David Rundblad

Rundblad was recalled from AHL Rockford on Monday.

Rundblad played for a little while in a Swiss league before recently rejoining AHL Rockford and notching four points in 10 games. While the 24-year-old will now rejoin the parent organization, the depth along the blue line will likely limit his action in the postseason, keeping him off the radar in most playoff pools.

Last Week's Top 5

Nick Leddy, NYI: With Johnny Boychuk (upper body) out 4-to-6 weeks, Leddy has picked up the slack, posting a goal and five assists over a five-game point streak. The Islanders have allowed 10 goals in their past two games, which is what happens when you lose a top-four defender in Boychuk, but if Leddy can chip in offensively, they'll have a chance to outscore the opposition.

Matt Niskanen, WSH: The Caps have allowed nine goals in their past two games, both losses to underdog teams, but it could've been even worse without Niskanen. The veteran is on a three-game point streak and played 32:04 and 28:25 in the two losses, also recording six shots and five hits. His workload increased thanks to minor league call-ups Aaron Ness and Connor Carrick getting less than 10 minutes from Barry Trotz.

Jack Johnson, CLB: Johnson went plus-1 in an impressive 6-3 win over Dallas, then added two power-play goals and an assist in a 5-4 win over Washington on Saturday. Sergei Bobrovsky is back on injured reserve after again aggravating his groin injury, which likely spells the end of the Jackets' playoff hopes and continued disastrous plus-minus for Johnson, but the 28-year-old should still be playing big minutes and contributing on the power play.

Mattias Ekholm, NSH: He had a stinker in a 5-1 loss to Dallas that saw him finish with a minus-3 rating, but Ekholm bounced right back the following game, picking up an assist and scoring the overtime winner against Carolina. He gets overlooked on a team that also has Shea Weber, Roman Josi, Seth Jones and Ryan Ellis, but Ekholm's a very solid player in his own right who's tallied 14 points on the season. It's worth mentioning that the Predators' defense has managed to stay astonishingly healthy -- Ryan Ellis and Barret Jackman have missed one game each.

Jake Gardiner, TOR: He registered his 100th career point this past week, and picked up a goal and an assist in two statement wins against Pittsburgh and St. Louis. The Leafs have six wins in their past 10 games, but a playoff spot still seems out of reach and an upcoming road swing through California will be a tough test. Morgan Rielly remains the gem of the Toronto defense, but if Gardiner can continue to keep producing, they should keep him around as a solid No. 2 guy.

Top 5 Trending Up

Calvin de Haan, NYI: With Boychuk sidelined, a lot of the duties will fall on Leddy's shoulders, but don't forget about de Haan, a first-round pick from 2009 who is in the midst of his third full NHL season, meaning that he's close to breaking out and entering his prime. Although de Haan doesn't have the same offensive upside as Leddy, he's a very physical top-four defenseman who could put up a few more points with some extra ice time. He has seven points in 40 games this year, but leads the Isles' blue line with a plus-11 rating and is third on the team with 79 hits. Who else can Jack Capuano give the extra ice time? Marek Zidlicky?

Anton Stralman, TB: Count me among those who think this season for the Lightning is a write-off.With the ongoing Steven Stamkos drama, injuries to the Triplets line, Jonathan Drouin's trade request and an off year for some of its key players, there just isn't very much to look forward to. This isn't nearly as good a team as last year's despite little turnover. But that hasn't dampened Stralman's production recently -- he has eight points in his last 10 games, accounting for half of his season total.

Kris Letang, PIT: There's been an awakening ... have you felt it? Perhaps it's the injection of new blood behind the bench with Mike Sullivan, or perhaps it was simply a matter of getting healthy, but whatever the case, Letang is coming off three games in four nights with six points scored. The Pens may be turning it around with four wins in their past six, and it bodes well that Sidney Crosby is scoring again. Another strong game, and the buy-low opportunity for Letang might just be slammed shut.

Tyler Myers, WPG: I'm a big fan of the big pterodactyl and I firmly believe he has much more upside than Zach Bogosian, but points have been hard to come by for the big guy despite his generally solid play. He's a big minutes eater for Paul Maurice and plays in all situations, but has just 15 points this season. The Jets have a good chance of making the playoffs, but impending free agent Dustin Byfuglien can fetch quite the haul in a trade; should Big Buff get dealt, Myers could be in line for some extra duty.

Connor Carrick, WAS: The impending return of John Carlson (undisclosed) will likely end Carrick's NHL stint at three games. After dressing in 34 games with the Caps two years ago, the fifth-round pick and former Plymouth Whalers standout became a forgotten prospect, spending the entirety of last season with AHL Hershey, where he scored 42 points in 73 games. The Caps gave Carrick just 30 minutes of total ice time in those three games, and while it would be surprising to see him play any role bigger than that this season, he's a name to watch for the future, along with Dmitry Orlov. Tuck this one away until next season, folks.

