of shots at the end of the day. Ramo provides some upside for DFS players wishing to spend their cap elsewhere, and also remember the Flames are one of the best teams at home in the Western Conference.  Goalie to Avoid: Ben Bishop, TB vs. PIT ($40) -  The last time I recommended a goalie to avoid because their opponent was too good, Roberto Luongo shut out the Blackhawks, so what do I know ... but that doesn't happen too often, right? Right?! Bishop has been one of the league's best recently, but his track record against the Pens isn't very good (see above), and he faces an offense that isn't anything like the conservative outfit Mike Johnston deployed earlier this season. Frederik Andersen ($36) may be the better bet against Arizona.  CENTER Sidney Crosby, PIT at TB ($30) -  When he's scoring like he is (eight-game points streak, four points in his previous game), there's just no stopping him. Maybe the Pens offense will be easier to fend off with Evgeni Malkin out of the lineup, but it'd be an act of insanity to bet against him, a player who is once again entering the conversation as the league's best player. He's probably the surest thing Friday night.  Center to Avoid: Jordan Staal, CAR at WPG ($19) -  He just had his four-game points streak snapped Wednesday against Calgary, and even with his 12-point January, Staal is a hard sell. Since leaving Pittsburgh he's been just average offensively, failing to score 20 goals in any season despite recording four in six seasons with the Pens. Ryan Getzlaf ($22) and Mark Scheifele ($21) offer much more upside for just a few dollars more, while Sean Monahan ($17) and Tyler Johnson ($16) provide even better value. WINGs Johnny Gaudreau, CGY vs. CLS ($27) -  Johnny Hockey's recorded a point in three straight games six times this season, and if he records a point against the Blue Jackets he'll make it seven. Sean Monahan and Gaudreau ran the table against the Hurricanes and could very well do the same Friday, especially with the BJ's coming off a game against Vancouver the night before and still without the services of their top two goalies. Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG vs. CAR ($18) -  This is my bargain pick of the day. The Danish puck wizard is on a five-game points streak with seven points during that span, including his first career hat-trick. Although the odds are stacked against the Jets, don't count them out just yet. Against a mediocre Hurricanes defense and goaltending, Ehlers should do some damage. His playing time has worked against him in the past, but not so anymore. He played a season-high 19:04 against the Devils as recently as Jan. 23 after playing 18:45 in the previous game.  Wingers to Avoid: Nick Foligno, CLS at CGY ($22) -  Flash in the pan or the real deal? After posting 73 points in 79 games the previous season, Foligno's production has been chopped in half with just 26 points in 43 games. After recording an average shooting percentage of 17.1 over the last two seasons, Foligno's efficiency has dipped to a career-low 5.9 percent. It likely means he'll improve on the six goals he scored prior to the All-Star break, but that turnaround hasn't come yet with just two assists in his last five games.  Brandon Saad, CLS at CGY ($25) -  I'd hate to single out the Blue Jackets because they've got a nice group of top-six players and have unfortunately been on the wrong side of Lady Luck this year, but their wingers just aren't very appetizing. Although he's received some criticism for failing to deliver this season, Saad is actually on pace for another 50-point season, but at that price his production comes at too much of a premium, especially when Ehlers, Nikita Kucherov ($24) and Patric Hornqvist ($23) come slightly cheaper. Cam Atkinson ($22) is the better value play if DFS players are committed to a Blue Jacket; he has five points in his last three games, including a hat-trick effort against Montreal.  DEFENSE Kris Letang, PIT at TB ($27) -  When healthy Letang's among the league's best and the Lightning defense won't be able to deny him. True, the Lightning have been pretty solid in their own end this year, but the Pens are flying as high as ever this season with Crosby leading the way. Not having Evgeni Malkin will hurt a little, but it shouldn't affect Letang's effectiveness, especially on the power play. Letang had 14 points in January and was named the third star of the month. Mark Giordano, CGY vs. CLS ($28) -  Usually it's not wise to spend all the cap space on defensemen, but Giordano and Letang are clearly two of the best given how well they've been playing. Giordano has seven points in his last six games, and without the services of Dennis Wideman may have to play even more minutes for Bob Hartley. Oliver Ekman-Larsson ($22) could be part of the conversation for Friday's top two defensemen, but he's facing a Ducks squad that's caught fire recently, winning five of their past six. If Giordano is too pricey, T.J. Brodie ($18) is a viable alternative. Defensemen to Avoid: Sami Vatanen, ANH vs. ARI ($19) -  The Ducks are winning games (finally) but Vatanen hasn't quite jumped aboard yet. The talented Finnish defender has just one assist in his last five games and four shots on goal in his last four games, offering little in terms of peripherals. He's still playing a big role for the Ducks, but until that offense comes a little more consistently, it's best to look elsewhere for options.  Jaccob Slavin, CAR at WPG ($16) -  Slavin has been on the radar of the Blue Line Buzz for some time, but there's a time to be optimistic and a time to be realistic. The fourth-round pick from Colorado College has been a pleasant surprise for the Hurricanes and will be a key piece of their revamped defense, but he also has just one assist in his last six games and just 10 shots on goal in that span. His ice time continues to increase, showcasing Bill Peters' growing trust in him, so believe the hype but just a friendly reminder he's not a Justin Faulk ($18) or even Noah Hanifin ($12).  Get a FREE RotoWire 10-day trial (no credit card required) at  RotoWire.com MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY : Continue to Article

