Chris Nichols

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

Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com

The twitter feed has timely NHL & fantasy info with a few funnies along the way. Inane babble is generally kept to a minimum and known starting goalies will be posted leading up to the first games of the night, where possible.

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The Ottawa Citizen reiterates that the Craig Anderson signing (four-year extension) has big implications for 19-year-old netminder Robin Lehner, who hopes to be No. 1 in Ottawa some day. Here’s what Lehner told the Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin’s Joy Lindsay a day after the deal.

On meeting with Bryan Murray in Ottawa last week: “Bryan is a really good GM, and as a person, too. He’s easy to get along with. He’s both hard and strict on you, but he’s also honest. He just told me what’s going to happen going forward, what he wanted from me, and what he wanted me to do going forward. He said if I do what I do, if I play good and have a good summer and stuff, they are not going to count me out, I think.

But it’s a lot of hard work. I’m just doing the best I can right now to kind of get some play time, if not this year, then next year and just try to develop as good as I can, as I know I can. The meeting was great. He addressed some stuff that I need to be better at, and that he wanted me to be better at, and I listened. I’m going to try to do what he wants me to.”

On the Anderson signing: “It’s perfect. Signing a contract is, obviously, it’s big. It’s a four-year contract. It’s a big contract. I’m really happy for Anderson. He deserves it. I can’t think about that. There are people with long contracts all over the league. And it’s young people trying to get in. Before, all those guys that have the long contracts right now, was once they were rookies and trying to fight with the guys that had long contracts.

I’m just going to try to develop as much as I can and get some experience. It’s all about stopping the puck. If I stop a lot of pucks, then we’ll see what happens. When you sign a four-year contract, or any goalie in the league signs a four-year contract, it’s for they want stability. Ottawa deserves it. The team up there needs a first goalie, and I kind of want to work in the shade of it. When my time is there, when they think I’m ready and I can push for it, I’m going to try. But you never know where it’s at.

And it couldn’t be better than sign a goalie like Anderson, too, because he helps me a lot during practices. He talks to me. He gives me pointers and stuff like that. He’s a quality teammate, and you kind of need that to go around — even if it takes me one year, two years, three years or even 10 years, or if I ever play up there a solid amount of times. You can never predict the future. I know if I can make a push for it and start playing, then Anderson would be there. He’s a good guy that would still help me. He’s a good fit. He’s a really good fit in that organization. I don’t see anything bad, in my stance, because to be honest, people haven’t expected me to go in this year or next year as the first goalie anyway. They’re up there, and I have a lot left to learn. It depends how hard I work and how determined I am. You never know the time of it. It can be any time, and it’s basically all up to me now.”

Greg Nemisz will make his NHL debut tonight, according to The Calgary Herald.

His presence gives the Flames the minimum — a dozen forwards (not including winger Niklas Hagman, who, with “concussion-like symptom,” according to the team, has returned to Calgary).

So the stage is Nemisz’s, high stakes and all, as he plops directly into a Western Conference feud today against the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion.

“He’s getting thrown into the wolves into the fire,” Flames coach Brent Sutter said Tuesday afternoon. “For a young guy, it’s a great situation, too. You’re coming in, right into the heat of the battle . . . into a level of play that’s like playoff hockey. You get to experience that. You want to come in and be a part of it and help out. You know these young guys are going to give you enthusiasm and life and energy.”

Nemisz, the team’s first-round pick in 2008, is no stranger to pressure-cookers. He skated for Canada’s entry at the 2010 world junior tourney. As a member of the Windsor Spitfires, he captured the 2009 and 2010 Canadian Hockey League crowns.

“It’s not like he hasn’t played in big games before,” said Sutter. “He comes from a junior program where they’re won Memorial Cups.”

“He’s been a part of it — and a big part of it,” Sutter continued. “He’s played in some big games, and he’ll have some big games to play in now. It’ll be a good thing for him.”