Top 5 Tending Down

Keith Yandle, NYR: At what point do you cut loose? Yandle was one of the most sought-after power-play quarterbacks in Fantasy drafts, but has managed just one goal this season. He's shooting a career-low 1.2 percent, a quarter of his 4.8 percent career average, and has not reached double-digits in goals since 2012-13. Yandle's still a very good puck mover with some room to improve, but I just don't think this is his year.

Victor Hedman, TB: The biggest story line in the Eastern Conference this year will be that the Rangers and Lightning don't make it to the conference finals. If they make the playoffs as higher seeds -- which they should -- it's just too easy to see an upset. Neither of the teams is playing well, and there are just too many question marks going into the second half. This is all paving the way for the Capitals to make the finals, the first time they'll do so in the Alex Ovechkin era. Hedman is on pace to match last season's total of 38 points, but may struggle to achieve that unless the Lightning get it going.

Niklas Kronwall, DET: You don't get him for the points, so it's even worse when he goes minus-6 in a little over a week. The grizzled veteran can't be counted on to do everything for Detroit anymore, and Fantasy owners should realize that he's good for peripherals, but not much else.

Cam Fowler, ANA: His knee injury could cost him six weeks of action, so the good news is that he'll return before the end of the season. The bad news is that this injury comes at a bad time for the Ducks, who will miss one of their better performers this season. For those debating about stashing Fowler on bench or injured reserve, keep in mind that the 24-year-old blueliner will be returning from a lengthy injury and that the Ducks may find themselves out of the playoff picture.

Christian Ehrhoff, LA: He had a solid game against Philadelphia, notching two hits and two shots, but still didn't do quite enough to warrant a spot back in the Kings' top four. A few more strong games might help, but it seems as though Darryl Sutter will rotate "The Hoff" with Jamie McBain, who's likely destined to be a journeyman despite being a second-round pick.

Top-5 Pickups

Matt Niskanen, WAS: Maybe Trotz will ease Carlson back into the lineup and maybe he won't, but Niskanen should still see a lot of minutes and has four games on the slate this week.

Ryan Murray, CLM: He's actually second among Jackets defensemen with 13 points and has two games against Carolina this week. There's a good chance he manages to score a few, and if he gets the hot hand, it won't be a fluke.

Anton Stralman, TB: Because I can't say he's trending up, then not endorse him. The Lightning go on a three-game road trip through Western Canada this week.

Colin Miller, BOS: The Bruins have tough matchups against Braden Holtby and Cory Schneider this week, but Miller is capable of scoring. He was recalled Saturday from AHL Providence.

Brendan Smith, DET: Smith has two goals and three assists in his past five games and may continue that hot streak against San Jose and Anaheim. He has been surprisingly productive against them, with six assists in 17 career games.

In other news, Chicago assigned David Rundblad to Zurich in the Swiss League, while Keith Aulie was released from a tryout with Arizona's AHL affiliate and signed with HIFK in Helsinki. This might spell the end of the NHL careers for those two defensemen -- both were highly touted coming into the league, and both failed to make much of an impression.

Rundblad was the 17th overall pick in 2009 by the Blues, a rare miss in a first round that has only seen five players not play an NHL game this year. He handled himself well as a 19-year-old in the Swedish pro league and was supposed to be a two-way defenseman, but Rundblad never quite adjusted to the pro game in North America. He had one good season with AHL Portland, and that was it. There's a chance he'll return to the NHL someday, but I believe he will more likely find success in Europe; if the rest of the season goes well for him, I don't see why he would return. Interestingly enough, without Rundblad, the Blues wouldn't have been able to draft Vladimir Tarasenko. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

Aulie was the opposite of Rundblad, a 6-foot-6 giant picked in the fourth round in 2007, a weaker draft year. He was paired with Tyler Myers at the 2009 World Juniors, where they led Canada to a gold medal, but could never use his size to the same effectiveness in the pros, where his lack of mobility and puck skills (as well as some injuries) impeded his development. Aulie's size will always draw attention from teams, but it's unlikely he'll be anything more than a seventh defenseman in the NHL.

Rundblad has been loaned to the ZSC Lions of Switzerland, the Associated Press reports.

Rundblad posted two assists in nine games with the Blackhawks this season, but didn't do enough to keep his spot with the team for the long haul. He'll now play in a foreign Swiss league instead of the AHL, but could be back with the Blackhawks at some point this season if needed.

Rundblad has cleared waivers, Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reports.

