Yip, Yip, Yooray! Yip, Yip, Yooray! Yip, Yip, Yooray!

Avalanche rookie Brandon Yip has created quite a stir since making his NHL debut in mid-December, and his unexpected surge is deserving of him getting a personalized "Three Cheers" roar.

It was less than a year ago Yip was celebrating a NCAA championship with Boston University. Yip had his best season as a collegian, posting 20 goals and 43 points in 45 games. Yet, the 2004 eighth-round pick wasn't as celebrated as teammates Colin Wilson and Matt Gilroy, who also turned pro after the title run.

Already battling lowered expectations as a late bloomer and late-round draft selection, it got even worse for the 24-year-old forward as he snapped a tendon in his right ring finger during a preseason scrum. Yip would need months of rehab, giving him an inauspicious start to his pro career.

We flash forward to Monday, when Yip contributed two goals in a 5-2 win over the Blues. It was just another highlight moment for the Vancouver native since making his debut on Dec. 19.

The two-goal effort Monday was already Yip's third multi-goal game of his career, which is just 23 games young. The 6-1, 180-pounder is boasting 11 goals, 18 points and a plus-9 rating through Thursday.

"He's played very well," Avalanche coach Joe Sacco told NHL.com. "At some point this season, we thought he had a chance to come in and contribute, like he has. And to be honest with you, it's earlier than I thought. But (in mid-December), the time was right to see what he could do. We needed a guy who could come in with some grit on the right side, with some speed and pace to his game, and he's provided us with some good energy and timely goals."

Yip began his Colorado career mostly as a third-line presence and learning from many veterans, including Darcy Tucker. But after Milan Hejduk went down with a knee injury in early January the opportunity opened for Yip to move into the top-six rotation.

Playing mostly on a line with Matt Duchene and T.J. Galiardi, Yip has posted six goals and 10 points in his last 11 games.

"In college, he was sometimes more of an energy guy, but he works hard, and he's got a heck of a shot," top-line center Paul Stastny told NHL.com. "He finds the open spaces when he doesn't have the puck. He knows who he's playing with and finds a way to get open."

What doesn't show up in the stat column often is Yip's ability to read the play. Yip is disruptive on the defensive end, intercepting passes and causing turnovers that lead to up-ice attacks. His accurate shot also makes it tough on opposing goalies.

Yip has managed to dodge the dreaded rookie wall, something teammates Ryan O'Reilly and Duchene have both experienced in 2009-10. Playing in college could be the difference why Yip has sustained this much success so early in his NHL career. But the real telling sign will be how he adjusts when Hejduk returns to the lineup after the Olympic break.

Yip's combination of size, strength and skill has made him the sudden toast of the town, and Yip might continue to hear the applause late into the season.

"He's got an underrated wrister, and he's going to get respected more because of that," Stastny said. "We'll try to get him the puck all day long when he's open."

Add 'Em

Guillaume Latendresse, RW, Minnesota
Owned: 40 percent of leagues
Analysis: We briefly mentioned Latendresse a few weeks back in our feature about Benoit Pouliot, but now it is time to give the Quebec native a little publicity of his own. Latendresse swapped places with Pouliot in late November as Montreal and Minnesota got rid of underachieving forwards. The move has not only paid off for Pouliot, but Latendresse has carved out a niche with the Wild. He has totaled 17 goals and 25 points in 34 games after racking up two goals and three points in 23 games with Montreal. The most surprising part is that Latendresse is doing most of his damage off the third line, but he is playing alongside Martin Havlat and Eric Belanger, who have been two of Minnesota's most productive skaters under first-year coach Todd Richards. Another difference for Latendresse is that he is getting a reliable power-play time with Minnesota, something he never had in Montreal. Latendresse has scored 11 of his goals with the Wild in 18 home games. Minnesota has 10 home games after the Olympic break.

Tyler Bozak, C, Toronto
Owned: 17 percent of leagues
Analysis: The trade of Matt Stajan has done wonders for Bozak, who assumed the team's top-line center role after Stajan was dealt to Calgary a few weeks ago. The undrafted free agent out of the University of Denver has had a lot of success in his first pro season. He made a splash in the preseason totaling five points (one goal) in six games. Still, Toronto felt he needed time to develop in the minors. Bozak took the demotion in stride by posting 20 points (four goals) in 32 games with Toronto of the AHL. He was finally recalled in mid-January, but he has done his best work since the trade of Stajan. Bozak has two goals and five points during a four-game point streak since moving to the top line between Alexei Ponikarovsky and Phil Kessel. He has 11 points in his first 15 games as a NHLer. It's not like it stops there for Bozak, who has also been solid in the faceoff circle. He won 17 of 23 faceoffs on Monday against San Jose, going against the likes of Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski -- both Olympic-bound. It's not like Toronto can't afford to keep Bozak, who is one of its top prospects, in favorable situations since no one is really pushing him on the depth chart.