The Herald notes that a first-year pro, Nemisz, a six-foot-three 200-pounder, had collected 32 points in 65 games with the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League.

“He’s played well down there from what I’ve been told (by Flames GM Jay Feaster and Heat coach Jim Playfair),” said Sutter. “He’s been a good player down there, so that’s a good thing. Hey, if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be coming up. It’s another strong positive sign for this organization.”

Sutter indicated that he’ll use Nemisz on the wing primarily, with fellow rookie Lance Bouma operating on the other flank.

“Obviously, you don’t like to see players going down,” the skipper said. “You don’t like players having to come out of the lineup because of injuries right now. But you know what? It is what it is. Some other players will be put in situations that they don’t normally (experience). Another young player is going to get an opportunity to play.

“As negative as it is on one side, it’s positive on the other side — someone gets that chance.”

The New York Post writes that Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has 34 career shutouts in the regular season and three in the playoffs following last night's 1-0 victory at the Garden over the Panthers, meaning that the King now has 36 shutout pucks for his own personal trophy display.

The 37th puck? Lundqvist wants no part of it, not even half of it, for that would be the one from the 1-0 shootout game in which he and the Rangers were beaten by the Devils and Martin Brodeur at the Garden last Jan. 12 in which New Jersey had 45 shots and the Blueshirts had 51.

"We lost," Lundqvist told The Post earlier in the year. "I don't want it."

But Lundqvist will take last night's puck that represented his NHL-leading 10th shutout that matches both his career-high he first established in 2007-08 and the goal he set for himself before the season began.

"I told Benny [goaltending coach Benoit Allaire] that was my goal," Lundqvist said after a 22-save performance in which he made a couple of key stops, including a pair on Jack Skille and Mike Santorelli from the right side in the final 25 seconds with the Blueshirts protecting their one-goal lead.

"But when I talked about it before the season I knew it was going to be tough because you need a great team in front of you and you need some luck along the way. I have both."

The game marked Lundqvist's 18th straight start, the second longest stretch of his career. Unless fate intervenes, the King will match his career high of 19 consecutive starts tomorrow night at home against the Senators that he first reached in his sophomore season from Jan. 13-March 1, 2007.

"I feel great," said Lundqvist, ignoring the stiff neck he admitted bothered him in the third period. "Every other year it's been my knees, hips or back, but I feel great now.

"It's so exciting, this time of year," he said. "I think about hockey all the time now. Everything in my life is about getting ready for the next game."

The San Jose Mercury News says that in the beginning, Ryane Clowe was like every other kid on the pond. He wanted to dazzle.

"Obviously when you're younger, you think everybody's a skill player," the Sharks forward said with a smile after practice Tuesday morning. "You think you just want to stickhandle."

It's only later that kids realize they can't all be the shooting star. After all, someone has to get the star the puck. Someone has to create traffic in front of the goalie so the star can score. Someone has to defend the star's honor, mesh with the star on the power play and pick up the star on those rare occasions when he comes up empty in the shootout.

After giving it some thought, and getting a wide-eyeful of guys such as Brian Bellows and Eric Lindros, Clowe arrived at a decision: He wanted to be all those support guys rolled into one. In hockey, they call it a power forward.

"I liked Bellows more or less because I was a huge Montreal fan," said Clowe, 28 and in his sixth NHL season. "But I liked Lindros because he just seemed so much bigger and stronger at a young age than everyone else to go along with so much skill. He definitely could throw guys around if he wanted to. He was fun to watch, man. He was unbelievable."

The Mercury News writes that Clowe, whose Sharks meet the Calgary Flames and their working definition of a power forward, Jarome Iginla, on Wednesday night, has been an interesting study this season. He doesn't lead the team in anything but is in the top five in almost everything. He can drop the gloves, post up in front of the net, hold the puck hostage against a double-team for what seems like hours, and he's in the shootout rotation. His specialty -- a delicate backhand roof shot.