Rundblad appeared in just nine games for the Blackhawks this campaign, managing a pair of assists in that span. As the 17th overall draft selection from the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, it's surprising that Rundblad hasn't made much of an impact but he can rest his laurels on winning Lord Stanley with Chicago last season. Rundblad can be sent to the AHL now that he has cleared waivers.

Rundblad was waived by the Blackhawks on Monday, James Mirtle of TSN 1050 reports.

Rundblad has played in just nine contests this season, recording two assists and six PIM. Despite his limited opportunities, the 25-year-old did man the power play during eight of his nine appearances, grabbing both of his assists with the extra attacker.

Look at the stats for Penguins defensemen, and there's one clear problem: They aren't good enough. With Kris Letang sitting at just one goal and a minus-14 rating, and no other blueliner averaging more than 20 minutes a game, the entire group has been very underwhelming. Of course, this is just part of a bigger set of problems the Penguins had been facing before firing coach Mike Johnston on Saturday.

Johnston leaves Pittsburgh with a 58-37-15 record; previous coach Dan Bylsma was fired after going 51-24-7 in his final season before bowing out in the second round of the playoffs. Bylsma had a better record, but the bar is set pretty high in Pittsburgh, and anything short of a Stanley Cup appearance is deemed a disappointment. It is worth noting, however, that the Penguins looked very much like a different team under Johnston. They were a little too passive and a little too concerned with limiting goals than scoring them, which should still be the team's strength.

What's most glaring, however, is Johnston's work with the defense, something that should've been constantly improving. When Johnston really made a name for himself with WHL Portland from 2008-14, the Winterhawks rivaled the Kelowna Rockets as a factory of defensemen, producing Joe Morrow, Derrick Pouliot, Tyler Wotherspoon and Seth Jones -- all of whom are making or will make a difference in the pros. Pouliot in particular didn't find as much success under Johnston with the Pens as he did with the Winterhawks, and has spent the entire season in the AHL so far.

Olli Maatta remains a bright spot, but after being limited to just 20 games last season, he's lost precious development time, and he's only recently returned from yet another injury. But the rest of the crew, including puck movers Brian Dumoulin and Adam Clendening, has failed to make much of an impact. Sure, the Penguins' defense is generating a lot of shots on net, mostly thanks to Letang, but outside of him and Maatta's recent stretch, there's not much to speak of.

Ideally, these young defensemen are the ones who should be generating speed from the back end and pushing the puck up to Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, but Dumoulin, Clendening and Ian Cole have combined for just 12 assists in 63 games combined. These are the players new coach Mike Sullivan has to work with because Jim Rutherford so hastily traded away Philip Samuelsson, Scott Harrington and Simon Despres. The bright side is that Sullivan was a long-time assistant to John Tortorella, whose teams generally fare well on defense.

It'll be interesting to see how Sullivan spreads the ice time around in his first test, a big one against Washington on Monday. That's something to pay close attention to as Sullivan familiarizes himself with the team with ever-mounting pressure, both from management and himself, as he tries to establish himself as an NHL-caliber coach. With Letang out for the next two weeks, if there was ever a time for the rookies to step up, it's now.

Last Week's Top 5

Justin Faulk, CAR: The Hurricanes are winners in four of their past five games and they've been having no trouble scoring goals; Faulk's led the way with four goals and six points from the blue line in the last four games. Crazy as it seems, Carolina's only six points out of a playoff spot.

Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF: His first career hat trick unfortunately came in a losing cause against Calgary, but the young Finnish defenseman now has seven goals and 22 points on the season, placing him in the league's top 10. The Sabres snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Kings on Saturday, with Ristolainen playing 27:30.

Dan Boyle, NYR: What happened to the bit about Alain Vigneault resting him to keep him fresh? The grizzled veteran has now played in seven straight games, including a pair of back-to-backs, and though the Rangers have lost three straight and five of their past six, Boyle's doing what's expected of him, notching two goals and two assists this past week.

Niklas Hjalmarsson, CHI: Hjalmarsson led all defensemen with a plus-6 rating this past week and also chipped in with four helpers. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook may get the spotlight, but Hjalmarsson has been the ever-dependable No. 3, giving the Blackhawks 21 minutes of solid hockey every night.

Drew Doughty, LA: At the rate Darryl Sutter is playing Doughty, you have to wonder whether he has enough energy to crawl into an ice tub at the end of the game. Saturday's 2-1 loss to Buffalo was the first time in six games Doughty didn't play at least 30 minutes, as he skated "just" 26:42. Thirty friggin' minutes. For five straight games. That's half the damn game! The race to see which defenseman ends up leading the league in ice time will be fun to watch. It's a three-way race between Doughty, Ryan Suter and Erik Karlsson again this year.

