Chris Nichols

­Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.

@Nichols_NHLPool on Twitter for timely NHL & poolie info, along with occasionally snarky comments.

Live blogging nightly: line combos, defensive pairings, analysis, statistical trends and more from every game on the NHL docket. Refresh the 'Live NHL Recap' page while the games are on to get new info as it is added.

Send in a brief fantasy hockey question, including all relevant league info, and it may be included in a future Hockey Hearsay blog during the week. One per person, please. Send it via Twitter for a possible response in the blog, or send via email (include your first name and hometown to represent!) if you'd prefer. chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com

The Montreal Gazette imparts that Michael Cammalleri bought his parents some cold-weather gear to wear at Sunday’s Heritage Classic outdoor game in Calgary and he’s hoping that they’ll be able to see him play in the game.

Cammalleri took a step toward returning to the Canadiens lineup when he practised with his teammates Monday in Brossard. It was his first practice with the team since he suffered a separated shoulder in the Jan. 18 game in Buffalo.

He’s definitely not playing the rematch against the Sabres tonight at the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., TSN-A, RDS, CJAD Radio-800) and he’s doubtful for the start of the Canadiens’ Western Canada road trip Thursday in Vancouver. But he’s hoping to play in Calgary.

“It depends on how my body reacts but, trust me, I would love to play in that game,” Cammalleri said. “(But) I don’t want to set a target because it’s not fair to the trainers or anyone else. It’s good to be back with the guys but there’s no contact yet. I was able to shoot some pucks, but I’m not ready to play a game.”

He has already missed 10 and he was asked if the recovery was taking longer than expected.

“Yes and no,” he replied. “It took a while to figure out what it was and when we found it, it was a little longer than what we originally thought.”

The Gazette also says that rookie defenceman P.K. Subban responded to Joffrey Lupul’s complaint that he started throwing punches while Lupul was trying to take off his helmet.

“I was undoing my own chinstrap and, if he backs away, I don’t have a chance to go after him. But he took a step toward me and I have to defend myself. If I’m the guy who’s taking off the chinstrap and the fight starts a little earlier than I think, people will go ‘you’re a rookie and you have to learn.’ ”

“I’m trying to play hard and work hard for my teammates and the coaching staff,” Subban said. “I try to do what’s best for the Montreal organization.”

Subban has become a lightning rod for criticism, but insists he doesn’t go out of his way to draw attention to himself.

“I’m an easy target (but) I don’t ask for attention. It seems whenever I do something, people want to talk about it. I’m rookie in this league and nobody should have to worry about me.

Subban said he can’t change his personality and there are times when he’s baffled by what people expect. “If I don’t fight, people criticize me; if I do fight, I get criticized,” he said. “I’m just a rookie trying to figure things out.”

Sportsnet.ca's Ian Mendes writes that Ottawa Senators forward Alex Kovalev is playing his best hockey of the season, collecting eight points in six games since the All-Star break.

So it should come as no surprise that his improved play has led to plenty of trade speculation about the veteran winger in the days leading up to the NHL trade deadline.

"It would be great to win the Cup, but this situation right now, I'm thinking just about playing for this team. I'm not really thinking about where I'm going to go or where I'm going to be in a couple of weeks," Kovalev said on Tuesday morning.

The Senators seemed to signal a move towards a full-fledged rebuild by trading fan favourite Mike Fisher to Nashville last week. Kovalev, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, would appear to be a perfect asset for general manager Bryan Murray to try and trade before the deadline on Feb. 28. The 37-year-old says the players in the Senators dressing room are aware of the consequences of their disappointing season, which has the club in last place in the Eastern conference.

"Everybody understands we're not the same team we were last season and everybody knows that some changes or some movement are going to be made," explained Kovalev. "So I'm sure a lot of guys that have been around this team for a long time, they don't want to go anywhere. But sometimes, it's better to have a little change and start - particularly for the young guys - start the career fresh and hopefully it works for you that way."

Mendes notes that Kovalev indicated that he has not spoken to Murray in the past couple of days regarding his future in Ottawa. The 18-year veteran has played with four different teams during his career and was a key contributor to the New York Rangers Stanley Cup victory back in 1994. So all of the trade talk, rumors and innuendo don't faze him in the least.

