Mattias Ekholm's solid play on the Preds' blue line this season has been drawing rave reviews from the team's coaching staff, according to the Tennessean. "He provides really everything," coach Peter Laviolette said recently. "He's been outstanding this

Ekholm's solid play on the Preds' blue line this season has been drawing rave reviews from the team's coaching staff, according to the Tennessean. "He provides really everything," coach Peter Laviolette said recently. "He's been outstanding this year."

Analysis:

While Shea Weber, Roman Josi, and Seth Jones are the Preds' defensemen that generally get most of the attention, Ekholm has also made an impact. "He's a big guy that skates really well," according to Laviolette. "He closes the defense quickly. He's got a good stick. His skill level is high. He can get out of our end. He can make little plays in the corners to find space to make breakout passes. He skates the puck out of our end and through the neutral zone effortlessly and offensively he can contribute. He plays all situations for us and is heavily counted on." From a fantasy perspective, Ekholm has just 14 points in 58 games, but his average ice time has risen from 16:49 per game last season to 18:59 currently, and he's now seeing occasional minutes on the second power-play unit. While Ekholm's fantasy value is still confined mainly to deeper formats, his stock is on the rise. Those of you in deep keeper leagues may want to take advantage.