Posted by Tim Kavanagh
With no games on the docket Sunday, it's time to check in on this season's crop of young talent, and how some of them can help your fantasy team. Each player comes with a rating: Bacon, Lettuce or Tomato. Bacon is sizzling-hot, and this player needs to be picked up and active while the hot streak continues; lettuce is used as more of an accent as opposed to the main part of a sandwich, and this player can be used to bolster the back end of any roster; tomatoes need some more time to ripen, so only pick up this player if you've got long-term keeper considerations in mind, or your league has huge bench allowances.
Fabian Brunnstrom, LW, Stars: Bacon. The 23-year-old Swedish import was thrown right into the mix among Dallas' top six forwards, and has produced five goals in his first seven games on an otherworldly shooting percentage of 38.5 percent. While that latter stat will come back down to terra firma, the points will continue as long as he sticks with a top line and retains some role on the power play.
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Jakub Voracek holds a share of the early-season rookie scoring lead.
Jakub Voracek, RW, Blue Jackets: Bacon. Tied with Brunnstrom for the points lead among rookies, Voracek scored 101 of them last season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playing against many other future NHLers, and has clicked with fellow rook Derick Brassard in spite of relatively little ice time. A bonus: Voracek is no stranger to the sin bin, with 10 penalty minutes through eight games played.
Nikita Filatov, LW, Blue Jackets: Tomato. The No. 6 overall selection in the 2008 NHL draft, Filatov began 2008-09 in Syracuse for Columbus' AHL affiliate, and since being brought up to the big club he's seen scant minutes on the ice. Filatov played 34 games last season for CSKA Moscow's club in the Russian second division, scoring 66 points and adding 90 penalty minutes. He'll be a star some day, but won't make a huge impact for the time being.
Drew Doughty, D, Kings: Lettuce. Since the Kings are focusing more on the future than the present this season, Doughty has been thrust into a prominent role sooner than most 18-year-olds would be. The London, Ontario native has been given an average of 21:38 of ice time per game, nearly five minutes more than former No. 3 overall pick Jack Johnson, who is three years his senior and has a full season of NHL experience. While he only has one goal through seven games, he carries a plus-6, and so can be of assistance to fantasy teams that need help in the non-scoring categories.
Luke Schenn, D, Maple Leafs: Lettuce. In spite of a veteran-crowded set of defensemen in Toronto, Schenn has logged the third-highest ice-time total on the team, and has seen some limited action on the power play as well. The Saskatchewan native is also unafraid to mix it up, and did not back down from a fight with Ottawa tough guy Chris Neil during a recent game.
Mikkel Boedker, LW, Phoenix: Tomato. Boedker has shown some brilliant potential through his first seven NHL games, scoring thrice and seeing an increased role on the power play. However, his level of production at this point is not quite rosterable in the majority of formats. Still, this is a guy to monitor for later in the season as the injury bug strikes, as well as for those in deep keeper leagues.
Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, LW, Devils: Lettuce. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it? Anyway, PL3 has spent several years gooning it up in different minor leagues after a remarkable 229-penalty-minute output during his final season in the QMJHL, and in three NHL games, has already earned 15 of them, along with an enemy in Riley Cote, whom he boarded (good for a five-minute major) and fought twice in two days. Don't expect any scoring whatsoever -- his career-best is 13 points in 52 ECHL games played in 2006-07 -- but he could be a nice addition if you need some help in the penalty-minute department.
Ice Chips
Johan Franzen's second early-season knee injury in as many seasons will put a new linemate into the mix with Henrik Zetterberg and Mikael Samuelsson. It will likely be Jiri Hudler (owned in just 11 percent of ESPN leagues) who has been skating with the two on the power play as of late. … Rick DiPietro's mystery health condition will be evaluated again Monday. DiPietro had knee surgery this offseason and has had a myriad of injuries throughout his career. Joey MacDonald will continue to start in place of the franchise goaltender, but he is not someone worthy of starting in most leagues. … Daniel Briere will be out for up to a month with a torn abdominal muscle. Bad news: point-per-game production is hard to find on the waiver wire. Good news: he's had this procedure done before and never had an issue with the recovery.
