News:Tom Kostopoulos was helped off the ice Monday after being punched in the face by the Islanders' Matt Martin, the Bergen Record's Tom Gulitti reports.
Analysis:Tom Kostopoulos reportedly challenged Martin, who proceeded to knock Kostopoulos out of the game with one punch. His status for the remainder of the game is unclear, but consider him day-to-day if Kostopoulos can't return.
News:Tom Kostopoulos played 10:33 in Thursday's win over Buffalo, his first game with the Devils after being claimed on waivers from Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Analysis:Tom Kostopoulos finished with no points and two blocked shots and gives the Devils another veteran forward in their bottom six forwards.
News: The Devils have claimed Tom Kostopoulos off waivers from from Pittsburgh, Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record reports.
Analysis: The Penguins had signed Tom Kostopoulos with the intention of assigning him to the AHL, but New Jersey swooped in to add the veteran winger to their forward mix.
News: The Penguins have signed Tom Kostopoulos to a one-year contract, the team's official site reports.
Analysis:Tom Kostopoulos, who signed a two-way deal with Pittsburgh, will be assigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, assuming he clears waivers.
News:Tom Kostopoulos grabbed a rare assist in Sunday's 4-3 victory against Minnesota, just his 11th point on the season.
Analysis:Tom Kostopoulos has had a rough year plus/minus-wise, with a minus-15, but has provided a reliable checking line presence all season. He has four goals and seven assists in 68 games this season.
News:Tom Kostopoulos scored a shorthanded goal Saturday in the Flames' shootout loss to Philadelphia. It's his fourth marker of the season.
Analysis: He took five shots in the game, topping his previous season high of four, a mark he reached two days earlier. The nine shots in two games might signal an added emphasis on offense, something that would make his few fantasy owners smile.
News:Tom Kostopoulos got the lone assist Saturday to help the Flames to a 1-0 victory over the Kings.
Analysis: The point was Tom Kostopoulos' first since Dec. 29, so it was nice to get that monkey off his back. He does play some nice defense from the winger position, but that does not transfer well into fantasy value.
News: Kostopoulus assisted on Calgary's lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday.
Analysis: Kostopoulus is humming along at his usual pace, and will end up around 20 points by the end of the year. He currently has eight points and a minus-5 in 37 games.
News: Kostopolous started the Calgary scoring Saturday and ended up with the game-winning goal as the Flames defeated the Oilers 3-0.
Analysis:Tom Kostopoulos has played solid hockey all season for Calgary, picking up a point here and there and being a stalwart on the fourth line. He has three goals and three assists in 28 games.
News:Tom Kostopoulos had the Flames' lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the Senators on Tuesday.
Analysis: The fourth-line winger has been as good of an offensive threat as anyone on Calgary for the past few weeks, scoring three points in the last five games. Nonetheless, Kostopolous' career high in points is 22 and likely won't put up the kind of numbers needed to be valuable in fantasy terms.
News: Kostopolous grabbed an assist in Calgary's 4-3 win over Colorado on Saturday.
Analysis: The fourth-line winger has been a boon to the Flames over the last eight games, scoring a goal and three assists. While he likely won't keep up that pace all season, he is really helping the offensively challenged Flames when they need it.
News:Tom Kostopoulos netted a goal to help Calgary to a 3-1 win over St. Louis on Friday night.
Analysis:Tom Kostopoulos is not much of a scorer, with only 14 points last season and one point in eight games this year.
News: Kostopoulos has been suspended for six games as a result of a blow he delivered to the head of Detroit's Brad Stuart on January 7, the Flames' official site reports.
Analysis: Kostopoulos, who will forfeit $29,569.92 in salary as a result, is eligible to return to the Flames' lineup Jan. 22 at Vancouver.
News: Kostopoulos has a disciplinary hearing Sunday at 11 am after breaking Brad Stuart's jaw with a hit to the head in Friday's game. Stuart is out six to eight weeks.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is a repeat offender and there is speculation that he may be suspended five to eight games for the hit that displaced Stuart's jaw in two places (it didn't need to be wired).
Flames' Kostopoulos Scores In Second Straight Game
News: Kostopoulos collected a goal and an assist Friday night in the Flames' 3-2 win over the Avalanche.
Analysis: Kostopoulos, who is remarkably consistent from year to year, has scored in two straight games but don't buy into the trend since he's never been able to light the lamp more than nine times in any given season.
News: Kostopoulos picked up a power-play goal Monday in a 5-2 win over Buffalo.