Drop 'Em

Andy Greene, D, New Jersey
Owned: 71 percent of leagues
Analysis: We pumped up Greene early in the season as he was enjoying a breakout run in November, and it continued into December. But Greene has been mired in a scoring funk since the calendar year hit 2010. He hasn't scored in his last 21 games and has just two points in that span. He is also even after being a plus-23 player in his first 36 games. Greene is still logging a lot of playing time in all situations for New Jersey. However, he is starting to let up at the offensive end. He has taken just three shots in his first five February games and has failed to record a shot in eight of his last 20 games. With the addition of Ilya Kovalchuk it's not shocking to see Greene's focus lean more toward the defensive end since coach Jacques Lemaire demands his blueliners to take care of their own zone before heading up ice. The expected return of Paul Martin after the Olympic break is also likely going to cut into Greene's scoring chances.

Scott Hartnell, LW, Philadelphia
Owned: 77 percent of leagues
Analysis: It just seems Hartnell was a better fit for John Stevens' system than Peter Laviolette's. Hartnell has done very little since Laviolette came aboard in early December. Hartnell has four goals and 13 points in his last 33 games. His penalty minutes have also gone up dramatically. Hartnell had just 26 penalty minutes in his first 24 games. He has totaled 88 penalty minutes since Dec. 1 and has gotten into four fights -- something he avoided in the first two months of the season. It seems Laviolette wants Hartnell to be more of the aggressor than scorer. Hartnell found a nice balance between the two the last few seasons under Stevens and even during his later years in Nashville. It's just not working out well under Laviolette as Hartnell is on pace for four goals and 12 points in his final 22 games.

Avoid 'Em

Sergei Kostitsyn, LW, Montreal
Owned: 7 percent of leagues
Analysis: Kostitsyn has moved to the top line in the absence of Mike Cammalleri, who suffered a knee injury on Jan. 30. Kostitsyn has responded with one goal, six points and a plus-6 rating in his first five February games. He is not the first Kostitsyn to experience success on the top line alongside Tomas Plekanec. Brother Andrei was on a roll before tearing up his knee on New Year's Eve. While the younger Kostitsyn is on a nice run, we just don't see it lasting. The 2005 seventh-round pick hasn't had a lot of success as a pro after totaling 40 goals and 131 points in 59 games during his final season of junior hockey in 2006-07. Also, during his recent run Kostitsyn hasn't logged a second of power-play time. He has been fortunate to excel during even-strength time, but we as Fantasy owners know the best options usually are heavy power-play contributors. Not to mention that both big brother Andrei and Cammalleri are both expected back sometime after the Olympic break, so Sergei's scoring chances should dwindle down the stretch.

Watch 'Em

Andrej Sekera, D, Buffalo
Owned: 7 percent of leagues
Analysis: Coach Lindy Ruff is making it a point to play Sekera more often down the stretch after he has been a healthy scratch for most of the season. Sekera, who played just once in January, has jumped on the opportunity for more playing time. He has produced two goals and three points in his first four February games. This is encouraging news since Sekera has burgeoning offensive talents. In his last season of junior hockey in 2005-06, Sekera had 21 goals and 55 points in 51 games. He is lauded more for being a passer, but clearly he has the ability to score as well. Sekera also showed some skills early last season playing alongside Jaroslav Spacek before hitting a serious wall. That is clearly our biggest concern. Sekera doesn't have the track record to support adding him in Fantasy, but the upside is what makes him intriguing. Playing for a top contender like Buffalo could have its benefits.

Prospect Watch

Jonathon Blum, D, Nashville
Drafted: First round (23rd overall) in 2007
Primary 2009-10 team: Milwaukee (AHL)
Owned: 4 percent of leagues
Analysis: It seems a lot of folks have forgotten about Blum since Nashville seems to have a plethora of prospects worth raving about -- Colin Wilson, Ryan Ellis and Chet Pickard. However, Blum is a player Fantasy owners shouldn't look over, especially since his strengths are on the offensive end. The California native is in his first full year of pro hockey after a successful four-year stint with Vancouver of the WHL (juniors). His last three years were especially productive as Blum totaled more than 50 points in each campaign. That's exceptional production from a blueliner. Blum moves very well on the ice, has explosive skating ability and is very skilled at carrying the puck up the rink. Blum has totaled five goals, 20 points and a plus-12 rating in 53 games with Milwaukee. Blum's biggest drawback at this stage in his career is that he needs to fill out his 6-1 frame. He is only 180 pounds and could struggle against bigger opposition. However, Nashville has had great success developing home-grown blueliners (i.e. Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Cody Franson), so Blum is in the right system. It will just be interesting to see how long he spends in the minors. Nashville does like to bring its defensemen prospects along slowly, but it does help Blum that he is very good in his own end, something coach Barry Trotz demands of his blueliners.

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