Top 5 Trending Up

Francois Beauchemin, COL: He's back! After a hot start with five assists in his first two games this year, Beauchemin cooled off considerably but recently came back to life with points in back-to-back games, the first time he's done so since the beginning of November. The Avs are coming off impressive road wins over Nashville and St. Louis. Beauchemin has seen his minutes spike recently, as Patrick Roy's leaning on him in close games; he's sitting on his highest average ice time since 2011-12.

David Rundblad, CHI: Perhaps the nicest thing about Rundblad's career so far is that he gets to play again. The 17th overall pick from the 2009 draft, Rundblad has only managed to become a depth defenseman in the NHL but has dressed in four straight games, picking up assists in two of those. He'll never advance beyond the third pairing without an injury to a top-four guy, but Rundblad's certainly trending up.

Matt Hunwick, TOR: Mike Babcock likes Hunwick because he's smart and the does the little things well. That man crush has gotten a little more love recently, with Hunwick playing well over his usual 22 minutes in his last two games, both of them wins. Though he has just one assist and a minus-8 rating on the season, he's been making a significant impact on the Leafs defense. He doesn't have a lot of Fantasy value, but if Hunwick keeps seeing big minutes, there may be a stretch in which the pucks start bouncing his way and he racks up a few assists.

Alec Martinez, LA: He has played over 24 minutes in each of his past three games after eclipsing the 20-minute mark just twice since Nov. 22. The forgotten scorer of the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 2014, Martinez will probably top out as a second-pairing defenseman, but he has been given a little more responsibility by Sutter recently and has three points in his past three games.

Jared Spurgeon, MIN: The undersized, but talented Spurgeon continues to trail Suter by a large margin in ice time on the power play, 3:49 to 2:01, even though he has probably the more offensively dynamic of the two. Mike Yeo will entrust him with more power-play time if he continues to play well, though, and Spurgeon's exceeded his usual 22 minutes in his last two games, collecting a point both times.

Top 5 Trending Down

P.K. Subban, MTL: Subban finds himself on this list for the second time in a row, but with the Habs losing four of their past five and their star blueliner without a point in that stretch, eyebrows are starting to be raised. After keeping pace with the likes of Erik Karlsson and John Klingberg in terms of points early on, Subban's fallen well behind, and he's still sitting on just one goal.

Brent Burns, SJ: The Sharks are going belly-up at an inopportune time. Except for the Kings, who may have already locked up the division title with a 10-point lead over second place, the Pacific Division is wide open, but the Sharks haven't been able to take advantage. Despite losing six straight, San Jose's still just one point out of a playoff spot; if the Sharks somehow miss the postseason, this will be the moment they will look back on as a lost opportunity. For his part, Burns is still putting up points regularly, but he's sitting on a minus-12 rating over the past nine games.

Alex Pietrangelo, STL: He has gone eight games without a point and the Blues have won just three of their past nine. With just 11 points so far, Pietrangelo's on pace for roughly 30, which would be a 16-point drop from the previous season and a new career low, discounting the lockout-shortened season during which he scored 24 points in 47 games.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI: The Coyotes have won once in their past seven games in what's turning out to be a brutal Pacific Division. OEL is still doing his part as Dave Tippett's linchpin, but he also hasn't scored in six games and has an ugly minus-9 rating in that span. The problem with OEL in fantasy is that the Coyotes don't have a lot of scoring depth or goaltending to complement what their young star blueliner brings to the table.

Cam Fowler, ANA: Are there changes coming in Anaheim? Pittsburgh finally said enough was enough and fired Johnston, and with the Ducks sitting at the bottom of their division, Bruce Boudreau's seat is getting hot enough to bake pizza. Fowler drew some pretty good reviews early on in the season on a struggling team, but he's beginning to struggle a little himself after a horrendous minus-3 showing in a surprising 5-1 loss to Carolina.

This Week's Top-5 Picks

Dougie Hamilton, CGY: He has probably played himself off quite a few Fantasy teams so far this season, but Hamilton may be worth considering this week with a four-game slate. They're all tough opponents, of course, but the Flames aren't having any trouble scoring goals and are winners of five straight. Dennis Wideman is likely available, too, but Hamilton is the better choice.

Olli Maatta, PIT: He has four points in four games since returning from injury, and maybe the firing of Johnston can help give the team a spark. Maatta played 25:02 in a 3-2 loss against the Kings and should continue to see ice time in the 20-to-25-minute range for the rest of the season. The Penguins' blue line is talented, but has yet to reach its full potential. A home-and-home against Boston, then a game against Carolina -- two teams that try to win by outscoring their opponents -- should provide plenty of opportunities to score.

