Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Doan having career season; Betts, Connolly, Ranger out for season; Neil to return; Ovechkin hits milestone; Okposo struts his stuff; and more...

DOAN OVERLOOK THIS GUY 
With seven games left in the regular schedule for his Phoenix Coyotes, team captain Shane Doan has already surpassed his previous career highs in points and assists.

The 31-year-old is just four goals shy of tying his career high of 30, and he's currently red hot. With the Coyotes in the middle of a late attempt at a playoff spot, Doan's efforts will need to be of superhuman category if he's to get them over the hump. Phoenix has gone winless in their last four contests and is watching their hopes slowly fade. Moreover, they have both Edmonton and Nashville to leapfrog before they can even think of catching the Avalanche for the final spot in the Western Conference.

Regardless, the Coyotes gave it a good run and Doan picked the right time to have his breakthrough campaign. With rookies Peter Mueller under his wing, and more future stars such as Kyle Turris on the way, Doan has once again been a leader in every sense of the word. According to most experts at the start of 2007-08, the team was supposed to be eliminated from the postseason sometime in, well, December. The fact that we're closing in on the end of March speaks volumes about what Doan has done for this team.

With more talented kids joining the team next season, and this year's rookie crop improving by the game, look for Doan to come back even stronger in 2008-09.

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ALL BETTS ARE OFF 
Rangers checker Blair Betts underwent foot surgery Friday and will be out for 2-3 weeks. INTEL: Betts does not hold any fantasy value, but his absence creates an opening for oft-scratched Petr Prucha, who is a very capable--but disappointing--goal scorer.

UPPING THE TEPPO 
Veteran Sabres defenseman Teppo Numminen was back practicing with his teammates on Friday and has been cleared to play after a long recovery from heart surgery. INTEL: Numminen will need a couple of weeks to get into game shape first, but with the team hurting on the blueline he may be in sooner than one thinks.

NEIL'S KNEE 
Out since tearing ligaments in his knee on February 21, Ottawa tough guy Chris Neil is expected back in the lineup Saturday. INTEL: Neil is one of the rare players who can give a fantasy squad decent production in a vast array of categories, particularly penalty minutes and hits.

OILERS ARE WILD ABOUT CODY  
The Oilers signed prospect Cody Wild to a three-year entry-level contract. He will play in Springfield of the AHL for the rest of this season. INTEL: The team has time to wait on the 20-year-old offensive defenseman because they already have several young blueliners who fit that bill right now.

DONE RANGER 
Tampa Bay rearguard Paul Ranger is out for the season with a shoulder injury. INTEL: The 23-year-old already has career highs in goals (10), assists (21) and points this season--he should be a solid candidate to reach 40 points next campaign

GOMEZ LEAVES GAME 
The Rangers' leading scorer, Scott Gomez, crashed shoulder first into the boards early in the game Friday and left the contest. He did not return. INTEL: Gomez apparently hurt his ankle hitting a rut on the ice and there is more concern over the ankle than the shoulder. Consider him day-to-day.

OKPOSO HAS BIG NIGHT 
Rookie Kyle Okposo, in just his second career game, notched his first career point when he set up the game's first goal Friday, mere minutes into the contest. He followed that up with the game-tying goal in the third thanks to a one-timer while on his knees. INTEL: The Isles could very well revolve around this excellent, all-around youngster within a few years.

60 FOR OVY 
Alexander Ovechkin tallied a pair of markers Friday in Washington's 5-3 win over Atlanta. The win leapfrogs the Caps over the Sabres and into ninth place in the Eastern Conference, just a point back of Boston. INTEL: The second goal was Ovechkin's 60th--he's the first player in 12 years to hit that milestone. There is so much more to come from this superstar, who hasn't even celebrated his 23rd birthday yet.

CONNOLLY DONE 
Center Tim Connolly, who has been hurting for several months now with a bad hip, will undergo surgery to have bone spurs removed. He is out for the season. INTEL: Connolly is a very talented player, but the injury-prone forward will likely never play enough games in a season to make his mark in fantasy hockey.