Analysis: Look elsewhere for fantasy contributors since Kostopoulos only has two goals for his only points since joining the Flames on Nov. 17.
News: Kostopoulos tussled with Rangers defenseman Mike Sauer in Monday's 2-1 loss, and ended up with seven penalty minutes on the night.
Analysis: This was Kosto's first trip to the Sin Bin as a member of the Flames. Traded from the Hurricanes last week, this winger can do a bit of everything on the ice, but PIMs seem to be his primary specialty no matter which team he plays for.
News: Kostopoulos was traded to the Flames on Wednesday, ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Kostopoulos racked up four points (1 G, 3 A) and 30 PIM in 17 games with the Hurricanes this season. His role will not change much with his new squad, so do not expect the move to affect his fantasy value.
News: Kostopoulos was busy throughout Saturday's 7-2 loss to the Canadiens. The 31-year-old winger scored his first goal of the season and racked up 14 penalty minutes in the game.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is not a big goal scorer, but he consistently contributes in so many other facets of the game, including penalty situations. He's worth a look in very deep fantasy leagues.
Canes’ Kostopoulos Delivers Pair of Helpers Wednesday
News: Kostopoulos added a pair of assists in a 7-2 win over the Islanders on Wednesday.
Analysis: This was a completely random surge from Kostopoulos, as he had just one helper for his only point in 11 contests heading into Wednesday's game. View him as a human Swiss Army knife, a utility player who does everything well, but nothing spectacular.
News: Kostopoulos leads the Hurricanes with nine penalty minutes through six games this season.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is a jack of all trades for the 'Canes. Expect the utility player to hover around the century mark in the PIM department by the end of the regular season.
News: Hurricanes RW Tom Kostopoulos scored a goal during Friday's game against the Sabres. Kostopoulos tied it at 8:23 of the third period after tapping in Sergei Samsonov's slick pass down low. It was his seventh goal and first in 11 games.
Analysis: Kostopoulos opened 2010 on the right foot with four goals in his first six January games. He then went without a score until Friday. We figured Kostopoulos's hot streak was a mirage, and it ended up being true. Kostopoulos has been better offensively since January, but he isn't going to win you any Fantasy championships. Kostopoulos remains pretty much just a checking-line presence and is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for PIM and short-handed stats.
News: Hurricanes RW Tom Kostopoulos assisted twice in Saturday's win over Chicago, giving him four assists in his last three games.
Analysis: Kostopoulos has a decent offensive burst now and again, but he's far too inconsistent to be worth owning outside of the deepest of Fantasy leagues.
News: Hurricanes RW Tom Kostopoulos assisted twice in Wednesday's 5-1 rout of the Rangers.
Analysis: Kostopoulos has just 12 points on the season and hadn't assisted since Dec. 19 before this performance, so that should tell you how little Fantasy value he has. Kostopoulos remains pretty much just a checking-line presence and is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for PIM and short-handed stats.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Hurricanes RW Tom Kostopoulos, playing on his 30th birthday, added to his team-high penalty-minute total with a minor infraction for shooting the puck over the glass (delay of game) Sunday against the Bruins. He has 72 penalty minutes in his first season with the team.
Analysis: Kostopoulos was on a bit of a scoring tear earlier in January with four goals during a six-game scoring span. He has since failed to score in five straight contests. We figured his hot streak wouldn't last. Kostopoulos is pretty much a checking-line presence. He is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for PIM and short-handed stats.
News:The Sports Xchange reports when the Hurricanes added RW Tom Kostopoulos during the offseason, the intention wasn't that he would be on one of the top lines. But as he has moved into a position with more ice time because of injuries, his production has raised as well. He has three goals in a four-game span for the second time in his career. He has scored one goal in each of three games during this stretch, while his December 2003 offensive outburst included one two-goal game and another game with one goal.
Analysis: Kostopoulos has two of his five goals in short-handed situations. Unfortunately, he has only nine points in 44 games. He really hasn't provided much of a boost in even-strength situations in his first season with Carolina. Kostopoulos doesn't have a lot of offensive potential and is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for PIM and shorthanded stats despite his recent surge.
News: Hurricanes RW Tom Kostopoulos scored a goal during Thursday's game against the Predators. Kostopoulos scored short-handed 12:03 into the third period for his fourth goal and second in as many games.