Marek Zidlicky, NYI: The veteran scored two goals and played over 18 minutes in a 4-0 win against New Jersey despite having played sparingly for much of the season. At 38 years old, he still quarterbacks the power play at times and can obviously still play, but the goals have been fewer and further between. Still, upcoming matchups against Colorado and Arizona shouldn't be too challenging.

Dan Boyle, NYR: If Vigneault doesn't intend to rest him, why should we? With an upcoming date against Edmonton, it'll be a good time for Boyle to generate some offense and exact some revenge -- the Rangers lost 7-5 the last time these two teams met.

Darnell Nurse, EDM: He has played over 20 minutes in nearly every single game and he rides into Monday's game against Boston on a two-game point streak. With a four-game road trip this week, the Oilers are going to be challenged, but they're riding high with a five-game winning streak. Games against Boston and Colorado seem to offer the Oilers a pretty good chance at winning.

Last Week's Picks

Brent Burns, SJ: A goal and two assists as the Sharks continue their slide.

Shea Weber, NSH: No goals in four straight games after a hat trick, but three assists in his past four games.

Keith Yandle, NYR: The Rangers aren't playing well and he has just one assist in their past three games. He has just one goal on the season.

Kevin Shattenkirk, STL: He had a very productive week, netting a goal and four assists, even though the Blues aren't winning a whole lot.

Mike Green, DET: It looked like he was back on track with helpers in three straight games, but he proceeded to add just one assist over his next three games.

Brent Seabrook's ice time in two games since Duncan Keith's injury:

26:00, 23:19
Previous season high: 23:17 in season opener
Season average: 21:36

Trevor van Riemsdyk in two games sans Keith: 22:34, 22:53
Previous season high: 19:49 on Oct. 15 vs. Washington
Season average: 18:29

Morgan Rielly in two games since Jake Gardiner's injury: 25:07, 25:00
Previous season high: 23:28 on Oct. 16 vs. Columbus
Season average: 22:51

So, in case you haven't noticed yet, Seabrook and van Riemsdyk are the two guys Joel Quenneville is relying on to take the majority of Keith's minutes, while Mike Babcock has tabbed Rielly for big minutes in Gardiner's absence. Both van Riemsdyk and Rielly are widely available in most leagues, making them intriguing waiver-wire options. Martin Marincin has drawn in for the Leafs and David Rundblad for the Blackhawks, but neither should make a huge impact; they continue to develop into more consistent performers.

Rielly owns more upside than TvR, but unfortunately plays for a much weaker team that will need him to play against the toughest competition. In Chicago, Quenneville can still use Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson to help shield van Riemsdyk, so he'll have the opportunity to draw heavy minutes against opposing teams' non-elite skaters.

After quite a few veteran defensemen (like Cody Franson) had to wait until September to find employment, a lot of teams are already looking for help on the back end following a crazy start to the season. So far, no solutions have really presented themselves; otherwise, Columbus would've made a trade already. It'll be interesting to monitor the situation as the season goes along, since teams out of playoff contention can start selling off their defensemen. Some of the names available may include Nikita Nikitin, John-Michael Liles, Luke Schenn and Niklas Grossmann.

They're not the most exciting group, but there's a chance one of them could step up and play better in the hopes of securing a better future.

Last week's top-five performers

P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov, MON: The Habs' top pair makes their second appearance in four weeks, and it looks like they'll be a mainstay in this section for most of the year. Combined stats this past week: a goal and five assists each, including five points total on the power play, a combined plus-7, 14 shots on goal, seven hits and nine blocked shots. If you missed out on Subban this year, but managed to get Markov, you're probably doing quite well.

Brent Seabrook, CHI: He's as cool as a cucumber, and with Keith out after knee surgery, Chicago's newest alternate captain is really stepping up. Three years ago, I predicted Seabrook would win his first Norris. Oops. He didn't come close, but he's often overlooked because of his star partner on defense. In Keith's absence, Seabrook's showing everyone exactly how good he is. He has four points in his past three games, all of them wins. Remember when people argued whether it was Ryan Suter who carried Shea Weber or vice versa? Yup, same debate here.

John Carlson, WAS: The Caps have won five in a row, and Carlson is now a legitimate star. After a breakout season last year, Carlson has taken over a defensive corps that had previously lacked leadership. He's on a five-game point streak with two goals and eight points in that span. If the Caps take a huge step forward this year -- i.e., make it past the second round of the playoffs -- Carlson will be a big reason.

Victor Hedman, TB: The best-kept secret in Tampa, Hedman helped the Lightning obtain five out of the possible six points this past week, the only loss coming in a 1-0 overtime loss against Chicago. Hedman should remind people a little bit of fellow Swede and retired superstar Nicklas Lidstrom, except with a bigger wingspan and a little more physicality. He makes good passes and good decisions all over the ice.

