Description: Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne underwent hip surgery recently and will need four months to recover. SOURCE: The Tennessean
Insight: He's expected to be 100 percent for training camp, however. Rinne, one of the NHL's top workhorses, had an inconsistent season in which he went 15-16-8 with a 2.43 GAA and a .910 SV%. He tied for the NHL lead with five shutouts.
Description: Predators backup goaltender Chris Mason will draw the start Thursday against the Red Wings.
Insight: Mason has made nine appearances and four starts this season and has a 3.80 GAA. He shouldn't be started by fantasy owners under any circumstances.
Description: Lightning goalie Anders Lindback will start in net Thursday against the Bruins.
Insight: Lindback played for the first time since March 20 on April 21 and allowed three goals in a loss to Carolina. The team will likely go into next season with an open competition for starting goalie between Lindback and Ben Bishop.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist (upper body) will miss the final two games of the season, according to the Tennessean.
Insight: Hornqvist has only played 24 games this season and recorded 14 points. He came into this season having scored 78 goals on 770 SOG over his previous three campaigns.
Description: Nashville winger Brandon Yip is questionable for Friday's game against Dallaswith a lower body injury.
Insight: Yip has only eight points this season in 34 games while playing on the third or fourth line and has little fantasy value so this injury should not effect many fantasy lineups.
Description: Nashville center Mike Fisher has missed two consecutive games with a bruised hand and will miss Friday's game against Dallas.
Insight: Fisher had at least one point in his final eight games of March but he missed three games with the hand injury and is now out again after returning for two.
Description: Nashville center Mike Fisher will miss Sunday's game with a bruised hand.
Insight: Fisher had a point in his final eight games of March but he missed three games with the hand injury and is now out again after returning for two.
Description: Nashville center Mike Fisher is questionable for Tuesday's game against Colorado with a bruised right hand.
Insight: Fisher blocked a shot with the hand and while it's not broken he has missed the last two games. He has nine goals and 10 assists in 34 games this season, down from his production of a year ago, when he posted 51 points in 72 games.
Description: Nashville third-line center Paul Gaustad has been activated from the injured reserve and is expected to play Saturday against Colorado.
Insight: Gaustad has four points in 19 games this season after producing just seven goals and 14 assists last season and has very limited fantasy value.
Description: Nashville center Mike Fisher is doubtful for Saturday's game against Colorado with a bruised right hand.
Insight: Fisher blocked a shot with the hand, but at least it's not broken. he has nine goals and 10 assists in 34 games this season, down from his production of a year ago when he posted 51 points in 72 games.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist may be activated from injured reserve for Monday's game against Edmonton. he's dealing with an upper body injury.
Insight: Hornqvist has just three goals and five assists through 14 games, but has averaged 26 goals a season over the past three campaigns and is a viable fantasy asset when healthy. Get him back into your lineup as soon as you see he's active.
Description: Predators defenseman Roman Josi extended his scoring streak to five games with a goal Saturday against the Blue Jackets.
Insight: Ryan Suter's replacement had a slow first half but he has produced five goals and 12 points over his last 13 games and eight points over his last five.
Description: Predators defenseman Roman Josi has a goal and seven points over his last four games.
Insight: Ryan Suter's replacement had a slow first half but he has produced three goals and 11 points over his last 12 games despite being held without a point in seven of those 12.
Description: Nashville center Mike Fisher extended his scoring streak to five games with a pair of goals Thursday versus Calgary.
Insight: Fisher had a miserable first two months this season with four goals and eight points in 21 games but he has five goals and eight points over his last eight games.
Description: Damian Cristodero from the Tampa Bay Times is reporting that Lightning goalie Anders Lindback is out indefinitely. Lindback suffered a high ankle sprain Wednesday against Toronto.
Insight: Mathieu Garon will take over in net while Lindback is out. Garon has lost eight of his 11 decisions this season and his 2.78 GAA is less than desirable. Look elsewhere for goaltender help if you can help it.
Description: Florida center Marcel Goc has two goals and nine SOG over his last two games.
Insight: Goc (four goals, 11 points in 24 games) has been playing a top-six role as the center for Tomas Fleischmann and Tomas Kopecky, a spot he'll hold onto for the rest of the season with Stephen Weiss (wrist) done for the year.
