This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
Twenty-four players have scored at least 40 points, with Jakub Voracek (53 points) leading the pack. If the tight bunching holds in the second half, then there should be some hotly-contested fantasy pools heading down to the final week. Last year, Sidney Crosby totaled 17 points more than Ryan Getzlaf and Evgeni Malkin scored 12 points more than Steven Stamkos in the other most recent full season. If you had either of these guys, your team had a pretty good chance of winning. Now? The Art Ross Trophy is anybody's race and likely a greater number of fantasy pools.
Three of the top five power-play point getters have to be considered surprises. Claude Giroux (23 points) and Crosby (20) are regulars, but defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (24) currently leads the NHL. Nick Foligno (21) and Ryan Johansen (20) are both getting it done for Columbus.
Jeff Carter and Jason Pominville rank among the most surprising point-getters at home. Carter has compiled 26 points (10G, 16G) in 26 home games and Pominville, 25 (7G, 18A) in 22. Make sure these guys get special treatment at home.
Tyler Johnson (11 goals and 29 points in 22 games) sits atop of all road scorers. Mark Giordano is another top 10 surprise with 24 points (7G, 17A) in 23.
My first-half surprise? It's got to be Foligno. Nine power-play goals and 41 points in 42 games? Foligno has already surpassed his point total from last season, when he collected 39 points in 70 contests. Congrats to those fantasy owners rostering Foligno and his fantasy gold.
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid
Philadelphia Flyers (Rob Zepp) at New York Islanders (Jaroslav Halak), 1:00 PM
Carolina Hurricanes (Cam Ward) at Toronto Maple Leafs (Jonathan Bernier), 7:30 PM
Vancouver Canucks (Ryan Miller) at Florida Panthers (Roberto Luongo), 7:30 PM
Colorado Avalanche (Semyon Varlamov) at St. Louis Blues (Brian Elliott), 8:00 PM
Columbus Blue Jackets (Sergei Bobrovsky) at Minnesota Wild (Devan Dubnyk), 8:00 PM
Calgary Flames (Joni Ortio) at Los Angeles Kings (Jonathan Quick), 10:30 PM
New Jersey Devils (Cory Schneider) at San Jose Sharks (Alex Stalock), 10:30 PM
Injury News For Teams Playing Monday
Philadelphia Flyers
Braydon Coburn, D - Coburn (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Saturday. (1/17/2015)
Nicklas Grossmann, D - Grossmann (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Sunday. (1/13/2015)
Steve Mason, G - General manager Ron Hextall indicated Mason (lower body) could miss up to two weeks. (1/11/2015)
Scott Laughton, C - Laughton (upper body) will not play Saturday against Buffalo, Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. (1/17/2015)
Shayne Gotisbehere, D - Gotisbehere tore his left ACL in an AHL game Friday and will miss several months, reports CSNPhilly.com. Surgery is scheduled for Thursday. (11/8/2014)
Shayne Gostisbehere, D - Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday that Gostisbehere (knee) may resume skating next week, Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. (12/20/2014)
Chris Pronger, D - Pronger (concussion) has accepted a position to work in the NHL's Department of Player Safety, TSN's Bob McKenzie reports. (10/9/2014)
Kimmo Timonen, D - Timonen's medical checkup with doctors revealed Saturday that he is no longer experiencing blood clots in his lungs, but still is experiencing clots in his legs, Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. (1/17/2015)
New York Islanders
Lubomir Visnovsky, D - Visnovsky (upper body) wasn't on the ice for practice Thursday, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple. (1/15/2015)
Matt Carkner, D - Carkner (back) is expected to miss the rest of the season, Arthur Staple of Newsday reports. (11/1/2014)
Mikhail Grabovski, C - Grabovski (lower body) will miss his fourth straight game Saturday against the Canadiens. (1/17/2015)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Joffrey Lupul, LW - Lupul (lower body) will miss four weeks after being placed on the injured reserve earlier this week. (1/2/2015)
Peter Holland, C - Holland (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Monday. (1/6/2015)
Brad Ross, LW - Ross was suspended 20 games Wednesday for violating the AHL's Performance Enhancing Substances Program, James Mirtle of the Globe & Mail reports. (1/14/2015)
Leo Komarov, LW - Komarov (shoulder) will not play Saturday against the Blues, Mark Masters of TSN reports. (1/17/2015)
Vancouver Canucks
Brad Richardson, C - Richardson will be re-evaluated prior to Monday's game after looking "pretty sore" Sunday. (1/18/2015)
Florida Panthers
Shawn Thornton, LW - Thornton (groin) resumed skating with the team Wednesday morning and appears ready to play, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. (1/15/2015)
