D

Sheldon Souray

Souray underwent arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder on Thursday, reports the AP. While an official diagnosis has not yet been released, it is expected that he will be sidelined for the remainder of the year but he'll be fully healthy for the start of next season. The 2007/2008 campaign has been an absolute disaster for the blueliner but he figures to be a top-20 option at the position next year - assuming that his injury woes are behind him.

Mike Commodore

Here is that depth defenseman you've been looking for. Although he only has 10 points, 6 of those have come in the past month. His real value, however, comes from his consistent PIM production. Mike has produced 46 penalty minutes in the last month and 66 overall. When looking at his numbers, don't forget he has only played in 34 games. If he had been healthy, he would be on twice as many teams by now. In a full season his numbers project to 24 points and 160 PIM. That's pretty damn rare production and great for a guy sitting on your thin free agent list.

Sergei Zubov

Zubov practiced on Monday and is officially listed as a game-time decision for Monday's game against the Ducks, reports the Dallas Morning News. The veteran defenseman is battling an injured right foot but should be activated right away as he's a top-five contributor in fantasy leagues at his position.

Dan Boyle

Boyle is still approximately 3-5 weeks away from returning to the Lightning lineup, reports the St. Petersburg Times. He is recovering from wrist surgery and has begun rehabbing with light activities on the ice. Keep Boyle on your radar as he has the potential to be a top-10 defender upon his eventual return.

Brian Rafalski

Rafalski scored a goal and added two assists in helping the Red Wings shut out the Blues 5-0. The Michigan native now has 32 points in 37 games for the Wings and if you do the math, he's on well on his way to shattering his career bests. He's easily a top-10 defenseman in all fantasy leagues.

Robert Nilsson

Robert Nilsson is actually doing something. THANK GOODNESS. I made a very controversial move in one of my keeper leagues (if your in my league, you know it was bad haha) to acquire the enigma before the season. I knew it was really risky, but that keeps things exciting. Finally, Nilsson is proving to have some upside afterall. Consistency has consistently been his issue. Robert now has one point in each of his last seven games. For Nilsson, this is a much better sign than say, two games of four and three points... with none the rest of the seven. Keep it up Nilsson. Hemsky needs some more help on that team.

Dustin Byfuglien

It has to be noted. In the destruction of Phoenix, Chicago D-man Dustin Byfuglien had 4... yes, 4 points! The youngster now has 8 points in 13 games. This hulking player has always had a lot of talent, but has also had a lot of extra pounds. Thus, he is a great sleeper candidate. Keep a close eye on the kid in deeper leagues, but also keep this night in mind when analyzing his point totals as the year goes on. 4 points in one night can really skew the numbers.

Mathieu Schneider

Schneider is expected back in the Ducks lineup for Wednesday's game against the Stars, reports the LA Times. The oft-injured defenseman has missed the last two games due to a sore hip.

Lukas Krajicek

The young defensemen returned from his fractured foot injury tonight. The former 1st rounder had 5 pts in 9 games before the layoff, and is a viable option... especially in larger leagues that require 4 or more D-men. The 24-year-old should continue to produce as he will have plenty of ice time with Salo and Bieksa still on the shelf. Keep an eye on this kid. He could sneak up on 40 points this year.

Mathieu Schneider

Schneider will make his debut in Thursday's home game against the Blue Jackets, reports the LA Times. Signed as a potential replacement for Scott Niedermayer, Schneider broke a bone in his ankle almost two months and has yet to see any action during the regular season. While he's almost pushing 40, Schneider still has the offensive tools to be an instant contributor in fantasy leagues but unfortunately, he's quite prone to injury.

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