Blue Line Buzz: Back End Trends

The proverbial flood gates have really opened with top trade bait Kevin Shattenkirk getting shipped to Washington, a surprise destination amidst all the talk about him going to Broadway. That still could happen in the summer, but in the meantime the Caps have the best right-side defense in the league, with Matt Niskanen and John Carlson holding down the top two spots. That makes Shattenkirk just about the most over-qualified third-pairing defenseman in the league, but like Justin Schultz in Pittsburgh, he's stepping into an ideal situation where he doesn't have to worry about even-strength matchups and just concentrate on firing pucks on the power play. The Caps power play, by the way, currently ranks sixth, but is just one percent shy of Toronto (!) for the league lead, and should certainly rank in the top five by the end of the season. Past history has shown that teams with excellent special teams go far in the playoffs... but then again, the Caps power play has been brilliant and has finished in the top five every year since the 2011-12 season, and we all know how those playoff runs have turned out.

It's playoff time for Ron Hainsey! Even with Justin Schultz returning from a concussion, the Penguins were still missing bodies on defense with Trevor Daley going on injured reserve after knee surgery. If healthy, the Pens are looking at a group with Hainsey, Schultz, Daley, Kris Letang, Ian Cole, Brian Dumoulin, Olli Maatta and some spares in Derrick Pouliot, Cameron Gaunce and Chad Ruhwedel. That's not a bad group, especially given how Hainsey played 21 solid minutes in his debut with the Pens. Fantasy-wise, Hainsey, who has 250 points in 892 career games, is still a non-factor even with one of the league's most explosive offensive teams, but perhaps his presence will provide even more opportunities for Letang and Schultz on offense.

The Flames managed to shore up their blue line as well, acquiring Michael Stone earlier last week. He only scored nine points in 45 games this season after scoring 36 in 75 last year, even though he continued to be one of the Coyotes' most consistent physical defensemen. In four games with Calgary, he's already had a little more pep in his step, notching two assists and averaging 18:37 as the team's fourth defenseman behind captain Mark Giordano, specialist Dougie Hamilton and the well-rounded T.J. Brodie. The goaltending remains suspect, but kudos for the Flames in recognizing their biggest area of need and addressing it with some good options. Stone's fantasy value gets a hike for not being on the league's second worst team.

The worst team, of course, is Colorado, and they were dealt a blow to their already horrific blue line with Nikita Zadorov going on injured reserve with a broken ankle suffered in practice. Acquired from Buffalo in the Ryan O'Reilly trade, Zadorov was at least playing consistently even though his performance was anything but. He was averaging a career-high 19:02 per game this season, but mostly because there weren't any other real options. His ice time will be divvied up evenly among the Avs' veteran defenseman, with Fedor Tyutin the biggest benefactor so far, playing 22:12 against Buffalo despite averaging just 18:57 for the season.

Studs of the Week:

Erik Karlsson, Senators – The Sens were shut out by Carolina on Friday, but otherwise Karlsson has been excellent at both ends of the rink over the past two weeks, scoring two goals and eight assists in eight games. With games against the Lightning, Colorado and Boston coming up, odds are Karlsson's hot play is going to continue, and it needs to with the Sens fighting for a playoff spot.

Jake Gardiner, Maple Leafs – He's scored two goals and five assists during his four-game scoring streak, including the overtime-winner against Winnipeg, though the team hasn't fared as well with losses to the Habs and Rangers. He has an amazing plus-23 rating this season, which is 17 points higher than second-place Connor Carrick, who has appeared in six fewer games and faces easier competition. The 26-year-old is entering his prime and is a big part of the Leafs' future, even though his fantasy value can be boom-or-bust.

Roman Josi, Predators – Nashville's big guns have been firing on all cylinders, and while Filip Forsberg spearheads the offense, Josi has been the catalyst on the blue line, scoring two goals and six assists in his past five games. The Preds have won five of their past seven and seem to be a lock to make the playoffs after a shaky first half.

Shayne Gostisbehere, Flyers – He sat out three games but has seemed to make good upon his return, scoring a goal against Pittsburgh and adding three assists against Vancouver. He's still too inconsistent to be counted on in fantasy, and who knows when Dave Hakstol will sit him again. Gostisbehere has been one of the most disappointing defensemen this year even with a decent week in the books.

Michael Stone, Flames – In four games with the Flames he's already picked up two assists, and after playing 17:09 in his debut, skated to 20:38 in a 3-1 win against Carolina. In what may be one of the most underrated pick-ups near the deadline, Stone provides some stability on the Flames back end, and has certainly been far more reliable than Dennis Wideman.

Duds of the Week:

Brent Burns, Sharks – Burns recorded two assists and a minus-1 rating this past week, which is okay, but when are we going to see him score his 30th? With a three-game goal streak on the go, he laid two goose eggs against Boston and Vancouver, and this was a Vancouver team that was basically missing half its defense. We'll have to wait another week for Burns to make history, I guess.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Coyotes – With Martin Hanzal gone, OEL is now the only player drafted by the organization from the 2000's that is still with the team. After a five-game point streak, his pointless drought is now at five games and counting. Scoring is going to get that much harder with the Coyotes auctioning off their assets, so those looking for a strong second half from Ekman-Larsson should think about giving up.

Mike Green, Red Wings – He's been Detroit's best defenseman all season, but in all seriousness, he's been mediocre with 10 goals in 50 games and a minus-13 rating. Their struggles can't be attributed to him alone, of course, but he hasn't scored a goal in six games and failed to register a single shot in his first game back from illness despite playing 22:42 in a 3-1 loss to the Islanders.

Dennis Wideman, Flames – The 33-year-old veteran has fallen so out of favor in Calgary that they're dressing Matt Bartkowski instead, a player making about 10 times less than Wideman. In 52 games this season, he's scored just 16 points with a minus-5 rating, and with the Flames going 4-0 in the games he's sat out as a healthy scratch, he's not likely to see the ice again for awhile.

Recommended Pickup:

Ryan Ellis, Predators – With his 10th goal of the season Sunday, Ellis matched last year's total in 25 fewer games. With P.K. Subban missing extended time and Roman Josi seemingly less effective without Shea Weber, it's been Mattias Ekholm and Ellis who have held the fort. Ellis is on pace to set career highs across the board and should surpass the 40-point mark. He also averaged 23:15 per game this past week.

The Big Board:

^ = stock rising
˅ = stock dropping