Gearing up for your weekend stretch to win your week in a head-to-head Fantasy League? You came to the right spot.  Sometimes, those 2 or 3 points you get off of the waiver wire during a weekend can make or break your head-to-head matchup … we’re hoping to help you do the former and avoid the latter.

The Combined scoring totals of the players we recommended this past weekend:

48 GP
21 points (8 G, 13 A)
-10 Rating
12 0f 24 recommended players registered at least a point (50%)

Overall Grade: D+
 Let’s not beat around the bush, our picks were awful … we got flat-out unlucky this weekend after quite a few solid weeks.  Thank goodness for Koivu and Henrique who saved some face.

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Going into your weekend, those 1 or 2 points off of the Waiver Wire can be the difference between winning and losing your head-to-head matchup.  Here are the Waiver Wire pickups to keep an eye out for.

Results in Green = player who produced at least a point
Results in Red = player who produced no points

*Team records and Special Teams rankings are accurate as of Thursday January 5th, 2011

Here are the teams that play twice this this weekend January 6th-8th (Friday to Sunday, home games in Green, road games in Red):

Anaheim Ducks – Fri vs. NYI, Sun vs. CBJ
Buffalo Sabres – Fri @ CAR, Sat vs. WPG
Carolina Hurricanes – Fri vs. BUF, Sat @ NSH
Chicago Blackhawks – Fri vs. COL, Sun vs. DET
Colorado Avalanche – Fri @ CHI, Sat @ STL 
Columbus Blue Jackets – Sat @ LA, Sun @ ANH
Detroit Red Wings - Sat @ TOR, Sun @ CHI
New Jersey Devils - Fri @ FLA, Sat @ PIT
New York Islanders - Fri @ ANH, Sat @ PHO
Ottawa Senators - Sat @ PHI, Sun vs. PHI
Philadelphia Flyers - Sat vs OTT, Sat @ OTT
Pittsburgh Penguins – Fri vs. NYR, Sat vs. NJ

 Written by MindPuck.ca’s Contributors 

Dale Dupuis –> @MPdaledupuis
Steven Wild –> @StevenTWild

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Scorers to Pick-Up

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Anaheim Ducks (10-22-6)

Home (7-12-1), Away (3-10-5) Last 10 (2-7-1)
PP Rank: 19th – PK Rank: 12th
Fri vs NYI, Sat vs CBJ

Saku Koivu: Labeled by Bob Murray as the only untouchable other than the Finnish Flash should be good enough to at least garner a look. He is kicking around on 95% of waiver wires no doubt because he plays for the Awfulheim Ducks but he has 4 points in his last 5 games. Going into weekend games against equally terrible teams in the Islanders and the Blue Jackets he should be able to put something on the board.
Results: 2 GP, 1 G, 3A, +3 Rating 

Buffalo Sabres (18-17-4) 

Home (10-9-4), Road (8-8-0), Last 10 (3-5-2)
PP Rank: 14th – PK Rank: 10th
Fri @ CAR, Sat vs. WPG 

Jordan Leopold: Why has Leopold scored 5 points in as many games?  Likely because Coach Ruff has been giving him 3:43 minutes of PP time in that stretch (which also leads the team).  I imagine Carolina’s 27th ranked and Winnipeg’s 13th ranked PK units will not exactly barricade the net against the Sabres this weekend.  Kate & Leopold (minus Kate) will likely see his recent streak continue.
Results: 2GP, o G, 0A, -1 Rating

Drew Stafford: Trustee Drew, only owned in 43% of Yahoo! Leagues (and climbing) is heating up with 5 points in his last 5 outings, and he is coming off of a 3-point performance vs. Edmonton on Tuesday night.  During that stretch, he has been receiving 3:11 minutes of PP time so expect these trends to continue against two of the most defensively challenged teams in the show.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, -1 Rating

*I would like for the Buffalo Sabres organization to call me on Thursday nights and let me know in advance when they plan to crap the bed for an entire weekend so we can save ourselves some trouble here at MindPuck.ca

Carolina Hurricanes (13-21-7) 

Home (9-10-3), Road (4-11-4), Last 10 (4-3-3)
PP Rank: 27th – PK Rank: 27th
Fri vs. BUF, Sat @ NSH