Description: Nashville center Mike Fisher has a goal in three of the last four games and a point in four straight.
Insight: Fisher had a miserable first two months this season with four goals and eight points in 21 games but he has three goals and six points in nine games this month.
Description: Predators winger Sergei Kostitsyn has been benched for Tuesday's game after his mental lapse Sunday caused Nashville to give up a shorthanded goal.
Insight: With the score tied 1-1 and Nashville on a power play midway through the third period Sunday, Kostitsyn decided to change on a two-on-two rush for the Oilers, setting up a two-on-one that the Oilers turned into the go-ahead score. His punishment will likely last one game.
Description: Nashville third-line center Paul Gaustad is doubtful for Friday's game against Calgary with an upper-body injury.
Insight: Gaustad has four points in 19 games this season after producing just seven goals and 14 assists last season and has very limited fantasy value.
Description: Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback will start Tuesday against the Panthers.
Insight: Mathieu Garon is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and Lindback has played well over his last two starts are losing the starting job to Garon in the second half of February.
Description: Predators defenseman Shea Weber has a streak of three straight games with at least one point.
Insight: He has five points, all assists, in that span. Weber only had one point over his first 13 games this season but he has three goals and 12 points over his last 12 games.
Description: Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne took his fifth overtime loss of the season Saturday night against Minnesota. All five have come in the shootout.
Insight: Rinne (9-8-5, 2.09 GAA, .920 SV%, 4 SO) is tied with Ilya Bryzgalov for the most minutes in the NHL but he has made two fewer starts than Philadelphia's netminder. Nashville has been to overtime in eight of Rinne's 22 starts and seven of them went to a shootout.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist is doubtful for Saturday's game against Minnesota with an upper body injury.
Insight: Hornqvist was forced to leave Friday's game with the injury. He has just three goals and five assists through 14 games, but has averaged 26 goals a season over the past three campaigns and is a viable fantasy asset when healthy.
Description: Predators center Colin Wilson had a huge night Friday in a win against Edmonton (two goals, two assists, +2).
Insight: Both of Wilson's goals came in the third period. Friday was Wilson's second multi-goal game of the season. His last came February 7th in a win over Los Angeles.
Description: Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback had the effort he needed Tuesday with 25 saves on 27 shots in a 5-2 win over the Devils.
Insight: Prior to Monday, when Mathieu Garon suffered a lower-body injury, Lindback hadn't played since Feb. 24 at Pittsburgh, when he allowed three goals in 20 minutes before being pulled. The team still considers him the goalie of the future but he needs a few more performances like Tuesday to get his starting job back.
Description: Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback will get the start Tuesday against the Devils.
Insight: Prior to Monday, when Mathieu Garon suffered a lower-body injury, Lindback hadn't played since Feb. 24 at Pittsburgh, when he allowed three goals in 20 minutes before being pulled. The team still considers him the goalie of the future but he needs a few strong performances before he gets the starting job back.
Description: Nashville winger Brandon Yip will miss Monday's game against Los Angeles with an upper body injury.
Insight: Yip has only five points this season in 19 games while playing on the third or fourth line and has little fantasy value so this injury should not effect many fantasy lineups.
Description: Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne was smoked by Anaheim Wednesday night for five goals on 21 shots in the first two periods. He watched the last period from the bench.
Insight: Rinne has hit a rough patch after dominating earlier this month. He has allowed 13 goals over his last three starts after giving up just 12 in 10 starts from Jan. 31 to Feb. 22. We have no doubt he will turn it around.
Description: Nashville third-line center Paul Gaustad is questionable for Wednesday's game against Anaheim with an upper-body injury.
Insight: Gaustad has three points in 13 games this season after producing just seven goals and 14 assists last season and has very limited fantasy value.
Description: Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne is probable for Friday's game against Vancouver. he did not practice Wednesday, but a report in the Nashville Tennessean says he should play Friday.
Insight: Rinne has played very well this season going 7-3-4 with a stellar 1.67 GAA and a .935 save percentage. If he's back on the ice he should be back in your lineup.
