Welcome to this week’s edition of Crashing the Net. For this 13th week of the season we’re going to take a look at the top five players that you might want to add to your roster this week. We hope you will be able to utilize this article in order to gain a competitive advantage over your opponents throughout the season. Feel free to add omissions and critique our current choices in comments section as we welcome an open discussion at DailyFaceoff.com.
Curtis Glencross, Left Wing, Calgary Flames
Things are really starting to pay off for those fantasy GM’s who have been patient with Jarome Iginla. While the Flames tend not to put up a lot of goals their top line of has at least been scoring on a consistent basis. Since Iginla and top line Center Olli Jokinen are taken in most leagues, why not gamble on that line’s left winger Curtis Glencross. The speedy winger is having a great season after a slow start. Glencross currently leads the Flames in goals with 15 and is on pace for a career high 32 goals. His previous high was 24 goals last season. Plus, he’s on quite the hot streak, he currently has 9 points in his last 8 games. It’s recommended that you pick up Glencross if you can as he’s currently owned in 29% of all Yahoo! leagues. If his hot streak continues more teams will be picking him up sooner than later.
Jason LaBarbara, Goaltender, Phoenix Coyotes
Since it looks like Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith will be out a while longer with a groin injury, you might want to pick up the team’s backup goaltender Jason LaBarbara. LaBarbara won’t win the Vezina but he will be able to give you some quality starts over the next few weeks until Smith returns to the lineup. Since LaBarbara has taken over as the team’s top goalie he’s gone 2-3-1 and has given up a respectable average of 2.50 goals in those 6 games. If you need more incentive to pick up LaBarbara you need to look at the Coyotes next 3 games. Their opponents over that span are the St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, and the New York Islanders. All 3 teams are in the bottom six for the lowest goals for in the NHL. You might want to pick him up for those 3 games alone.
Marek Zidlicky, Defence, Minnesota Wild
Offensive minded defenceman are hard to pick up off the waiver wire this late in the season, sometimes you have to wait for a player returning from an injury to make your move. Marek Zidlicky just returned to the struggling Minnesota Wild lineup a few weeks ago after missing 13 games due to a concussion. Since returning from his injury Zidlicky only has 3 assists (all 3 points came in the Wild’s 4-3 win over the Oilers on December 29) and has yet to register any goals. While he’s off to a slow start you have to look at the points that Zidlicky normally puts up. Last season he scored 24 points in 47 games after mussing a large chunk of the season with a shoulder injury. Prior to that he scored 43 points per season the previous 3 years. Zidlicky is bound to start finding himself on the score sheet more often, Wild coach Mike Yeo has him playing just over 3 minutes on the power-play every night.
Carl Hagelin, Left Wing, New York Rangers
Look who’s quietly climbing up the rookie scoring ladder. Rangers rookie Carl Hagelin is putting together an impressive rookie campaign. Since being called up from Connecticut of the AHL, the Swedish winger has scored 11 points in 17 games and has passed the Flyers Sean Couturier among the leagues top rookie scorers. Quite simply Hagelin has been on fire as of late with 4 points (3 goals & 1 assist) in the Rangers last 3 games. Hagelin currently averages just under 13 minutes of ice time per game. If he keeps finding the back of the net John Tortorella will have no other options but to give the rookie even more ice time.
Kurtis Foster, Defence, New Jersey Devils
Do you still have rookie Adam Larsson on your team? If so, it might be time to drop him and replace him with veteran Kurtis Foster. Since being traded from the Ducks to the New Jersey Devils on December 12, Foster has taken Larsson’s spot on the Devils top power play unit. The move has seemed to help as not only have the Devils gone 6-2 since the trade but Foster has seemed to thrive in New Jersey with 4 points in that same 8 game span. Kurtis Foster isn’t going to put up huge numbers for you but he will be a reliable blue line option for you in most deep leagues. Remember that he’s only 2 years removed from his 42 point campaign with the Tampa Bat Lightning. Foster is currently owned in only 7% of all Yahoo! leagues.
