For you fantasy hockey owners who have waited 65 games or so to get Zach Parise back in your lineup---not to mention those of you who rushed out this week or last to snag Parise off waivers in fantasy leagues where he had been released earlier this season---you'll have to remain patient, even as the NHL's regular season winds down to a precious handful of games.
Following the Devils' morning skate today Parise announced that he was not yet ready to return from knee surgery and thus would skip tonight's contest with the Islanders. Last week, after Parise began practicing with the team for the first time in four months, the Devils said they were targeting this evening's game for Parise's return to game action. Now Parise is supposedly targeting Saturday for his return, which will give him one week's of action---if all goes well---before the regular season concludes.
From a fantasy hockey perspective, the fact that Parise will not return until Saturday---at the earliest---is not make-or-break news because his impact was going to be minimal at this late stage of the season anyway. However there were many fantasy hockey owners hoping that Parise could put up some numbers over the last seven games in lightning-in-a-bottle fashion. The likelihood of that happening, though, was always questionable at best considering how long Parise had been missing from the lineup and how much rust would need to come off his game, not to mention his surgically repaired knee.
Fantasy hockey owners have also been keeping their eyes on Sidney Crosby as he has amped up his workouts the last week or so, really the first tangible signs that The Kid might be able to still return to action at some point this season following the serious concussion he suffered back in January.
Today the Penguins announced that Crosby will be allowed to travel with the team again and take part in morning skates on the days of games. However he has not yet been cleared for full practices that include contact, and there is not set timetable for his return.
What fantasy hockey owners can take from this information is that Crosby is getting better, but there is no way to know when---or if---he will be able to play again this year---and that includes in the Stanley Cup playoffs for those of you in playoff pools and leagues.
Send your fantasy hockey questions and comments to Jim at jimcerny@gmail.com.