Description: Nashville third-line center Paul Gaustad has been downgraded to expected to miss Friday's game against Vancouver with an upper body injury.
Insight: Gaustad has three points in 13 games this season after producing just seven goals and 14 assists last season and has very limited fantasy value.
Description: Nashville third-line center Paul Gaustad is questionable for Friday's game against Vancouver with an upper body injury.
Insight: Gaustad has three points in 13 games this season after producing just seven goals and 14 assists last season and has very limited fantasy value.
Description: Predators defenseman Shea Weber scored the game-winning goal in overtime Tuesday against the Red Wings. He also had an assist earlier in the game.
Insight: After failing to score a goal and notching just one point over his first 13 games, Weber has a goal in three straight and six points over his last four contests. The buy-low window is closing quickly.
Description: Predators wing Sergei Kostitsyn collected a goal and an assist Monday versus Colorado.
Insight: Kostitsyn hasn't been able to get much going this season with just six points in his first 16 games. He still has time to turn things around but we wouldn't consider him a fantasy threat just yet.
Description: Predators backup goaltender Chris Mason will start Monday afternoon's game against Colorado.
Insight: Mason doesn't get many appearances behind Pekka Rinne, this will be just his third of the season. He's 1-0-1 with a stellar 1.45 GAA and .952 save percentage.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist (knee injury) took part in last Thursday's optional skate and is probable to return on Monday against Colorado.
Insight: Hornqvist had a sprained left knee and hadn't played since late January. He led the team in goals last season (27) and his return should help the offensively-challenged Predators (28th of 30 teams with 28 goals).
Description: Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback will start Saturday's game against Florida, according to the team's website. He's been dealing with flu-like symptoms.
Insight: Lindback is 5-3-1 this season with a 2.94 GAA, .903 save percentage. Backup Mathieu Garon gave up four goals on Thursday and is just 1-3 this season, so it's no surprise that the team wants Lindback between the pipes.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist (knee injury) took part in Thursday's optional skate, but is not expected back in time for Saturday's game, according to The Tennessean.
Insight: Hornqvist has a sprained left knee and hasn't played since late January. He led the team in goals last season (27) and his return should help the offensively-challenged Predators (28th of 30 teams with 28 goals). Perhaps by next weekend he'll be back on the ice.
Description: Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback is questionable for Saturday's game against Florida with flu-like symptoms.
Insight: Lindback (5-3-1, 2.94 GAA, .903 save percentage) will start if he's healthy enough, according to coach Guy Boucher. Backup Mathieu Garon gave up four goals on Thursday and is just 1-3 this season.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist, who is out with a knee injury, took part in Thursday's optional skate. SOURCE: The Tennessean
Insight: Hornqvist has a sprained left knee and hasn't played since late January. Predators coach Barry Trotz indicated that the forward might be able to return "at the end of next week sometime." Hornqvist led the team in goals last season and his return should help the punchless Preds (NHL-low 1.70 GFA).
Description: Predators netminder Pekka Rinne picked up his second shutout in three games with 25 saves Tuesday against the Sharks.
Insight: Rinne had a four-game winning streak snapped by Chicago on Sunday but he started a new one Tuesday. Nashville went to overtime for the sixth time in Rinne's 11 starts but didn't let it end in a shootout for the first time.
Description: Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback will start Tuesday versus Montreal. He sat Sunday but had to enter in relief after Mathieu Garon gave up three goals in 30 minutes to the Rangers.
Insight: Lindback (5-3, 2.96 GAA) lost his last two starts after winning four straight. The team is looking to get him as much time as possible to help him become a bona fide star between the pipes, so Garon should only start when Tampa Bay has a back-to-back.
Description: Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne will have his hands full Sunday against the Blackhawks. Chicago has scored 38 goals this season, third in the NHL.
Insight: Rinne has been unbeatable recently. He's 4-0 with a 0.72 GAA, .974 SV% and one shutout over his last four starts, and should be active in all fantasy lineups even with an unfavorable matchup Sunday.
Description: Predators winger Martin Erat (foot) will return to action Tuesday against the Blues. He missed Saturday's game against the Sharks.