"I think it speaks volumes to his talent level," coach Todd McLellan said. "A typical power forward gets involved physically and chips in a few goals, takes care of his teammates. Clowey can man the power play and, if you watch our power play, he's not always net-front. He has the ability to work it off the half-wall, so he's got great hands and good vision. He is in the shootout, and we often choose to use him real early because he's got a number of tricks in his bag."

He added: "His consistency has improved immensely. That's a skill, the ability to bring it every night and to find a way to contribute maybe when it's not going well. Clowey's done a good job of that."

The NHL recognized goalie Ray Emery as one of its top three stars of the week, but The Orange County Register observes that Randy Carlyle wasn’t ready to single out Emery just yet Tuesday.

“I don’t like to make comments after two games,” the Ducks coach said. “I think that’s premature.”

Carlyle, however, then made a few comments on the goaltender who, after being out of the NHL for more than a year because of a hip injury, has returned to win his first two starts as a Duck.

“You have to credit Ray with his will to get back and become an NHL goalie again,” Carlyle said. “He’s been a good solider here, worked hard. He hasn’t said a word one way or the other. He’s fit in seamlessly with our group. We’re looking for that to continue.”

Then Carlyle remembered he, like most coaches, prefers to maintain a level perspective.

“He’s played strong in both (starts),” Carlyle said of Emery. “I’m not trying to discredit the player, but I just caution because it’s a player who’s only played two games.”

Some notes from The Chicago Tribune:

Patrick Sharp's knee injury is not as serious as feared and the Blackhawks' scoring leader could be back before the regular season ends next month.

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville delivered the good news after Tuesday's practice at the United Center, although he declined to specify the exact nature of Sharp's injury.

"It could have been worse for sure," Quenneville said. "It could have been Jordan Hendry (out with a season-ending torn ACL).

"We hope to have him back before the end of the regular season. That's where he's at right now. He feels better in the last couple of days and we'll see his progress over the next little bit."

Also, Swedish center Marcus Kruger was at practice this morning and will be available for Wednesday night's game against the Panthers at the United Center

Kruger, the Hawks' fifth-round draft pick (149th overall) in 2009, was signed to a three-year contract in June but decided to play the first year of it with Djurgården of the Swedish League to develop his game. With that season having just ended, Kruger, 20, was available to join the Hawks.

Quenneville declined to confirm reports yesterday but had good things to say about Kruger.

"He's a responsible player and has real good hockey sense as well as instincts," Quenneville said. "We're missing two important players in Sharpie and (center Dave) Bolland. He plays center, so we'll see how that works out."

Finally, winger Viktor Stalberg finished Sunday's game in Sharp's place on the top line with Toews and Patrick Kane and it looks like he's staying put for now.

"He gives that line some speed and that was noticeable in the game," Quenneville said. "In practice I like what he provided. And earlier on in the year he did a good job. Vickor has picked up his game and has been more efficient around the puck."

The Denver Post reports that Tomas Fleischmann skated and shot pucks with teammates Tuesday morning, but that's as close as he'll get to regular hockey action for the rest of the season.

Still, it was good to see Fleischmann on skates for the first time since he was sidelined Jan. 20 with pulmonary emboli. Although he continues to take medication for his condition — and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future — Fleischmann said he's feeling good and hopes to resume his career next season.

"I had this two years ago, so I kind of knew what was going on and what was going to happen, so it wasn't that scary, but it's still not fun," Fleischmann said. "I feel good, but the problem is in my system, so it's what we have to fix. But it was great to be out with the boys. I just want to get in some shape and be around the guys."

Despite the fact he'll turn only 27 in May, Fleischmann is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. The Avs no doubt would not like to lose a player who posted 21 points in the 22 games he played for them after being acquired from Washington.

Fleischmann wouldn't speculate about his future, only to say, "It's not up to me."

Fleischmann made $2.6 million this season.