Justin Faulk: Easily my boldest call, of this article … but trust me folks, the rookie is getting his chance and making the coaches proud.  2 points in his last 3 games is nothing to write home about, but he has been 2nd on the team in PP ice time over the last 5 contests trailing only Captain Staal (not to be confused with Gunner Stahl from Team Iceland in Mighty Ducks 2).
Results: 2GP, 1G, 0A, EVEN Rating

Chicago Blackhawks (24-11-4)

Home (14-4-3), Away (10-7-1), Last 10 (7-3-0)
PP Rank: 15th – PK Rank: 26th
Fri vs COL, Sat vs DET

 Andrew Brunette: Its tough to pick players that get ice time on a star studded Blackhawks line up and with my ol standard “Don’t call me Chad” Kruger on the IR I’m looking to Brunette this weekend. He is seeing just over 3 min on the pp and has 3 points in the last 5 games. Take that Colorado and Detroit are in the bottom half of teams on the pk this might be the best chance to capitalize on those two hot teams.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, EVEN Rating 

Colorado Avalanche (22-18-1)

Home (13-10-0), Away (9-8-1), Last 10 (8-2-0)
PP Rank: 9th – PK Rank: 19th
Fri @ CHI, Sat @ STL

Gabriel Landeskog: The second overall pick in this years draft has not been a disappointment with 20 points in 41 games. Not RNH like totals but more than respectable. Chipping in 2 goals and 2 assists in the last 4 games he looks to remain a consistent threat to score this weekend.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 1A, +1 Rating 

Ryan O’Reilly: Going with line mates is a risky prospect but O’Reilly has been following Will Ferrell’s lead from Old School and is going streaking. He has points in 3 of the last 5 games, 2 of those being multipoint games. Combine his 3:30 on the powerplay against Chicago’s pitiful penalty killing and you have a recipe for success.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, EVEN Rating 

Kyle Quincey: Double or nothing from last week, he has 3 points since coming back from his extended internship with the broadcast team. Look for him to keep rolling those lucky 7’s.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, EVEN Rating 

Columbus Blue Jackets (10-23-5)

Home (6-11-3), Away (4-12-2), Last 10 (2-7-0)
PP Rank: 23rd – PK Rank: 29th
Sat @ LA, Sun @ Anhahiem

Ryan Johansen: The theme of top end draft picks continues with the 4^th overall in this years also getting results to the tune of 4 points in the last 5 games. More likely to get going Friday night against the Ducks than Saturday vs LA but stranger things have happened.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, EVEN Rating 

R.J. Umberger: The Umbergler has quietly put up 7 points in the last 7 games (almost half his season total). While he doesn’t see much time on the second pp unit he has been on the ice around 19 min a game which is good enough to keep his streak alive.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, -1 Rating 

Detroit Red Wings (25-13-1)

Home (15-2-1), Away (10-11-0), Last 10 (6-4-0)
PP Rank: 7th – PK Rank: 20th
Sat @ TOR, Sun @ CHI

Jiri Hudler: Already has more goals that last season and has 3 in the last 2 games. He is capitalizing from the room big Bert is clearing out for him right now and with the goalie struggles in Toronto should be able to keep filling the net for the time being.
Results: 2GP, 1G, 1A, -2 Rating 

Drew Miller: I don’t like change so here he is again on the list. He rewarded me last week with two assists so I am going to let it ride on this one and say he can keep it up.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, EVEN Rating 

New Jersey Devils (21-16-2)

Home (10-7-1), Away (11-9-1), Last 10 (6-3-1)
PP Rank: 26th – PK Rank: 1st
Fri @ FLA, Sat @ PIT

Adam Henrique: I take full responsibility for causing Henrique’s scoring drought after writing an article about him a week or so ago … but his 2:12 minutes of PP time should come in handy against Florida’s 23rd ranked PK unit.  There is a reason he is 2nd in rookie scoring this year, but his paltry 29% owned status in Yahoo! Fantasy Leagues is baffling.
Results: 2GP, 2G, 2A, +2 Rating 

