This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
Best wishes to CapGeek.com owner, Matthew Wuest, who decided to permanently close down his website effective Saturday due to undisclosed health issues. Cap Geek was definitely a top five hockey reference website and one I will certainly miss. Combing player contracts made it easy to dream up fantastic trade scenarios (which rarely came to fruition). NHLnumbers.com and Spotrac.com/NHL/ remain two salary cap websites to bookmark. Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski added his Cap Geek thoughts here.
Speaking of deals, I pulled off a trade with the erstwhile Evan Berofsky in the Rotowire staff keeper league Sunday night. Mr. Berofsky gets my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th round draft picks next year (we draft 17 rounds, including 10 minor leaguers and seven reserve players). I pick up a $44 Evgeni Malkin and his 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th round picks. Thoughts?
At 42 years, 322 days of age, Jaromir Jagr became the NHL's eldest player to record a hat trick Saturday against Philadelphia. Interestingly, Jagr is nearly the youngest player to ever score three goals in a game, too. "Mario Jr." as is the anagram of his first name "Jaromir," pulled the trick in his 54th contest, scoring thrice against the Boston Bruins on February 2, 1991. Just think of his numbers had he not left for three seasons in the KHL.
Olli Jokinen update: Jokinen tallied his first and second assists of the season Tuesday – it only took him 36 contests to do so. Jokinen now has three points (1G, 2A) in his last three games, but no, there's no need to rush out and pick him off waivers.
Booyah!
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid
San Jose Sharks (Antti Niemi) at Winnipeg Jets (Ondrej Pavelec), 8:00 PM
Injury News For Teams Playing Monday
San Jose Sharks
Joe Thornton, C - Thornton (shoulder) was placed on injured reserve Sunday, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. (1/4/2015)
Raffi Torres, LW - Coach Todd McLellan said Tuesday that Torres (knee) would be out for "well into the New Year," Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. (12/9/2014)
Mike Brown, RW - Brown has a broken right fibula and will miss six-to-eight weeks from the time of the fracture on Dec. 9, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. (12/21/2014)
Tyler Kennedy, LW - Kennedy has been getting more and more involved at practice and coach Todd McLellan says Kennedy could begin to push himself into physical battles in the next week to ten days, according to CSN Bay Area. (1/4/2015)
Winnipeg Jets
Zach Bogosian, D - Bogosian (lower body) isn't likely to skate until the middle of January, the Winnipeg Free Press reports. (12/18/2014)
Evander Kane, LW - Kane (lower body) will be out until February, Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press reports. (12/29/2014)
Jacob Trouba, D - Trouba (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Thursday. (12/18/2014)
Mark Stuart, D - Stuart (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Sunday. (12/29/2014)
Toby Enstrom, D - Enstrom (lower body) resumed skating Friday, the Winnipeg Free Press reports. (1/3/2015)
Hot
Erik Cole: We know who the 36-year-old Cole is, he's not fooling anybody, but it's hard to ignore a two-goal, three-point night on Sunday or five points in his last two games. He's widely available in many leagues and could be one of those pump-and-dump players who add to your fantasy bottom line. Cole also has dished out 30 hits in his last six contests.
Dustin Byfuglien: Big Buff has scored two goals and six points in his last seven. Playing on the blue line has also enabled him to rack up 24 hits and 21 blocked shots in his last six. Fantasy owners have long known what Byfuglien is capable of doing and the defensively strapped Jets are getting production from him at a crucial time.
Cold
Marc-Andre Fleury: The Flower has allowed three goals or more in five of his last six starts. It's up to fantasy owners to determine whether his recent woes are attributable to his own poor play, the play of the guys in front of him or some combination. Of course, the answer is likely some combo of both. Fleury, who leads the NHL with six shutouts, has given up some softies recently. Overall though, his play has been fairly solid. An influx of rookie defenders and multiple injuries to the forwards have forced skaters into unfamiliar roles with unfamiliar linemates. The team is getting healthy – top-four defenseman Paul Martin is due back Wednesday – so there is reason for hope that Fleury will pick up his game – at least until the postseason.
Kevin Bieksa: The Canucks are paying Bieksa $23 million over five years and the defenseman has six points (3G, 3A) in 37 games. At 33 years of age, it's possible the blueliner is slowing down. He does have 60 hits and 65 blocks, but his 0.16 points per game is significantly lower than his career average (0.40). Bieksa is bordering on fantasy irrelevance.
Recommended Pickup
Ryan Strome: After collecting 18 points (7G, 11A) in 37 games as a rookie, the former Niagara IceDog has picked up 28 points (7G, 21A) in his first 38 games of 2014-15. Strome isn't a surprise here, but seven points (1G, 6A) in his last four games is an eye opener. He's a plus-13 for the season and has picked up three of his five power-play points in the Isle's last four contests.