Jared Spurgeon, MIN: He has tallied two assists in his past two games, both wins. As far as offense from the blue line goes, Spurgeon is still the Wild's best choice until Matt Dumba really separates himself from the pack. When he scores, the team is usually playing well. Spurgeon's not as dynamic as Torey Krug, but there's some offense to be had and he regularly plays over 20 minutes for Mike Yeo.

Top five trending up

Colton Parayko, STL: He made the list last week, which means that after two solid weeks, owners should be looking to pick him up. The Blues lost two tough games to the Habs and Islanders, but that team is quite banged up right now - these early season injuries could cost them a division title, home-ice advantage and maybe even Ken Hitchcock's job. But Parayko's stock is soaring, as he's logged more than 22 minutes in each of the last two games, scoring two points in the process. The Flames and Ducks get all the talk about the West's deepest defense, but the Blues should get some love, too.

Ryan Murray, CLB: Has he arrived, finally? The second overall pick from the 2012 draft, the kid who Charles Wang of the Islanders wanted so badly they were willing to trade all seven of their draft picks for him? The Jackets pulled off their first win Saturday, so maybe things are looking up, and with Murray registering three points in his past two games, maybe the biggest change between the Todd Richards era and John Tortorella era will be the emergence of a legitimate No. 1 defenseman.

Brayden McNabb, LA: When Slava Voynov packed his bags and left, I gave my buddy a nudge and said this guy could step in and make a difference. Having watched him play a fair bit, I knew he had something to offer because of his booming shot (regularly over 100 mph), size and style. During the Kings' four-game winning streak, his ice time has creeped to over 20 minutes a night, as he's carving out a top-four role in Hollywood. McNabb never quite cracked the Sabres roster because he either didn't have enough experience or they didn't have space for him, but he certainly has the ability to play.

Damon Severson, NJ: It's no coincidence that the Devils have rattled off four straight wins with Severson playing well. He was on his way to a breakout season last year before injuries derailed it, but already has three points in six games to start the new campaign. The Devils are looking like a streaky team that could go on a hot run, mostly thanks to Cory Schneider, late in the season.

Mark Giordano, CGY: Not like he's ever really bad, but with four points in his last two games, the Flames' captain is scoring again after a slow start. You probably expected something like that, though, with a player who missed a chunk of time due to injury and a long summer. The Flames' defense and goaltending (no surprises there) are in some flux, but Giordano is a mainstay in the No. 1 role.

Top five trending down

Christian Ehrhoff, LA: The thing about playing for old, crusty coaches is that, a lot of times, they feel less is more. Since Darryl Sutter cut Ehrhoff's ice time by five minutes, the Kings have gone on a four-game winning streak; meanwhile, Ehrhoff's collected his first two points of the season. Coincidence? I don't think so. Maybe there's just been a little too much mileage, or maybe he excels only in certain styles, but clearly Ehrhoff won't be a dependable top-four guy this season. He will, however, provide a lot of value on the power play. At this point in his career, he's clearly a specialist.

Dougie Hamilton, CGY: Yikes, maybe Boston knew something about Dougie that no one else really did. The Flames' biggest new addition saw his ice time get cut over his past two games, and he has been inconsistent to start the season. The Flames came out flat in the season opener and clawed back with a narrow win the next game, but then proceeded to lose four straight. Maybe they're in for a regression.

Marek Zidlicky, NYI: The offense is there, but the defense isn't, which is why Jack Capuano sat him after a 5-3 loss to Boston. He has averaged about 15 minutes a game, but a lot of that time is on the power play, which means he's usually not dependable on even strength and is outmatched on the penalty kill. Zidlicky certainly won't play 82 games now, and may end up being part of a rotation.

Ben Hutton, VAN: There's still a ton of hope left for this kid because, more often than not, he's making the right play. He's more explosive than Chris Tanev, but has the same kind of patience and poise with the puck. Despite notching an assist, Hutton played just 14:46 on Saturday while the Canucks blew a 2-0 lead; they're still in search of their first home win of the season. This is his rookie season and NCAA players don't play as many games, so maybe he needs a little rest.

Ryan McDonagh, NYR: He's still invaluable to the Rangers defense, but McDonagh has yet to record a point. He's not an elite scorer in the first place, but it's bad enough that Alain Vigneault has separated him from long-time defensive partner Dan Girardi. McDonagh does good things on both sides of the puck, but the Rangers have been streaky to start the season and need a little more consistency from their captain.

This week's top-five picks

P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov, MTL: Duh. All-Canadian matchups this week with all three teams in Western Canada and then a date with the Jets at home. What's the combined over-under? Ten points?