"I've been around for a long time and I've been traded a few times and it's not new for me," Kovalev added. "For me, staying here or going to another team, the job is still the same being a hockey player to help whatever team you're playing for. Right now, I'm still here and trying to do the best I can."

The Ottawa Citizen points out that Kovalev says part of the reason for the sudden success is that he finally feels comfortable that his knee has fully recovered from off-season surgery and the fact he’s had Peter Regin and Nick Foligno as consistent linemates.

“Peter is a smart guy, he showed that last year,” said Kovalev. “It’s not hard to figure out how he plays and Nicky does a good job down low. We’re just trying to spend as little time as possible in the defensive zone.”

"I'm really happy that I got the chance with the Avalanche to come back here and try for the last time and put an end to it," said Peter Forsberg at yesterday's retirement announcement. He will have his No. 21 sweater retired by the team at some point next season. "Knowing for fact, 100 percent sure, that I'm not going to play anymore.

"Maybe I was selfish to come over, but in the back of my mind it feels good now. I feel like I'm ready to retire."

Via the Denver Post...

Former Avalanche captain Joe Sakic: "He was the most talented guy I ever played with, for just pure raw talent. But more than that, he was a winner and a total gamer. He just wanted to win. He didn't care who scored all the goals or who got all the credit. He just wanted to win, and that's why his teams won as much as they did. We were all lucky to play with him."

Former Avs goalie Patrick Roy: "Hearing of his retirement is sad news, but one day every athlete has to come to this decision. He should be very proud of all he accomplished throughout his career."

Avs defenseman Adam Foote: "I'm just surprised right now. Caught me a little off guard. I thought he played really good in the back-to-back. I haven't talked to him, so I don't know why. I guess he just felt like he couldn't physically do it.

"I do feel bad for him. He gave it a shot, and it didn't work out."

From NHL.com...

Matt Duchene: "I was very surprised. I thought he looked great out there. I think it's sad because that's the end of his career. All those attempts the last few years trying to get back for one last run … I think this is it. It's sad that a great career like that is over, but at the same time, what a career it was. He did a lot for a lot of people, including myself. He was a guy that I really looked up to growing up."

Duchene, who centred a line with Forsberg at left wing and Milan Hejduk on the right side in both games, said he felt honoured to have skated alongside one of his idols, even if it was short-lived.

"I played with probably my favorite player," Duchene said of Forsberg. "It was amazing. That's something that will last for the rest of my career, having met and played with one of my heroes. It was a tremendous privilege to get to play with him and to be around him. It was just amazing to play with him.

"Nobody should be disappointed in him or upset. He gave it a good try."

Milan Hejduk: "I didn't see this coming," he said. "I thought he looked pretty good. Obviously, for not playing for a long time and jumping into back-to-back nights on the road, it's not an easy thing to do. I thought he did fine. I thought things would get better.

"Peter's going to go down as one of the best players to ever play the game. That's the legacy he will go down in the books. He had tons of injuries, too, probably because of the style of hockey he played -- a really physical game. It took some toll on his body."

From The Edmonton Journal...

Oilers rookie Magnus Paajarvi: “I was really looking forward to playing against him in Colorado,” said Paajarvi, who did play two games against Forsberg when the veteran was with Modo and the rookie was with Timra in the Swedish Elite League.

“I’m surprised because, according to interviews, he said he felt good,” said Paajarvi. “I guess when you feel like you can’t be at that level, it’s better not to play. At least, he knows now.”

Michigan Live points out that Steve Yzerman will experience something new Thursday. It will be the first time he watches the Detroit Red Wings and roots for the other team.

But the first-year general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning was quick to downplay the emotional angle when the Red Wings play the Lightning at the St. Pete Times Forum.

"I don’t think we should make any bigger deal than necessary about the game," Yzerman said. "I’m not the coach standing behind the bench. I’m not a player playing the game. We’re playing one of the best teams in the league. It’s a good test to see how we can hold up against (Pavel) Datsyuk and (Henrik) Zetterberg and see if we can penetrate, when healthy, the best defence in the league, in my opinion.

