Updated List of Available Players

This morning, I've updated the lists for the top available players in the Draft. You should go have a look at it, just to get an idea of what's coming up in a few weeks. You might have one of those long-term injuries and you will be looking to replace that player with one of the hotter players in the league at the moment. Let me assure you, there are a number that weren't taken and you will want to scoop these players up, just so the teams at the top don't and pull further ahead. Because no one wants that.

Leading the way among all available players is the new starting goalie for the Colorado Avalanche, Craig Anderson, who has stormed the NHL and a lot of pool lists with his eight wins, a shutout and an assist to start the year. That's a cool 19 points that no one has in the Draft. He is miles better than Jaroslav Halak, who is sitting in second among available goalies with only four wins for 8 points.

If you were to look at the standings right now, you would notice that Chris, who is sitting in last and would have first pick in the Waiver Draft, has only one win this season between his two goalies, would want to be looking at the best goalie available, so you might want to get used to that fact now.

When you're talking Waiver Draft, you are then better off collecting a great defenseman, instead of holding out and getting the points from a reliable forward, especially since there are very few great defensemen available. Take Michael Del Zotto, the Rangers rookie blueliner, who is averaging a point-per-game in his first 12 games of his NHL career. That's one hell of a pace for a defenseman, let alone a rookie defenseman. The second-best defenseman available in the pool is Matt Carle, who is also averaging a point-per-game in his first nine games this season. What do you do? Take the rookie or take the veteran?

Currently, in the Draft, Peter sits in 16th position, meaning that he's in line for the second pick in the Waiver Draft and he is the low-man on the totem pole when it comes to defenseman points, with only 8 so far this year. Improving his defense corps should be high on his priority list.

Up front, it's a little bit of a surprise to see Dustin Penner holding the top available forward position, especially since no one took him in the regular draft, for the reason that he has been such a bust in recent years. Sure enough, there he is in all of his glory, with 15 points in 11 games this season, so far. This isn't to say that he won't be coming with many question marks attached to his reputation. You may want to keep a close eye on both James Neal of the Stars and Ales Kotalik of the Rangers, who follow Penner with 12 points a piece.

Purely conincidental, the lowest team on the totem pole when it comes to forwards scoring in 15th position, heading into Tuesday's action, Dale B.. Dale has a pool-low 40 points from his forwards, so he'll be looking to improve those numbers quickly and he'll likely have plenty more to choose from after the next few weeks conclude.