The Columbus Dispatch indicates that at their current pace, the Blue Jackets are less than a fortnight from being mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That reality will be softened, only somewhat, by the slow parade of prospects and minor leaguers called up from Springfield for a late-season look-see in the NHL.

One player, however, won't get another shot this season.

Left winger Nikita Filatov, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2008 draft, struggled mightily with the Jackets early in the season - zero goals in 23 games - and has fared only slightly better with Springfield.

Between injuries, Filatov has six goals and nine assists in 27 games with the Falcons.

Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said Filatov would be invited to training camp next fall and that the organization has not given up him.

But, Howson added, "It's up to Nikita now. He'll decide when he's ready to play in the NHL."

The Blue Jackets kept a roster spot open for Filatov each of the past two seasons, but he failed to hold down the job.

There remains a strong chance the Blue Jackets will seek to trade him this summer, not straight up for an impact player but perhaps as a "sweetener" to swing a trade.

So who might get a call-up in the final weeks?

The Dispatch speculates that right winger Tomas Kubalik, who's fourth among rookies in scoring in the American Hockey League, would likely be first in line among forwards.

Kubalik, 20, has 21 goals, 24 assists and 43 penalty minutes in 70 games with Springfield. He is 4 for 6 in shootouts, which would be handy in Columbus.

The Blue Jackets might want another look at left winger Maksim Mayorov, who has a career-high 18 goals in 65 games with Springfield and played seven games with the Jackets over the previous two seasons.

On defense, David Savard, John Moore, Nick Holden and perhaps Cody Goloubef could get call-ups, though probably not all four of them.

Moore, the Blue Jackets' first-round pick in 2009, has a minus-27 rating in 64 games.

According to The Nashville Tennessean, the theories are plentiful for why David Legwand has recently picked up his offense.

Perhaps it is Mike Fisher's arrival. Legwand has 19 points in the 18 games since Fisher's trade to the Predators on Feb. 9.

"With Fish giving a complimentary type of centerman, I think what that does is you can get (him) away from certain guys," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said.

Maybe it's putting Legwand on a line with Martin Erat and Joel Ward.

"I think ever since he started playing with Marty again … and with (Ward), guys that can skate and get him the puck, he's playing good," defenseman Ryan Suter said.

There was a simpler reason to why Legwand scored a goal and added an assist in a 3-1 victory over Edmonton on Tuesday. It's that time of year where he picks up his game. In just 56 games this season, he has equaled his point total of a year ago (38) when he played in all 82 games.

"Early in the season, he sometimes looks at the 82 games, and he gets off to a little bit of a slow start," Trotz said. "But then he hits his stride and as the games get more and more important, he seems to elevate his level and tonight he was the best player on the ice."

Mike: Dear Chris I really appreciate your help and advice this season.

I am in a tight race in h2h, down by 1 shot and 2 PIMs, and up by 3 goals and 2 ppp. I have an open slot on my roster, but only have 2 more moves left this week. I was thinking of signing Raymond for shots, or alternatively someone such as Parros, Jackman or a goon for PIMs.

Would you sign one of those guys or should I save those moves. kennedy, ruutu, purcell, shannon, b boyle, ennis (free agents) play later in the week, perhaps i could sign one of them in a couple days. Thanks again for the advice it is always appreciated."

Chris: We've had a run of good fortune in the past few weeks with pick-ups, so hopefully you can ride that to a championship here.

The rest of the way it's really all about trying to maximize each and every start and every available signing. You might want to considering using one of those moves on Purcell, who has been hot and has fared well against the Canes this season. TB plays CAR twice this weekend and he has 0-3-3 in 2 GP vs. CAR with 8 SOG too. Cam Ward could post B2B shutouts, but you have to try to anticipate future success based on past results where possible. Some guys and teams just play well against other teams. And even though TB lines have been an absolute disaster to write lately, Purcell has been playing a key role.