"I’m going to take all the emotion out of it and see how our team matches up against some of the best players in the league."

The Hall-of-Famer who played 22 seasons in Detroit, including an NHL-record 19 as captain, wants the focus to be on the game.

The article notes that led by young superstar Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay has 73 points, four less than the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Flyers and one fewer than the Red Wings.

"As a player he was very successful and he’s a very smart man, so it’s not surprising he’s very smart as a GM, too," Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "It gave their organization a spark adding a Hall-of-Famer like Stevie, with what he’s done for the game."

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland joked that bragging rights will be on the line Thursday.

"The biggest thing Steve’s done is he’s been a real calming influence," Holland said. "It’s a stable situation. You don’t hear (trade) rumors, there’s no distractions. Watching from the outside, it’s a real business-like atmosphere. That’s what Steve was like on the ice.

"They got a nucleus of a tremendous team and Steve has done a nice job of surrounding the core."

Michigan Live writes that Yzerman was well prepared for the job, after spending four years in Detroit’s front office, working closely with Holland, assistant GM Jim Nill and director of hockey administration Ryan Martin.

"Every day was a good opportunity to learn, just by paying attention and observing," Yzerman said. "For four seasons, getting to sit with Kenny, Jim and Ryan and just listen to the conversation. Whether it was preparing a contract negotiation, preparing for July 1 (free agency), preparing for the draft -- all the different philosophies and ideas.

"I’ve used the phrase, ‘I went to university,’ and I really feel like I did."

Yzerman said his relationship with Red Wings’ brass hasn’t changed much.

"I don’t look at it as we’re the enemy, but obviously, we’re competing for the same players. Thursday night, competing for two points," Yzerman said. "I talk to Kenny on a regular basis about a lot of things, and still seek out his advice on some of the decisions I’ve made over the course of the season.

"One thing Kenny told me, and it may sound simple, is try to be patient and think out my decisions. He put a lot of thought into every decision he made."

The article mentions that during Yzerman’s front-office apprenticeship, he had lunch with Holland almost on a daily basis. They attended league meetings together. They shared rides to Grand Rapids to watch prospects on the Griffins. They sat next to each other in the press box at Joe Louis Arena.

"When we can help one another and it doesn’t affect (the other’s team), we’ll do it," Holland said. "It’s going to be a special relationship for the rest of my life. When we’ve done as much winning as we’ve done, the bond becomes tighter.

"I’m rooting for Steve’s team, but not Thursday night. Hopefully, we play them again."

If they do, it would be in the Stanley Cup finals.

The Buffalo News reports that Ryan Miller's streak of 31 straight starts, which began on Nov. 26 and is the longest in the NHL this season, is over. It ended in unceremonious fashion as the reigning Vezina Trophy winner was torched for seven goals on 26 shots in Sunday's 7-6 overtime loss to the New York Islanders.

Ruff said he has a schedule of resting Miller set up well into March, and the coach confirmed this morning on his weekly radio appearance that Jhonas Enroth is getting another call from Portland to start tonight in goal over backup Patrick Lalime.

"I'm not going to be perfect every time and I'm not going to handle it perfectly," Miller said after practice Monday. "I'm not a machine and that's how it goes. But I'm going to come and do my job. I'm always going to try and be the guy working towards winning the game. It is what it is. It's a tough situation if you let it become too much."

The News observes that the Sabres have been especially careful the last two years to limit Miller's work in practice and gameday skates. But no goalie can be expected to play that many games in a row without some hiccups and Miller admitted there is a mental drain to the streak.

"There is a wear and tear to that. With the schedule moving forward, it's natural we have to build in breaks," he said. "[The streak] wasn't quite what we set out to do. But when I started the year with some injuries, it kind of threw a wrench into that and Lindy wanted to get me rolling. Then it kind of got a little bit long so we're going to have to make a plan to make sure that mentally and physically I'm where I need to be."

During the 31 starts, Miller was 18-9-3, with a 2.85 goals-against and a mediocre .900 save percentage.