February 05, 2016 2:59:pm EST

Our weekly look at the NHL's seven Canadian franchise begins with Connor McDavid not missing a beat as he rejoined the Edmonton lineup. Continue to Article

February 05, 2016 9:50:am EST

The NHL Players’ Association said it “strongly” disagreed with the NHL’s decision to suspend Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman 20 games for cross-checking linesman Don Henderson in a game last week.  The NHL announced the ruling early Wednesday and the NHLPA announced the appeal in the afternoon.  Since this was not a player safety issue, the hockey operations department, led by Colin Campbell, presided over the Wideman decision. “We strongly disagree with the League’s decision to suspend Dennis Wideman,” the Players’ Association said in a statement. “Dennis has played in 11 NHL seasons and almost 800 games without incident. The facts, including the medical evidence presented at the hearing, clearly demonstrate that Dennis had no intention to make contact with the linesman. An appeal has been filed on the player’s behalf.”   The appeal will go to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. If the suspension is still for six-or-more games after Bettman makes his decision, the appeal can go further to an arbitrator. Wideman reportedly cannot play during the appeal process, so there is belief it will be expedited.   The Flames also didn't approve of the suspension and released a statement by team president Brian Burke.  “We were informed earlier today that our player, Dennis Wideman, was suspended for contact with an official in last Wednesday’s game against Nashville. We disagree with the severity of today’s suspension ruling and maintain that Dennis’ collision with the linesman was unintentional and accidental," Burke said. "We agree that our officials’ safety and well-being is of extreme importance in order to allow them to perform their duties. They perform an invaluable but underappreciated role in our game. We support sanctions against players who make deliberate contact with any official. However, unintentional and accidental contact does occur at times in our game. We will have no further comment on the matter at this time.” Both the Flames and the NHLPA defended Wideman in a Tuesday hearing.  The play happened on Jan. 27 against the Nashville Predators. Wideman was hit by Nashville forward Miikka Salomaki into the boards in his own zone, and then ran into Henderson on his way to the bench.  Part of Wideman’s defense was reportedly that he was “woozy” after the hit. The NHL released a video explaining the Wideman suspension . The league noted that Wideman suffered a concussion, which was later diagnosed, on the Salomaki play, but showed awareness of his surroundings by raising his stick and looking for a line change.  The league also said Wideman refused immediate medical attention for the head injury. Also, even though Wideman claimed he was disoriented, the league said he "cannot be excused of the nature and severity of the offense he committed on the ice. It is obvious from the video that Wideman did not merely bump into or collide with the linesman. He delivered a forceful blow that was no accident. Wideman must remain accountable for his own actions."  The NHL cited the following rule for Wideman's suspension: 40.2  Automatic Suspension – Category I - Any player who deliberately strikes an official and causes injury or who deliberately applies physical force in any manner against an official with intent to injure, or who in any manner attempts to injure an official shall be automatically suspended for not less than twenty (20) games. (For the purpose of the rule, “intent to injure” shall mean any physical force which a player knew or should have known could reasonably be expected to cause injury.)  Wideman said he , “just saw (Henderson) at the last second. “I was going to try to go (along) the boards, and he kind of moved towards the boards a little bit. I was kind of stuck in the trolley tracks there. It was an accident.” Wideman also said the play was “not intentional” and he would “never try to hurt a linesman or a ref or anything like that.”  Because of the 20-game suspension, Wideman will forfeit $564,516 from his $5.25 million paycheck for this year. The 32-year-old Wideman has 19 points in 48 games played this season. He has never been fined or suspended in his NHL career.  There is belief the NHL suspended Wideman 20 games in part  to defend their on-ice officials.  "Physical abuse of an official is one of the most serious offenses an NHL player can commit," said the league in the video.  In 2008, then Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mike Peca was suspended 10 games for grabbing the arm of a linesman . This was later reduced to five games after an appeal was heard by Bettman.   The Flames host the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.  MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY   - - - - - - - Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper Continue to Article

February 03, 2016 7:24:pm EST