Victor Hedman, TB: Four games this week against a banged-up Blues squad and the porous defenses of Colorado, Boston and Carolina. He'll rake.

John Klingberg, DAL: An explosive offense with home dates against a Ducks team that looks really ugly, a Canucks team that can't come close to matching the Stars' speed, and a Sharks team with Martin Jones looking human.

Tyson Barrie, COL: He returns from his suspension against Florida and then plays Tampa, but has a juicy matchup with Carolina afterward. After a long rest, he should come out flying.

Kris Letang, PIT: He has been really underwhelming so far, as has the entire team, but other than a tough match against Washington (just 10 points in 23 games), Letang's got Buffalo and Toronto the next two games. The Sabres just got pumped for 11 goals in their past two games, while the Leafs are, well, the Leafs.

So, I was browsing some advanced stats and figured I should look at which defensemen are leading the league in offensive-zone starts. It's an interesting number because it hints at how teams are deploying their defensemen, and which blue-liners could see a boost in point production because they get to benefit from starting the play in a much better position to score.

(Spoiler alert!)

The defenseman ranked first in percentage of starts in the offensive zone is Sami Vatanen, which doesn't surprise me because with the Ducks' depth on defense, it figures that Bruce Boudreau would start asking certain players to specialize. The second was Keith Yandle, who also wasn't surprising because the Rangers have a deep defensive corps as well, many of whom defend a lot better than Yandle but lack his dynamic ability on offense.

What was surprising, however, was the frequency. Vatanen is starting in the offensive zone (54.7 percent of the time), and Yandle at 54.9 percent (min. 50 minutes), according to stats by HockeyAnalysis.com. That's really high.

Consider:

• In 2014-15, David Rundblad and Matt Dumba had the highest percentages (min. 500 minutes) with 45.1 percent and 43.1 percent, respectively, which was understandable because two good teams were trying to protect their rookies by putting them in a position to succeed. Power-play specialists Brian Campbell and Dan Boyle were next, both a shade less than 41 percent.
• In 2013-14, Michal Rozsival was highest at 44 percent as the 'Hawks attempted to hide their weakest link on defense, with offensive talents Torey Krug and Dennis Wideman in the top five.
• In 2012-13, rookie Patrick Wiercioch led with 40.8 percent, followed by Keith Yandle at 40.4 percent.

So not only are Vatanan and Yandle starting in the offensive zone, the majority of the time they're on the ice, they're doing it at a much, much higher clip than we've seen in years past. Of course, it's still very early, but it's a notable trend nonetheless. What does this tell us?

In New York, it's clear. The Rangers don't need Yandle starting in the defensive zone because Marc Staal, Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh can handle those duties. Alain Vigneault is notorious for his zone starts (ask the Sedins), and with a pretty deep roster, he feels he can get more value out of Yandle on offense this way. This makes Yandle an even sexier option because strong defensive play isn't rewarded in Fantasy (unless you count blocked shots).

In Anaheim, Bruce Boudreau either thinks Vatanen is his Yandle or a huge pylon in his own end. Given the Ducks' struggles and Vatanen's decline in ice time, it's more likely the latter. After averaging more than 21 minutes last season, Vatanen is averaging just 18 this season. Despite a breakout playoff campaign, it seems as though Vatanen has already taken a step back and may not be a reliable Fantasy option.

Last week's top five performers

Erik Karlsson, OTT: For my money, he's the most exciting and talented defenseman in the league, but that doesn't mean he's immune to bad games. He had a poor showing against Pittsburgh, but also had a four-assist game the night before and finished as one of the week's top point-getters.

Torey Krug, BOS: He's even more indispensable to Boston with Dougie Hamilton gone, especially on the power play. The Michigan State alum (nice win!) had five points in three games, four coming with the man advantage. It's ironic that the Bruins, once known for their stout defense, have allowed the second-most goals in the Eastern Conference. I wouldn't be surprised if Krug, who is second in scoring among defensemen, stays in the top 10 all year.

Zdeno Chara, BOS: The Slovak giant had points in consecutive games, both wins, following his season debut. There's no doubt he's still a big part of the Bruins' defense and still commands the respect of the league's best forwards. After a 20-point season, many (including myself) pegged him to further regress, but he's been resurgent so far. He's still available in a lot of leagues.

Roman Josi, NSH: He has totaled five points during a three-game points streak as the Preds continue to position themselves at the top of a tough Central Division. Peter Laviolette said he'd like to limit Josi's minutes as well as Shea Weber's this season in preparation for a long playoff run, and he has stayed true to his word. But with Ryan Ellis (lower body) hurt, he's will have to lean on his first pairing even more. Josi played 22 minutes in consecutive games, but saw that ice time climb to 26 minutes against the Islanders and 29 minutes against Ottawa. That's good for Fantasy owners, but maybe not so good for the Preds long term.

