Frederik Andersen, the Carolina Hurricanes goaltender, has returned to team practices after undergoing knee surgery and missing seven weeks. His participation in practice is viewed as a positive sign, although a full comeback is not expected imminently. Andersen expressed satisfaction with his return, indicating it as a fruitful first step. His statistics from the prior season and previous two years have been impressive, with a record of 3-1, a 1.49 GAA, and a .941 SV% in his last four games before injury.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes' current starter, Pyotr Kochetkov, is struggling with an .897 save percentage over his last five outings. Andersen is projected to be a valuable asset in fantasy leagues if he remains healthy. Additionally, Shayne Gostisbehere is recovering from an upper-body injury and has yet to join the team in practice, which is a concern for the team's power play effectiveness, currently one of the worst in the league.
Across the league, the Vancouver Canucks are hopeful for the return of Filip Hronek from an AHL conditioning stint, as his presence significantly boosts the team's performance. Elias Pettersson’s potential return is also noteworthy, as he has been sidelined since before Christmas. In Columbus, Sean Monahan’s injury poses a challenge, but he is expected to return soon. The New York Rangers are optimistic about Igor Shesterkin's return, while the Colorado Avalanche face a goalie shortage with Scott Wedgewood out injured. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars are benefiting from contributions by Matt Duchene and Evgenii Dadonov despite injuries to key players. The status of several other players like Kirill Kaprizov and Linus Ullmark remains uncertain, causing fantasy managers to stay vigilant.