Colorado Avalanche
Jamie McGinn, LW - McGinn (back) underwent surgery Wednesday and isn't expected to play again in 2014-15, Nick Groke of the Denver Post reports. "It went really well," coach Patrick Roy said of McGinn's procedure, "But I would not be surprised if he's out for the season." (12/11/2014)
Jesse Winchester, LW - Winchester (concussion) resumed practicing with his Avalanche teammates during their ongoing three-game road trip, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports. (12/20/2014)
Ryan Wilson, D - Wilson will undergo surgery on his ailing shoulder and miss the remainder of the season. (11/18/2014)
Patrick Bordeleau, LW - Bordeleau will miss eight-to-10 weeks with a fractured kneecap. He was placed on the Avs' injured reserve list. (12/23/2014)
Borna Rendulic, RW - Rendulic (leg) was placed on injured reserve Friday. (1/17/2015)
St. Louis Blues
Robby Fabbri, C - Fabbri, the Blues' first-round pick in 2014, has been ruled out of the rest of the World Junior Championships after suffering a high-ankle sprain. (1/3/2015)
Chris Porter, LW - Porter (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday morning, Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. (12/30/2014)
Martin Brodeur, G - The Blues have given Brodeur a one-week leave of absence from the club, the team's official site reports. (1/14/2015)
Columbus Blue Jackets
Nathan Horton, RW - Horton is bracing for the possibility of career-ending surgery to rectify his degenerative spinal condition, Jimmy Hascup of USA Today reports. (11/13/2014)
Jack Skille, RW - Skille (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Thursday, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports. (1/15/2015)
Artem Anisimov, C - Anisimov (triceps) said Tuesday that he was "close" to a return, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports. (1/13/2015)
Boone Jenner, LW - Jenner will miss one to two months after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back Saturday, the Columbus Dispatch reports. The Blue Jackets have placed him on injured reserve. (12/20/2014)
Ryan Murray, D - Murray (knee) took part in Monday's practice, Shawn Mitchell of The Columbus Dispatch reports. (1/12/2015)
Brian Gibbons, C - Gibbons (knee) skated on his own after Tuesday's practice ended, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports. (12/30/2014)
Minnesota Wild
Darcy Kuemper, G - Kuemper (lower body) participated in the Wild's gameday skate Saturday morning, Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. (1/17/2015)
Gustav Olofsson, D - Olofsson (shoulder) has begun skating at AHL Iowa but still isn't expected to return until late February, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. (1/1/2015)
Justin Falk, D - Falk (lower body) has been placed on IR by the Wild, the team's official site reports. (1/14/2015)
Mikael Granlund, C - Granlund (wrist) won't play Monday against Columbus. (1/18/2015)
Ryan Suter, D - Suter has been suspended for two games for elbowing Pittsburgh's Steve Downie on Tuesday, the Wild's official site reports. (1/15/2015)
Josh Harding, G - Harding has yet to return to practice at AHL Iowa since being hospitalized for dehydration after playing two periods Dec. 6, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. The dehydration episode was related to his multiple sclerosis. (12/17/2014)
Keith Ballard, D - Ballard is still experiencing concussion symptoms and is weighing retirement, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. "Knowing what we know about concussions, I have to think about the long term," Ballard said. (1/6/2015)
Calgary Flames
Curtis Glencross, LW - Glencross (lower body) missed Saturday's 4-3 overtime win over the Sharks after being injured Thursday. (1/18/2015)
Karri Ramo, G - Ramo (upper body) will travel with the team to Arizona for Thursday's game. (1/14/2015)
Josh Jooris, C - Jooris (wrist) skated with the "game-day group" Thursday in a non-contact jersey, Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald reports. (1/15/2015)
Sam Bennett, LW - Bennett (shoulder) will resume skating Wednesday, according to his personal Twitter account. (1/6/2015)
Los Angeles Kings
Robyn Regehr, D - Regehr (hand) skated with the Kings' expected scratches at Saturday's morning skate and is thus unlikely to play later in the evening against the Ducks, Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider reports. (1/17/2015)
Tyler Toffoli, RW - Toffoli (illness) was placed on injured reserve Saturday. (1/17/2015)
Slava Voynov, D - Voynov (suspension) pleaded not guilty in Monday to his felony charge of corporal injury to spouse with great bodily injury, the Associated Press reports. (12/30/2014)
Martin Jones, G - Jones is dealing with back spasms, Los Angeles News Group writer Elliott Teaford reports. (1/17/2015)
