NHL Barometer: Sedin Still Sizzling

This week's article includes the other Koivu hot in Minnesota, a young D-man taking the next step in Toronto, several injured goalies close to returning and a stud netminder in the Hub struggling.

First Liners (Risers)

Mikko Koivu, C, MIN - Koivu notched two assists Friday and a goal Sunday, giving him 12 points his last 10. For the year, Koivu has just 38 points in 59 games after notching 54 in 65 contests last year. While he will need to remain this red hot to match that total, even if he doesn't and is just relatively warm, he could come close to it while centering the Wild's top line.

Henrik Sedin, C, VAN - Sedin recorded his fourth consecutive multi-point game Sunday, dishing out two assists in Vancouver's 4-0 win over the Islanders. After tallying 45 points in the lockout shortened 48-game season in 2013-14, Sedin had just 50 points in 70 contests last year. The whispers had started that maybe the downward slide was starting for Sedin, but he quieted that talk, scoring 54 points along with a plus-10 rating in 59 games this year.

Milan Michalek, LW, OTT - Overall, it's been a rough year for Michalek, but he has been doing his best to make it for that lately. MM notched two more assists Saturday, giving him three goals and four assists his last six games. For the season, he has just 11 goals and 13 assists in 52 games, but is worth a look while he is hot.

Jaden Schwartz, LW, STL - Schwartz collected two more assists Friday in St. Louis' win over Boston. He now has 20 goals and 26 assists along with a plus-17 rating in 51 games. That jump he took last year, when he went from 13 points in 45 games to 56 in 80 doesn't look like much of a shock, seeing how well he has produced this year. With Vladimir Tarasenko on the top line and Schwartz on the second, the Blues have a heck of a 2-2 combination at left wing.

Gabriel Landeskog, LW, COL - Like Michaelk, until recently, it was a lost season for Landeskog, but he is doing his best to turn it around. Landeskog scored for the fifth game in a row Friday and then added an assist in Sunday's 5-4 win against Tampa Bay. That gave him 10 points in his last 12 games, increasing his season numbers to 15 goals and 22 assists. It's a far cry from 26 and 39 he posted last season, but if he can stay hot, the year won't be a complete write off.

Travis Hamonic, D, NYI - Hamonic notched his first goal since Nov. 26 Saturday against the Capitals. But that is far from the full story. Hamonic has settled in to produce nicely lately for the Islanders, tallying 12 assists his last 20 games, giving him 19 for the year. He also has a plus-14 rating, plays 21-plus minutes nightly and has chipped in over 150 hits and closed to 100 blocked shots, showing that he is a complete defenseman.

Morgan Rielly, D, TOR - In the nightmarish year known as the Maple Leafs' season, Rielly has been one of the few bright spots. Rielly added two assists Saturday, giving him eight points in his last 11 games. Rielly has three goals and five assists in that span for seven and 15 on the year. The trade of Cody Franson to Nashville has heaped more responsibility on Rielly, and so far, he has shown he is up to the task.

Jake Allen, G, STL - Despite the return of Brian Elliott from injury, Allen still has major value in St. Louis. In fact, he has actually outplayed Elliott lately. Allen made 26 saves Friday against New Jersey, making it three straight games he has allowed just won goal. He's won six straight games and is now 17-5-2 on the season with a .909 save percentage and 2.39 GAA with those latter two numbers skewed by that rough patch he had in December.

Braden Holtby, G, WAS - Holtby continues to shine, as he allowed just two goals on 32 shots Saturday against the Islanders to notch his 29th win of the season. He stopped 28 shots Sunday, but lost 3-2 to Philadelphia. With a 2.16 goals-against average and .924 save percentage, Holtby has shown that he clearly is the No. 1 netminder in the nation's capital and one of the league's better goalies this season. The arrival of coach Barry Trotz and goalie guru Mitch Korn has proven to be a major boost for Holtby's career.

Others include Kyle Turris, John Tavares, Joe Thornton, Derek Stepan, Mike Ribeiro, Jason Spezza, Tomas Plekanec, Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Backstrom, Joe Pavelski, Nick Bjugstad, Derick Brassard, Brandon Dubinsky, Sean Monahan, Kevin Hayes, Anders Lee, Ryan Callahan, Zach Parise, Josh Bailey, Cam Atkinson, Alexander Steen, Gustav Nyquist, Daniel Sedin, T.J. Oshie, Darren Helm, Ondrej Palat, Tomas Tatar, Rick Nash, Matt Calvert, Jiri Hudler, Alexander Ovechkin, Nail Yakupov, Jiri Tlusty, James Neal, Brandon Saad, Justin Fontaine, Vladimir Tarasenko, Zack Kassian, Chris Kreider, Wayne Simmonds, Hampus Lindholm, Seth Jones, John Carlson, Trevor Daley, Tyson Barrie, Kevin Klein, Anton Stralman, Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Letang, Victor Hedman, Roman Josi, Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Ryan McDonagh, Oscar Klefbom, Devan Dubnyk, Jonathan Quick, Andrew Hammond, Ray Emery, Carey Price, Cory Schneider and Jaroslav Halak.