Insight: Erat has been held scoreless in his last four games, but posted 19 goals and 39 assists last season, including 18 power play points and a solid +12 rating. He's Nashville's best fantasy forward, but that isn't saying much.
Description: In his quest to turn Anders Lindback into a bona fide No. 1 goaltender, Lightning coach Guy Boucher said the plan is to give Lindback as many games as he can, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Insight: Lindback (5-1, 2.84 GAA) will go for his fifth consecutive win when he starts Tuesday at Philadelphia. He beat the Flyers with 24 saves on 25 chances Jan. 27 in Tampa Bay. Backup netminder Mathieu Garon has played in just two of the team's first eight games.
Description: Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne has given up just two goals in 130 minutes over his last two games, both shootout wins.
Insight: The Predators have already been to a shootout five times in Rinne's seven starts. He'll try to pick up his third straight win Tuesday on the road against the Blues.
Description: Predators winger Martin Erat is questionable for Tuesday's game against St. Louis with a foot injury which caused him to miss Saturday's game.
Insight: Erat has been held scoreless in his last four games, but posted 19 goals and 39 assists last season, including 18 power play points and a solid +12 rating.
Description: Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback will go for his fourth straight win Friday against Winnipeg.
Insight: Lindback has benefited from Tampa Bay's NHL-leading 29 goals to start out 4-1, but he has also played well the last two games (50 saves on 53 shots). Lindback is the clear-cut No. 1 goaltender over Mathieu Garon.
Description: Florida center Marcel Goc will make his season debut Thursday after sitting out the first six games with an ankle injury. SOURCE: South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Insight: Goc will center the top line of Tomas Fleschmann and Kris Versteeg but it's unclear if he'll keep that spot once Stephen Weiss returns to the lineup in a few days. He's probably not a fantasy option.
Description: Tampa Bay netminder Anders Lindback will start again Tuesday against the Panthers following his best start of the season Sunday against Philadelphia.
Insight: The Lightning lead the NHL in goals, which explains why Lindback is 3-1 despite allowing 11 goals in his first three games. Florida has scored the fewest goals in the NHL so Tuesday is a good day for fantasy owners to get Lindback in the lineup.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist (knee) will miss three-to-four weeks. SOURCE: Tennessean
Insight: Hornqvist has a sprained left knee. He scored one goal with three assists and 16 shots in five games this season. Brandon Yip and Gabriel Bourque could see more ice time but it's clear the Predators are lacking a scoring punch from their forwards.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist injured his leg Saturday in a loss to Anaheim and is expected to miss at least the rest of the road trip - three more games, according to a Josh Cooper report.
Insight: Hornqvist had a goal and three assists in five games before the injury. The most likely candidate to pick up Hornqvist's minutes on the top line is Brandon Yip.
Description: Nashville right wing Patric Hornqvist injured his leg Saturday in a loss to Anaheim.
Insight: He's out indefinitely so fantasy owners will probably be heading to the waiver wire this week to find a replacement. Hornqvist had a goal and three assists in five games before the injury.
Description: Tampa Bay netminder Anders Lindback will get the start in net Sunday against the Flyers.
Insight: Lindback has faced an absurd 110 shots in three games, so while he has turned away 90 percent, his GAA is still 3.67. The Flyers just handled another team that allows a ton of SOG, the Florida Panthers, with seven goals on Saturday. We'd stay away from Lindback on Sunday.
Description: Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne has already lost three shootouts in four starts.
Insight: Rinne is 0-1-3 and has racked up 254 minutes in the crease in four games while saving 103 of 113 shots (.912). His numbers might suffer a bit with defenseman Ryan Suter gone via free agency and he certainly won't win 59 percent of his games again like he did last season.
Description: Nashville center Paul Gaustad is doubtful for Saturday's game against Anaheim with an upper body injury. He's missed three consecutive games.
Insight: Gaustad had just seven goals and 14 assists last season and has very limited fantasy value.
Description: Predators defenseman Shea Weber has zero points through four games.
Insight: It's safe to say Weber is missing Ryan Suter, who signed with Minnesota last summer. Skating with Suter last season, Weber had 19 goals and 30 assists.