For the season, Miller has a 2.78 goals-against average -- which would be his career-worst -- and .909 save percentage. Those figures rank 30th and 26th, respectively in the NHL. He was second in both last year at 2.22 and .929, easily his career-bests during a season that included his spectacular performance at the Vancouver Olympics.

"I think mentally it could be stressful, there's no getting around that," Ruff said of Miller's stretch. "I think the schedule we laid out will play right into where we want to go with him. I think he's done a great job to this part of handling the number of starts ... It's been a little blip on the radar."

The News believes the Sabres have hung their franchise mantle on Miller with a $6.25 million annual salary that runs through 2014. He rewarded them with a big season last year that had them thinking he was ready to be a perennially elite goalie in the NHL. This year has been a step back. They just hope Miller can get refreshed enough to withstand the upcoming schedule and lead the team's playoff push.

"I'm not going to be perfect and I'm certainly judged at a higher standard now," Miller said. "You're going to go through stretches. You're going to have bad games. You're going to have games that just don't go your way, games where you can't do anything right and you still win.

"I'm going to just shake it off and be a veteran player. It's a frustrating loss but looking back on the stretch of games, we've done what we needed to as a team to get ourselves into a positive situation. We can't let [Sunday] turn into a negative."

The Philadelphia Daily News reflects on the fact that the Flyers acquired flashy forward Kris Versteeg - one of the best players on the market at this year's deadline - from the going-nowhere Leafs in exchange for a first- and third-round draft pick.

In only a few hours yesterday, Versteeg went from a team with little to no chance of playing in late April to a team with a solid possibility of skating in June.

"Right away, I was extremely excited to join this team," Versteeg said. "They've had a lot of success this season. They had a great playoff push last year, and I'm excited to try and have a good one this year."

Versteeg, unlike most players acquired at the deadline, is not a rental player. He is not set to become a restricted free agent until July 2012. He is owed a prorated $3.083 million for the remainder of this season ($928,315) and another $3.083 million next season.

The move puts the Flyers slightly over the NHL's $59.4 million salary cap, which is allowed because of the long term injured reserve exception of forward Ian Laperriere.

In the long term, depending on how much the NHL's hard salary cap increases in the offseason, acquiring Versteeg could limit how much the Flyers can spend when trying to re-sign valuable assets such as Ville Leino.

But that's a discussion for another day.

In the short term, The Daily News speculates that Versteeg undoubtedly makes the Flyers the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup. He is the scoring winger Peter Laviolette desperately wanted to plug in on a line with Mike Richards - which is evident, based on the way he has tinkered with the lines the last few games.

Unlike Zherdev, Versteeg is not afraid to get dirty and play defence. His speed and deft hands make him one of the Flyers' top dual threats.

"He's a tenacious guy that does a lot of things well," Laviolette said. "I think he's done a little bit of everything. If you look at our lineup and the way it runs, we're not really comprised of a first line. It's more we're built by numbers."

Laviolette said he could stick Versteeg with Richards and James van Riemsdyk, but he praised Holmgren for not "taking something from a group that's already established."

Over the final 27 games, Versteeg will make Laviolette's lineup decisions interesting on a nightly basis - now that two forwards will have to sit as healthy scratches, whether it's Zherdev, Dan Carcillo or even Jody Shelley.

Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason has been slowed in recent days by a bout with bronchitis, a source has told The Columbus Dispatch. That's why he's not practicing this morning with the Jackets and, possibly, why he missed Friday's 5-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

The source also said Mason has been slowed by a tender groin, believed to be on his left side.

It's unclear if Mason will be able to play Wednesday vs. Los Angeles, although Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson told The Dispatch this morning that there are no plans, for now, to recall a goaltender from minor-league Springfield.

The Miami Herald writes that numbers would seem to be on Cory Stillman’s side for reaching 1,000 games. He was a first-round draft pick early in the phase that took the NHL from 21 to 30 teams. The 1,000-games club he is set to join Wednesday against Philadelphia has 261 members.

But Stillman knows better.

“I was always told that ‘just because you’re a first-rounder doesn’t mean you’re ever going to play,’ ’’ said Stillman, 37. “I had to take an approach that way. There’s a lot who don’t play.”

