Blockbuster trades have become increasingly rare in the NHL. Teams simply cannot move large-salaried players due to salary cap complications.


As a result, many struggling players are stuck right where they are – getting increasingly stale in their current situations.


A great example is Hurricanes center Eric Staal, who has scored just three goals (with four assists and a minus-7 rating) in 16 games this season.

Jonathan Cheechoo once scored 56 goals in a season. No, seriously, he did that for the Sharks – leading the NHL in goal scoring in 2005-06.

But his numbers have gone down since then, to 37, 23 and 12 the next three seasons in San Jose. This season he has one goal in 17 games for the Senators after arriving with Milan Michalek (10 points in 17 games so far) in the disastrous Dany Heatley trade.

All the casualties this season forced fantasy general managers to scramble for replacements. Roster openings gave you a chance to shop for the Next New Thing, those young players making a big splash in the early going. You also gobbled up lots of reliable veterans, those middling performers with modest performance ceilings but a history of reassuring steadiness.

But don’t lose track of those potential breakout players who went down with injuries in this young season, causing them ...

The first month of the NHL season produced plenty of surprises – both pleasant and unpleasant – in the nets across North America.

The most jarring start, good or bad, was produced by new Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson. After backing up in Chicago and Florida, he went to Colorado with a clear shot at starting.

He is 10-3-2 with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage for a team widely expected to miss the playoffs. His 10 victories in October tied ...

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin is one of the top three offensive players in the National Hockey League, joining Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin in that select group.

Malkin scored 219 points the previous two seasons and scored 14 points in his first 12 games this season. But now he will miss the next two to three weeks with a shoulder injury. He joins offensive defenseman Sergei Gonchar and winger Tyler Kennedy (five goals so far) on Pittsburgh's injured list.

The NHL season is less than 10 games old, but already major injuries are reshaping some teams.

Blues power forward David Backes knocked Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar out of action for at least four to six weeks with a broken wrist. Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma didn’t notice the hit during the game, but was able to detect it on tape.

Hockey experts figured the Tampa Bay Lightning would deal franchise center Vincent Lecavalier before his 11-year, $85 million contract kicked in. After all, the team wasn’t in the soundest financial shape. A rift between Oren Koules and Len Barrie created some managerial chaos.

Lecavalier’s heir apparent, 2008 first overall pick Steven Stamkos, had a productive rookie year under his belt. Cornerstone Victor Hedman arrived in the ’09 draft. This seemed like a good time to retool. ...

Back in 2006-07 for Buffalo, he scored 95 points with a plus-17 ranking and 89 penalty. He was one of the NHL’s most dynamic performers.

Briere has played just 108 games in two seasons in Philadelphia, though, scoring 99 points with a minus-23 rating. He had 25 points in 29 games last season.

Now he hopes to join an impressive list of potential bounce-back players this season

Stardom seldom comes all at once in the NHL. Forwards – especially those playing a power game – need time to develop.



Consider the case of Ducks power forward Corey Perry. He has improved steadily during the past three seasons, boosting his point total from 44 to 54 and 72.



His plus-minus rating for that span in plus-34. He earned 217 PIMs the past two seasons, which is considered a positive on this combative team. He plays on a line with ...

Each summer, fantasy stocks rise and fall as NHL teams shuffle their rosters. The usual number of big-name players changed places during this busy off-season. Some moved into better statistical situations – with better teams and/or a bigger role -- while others made lateral moves or landed in worse situations.

The NHL season is rolling into the All-Star Break. Real-life general managers will assess their teams before the stretch run starts and fantasy GMs will have to do the same. Here are 10 story lines to follow as league catches its breath this weekend.

Many, many established NHL veterans failed to produce at their anticipated rate during the first half of this season. The heartache spread from coast to coast.

Here are 10 of the bigger disappointments.

As always, the first half of the NHL season generated the usual number of statistical breakthroughs. Although the statistical leader board mostly read like a who’s who list, numerous late-round draft picks and waiver-wire refugees had big impacts in fantasy leagues.