Canucks' Raymond Demoted?: Mason Raymond was demoted to the team's fourth line at practice Friday and it appears he will be staying there for Game 5. "I know the young man is trying hard but, obviously, the way he is playing right now he doesn't deserve to be on one of the top three lines," coach Alain Vigneault told the Vancouver Sun. "We expect more from him. I'm sure he expects more from himself." (Updated 04/21/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/27/12).
Fantasy Analysis
Mason Raymond has just one assist in this series, and given that he's not even averaging 14 minutes of ice time and just got removed from a scoring line, you should consider other options until he re-proves himself to his coach. For now, it looks like he'll skate with Manny Malhotra and Dale Weise. (Updated 04/21/2012).
04/11/2012 10:34 Neutral Zone Wrap: Preparing for playoff pools
If you're in a Fantasy Hockey playoff pool, Evan Berofsky has some advice for you in his latest edition of Neutral Zone Wrap.
After netting 25 goals during the 2010-11 campaign, Raymond had a lot of hype heading into last season. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old winger struggled with consistency and only managed 15 goals and 24 assists in 70 regular season games. Raymond suffered a vertebrae compression fracture in the Stanley Cup Final which is expected to keep him out of action until November. Hes still young enough to fulfill some of the promise shown in 2010-11, but Raymond will be a risky pick on draft day. Only invest in him if you have the extra bench spots to stash him for roughly the first month of the season.
(Updated 10/4/11)