Such as Ryan Sittler, taken seventh overall by Philadelphia after Calgary took Stillman at No. 6. Despite getting half his genes from Hall of Famer Darryl Sittler, Ryan Sittler never played an NHL game. Meanwhile, Stillman is one of two first-rounders from that year — No. 1 overall Roman Hamrlik is the other — still drawing an NHL paycheck.

The Herald notes that Tampa Bay took Hamrlik, now with Montreal, but he wasn’t there when the Lightning lifted the Stanley Cup in the last game before the NHL went dark for the 2004-05 season. Stillman was there. And he was with Carolina for the first post-lockout Stanley Cup.

“I played in junior in Windsor [Ontario] and Cory played [in Windsor] the year after I left,” Panthers coach Pete DeBoer said. “So, I followed his career really from the time he was 16. I’ve always been impressed with him. Until you coach him, you don’t realize what a smart hockey guy he is. He’s got a hockey IQ that’s off the charts. He sees stuff before the coaches see it on the ice. That’s why he’s been able to hang around as long as he has and be effective as long as he has.”

Stillman’s hockey sense stamps his NHL passport, making him alluring at trade-deadline time to teams that think they’re close to a Cup and want someone who won’t make a crucial mistake. So Stillman has been traded twice at the trade deadline — Calgary to St. Louis in 2001, and Carolina to Ottawa in 2008 — and knows it might not be the last time.

“You can say this year, ‘Do I keep my eye on that day?’ No,” Stillman said. “But since that first deadline trade, there’s always that feeling, an uneasy feeling that it’s happened before and it could happen again."

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Wild defenceman Marek Zidlicky, who has missed the past 19 games because of a shoulder injury, is getting closer to returning.

Zidlicky took part in his first practice Monday where he was engaged in battle drills, then stayed on after to continue the wall work with teammates Brad Staubitz and Jared Spurgeon.

"I feel better, but it's not ready," Zidlicky said. "I don't want to say a couple more days, but we will see. I'd like to play tomorrow, but it's day-to-day."

Coach Todd Richards called it "another step," but didn't speculate when Zidlicky would return.

"The minute he says he's confident, 100 percent, then we'll get him back in the lineup," Richards said.

The Nashville Tennessean reports that cen­tre Mar­cel Goc (upper body) retur­ned to prac­tice Mon­day after mis­sing Saturday’s game against Colo­rado. Coach Barry Trotz said Goc would play against the Sharks on Tues­day night, but wasn’t sure where.

Recently acqui­red Mike Fisher pla­yed bet­ween Ser­gei Kos­titsyn and Mar­tin Erat on Satur­day, filling in at Goc’s for­mer spot. Trotz hin­ted that Fisher may remain on that line since there is a gro­wing com­fort level.

“If I don’t like the matchup, I can flip flop cen­ter­men now that I have more than two,” Trotz said.

Goc was hurt during last Wednesday’s game at Detroit.

For­ward Marek Sva­tos (lower body) also prac­ti­ced Mon­day and might play against the Sharks, Trotz said.

Fire & Ice relays that Zach Parise has to wait until March 2 for his next follow-up examination at the Cleveland Clinic with Dr. Anthony Miniaci, who performed the Nov. 2 arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Parise is optimistic that will be the day he will get the green light to start skating.

Miniaci and the Devils have been very cautious with his rehab, which Parise said has been going “pretty good.”

“It’s feeling good,” he said of his knee. “We’re progressing, but we still have some restrictions on what we can do in my rehab.”

Even if Parise does get the go-ahead to start skating on March 2, however, he will still have a long way to go before he’s ready to practice with the team and then play in a game.

“If and when I do go out there (on the ice), I won’t be going out on the first day and doing quick stops and starts,” he said. “I’ll be starting slowing and probably be doing a lot of laps at first.”

Fire & Ice notes that Parise is reluctant to speculate on when he’ll be ready to play, but it seems unlikely it will be before April.

“I’d hate setting a date when I’d like to come back,” he said. “I’m trying to get back as quick as I can in a safe way.”