David Clarkson: Thanks to Steven Wild’s article a few days ago - http://mindpuck.ca/add-david-clarkson - the no-relation-to-Kelly Clarkson has continued to impress despite only being owned in 19% of Yahoo! Leagues.  He leads the Devils in goals this season (more than Kovalchuk and Parise), and 5 points in as many games.  Receiving 2:25 minutes of PP time during the previously mentioned stretch, and not afraid to drop the mitts, there really is no reason not to pick up Clarkson for the weekend … the guy is so versatile he could probably play the violin if called upon for a last-minute 1st intermission show (note: violin stats are not tracked in most Yahoo! Leagues).
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, EVEN Rating 

New York Islanders (14-17-6)

Home (8-9-3), Road (6-8-3), Last 10 (5-5-0)
PP Rank: 5th – PK Rank: 18th
Fri @ ANH, Sat @ PHO

PA Parenteau: On Long Island, the score sheet reads like this (in no particular order): Goal – Tavares; Assists – Parenteau, Moulson.  It’s that simple.  Parenteau is only owned in 40% of Yahoo! Fantasy Leagues so check your waiver wire for him.  With 32 points in 37 games this season, you won’t find a more consistent scoring option, or a hotter option at that –> 6 points in his last 5 games.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 1A, -3 Rating 

Frans Nielsen: 5 points in his last 5 games, the two-way specialist is starting to find the scoring touch that made him a recognizable name last season.  Lately, the Dane’s TOI has been consistently in the 18-19 minute range as well so the opportunities are being handed to him from the coaching staff … hence the recent scoring surge.
Results: 2GP, 1G, 0A, -2 Rating 

Kyle Okposo: First off, could we stop with the “Draft Bust” labelling? … anyone who gets concussed by Dion Phaneuf in a pre-season game like Okposo did two years ago is excused for any lapses in his game for the next 5 years.  That’s just common-sense.  Anyway, Okposo has points in 3 consecutive games going into this weekend so grab him (7% owned in Yahoo! Leagues).
Results: 2GP, 1G, 0A, -2 Rating 

Ottawa Senators (20-15-5)

Home (12-8-1), Away (8-7-4), Last 10 (7-2-1)
PP Rank: 16th – PK Rank: 25th
Sat @ PHI, Sun vs. PHI

Daniel Alfredsson: Possibly the only All-Star Game starter of all time who was owned in less than 50% of Yahoo! Leagues at the time of selection (exception: the Rory Fitzpatrick debacle of ’06-’07).  Alfie 12 points in his past 9 games, and although more people are grabbing him off of the waiver wire each day, he is still available in more than half of the leagues out there.
Results: 2GP, 1G, 1A, +2 Rating 

Zack Smith: The grinder has 3 points in his last 4 games … but there are specific reasons to grab him this weekend.  Games against the Flyers tend to be gritty, and Smith will likely see his role increase this weekend.  He could get points in both games, along with 5 hits each night and maybe even a fight.  One thing is for sure, Smith will see more than his usual 15 minutes per night in both games against the Flyers.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 0A, EVEN Rating

Philadelphia Flyers (22-11-4)

Home (8-6-2), Away (14-5-2), Last 10 (5-4-1)
PP Rank: 11th – PK Rank: 15th
Sat vs OTT, Sat @ OTT

Jakub Voracek: It’s simple: Ottawa has a terrible PK (25th) and is shorthanded a lot (3rd most in the NHL), while Voracek has been getting 3:52 minutes of PP time over his last 5 games.  Hence, the Czech’s scoring touch will be on display in back-to-back games.  He’ll have every opportunity to light up the Senators’ vulnerable defence.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 2A, EVEN Rating 

Wayne Simmonds: You wouldn’t expect Voracek and Simmonds to be ahead of Briere, Hartnell and Van Riemsdyk in PP time, but the last 5 games have witnessed exactly that.  Simmonds has been getting PP opportunities lately, and in an expected rough couple of contests with the Senators look for his overall ice time to increase as well.
Results: 2GP, 0G, 1A, -1 Rating 

Pittsburgh Penguins (21-13-4)

Home (11-4-2), Road (10-9-2), Last 10 (5-5-0)
PP Rank: 6th – PK Rank: 4th
Fri vs. NYR, Sat vs. NJ