Injuries are all over the NHL; Alex Ovechkin is week-to-week, Evgeni Malkin is day-to-day, Eric Staal is out two-to-four weeks, and now Cam Ward is out three-to-four weeks. So how do you stay afloat with so many big time injuries to top ranked players? My advice is not to panic just imagine how these players will give your team a boost when healthy. Here are some injury quick fixes on the waiver wire to try to plug the big hole.
Steve Reinprecht, Panthers C:
The 33-year-old center has been more known as a face-off specialist with some goal scoring ability. His career high is 22 total goals with Phoenix and Calgary but he is already on pace to break that with nine goals in 15 games played. Now with the injury to another star, David Booth, Reinprecht is getting some ice time with the sizzling Nathan Horton.
If you are in a league that has shots as a category he has 105 and 95 shots the last two seasons. He could fill in at center for the time being for those who own either Staal or Malkin as he continues his move from a checking center to scoring center
Raffi Torres, Blue Jackets W:
The 28-year-old Torres did score 20 goals in consecutive seasons for the Oilers, but has had a tough time staying healthy with knee surgeries shortening his last two seasons. Now healthy, he has solidified the second scoring line for Columbus with eight goals in 16 games, half of those coming on the man advantage and two of those tallies game winners, only helping his fantasy value.
This is a good filler for an injured star, for he is still an injury risk himself, but being owned in less than 10 percent of leagues pick him up ride the streak until your star returns.
Antero Niittymaki, Lightning G:
The 2006 Olympic MVP has shown that when asked to play well for a short period of time he can produce. With Mike Smith struggling and Niity leading the league in save percentage (0.940) and third in the league in GAA (1.95) there seems to be a goalie controversy brewing in Tampa. The 29-year-old Finland native has seen time in five straight games and four of those as a starting role, yet is still only owned in 30-percent of leagues.
He is a prime candidate as filler for the injured Ward since his problem has always been consistency, so ride the hot streak. Pick up Frank Niity over the likes of Michael Leighton and recently signed Manny Legace, or go with a guy I have mentioned here before in Ondrej Pavelec who is still only owned in 40 percent in leagues and with the news of back surgery for Kari Lehtonen he will be in the net for an extended period of time.
