Wales Watching

This week we will take a look at how some Eastern Conference players are producing after having suffered an injury last season, making them prime bounce back players this season.  Have these players put up numbers like they did 2 years ago, or were their numbers inflated causing them to not produce as expected this season?

Brian Gionta- NJ: Last season, Gionta dropped 44 points after missing 20 games to injury.  In 2005-06, Gionta had a breakout year with 48 goals and 41 assists.  It was felt that he would excel this season and be in the 65-70 point range.  Thus far, after 72 games, Gionta stands with 20 goals and 29 assists with 8 PPGs.  The 49 points are lower production than was expected from Gionta but losing Scott Gomez just had to have an effect.

Maxim Afinogenov- BUF: Because of an injury, Afinogenov missed 26 games, decreasing his scoring output last season by 12 points compared to 2005-06.  Fantasy players felt that he could rebound back to the 70+ range.  However, he has missed 26 games this season and his point production is an anemic 15 points in 47 games.

Ales Kotalik - BUF: In his first full NHL season in 2005-06, Kotalik tallied 62 points.  Expectations were high for the right winger but an injury caused him to miss 16 games last season.  As a result, his point totals dropped to just 38 points.  Fantasy players were looking for an increase into the 55-60 point range this season, but Kotalik will fall a bit short as he has tallied 22 goals and 19 assists thus far.  

Cory Stillman - OTT: Averaging 78 points for the 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons, Stillman needed time last season to rehabilitate an injury.  He only appeared in 43 games netting 27 points.  Fantasy players were hoping that Stillman would revert back to the 70+ point range this season.  He will fall a bit shy of that mark but Stillman has had a very nice season.  Currently, he has 23 goals and 37 assists with 10 PPGs in 72 games.

Chris Higgins - MTL: Higgins showed great promise in 2005-06, especially in the second half where he tallied 16 of his 23 goals.  He still managed to score 22 goals last season but missed 21 games to injury.  It was felt that if Higgins played a full season, he could score at least 35 goals. A lofty expectation for sure as Higgins has 22 goals and 25 assists with 10 PPGs.  He will fall about 10 goals shy.

Mike Knuble - PHI: Knuble has made the most of playing on the Flyers’ first line  but a collision last season with Brendan Shanahan left Knuble concussed causing him to miss 18 games.  Consequently, his point totals dipped from 65 in 2005-06 to 54 last season.  Playing on the Flyers first line with Simon Gagne and Daniel Briere, it was felt that Knuble could get back to the 65-70 point range.  He currently stands with 50 points but the 15 PPGs are most impressive.

Ryan Malone - PIT: In his first two NHL seasons, Malone averaged 44 points and fantasy players looked for a natural progression last season to the 50-55 point range.  Malone was well on his way but missed 18 games with an injury scoring only 31 points.  Malone was likely selected in the later rounds on draft day with the expectation that he could return to the 40+ point area. In 68 games this season, Malone has tallied 24 goals and 21 assists with 9 PPGs and has exceeded expectations.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT (For games played March 10-March 16)

Burning it up

Goals

Daniel Paille-BUF: 4 goals

Vinny Lecavalier-TB: 4 goals

Dany Heatley-OTT: 4 goals

Ilya Kovalchuk-ATL: 4 goals

Assists

Eric Staal-CAR: 5 assists

Jason Pominville-BUF: 5 assists

Dan Boyle-TB: 4 assists

Plus/minus

Kris Letang-PIT: +6

Daniel Paille-BUF: +5

Jason Pominville-BUF: +5

Jordan Staal-PIT: +4

Derek Roy-BUF: +4

Shots on goal

Alexander Ovechkin-Wsh: 23 SOG

Marc Savard-BOS: 20 SOG

Vinny Lecavalier-TB: 20 SOG

Eric Staal-CAR: 16 SOG

Chuck Kobasew-BOS: 15 SOG

PPGs

Jason Spezza-OTT: 3 PPGs

Alexander Ovechkin-WSH: 3 PPGs

SHGs

Daniel Paille-BUF: 1 SHG

Derek Roy-BUF: 1 SHG

Goaltending

Tomas Vokoun-FLA: 3 wins; 1.67 GAA; .946 SP

Mike Smith-TB: 2 wins; 0.50 GAA; .982 SP

Olaf Kolzig-WSH: 2 wins; 1.50 GAA; .921 SP

Cold as Ice

Glen Metropolit-BOS: 4 games; 0 points; minus-5

Tobias Enstrom-ATL: 4 games; 0 points; minus-4

Marc Staal-NYR: 3 games; 0 points; minus-4

Matt Stajan-TOR: 3 games; 0 points; minus-3

Rick DiPietro-NYI: 3 losses; 4.67 GAA; .865 SP