Player Notes in the Draft (Feb 4)

Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Stastny missed a second straight game on Monday with an ankle injury. Stastny is currently listed as out day-to-day and is travelling with the team on their current road trip, giving some hope that he could end up dressing, at least once, before the Olympic Break.

Stastny belongs to Stacey C., who continues to be in the hunt for the prizes this year.  Through Monday night, Stacey sits in 5th place, 5 points out of 4th and 11 points out of 1st place.

The San Jose Sharks were without defenseman Jason Demers for a second straight game as well, as the 25-year old defender sat out against the Philadelphia Flyers with a lower-body injury. Demers is currently listed as out day-to-day, with his status for the rest of the week still up in the air.

Brenda, who's team sits in 8th place through Monday night, made Demers a Waiver Draft pick-up the first time around and has seen some reasonable results.  Since the pick-up, Demers has 14 points in 29 games played, a shade under half a point-per-game.

There was an update to Mike Green's upper-body injury on Monday, as it was revealed that the Washington Capitals blueliner is dealing with a concussion.  Due to league protocol, it does seem unlikely that Green will suit up for the Capitals before the Olympic break, but with where Washington is in the standings, 6th in the Metropolitan Division, they will want him back before too long.

Another key injury for the pool's duo, Kristy & Don, who haven't fared too well in the health department this season.  Green is their 4th round pick this year, as they loaded up on goaltenders and defensemen early in the draft, but due to some terrible luck, they've fallen below the equator of the standings.

In Monday night's game between the Canucks and the Red Wings, Detroit starting goalie Jonas Gustavsson left the game after completing the 1st period, complaining of dizziness.  There were no other details about the situation, but Jimmy Howard was able to come in to the game in a relief effort, as they split the shutout and Howard ended up getting the 2-0 victory.

An unlucky turn of events for Benson, who tops the bottom half of the standings in 13th place.  Benson is 13 points back of 12th place and only sits 3 points up on 14th, creating another small race with Ryan M..

In the Battle for the NHL Basement, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers left the game against the Edmonton Oilers with an apparent knee injury, officially called a lower-body injury, in the 2nd period and was not able to return to the game.  On Tuesday morning, there was no official update on his status, but I don't think there will be anything official until Wednesday, when the Sabres host the Penguins.  If the injury is worse than day-to-day with a lower-body injury, there will be an update.

More bad news for Benson, who already has a question mark in the goaltending department, now one on his blueline.  At this rate, he won't be able to climb into the top half of the standings by the end of the year.