The Devils will likely have to continue this roll for another month and a half , however, for Parise to be able to help them make a run at the postseason.

“That’s what I’m hoping for,” he said. “I hope that will be the case. The way the guys are playing right now, they can play against anybody. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get back and play in some meaningful games.”

The article also reports that Parise, who is slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1, said the Devils still have not approached him about opening contract negotiations. At this point, he’s not expecting anything to happen until the season is over.

“I’m just kind of used to it now,” he said. “I don’t have any feelings about it one way or the other. I can’t do much about it. I kind of get the sense that if it doesn’t happen now it’s probably going to be put off until after the season.”

Randy: "Hey Chris, I'm the commissioner of a 10 team, h2h Yahoo league where each team keeps 60 players, no restrictions on how long you keep the players. Scoring categories are: G, A, P, +/-, PIM, PPP, GWG and for goalies W, SV%, GAA, SO

These are the most prominent, young players/prospects available in our league. Just wondering if there are one, two or a handful of players that really catch your eye, that you think will be fantasy studs one day.

Forwards Mark Olver (COL - C) Kevin Porter (COL - C) Nick Bonino (ANH - C) Nicholas Deschamps (ANH - C) Jori Lehtera (STL- F) Maxime Sauve (BOS - C) Jamie Arniel (BOS - C) Corey Trivino (NYI - C) Daultan Leveille (ATL - C) Phillip Paradis (CHI - C) Mitch Wahl (CGY - C) Cody Eakin (WSH - F) Jerry D'Amigo (TOR - RW) Carl Hagelin (NYR - LW) Ben Hanowski (PIT - LW) Jacob Silfverberg (OTW - W) Mitch Callahan (DET - LW) David Ullstrom (NYI - RW) Kevin Hayes (CHI - RW) Keven Veilleux (PIT - RW) Louie Caporusso (OTW - RW) Erik Haula (MIN - LW) Philip McRae (STL - LW) Ryan Howse (CGY - LW) Andrei Nestrasil (DET - RW)

Defenseman Justin Faulk (CAR - D) Sami Vatanen (ANA - D) Brian Dumoulin (CAR - D) Roman Josi (NSH - D) Mark Pysyk (BUF - D) Charles-Olivier Roussel (NSH - D) Jon Merrill (NJ - D) David Savard (CLB - D) Adam Almqvist (DET - D) Shawn Lalonde (CHI - D) Cameron Gaunce (COL - D)

Goaltenders Karri Ramo (MON - G) Atte Engren (NSH - G) Darcy Kuempfer (MIN - G) Martin Jones (LA - G) Gustaf Wesslau (CLB - G) Brad Thiessen (PIT - G) Anders Nilsson (NYI - G) Timo Pielmeier (ANH - G) Tyler Beskorwany (DAL - G) Harri Sateri (SJ - G) Mattias Modig (PIT - G) Mike Lee (PHO - G) Nicola Riopel (PHI - G) Kent Simpson (CHI - G)"

Chris: Randy, there are certainly a number of potentially interesting possibilities there.

If I had to take one from each position, I'd start with Martin Jones in net. I have a bit of a soft spot for him because I scouted him out several years ago when he started to have success in the WHL and recommended to a friend of mine that he add him in our keeper league. Jones' stock has just continued to rise each season and he's doing extremely well in the AHL now too. L.A. has Quick and Bernier, obviously, but I'm as much interested in the player's talent as the organizational depth. Look at Alexander Salak with Florida, who just landed with the Cup champs. It still boggles my mind how many articles I've read on the Frolik deal that completely gloss over his acquisition. As I've written since the news of the deal broke, he's a great get for the Hawks and he may well be the player everyone remembers from that trade years from now.

Anyway, I also really think Cody Eakin is going to do something with the Caps. He has the sort of compete level that should continue to impress Bruce Boudreau, who was really complimentary after last fall's camp. Think long-term, obviously, but maybe he'll even make the team next year. The Caps have a number of prospects that are going to be filling their top nine in the coming seasons.

I also think that David Savard is going to fit in with Columbus at some point and ideally make his mark offensively.