[Caged Great]

Now that were a couple weeks into the season and games are being played, I figured it was time to have an update. Also, I released Brian Day, Brad Navin, and Dmitri Kugryshev and replaced them with Steve Moses, JT Brown, and Juuso Puustinen.

Center

Emil Molin - 18, Sweden U20 - 8 GP 4 G 5 A 9 PTS - Signed as free agent

Molin was drafted in the 4th round by Dallas this past draft and was largely unheralded. He currently is leading all drafted players from that league with 9 points in 8 games.

Bill Arnold - 19, NCAA - 4 GP 2 G 5 A 7 PTS - Drafted 71st Overall in the 2010 CPHL draft

Arnold has been dominate in the NCAA to start the season posting a 1.75 PPG pace thus far and leading the entire league in points. The Flames 4th round pick is looking like he might become a good sleeper pick in a couple years. He might make the USA team in the WJC.

Left Wing

Juuso Puustinen - 23, AHL - 3 GP 2 G 0 A 2 PTS - Signed as free agent

The former Flames prospect was pretty good in the SM-LIIGA last year scoring 26 goals, and was picked up by the Preds who have a small problem with scoring goals. Thus far he's done pretty good.

Right Wing

Cory Conacher - 22, AHL - 4 GP 3 G 3 A 6 PTS - Signed as Free Agent

Cory dominated the NCAA, but being only 5'-9" left some question marks on whether he'd bee a good enough player to make the NHL. He was invited to the Lightning's camp and was the last cut. Putting up a 1.5 PPG pace thus far, he's showing that he has some offensive potential, and might get called up if the Bolts get zapped by the injury bug.

Defense

Andrew MacDonald - 24, NHL - 4 GP 1 G 0 A 1 PT - Signed as free agent

Not exactly a prospect any more, but he's doing fairly well on the Island and is currently their top pairing with Streit and plays the most 5 on 5, 2nd most on the PK, and is in the 2nd PP pairing.

Nikita Nikitin - 25, NHL - 4 GP 0 G 0 A 0 PTS - Acquired from Washington for Chris Thorburn and Adam Burish

No significant numbers from this young D-man, but he is averaging 21 minutes a night playing on the Blues top pair with Pietrangelo. Having 5 top pairing D-men to start the year is good. Hopefully all these guys keep up the minutes. They'll be getting a decent bump in the ratings then.

Carl Gunnarsson - 24, NHL - 3 GP 0 G 2 A 2 PTS - Acquired in trade with Columbus for Anton Volchenkov

One of the knocks on Gunnar was his inconsistent play defensively. That doesn't seem to be that big a deal this year as he's the lead PKer on the leafs, and is 3rd (by 6 seconds per game) on time on ice.

Goalie

Fredrik Andersen - 21, SEL - 11 GP, 1.09 GAA, .962 SV% 6 SO - Signed as Free Agent

Yes, that isn't a typo, Andersen has already posted 6 shutouts this season in 11 games. Frolunda wasn't expected to be a good team this year, but they lead the league right now due to Andersen being generally awesome. Any time you have shutouts in more than half your games, you're doing something right.