Training Room (Injuries)

Dion Phaneuf, D, TOR - Phaneuf, out for nearly a month with a hand injury, looks to be on the verge of returning. Prior to being sidelined, Phaneuf had 22 points and 85 PIM in 48 games. While he is still a physical presence, Pheanuf's game is a shell of it's former self, making the seven-year, $49 million contract extension he signed in December 2013 look like a future albatross around Toronto's neck.

Frederik Andersen, G, ANA - Andersen, out since Fe. 8 with an upper-body injury, could be back as early as Monday against Detroit. John Gibson has been better lately while Andersen has been sidelined, but Anaheim will be happy to get its No. 1 goalie back. Andersen was having an excellent first full year as a starter before he was sidelined, going 29-8-2 with a 2.39 goals-against average and .916 save-percentage.

Sergei Bobrovsky, G, CMB - Bobrovsky, out since Jan. 21 with a right groin injury, is on the verge of returning. Curtis McElhinney played well lately in Bobrovksy's absence, but Columbus will gladly welcome back its No. 1 netminder. The Blue Jackets are 10 points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot with a game in hand, so getting the Vezina Trophy caliber goalie back could help them continue their recent run.

Henrik Lundqvist, G, NYR - Lundqvist, sidelined since Feb. 4 with a vascular injury after getting hit on the throat with the puck Jan. 31 against Carolina, was able to skate this week. He is limited to light conditioning work and will have another exam in the next week or so. Lundqvist was to miss at least three weeks, but with this typoe of injury, there is no clear timeframe for his return. In the meantime, Cam Talbot and Mackenzie Skapski, who made his debut and picked up his first win Friday against Buffalo, will continue to man the pipes for the Rangers.

Steve Mason, G, PHI - Mason, out since Feb. 9 arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in which 60 percent of his meniscus was removed, could play Tuesday in Carolina or Thursday in Toronto. Ray Emery has stepped out in Mason's absence, enabling the Flyers to close within four points of Boston for the last wild-card spot. His fine play should allow Philly to be cautious with Mason's return and rest him liberally if needed down the stretch.

Others include David Krejci (undisclosed, DTD), Mikhail Grabovski (concussion, IR), Mathieu Perreault (LBI, out indefinitely, could miss rest of the season), Henrik Zetterberg (left Saturday's game with UBI), Clarke MacArthur (concussion, indefinite), Alex Burrows (LBI, DTD), Justin Schultz (facial injury, DTD), Sami Vatanen (LBI, out 4-6 weeks), Joni Ortio (LBI, out 6-8 weeks), Robin Lehner (concussion, indefinite) and Craig Anderson (already missed a month with hand injury, no timetable for return).

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

Josh Jooris, C, CGY - Jooris showed a bit of a scoring touch earlier in the year, but that is a faded memory now. He has just one goals since Dec. 31 while also being a healthy scratch periodically. Jooris is now basically the fifth center in Calgary, so even when he does play, don't expect much.

Matthew Nieto, LW, SJ - RotoWire's preseason outlook for Nieto showed why we as well as many others were high oin him coming into the season: "Nieto had a solid rookie campaign, delivering 10 goals and 14 assists through 66 games last season. With the team refocusing on the youth on the roster, Nieto will be given a solid shot at an increased role and a top-six position. Nieto's upside isn't as big as Hertl's, but he has proven he has the ability to produce if he finds a consistent home in the team's top six." That consistent spot never materialized, leaving Nieto on the third line and reducing his overall impact. Since returning from an ankle injury Dec. 30, Nieto has picked up just one goal and six assists in 24 games.

Jay Bouwmeester, D, STL - Bouwmeester notched an assist Friday, but that gave him just seven on the year along with two goals. That production is a far cry from the 37 points, including 33 assists, he notched last year with a plus-26 rating. Bouwmeester is still playing more than 23 minutes nightly and has 75 blocked shots, but if your league uses just standard stats, his value is much greater in real rather than fantasy life.

Tuukka Rask, G, BOS - The Boston D has been sieve-like and Rask has been unable to step up and make up for their struggles. Rask has given up 15 goals in his last five appearances and won Sunday against the Blackhawks for the first time in his last seven outings, improving to 24-15-9. His .919 save percentage and 2.37 GAA are impressive, but those numbers are mainly based on a six-week hot streak and not season-long consistent play.

Others include Vincent Lecavalier, Tyler Bozak, Cody Hodgson, Joel Ward, Justin Abdelkader, Lars Eller, Jaromir Jagr, Steve Downie, Zdeno Chara, Nikita Zadorov, Jhonas Enroth, Brian Elliott and Michael Hutchinson.