Tanner Pearson, LW - Kings assistant GM Rob Blake indicated that Pearson (leg) is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing surgery on his fractured left fibula, Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times reports. (1/13/2015)
New Jersey Devils
Steve Santini, D - Santini underwent surgery to repair a broken wrist, Rich Chere of the Newark Star-Ledger reports. (10/28/2014)
Raman Hrabarenka, D - Hrabarenka has remained out of the lineup at AHL Albany recently due to a fractured cheekbone, Tom Gulitti of The Record reports. (1/3/2015)
Bryce Salvador, D - Salvador (lower body) has yet to resume skating since landing on injured reserve Nov. 17, Tom Gulitti of The Record reports. (12/17/2014)
Tuomo Ruutu, LW - Ruutu (illness) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. (1/15/2015)
Scott Clemmensen, G - Clemmensen was diagnosed with the mumps Saturday, Tom Gulitti of The Record reports. (12/27/2014)
Cory Schneider, G - Schneider (upper body) is on track to start Monday's game against the Sharks, Tom Gulitti of The Record reports. (1/18/2015)
Ryane Clowe, LW - Coach Peter DeBoer said Clowe (head) could be headed for an extended absence, Rich Chere of The Star-Ledger reports. "[Clowe's] out. Maybe it looks long-term," DeBoer said. (11/21/2014)
Stephen Gionta, C - Gionta (hand) will likely be sidelined another three-to-five weeks, Tom Gulitti of The Record reports. (1/6/2015)
Damon Severson, D - Severson (ankle) has been walking around some, but has yet to get back on skates, Tom Gulitti of The Record reports. (1/6/2015)
Jaromir Jagr, RW - Jagr (illness) is slated to miss Monday's game against the Sharks, Tom Gulitti of The Record reports. (1/18/2015)
San Jose Sharks
Raffi Torres, LW - Coach Todd McLellan said Tuesday that Torres (knee) will be out "well into the New Year," Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. (12/9/2014)
Mirco Mueller, D - Mueller's upper-body injury is related to his wrist, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. (1/13/2015)
Mike Brown, RW - Brown has a broken right fibula and will miss six-to-eight weeks from the time of the fracture on Dec. 9, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. (12/21/2014)
Hot
Brandon Saad: The 43rd pick in the 2011 draft – and fourth player selected by the 'Hawks – is hot. Saad has scored eight goals and 10 points in his last 11 contests. The Chicago Tribune's Chris Kuc recently wrote about the winger, noting how Saad's development has been helped by linemates and future HOFers Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews. Chicago is worked hard to sign the potential restricted free-agent to a long-term deal. Sticking with the Blackhawks might be the best case scenario for Saad and his fantasy owners.
Tomas Plekanec/David Desharnais: Plekanec went off Saturday with two goals and two assists (including a power-play goal and assist) in a 6-4 victory over the Islanders. He doesn't get the credit he deserves yet still puts up 50 points or so most seasons. Fantasy squads can't be filled with Sidney Crosbys and Corey Perrys – you need the Plekanecs to exceed expectations to win your pool. Desharnais has been a disappointment in 2014-15, but he did pick up two points against the Isles. He's a streaky player – remember how he played after getting out of Michel Therrien's doghouse last year – so he's worth watching as a player widely available on waivers.
Cold
Beau Bennett: My mea culpa. Bennett skated three games with Evgeni Malkin in Week 15 and failed to tally a single point, though the Penguins totaled 12 goals. Blessed with great hands, Bennett has the potential to serve as a productive top-six forward, but I'll probably take a wait-and-see attitude with him before recommending him as a pickup (as I did last week).
Victor Hedman: The star defender, who missed a game with an undisclosed lower-body injury in Week 15, hasn't pointed in his last four games. Hedman has points in just six of 22 games since returning from a broken wrist at the end of November, though he's multi-pointed in five of those six tilts. Fantasy owners, such as myself, likely got greedy with Hedman when he began the year with a highly unsustainable three goals and seven points in his first three games. The guy's a stud, but we want more, we want more!
Recommended Pickup
Antoine Vermette: This should get your trade deadline juices flowing. Vermette is a 20-goal scorer. He's got a chance to put up better numbers with better teammates. The 32-year-old will is also fighting for a new contract for next season. It'd be fun to see what he could do on a team with offense. Vermette's scored 12 goals and 24 points on the power-play since the beginning of 2013-14. Set your trade deadline watches for March 2.
@JohnToperzer