Analysis: Kostopoulos has two of his four goals in short-handed situations. Unfortunately, he has only eight points in 42 games. He really hasn't provided much of a boost in even-strength situations in his first season with Carolina. Kostopoulos doesn't have a lot of offensive potential and is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for PIM and shorthanded stats.
News:Tom Kostopoulos and Jussi Jokinen scored first-period goals off turnovers in Florida's end to help the Hurricanes beat the Panthers 7-2 on Friday night, earning their second straight win after an 0-2 start. With Florida on a power play, Kostopoulos reached out with his left arm as he skated by Florida captain Bryan McCabe and poked the puck loose between the circles. Kostopoulos quickly corralled the puck then pushed it under Tomas Vokoun from just outside the crease at the seven-minute mark for his first goal with the Hurricanes. "It was surprising. My eyes were pretty big there," Kostopoulos said.
Analysis: One of the main reasons Carolina signed Kostopoulos in the offseason was for his presence in short-handed situations. He now has a short-handed goal in three straight seasons. Kostopoulos doesn't have a lot of offensive potential and is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for PIM and shorthanded stats.
News: Carolina RW Tom Kostopoulos racked up 14 penalty minutes on Saturday in a 7-2 loss to the Bruins. He was given a double-minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct 19:23 into the second period with Zdeno Chara being assessed with the same amount of penalty minutes.
Analysis: This is what Fantasy owners want to see from Kostopoulos, getting into trouble. He is only worth having active as an enforcer in leagues that reward heavily for PIM and shorthanded stats.
News: Hurricanes RW Tom Kostopoulos (undisclosed) was able to play in Friday's opener against the Flyers. He failed to record a point in 7:14 of ice time and took one shot on net.
Analysis: Kostopoulos was injured in a fight late in the preseason, but everything appears to be OK. Kostopoulos has minimal Fantasy appeal in standard formats. He is worth a look in leagues that reward heavily for short-handed stats and PIM when healthy.
News: Hurricanes right winger Tom Kostopoulos didn't return during Friday's preseason game against the Thrashers after he was knocked to the ice during a first-period fight with Atlanta's Josh Gratton. He had no points in 2:06 of ice time.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is in his first year with the Hurricanes after inking a three-year contract in the offseason. He showcased his skills as a checking-line forward Friday. It was just unfortunate he was hurt in the process. Kostopoulos has minimal Fantasy appeal in standard formats. He is worth a look in leagues that reward heavily for short-handed stats and PIM when healthy.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Hurricanes RW Tom Kostopoulos has been trying to settle into his new environment and showed up prior to training camp to go through unofficial workouts with his new teammates. C Chad LaRose has been one of the new teammates introducing him in the area. Kostopoulos arrived as a free-agent signee from the Montreal Canadiens.
Analysis: Kostopoulos totaled eight goals and 22 points in 78 games with the Canadiens in 2008-09. He also had his second straight season of 100-plus penalty minutes. Montreal had promised Kostopoulos he wouldn't need to be as much of an enforcer with the acquisition of Georges Laraque, but those plans went up in smoke when Laraque struggled to stay healthy. Kostopoulos is a good checking-line forward but has minimal Fantasy appeal in standard formats. He is worth a look in leagues that reward heavily for short-handed stats.
News: The Hurricanes signed free agent forward Tom Kostopoulos to a three-year contract Tuesday. "Tom is a character player who adds grit to our lineup," Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford said. "He is a strong penalty killer and plays a high-energy game that will fit our team's style of play."
Analysis: Kostopoulos totaled eight goals and 22 points in 78 games with the Canadiens in 2008-09. He also had his second straight season of 100-plus penalty minutes. Montreal had promised Kostopoulos he wouldn't need to be as much of an enforcer with the acquisition of Georges Laraque, but those plans went up in smoke when Laraque struggled to stay healthy. Kostopoulos is a good checking-line forward but has minimal Fantasy appeal in standard formats. He is worth a look in leagues that reward heavily for short-handed stats.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos scored and added two assists in Thursday's loss to the Senators.
Analysis: Kostopolous has 22 points this season, which ties his career high. Still, that's a horrible total for a winger, and you should continue to ignore Kostopoulos in all Fantasy formats.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos scored a goal during Friday's 4-3 overtime win against the Flyers. Kostopoulos tied the game at 2 with his seventh goal 16:38 into the first. It was his first goal in six games.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is having an offensive season par for the course and continues to occupy a spot on the Canadiens' checking line. He is never going to be a dominant scorer and is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for short-handed stats and PIM.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos added an empty-net goal with 24.5 seconds remaining during Friday's 4-2 win against the Avalanche, as he batted a puck out of the zone and into the net from his knees. It was his sixth goal of the season -- first short-handed -- and second in four games.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is having an offensive season par for the course and continues to occupy a spot on the Canadiens' checking line. He is never going to be a dominant scorer and is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for short-handed stats and PIM.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos failed to record a point in 14:52 of ice time Wednesday against the Devils. It was the second straight game he didn't factor, but Kostopoulos does have two goals and two assists in 10 January games.