Top five trending up

Jeff Petry, MTL: The Habs signed Petry to a $33 million contract that raised some eyebrows, but right-handed defensemen who can skate come at a premium. He had a slow start, but picked up two assists in his last three games and should set career highs across the board. Petry can be a good power-play option, but it's too bad he's stuck behind P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov.

Andrej Sekera, EDM: He's overpaid and overrated, but the Oilers still need their big investment to pay some dividends. With an assist on Lauri Korpikoski's overtime goal against Vancouver, Sekera has points in consecutive games, both wins. However, Fantasy owners should still be cautioned against owning any Oilers defensemen.

Nick Holden, COL: Holden played 20:37 in Sunday's loss to the Kings, the second straight game he's topped 20 minutes. The Avs' defense is thin, featuring just one solid pairing with Erik Johnson and Francois Beauchemin, plus (currently suspended) power-play quarterback Tyson Barrie. Someone has to collect the rest of the minutes, and it has been Holden so far. The 28-year-old is in his prime and may post a career season, but it still may not be enough to get on the Fantasy radar.

Alex Pietrangelo, STL: He was an elite Fantasy player until Kevin Shattenkirk showed up. But with Shattenkirk (lower body) out a little longer, Pietrangelo's stock gets a little boost. Since playing just 23:08 in the season opener, he has skated at least 26 minutes in every game, including 28 against Calgary and Winnipeg.

Colton Parayko, STL: He played for AHL Chicago down the stretch last year, but NCAA defensemen just seem to have a much easier time adjusting to the pros. (Also see Hutton, Ben.) The former Alaska Nanooks captain scored two goals against Calgary and is really gaining Ken Hitchcock's trust. He's got a pretty good bomb from the point, which means he has power-play potential.

Top five trending down

Mike Green, DET: Maybe Green wasn't the right guy. The Marek Zidlicky experiment didn't work, and although I must admit I thought Green and the Wings would be a good match, it has been an awful three-game stretch. The Wings have allowed nine goals the last three games, and Green hasn't registered a point since the season opener.

Dougie Hamilton, CGY: It hasn't been a good start for the Flames, losers of four of their last five. Calgary may have the deepest group on defense, but figuring out the pecking order seems to be a bit of a problem. Mark Giordano is the clear No. 1, but who is No. 2? Hamilton? Wideman? And what happens when T.J. Brodie returns?

Tyson Barrie, COL: Barrie is serving a three-game suspension after a dangerous hit on Simon Despres, but more important, he's not off to a good start despite the Avs' offense scoring a lot of goals. Because he's not playing on the top pairing, nearly all of Barrie's damage will come on the power play, where he's still splitting time with Beauchemin.

Duncan Keith, CHI: He'll turn it around soon enough, but the Chicago star has now gone four games without a point and has been limited to just one shot in four of his past six games. The Blackhawks have had an uneven start to their season, but no panic needed for a team that has won three Cups the past six years.

Dan Boyle, NYR: After being a healthy scratch against Winnipeg, Boyle was on the ice for all three goals against in a 3-0 loss to Montreal the following game, then played just 17:15 in Sunday's loss to New Jersey. The 39-year-old's best days are behind him, and he has become an unreliable source of points. Yandle is the primary power-play option in Manhattan.

This week's top five picks

P.K. Subban, MTL: The Habs have a tough matchup against St. Louis but get to play Buffalo and Toronto. The latter two are back-to-back Friday and Saturday, but they're prime opportunities to score with the Sabres and Leafs offering shaky goaltending.

Keith Yandle, NYR: The Rangers get four games this week, three at home. Yandle has yet to score a goal this season, but he's firmly entrenched as the Rangers' top power-play quarterback. Games against San Jose and Arizona should be tough, but at some point, Martin Jones and Mike Smith will have to come back to Earth.

John Carlson, WSH: He has points in consecutive games, and although players on long road trips across the continent generally aren't recommended, Carlson faces Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton, none of which should be considered favorites against the Caps.

Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF: Call this a hunch. The Sabres will face Carey Price and Cory Schneider this week, which lowers their odds of scoring, but Ristolainen is logging all the minutes and he's the real deal. He plays in all situations, and if any Sabres defenseman is collecting points, it's him.

Erik Johnson, COL: The Avs play only two games this week, and Johnson has been held without a point in three consecutive games, but matchups against the hapless Hurricanes and bungling Blue Jackets are difficult to pass up. Whatever their flaws, the Avs certainly can score, while neither opponent is good at defending, which makes them ripe for the picking.

Follow @jasonchen16 on Twitter.

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