Description: Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne dropped to 0-1-2 after allowing three goals on 24 shots in a loss to St. Louis on Thursday.
Insight: It has been a frustrating start to the season for Rinne owners. He will likely have a difficult time matching his production from last season after the team lost defenseman Ryan Suter in free agency.
Description: Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne will face the Blues and Jaroslav Halak Thursday in what could be a low-scoring affair.
Insight: It has been a frustrating start to the season for Rinne owners. He lost his first two starts in shootouts and was on the bench Tuesday when backup Chris Mason shut down Minnesota.
Description: Predators winger Martin Erat's second goal of the season was the deciding score Tuesday against the Wild.
Insight: Erat attempted five shots in the game, giving him eight on the season in three games. Erat was a low-level fantasy option last season despite his 58 points because he only took 107 shots.
Description: Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne has lost each of the first two games this season in shootouts.
Insight: Rinne has already played 130 minutes this season and recorded a SV% of .925 with a GAA of 2.31. He'll get a rest Tuesday while backup Chris Mason handles the net.
Description: Predators backup goaltender Chris Mason will likely start Tuesday's game after starter Pekka Rinne played 65 minutes on Monday.
Insight: Rinne has played 65 minutes in both games this season and lost both in shootouts. Mason has a career GAA of 2.63 and a SV% of .910, but he has been much worse the last two seasons with Atlanta/Winnipeg.
Description: Florida center Marcel Goc is expected to be out one more week, according to a Miami Herald report.
Insight: Goc scored 11 goals and added 16 assists last season. He could end up returning to the third line instead of the second which would limit production even further.
Description: Florida center Marcel Goc is expected to miss 1-2 weeks, according to coach Kevin Dineen.
Insight: Goc isn't likely to be on either of the top two lines which will limit his fantasy value. He scored 11 goals and added 16 assists last season.
Description: Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback demonstrated that his knee is improving Friday when he played 77 minutes -- 45 during team skating and shooting drills and a 32-minutes scrimmage. Lindback, who needed six stitches when he was cut by a shot on Dec. 18 in Finland, was only on the ice a few minutes Thursday before retreating to the gym. SOURCE: Tampa Bay Times
Insight: Lindback was acquired from Nashville in the summer to be Tampa Bay's long-term netminder. He's expected to split time with veteran Mathieu Garon at first but should eventually distance himself. Lindback owns a career record of 16-13 with a 2.53 GAA and a .914 SV%.
Description: Nashville winger Gabriel Bourque.is questionable for the start of the season with a lower body injury.
Insight: Bourque has only been able to play 13 of 31 games for AHL Milwaukee and could miss the start of the NHL regular season. He's more of a third-line guy who posted 19 points (7G, 12 A) in 43 games last season and has limited fantasy value.
Description: Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher is expecting to split time evenly between his two goaltenders, 24-year-old Anders Lindback and veteran Mathieu Garon, at least at the beginning of the season. "They're both going to get a lot of ice time," Boucher told the Tampa Bay Times. "I'm not expecting Lindback to come in here and play 65 games.
Insight: Lindback was 11-5-2 with 2.60 GAA and .915 save percentage in 2010-11 and 5-8-0 with a 2.42 GAA and .912 save percentage last season for Nashville. Garon was 23-16-4 last season with a 2.85 GAA and .901 save percentage. It sounds like the goalie who gets hot could end up with the majority of the playing time, but determining that for your fantasy draft will be difficult.
Description: The Predators have matched the Flyers 14-year, $110 million offer sheet for defenseman Shea Weber, the team's official website announced.
Insight: Weber's 49 points last season were seventh among defensemen and his plus/minus of 21 was tied for 19th in the NHL. His 230 SOG ranked third among defensemen as well, making the Nashville captain one of the more valuable defensemen in the fantasy game.
Description: The Flyers have extended a 14-year $100 million offer to Nashville defenseman Shea Weber. The Predators will now have seven days to match Philadelphia's offer.
Insight: That is a tremendous amount of coin. Weber had another strong season for the Predators by finishing the 2011-12 campaign with 19 goals and 30 assists in 78 games. He led the team in plus/minus with a plus-21 rating, good for 11th-best in the Western Conference.