Analysis: Kostopoulos has contributed 13 points this season, but he is still more on the ice for checking-line presence and penalty-killing ability. Kostopoulos still remains more of a Fantasy option for leagues that reward heavily for short-handed stats and PIM.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos tallied an assist and finished at plus-1 in 16:29 of ice time Tuesday against the Lightning. He also spent seven minutes in the penalty box, including five for fighting with Evgeny Artyukhin. Kostopoulos has three assists in his last six games.
Analysis: Kostopoulos wasn't expected to be the team's top enforcer in 2008-09 with the arrival of Georges Laraque, but the latter has been out with a nagging groin injury and Kostopoulos has had to stand up for his teammates. He has some offensive pep, but Kostopoulos still remains more of a Fantasy option for leagues that reward heavily for short-handed stats and PIM.
News: Montreal RW Tom Kostopoulos scored a goal and added an assist in Saturday's 3-2 shootout loss the Bruins. Kostopoulos assisted Andrei Kostitsyn's 2nd period goal and later scored his second of the season to tie the game at two and send it into overtime in the 3rd period.
Analysis: Kostopoulos may have recorded two points on Saturday but he's got just four on the entire season for the Canadiens. Kostopoulos hasn't had to be as big as an enforcer in 2008-09 with the arrival of George Laraques, but he still hasn't forgotten how to be a nuisance. Kostopoulos has limited offensive skills and remains just an option in leagues that reward heavily for PIM.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos returned to the lineup Sunday against the Blues after serving a three-game suspension for a nasty check on Mike Van Ryn. Kostopoulos didn't have a point in 11:29 of ice time and finished at even.
Analysis: Kostopoulos hasn't had to be as big as an enforcer in 2008-09 with the arrival of George Laraques, but he still hasn't forgotten how to be a nuisance. Kostopoulos has limited offensive skills and remains just an option in leagues that reward heavily for PIM.
News: Montreal Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos was suspended for three games without pay by the NHL on Monday for his check on Toronto D Mike Van Ryn. Van Ryn sustained a concussion and broken nose and hand. He is expected to be out at least a month.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is nothing more than a low-end Fantasy option in leagues that reward heavily for PIM. Be sure to ignore him in Fantasy Week 6 (Nov. 10-16).
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos was ejected from Saturday's loss to the Maple Leafs after he slammed Mike Van Ryn into the end boards from behind and took a major penalty for boarding.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is nothing more than a low-end Fantasy option in leagues that reward heavily for PIM. He might miss a game or two after this suspension.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos scored his first goal of the season during Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Ducks. He took six shots in 13:07 of ice time and finished at even.
Analysis: Kostopoulos has connected on just one of 12 shots this season. He remains on the Canadiens' third line and is not doing much offensively. Kostopoulos has 12 penalty minutes and is nothing more than a low-end Fantasy option in leagues that reward heavily for PIM.
News:The Sports Xchange reports RW Tom Kostopoulos led the Canadiens in 2007-08 with nine fighting majors, but he expects to have a lighter workload in the coming season. Kostopoulos said the addition of LW Georges Laraque means teams will be less likely to take liberties with the Canadiens' smaller players.
Analysis: Kostopoulos had a career-high 113 penalty minutes in '07-08 and it was the second time in his six-year career he broke 100 PIM. He had 22 points for three straight seasons before dropping to 13 last season. The fact Laraque is in town means Kostopoulos can focus more on offense. Still, he remains nothing more than a low-end Fantasy flier.
News: No charges will be filed against Montreal Canadiens forward Tom Kostopoulos from an incident with police outside a Tampa night club on Feb. 11, the Tampa Tribune reported Friday. Kostopoulos was charged last week with resisting a police officer, a misdemeanour, in an early morning dispute outside the Whiskey Park club.
Analysis: Kostopoulos wrote a letter of apology to the officer and "agreed to continue to perform the many hours of community service work that he does in his community." Kostopoulos has no Fantasy value at this time. Ignored in all formats.
