From the Press Box: The Late Show

There are less than two weeks left in the NHL's regular season, so crunch time is now for fantasy owners.

If you're looking for a late surge from your roster, there are surely free agents available for you, just as there are going to be players on contending teams who are going to be resting up and players on cellar-dwelling teams giving way to prospects.

At this stage of the year, the number of games each team has remaining becomes a much more important fantasy factor. The nature of these games does as well – players with nothing left to play for are naturally less motivated unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Let's take a look at some reasonably available players who can help fantasy teams down the stretch.

Goalies

Brian Elliott, STL – The Blues are battling for the Central Division title and the advantage of facing a wild-card team as opposed to finishing second and drawing the defending-champion Blackhawks in the first round, so they'll want their hottest hand in goal for most of the remaining games. Right now, that's Elliott, who has recorded four wins while allowing just one goal in his four games since returning from an IR stint.

While he's owned in 68 percent of CBS leagues, Elliott's only starting in 38 percent; that number should be much higher, in my opinion.

James Reimer, SJ – Brought into the fold as an experienced hand to back up incumbent Martin Jones, Reimer has had a great start in San Jose since being acquired from the Leafs. He has appeared in six games, posting four wins with two shutouts, a .926 save mark and a 1.85 GAA. The streak has made coach Pete DeBoer noncommittal about his playoff starter, and that uncertainty all but ensures Reimer at least two of the four remaining starts on the Sharks' regular-season schedule.

Matt Murray, PIT – Called up after being the subject of many trade deadline rumors, Murray has lived up to the hype he's generated in the AHL. Murray appeared in four games during March, picking up three wins while allowing 10 total goals. Now that that Pens have all but assured themselves of a playoff berth, they will likely look to use their impressive rookie in at least two of their five remaining games to spell workhorse Marc-Andre Fleury.

Jean-Francois Berube, NYI – In an odd bit of strategy, Berube has been up with the Islanders all season long (apart from a six-game conditioning stint in the AHL) as the third goalie. He had only appeared in three games prior to March, but has been pressed into increased duty recently because Jaroslav Halak (groin) is out for the rest of the regular season and Tomas Greiss has been regressing. Berube has collected two wins and an OT loss in his three appearances since March 15, allowing only five total goals in those outings, and has likely earned a look in at least a few of the Isles' final six games.

Defensemen

Trevor Daley, PIT – When the Pens acquired Daley, they were hopeful that his offensive skills would thrive in combination with all the skill on this roster. Instead, he got off to a slow start and lost power-play time while he figured things out. In the last seven games, however, the veteran has seen his minutes rise to more than 22 per game, and he's chipped in two goals and six assists.

Jared Spurgeon, MIN – Part of a deep Minnesota blue line, Spurgeon has seen his name move around the depth chart over the course of the year. He enjoyed his most prolific month on March, averaging two shots on goal per game and scoring four goals (three on the power play), which has him back on the first pairing and top power-play unit at a time when the Wild are in a dogfight for a final playoff berth.

Kevin Klein, NYR – Another veteran who's saved his best for the stretch drive, Klein's counted nine of his 22 points this year in the last 13 games. He's now working on the top pairing alongside Ryan McDonagh and is a part of a deep club that is finally getting back to full strength. Klein is surrounded by plenty of skill when he's on the ice, so he's getting points by association, but he's also shown an increased willingness to shoot the puck.

Radko Gudas, PHI – This guy is throwback to a time when the Flyers were known as the Broad Street Bullies, but he's never been known for picking up points. Recently, though, Gudas has shown unprecedented offensive flair, racking up three goals and an assist in his last eight games without sacrificing the physical aspect. In fact, more than half of his season point total was accumulated in 13 March games. The key to this change has been a spike in shots on goal – he's averaging almost three per game in that stretch.

Hampus Lindholm, ANA – With all the injuries to other members of the Ducks' blue line, Lindholm is taking on more minutes at a time when Anaheim is involved in a three-team race for the top spot in the Pacific, with the chance to avoid state rivals and get a wild-card opponent instead. You can bet that he'll continue to get top pairing and top power-play minutes in this scenario. Lindholm has collected five points in his last six starts, well ahead of his season-long scoring pace.

Forwards

Nazem Kadri, TOR – The pivot has spent a lot of time working on his defensive game, and by many accounts he's earned the confidence and support of coach Mike Babcock. That's finally translating into Kadri's offensive totals, as he's looked very confident while piling up seven points in his last four games. Despite a slow start to the year, Kadri now has an outside shot at matching his career-high 50 points. The Leafs' infusion of young talent following the trade deadline has really changed the atmosphere in Toronto.

Jamie McGinn, ANA – McGinn was a nonfactor through much of the season with Buffalo, but since the Ducks added him at the trade deadline, he's found a niche filling out a potent second line with Rickard Rakell and Corey Perry. Through 15 games as a Duck, he's collected eight goals and four assists along with 19 PIM. This surge has allowed him to reach the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his eight-year career. But the deeper truth is that he looks like a different player in his new digs.

Nick Bonino, PIT – When Evgeni Malkin (upper body) was sidelined for the balance of the regular season, the Pens turned to Bonino to center their second line. He's responded to the challenge and meshed with Phil Kessel and Carl Hagelin, creating an impactful second scoring unit that has helped propel Pittsburgh to a secure playoff spot. With two more points Thursday, he now has 11 in his last eight games, with a plus-7 rating to boot.

Nino Niederreiter, MIN – The season began so slowly for this skilled winger, he ended up being demoted to third-line duty. But Nino is now flirting with a return to top-six status at a time when the Wild need all hands on deck to secure a playoff berth. Lucky for them, he has saved his best for last, tallying 10 points in his last nine games. Niederreiter is yet another player on this list whose shot rate is as high as it's been all season.

Patrick Maroon, EDM – Even though Maroon has only three games left to play, he makes this list because he has secured the left-wing assignment next to rookie phenom Connor McDavid. Maroon excelled in a similar role with Anaheim last year at this time and looks like he's going to keep this role over the season's final days. He's notched five points in his last three games and provides an imposing physical presence that will deter opponents from taking liberties with McDavid while he's on the ice.

Jordan Staal, CAR – The trade-deadline deal that sent his brother Eric packing has given Jordan an opportunity to run with the first-line center role along with more power-play time. He should benefit from the fact that the Canes' top blueliner, Justin Faulk, is back from injury, making the special-teams unit that much more dangerous. Already in the midst of his finest season for Carolina, Staal is looking to get back to the 50-point plateau that he's only reached as a member of the Penguins.