As this is the final NHL Fantasy Minute for this season, I wish to thank any and all that have read and used the information offered in past weeks for this post. Any suggestions as to improvements or information that might be more useful to fantasy owners would be welcomed. Usually, I have focused on late developing fantasy impacts that happened on either Saturday or Sunday of a given week that might have been missed or not occurred when other posts were printed. With those caveats, onward and forward!

Andrej Sekera (Buffalo Sabres - Defense): Sekera, as one of two rookie defensemen called up by the parent club from Rochester to fill needs due to injury (or just plain lousy inept play?), has been paired together with the other rookie Mike Webber into Buffalo's most productive defensive pair through the last two weeks. Sekera kept the Sabres on temporary life-support as he scored the game winner in overtime against the Bruins Sunday night to leave Sabres fans and Sabre fantasy owners one more game and two moiré nights staying alive for their playoff lives. At he :39 second mark of the overtime period, Webber made the defensive hit that freed the puck coming up ice, and then was picked up by Thomas Vanek as part of a three on two rush into the Boston zone. A perfect pass to Sekera allowed him to fire the rocket that beat Boston goalie Alex Auld for the game-winner, allowing Buffalo to stay in the mix for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference along with Boston, the New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Washington, and Carolina. Sekera's second goal of the season and his second NHL goal scored means, to put it simply, that Buffalo has to win out their remaining three games against Toronto, Montreal, and Boston, all in regulation, and have a miracle of help from other teams. The Sabres do keep hanging around for the chance to qualify, at least until Tuesday night's results.

Trevor Linden (Vancouver Canucks-Center): Linden gave hope to the Canucks fading playoff hopes by scoring two goals against the Calgary Flames, including the game-winner. The goals were only his sixth and seventh scored in 56 games he played in this season, but they were at the most opportune time for Vancouver's hopes to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs 2008 version.

Dominik Hasek (Detroit Red Wings - Goal): Playing in a game that he had been announced doubtful for, after missing two games with the flu, Hasek recorded his 81st career shutout with a 1-0 overtime win over Nashville Sunday night. Hasek will enter the p[layoffs as Detroit's starting goaltender, pushing Chris Osgood back to the bench, at least for the start of the first series in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs. For the season to date, Hasek's record is 25-9-3 in 38 games played, with five shutouts recorded. On March 22nd, he passed Mike Vernon on the All-Time NHL wins list for 10th place with 386 victories in his career.

Mathieu Schneider (Anaheim Ducks- Defense): Schneider scored two goals, the fifteenth multi-point game in his career, to help keep hold of Anaheim's Stanley Cup Playoff Championship defense with home-ice advantage, at least for the first round this season. In 63 games played this year, Schneider has recorded 12 goals with 27 assists for 39 total points scored. He is tied for 12th in NHL defensmen for goals scored.

For interest’s sake, the following is the list of the 20 most dropped and added fantasy league players from this week's Espn.com list:

Most added

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

J. Halpern, TB P. Dupuis, Pit F. Kuba, TB J. Hiller, Ana D. Cleary, Det J. Hecht, Buf J. Ruutu, Pit M. Straka, NYR D. Ellis, Nas M. Recchi, Atl S. Zubov, Dal J. Jokinen, TB S. Kozlov, Atl C. Schubert, Ott T. Gilbert, Edm A. Kostitsyn, Mon J. Staal, Pit C. Backman, NYR S. Salo, Van P. Forsberg, Col

Most Dropped

 

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. M. Samuelsson, Det S. Samsonov, Car J. Williams, Chi M. Garon, Edm B. Berard, NYI C. Andersson, Fla S. Upshall, Phi M. Comrie, NYI J. Cheechoo, SJ M. Satan, NYI B. Sopel, Chi T. Hunter, NYI R. Cote, Phi S. Walker, Car W. Redden, Ott M. Savard, Bos B. Jackman, StL S. Hartnell, Phi A. McDonald, StL E. Brewer, StL

In closing, I wish you enjoyment of you respective playoffs, good health and welfare , and look forward to next season's results and prognostications.