News: Police say two Montreal Canadiens players have been arrested outside a Tampa nightclub. D Ryan O'Byrne has been accused of stealing a woman's purse, and RW Thomas Kostopoulos has been charged with resisting an officer, a Tampa police report says. O'Byrne has been charged with felony grand theft. He was released Monday after posting $2,000 bail. Kostopoulos faces a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence and was freed after posting $500 bail. The Canadiens are scheduled to play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
Analysis: Kostopoulos and O'Byrne might be suspended by their team for this incident, but neither has much Fantasy value. They should be ignored in all formats, regardless of their status.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos took his season tally to nine points Tuesday when he recorded a goal and an assist in an 8-2 rout of the Bruins.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is pretty much only an enforcer for Montreal and should be ignored in the majority of leagues at this time.
News: The Montreal Gazette reports that Bryan Smolinski will return to the Canadiens lineup tonight, after missing 14 games with a knee injury. Tom Kostopoulos and one-game veteran Corey Locke are the healthy scratches.
Analysis: Smolinski has only 11 points in 28 games this season and was on pace for his worst career season, even before getting hurt. His minus-7 rating isn't exactly stellar either. Leave him alone in all formats for now.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos served his automatic one-game suspension Monday for instigating a fight late in a 7-4 victory against Boston on Saturday.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is still nothing more than a low-end Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Canadiens forward Tom Kostopoulos was suspended one game by the NHL on Monday after sparking an altercation in the final minute of a fight-filled game against the Boston Bruins. Kostopoulos was given the automatic suspension after he cross-checked Bruins defenseman Mark Stuart in a 7-4 victory Saturday night. The league also fined Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau $10,000, which is an automatic penalty if a player gets an instigator penalty in the last five minutes of a game.
Analysis: Kostopoulos had earlier traded punches with the Bruins' Andrew Alberts, and Stuart got into a fight with Montreal winger Andrei Kostitsyn. Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was also given 19 minutes in penalties for elbowing and fighting Guillaume Latendresse. He is still nothing more than a low-end Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Canadiens RW Tom Kostopoulos scored his second goal of the season with a short-handed tally 1:19 into the second period Saturday against the Bruins. Kostopoulos also got into a bit of trouble by racking up four penalties that totaled 22 minutes. He was slapped with a 10-minute game misconduct late in the third period.
Analysis: Kostopoulos doubled his penalty minutes in just one game. He is not that big of a trouble maker, but does get hit with penalties from time-to-time. He is nothing more than a low-end Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Ds Mathieu Dandenault, Roman Hamrlik and Mike Komisarek each posted an assist and plus-1 rating in Monday's game against the Bruins. RW Tom Kostopoulos also checked in with an assist and plus-1 in the win.
Analysis: In limited ice time, Kostopoulos has tallied points in two of the past three games. Despite his improved play, he is only worth a look in the deepest of Fantasy leagues. The Canadiens will be back in action on Friday night at Carolina.
News: D Patrice Brisebois, C Christopher Higgins, RW Tom Kostopoulos and C Saku Koivu each posted an assist with a minus-1 rating in Thursday's game at Ottawa.
Analysis: While Koivu remains a must-start in all Fantasy formats, Brisebois and Higgins remain useful options in leagues of 12 or more teams. Despite the assist, Kostopoulos is only worth a look in the deepest of leagues.
News: The Montreal Canadiens signed veterans Roman Hamrlik and Bryan Smolinski to multi-year deals last Monday, and forward Tom Kostopoulos agreed to a one-year deal this past Wednesday.
Analysis: While Hamrlik and Smolinski will be worth looks in the later rounds on Draft Day, only consider Kostopoulos in the deepest of Fantasy leagues at this point.
News: Tom Kostopoulos was scoreless in Monday's game at Dallas in 11:29 of ice time.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is not a recommended Fantasy option in any format at this time.
News: Michael Cammalleri and Tom Kostopoulos each scored goals in Tuesday's win against the Islanders. Each player also managed a plus-1 rating.
Analysis: Cammalleri is a solid No. 5 or 6 Fantasy forward in most formats, while Kostopoulos is only worth a look in the largest of leagues at this point.
News: Tom Kostopoulos has tallied six goals and 11 assists and a plus-1 rating with 79 penalty minutes through 54 games at the Olympic Games break.
Analysis: Kostopoulos is not much of an offensive threat in Fantasy Hockey, but he can help out in the PIM category in larger Roto leagues.
News: Tom Kostopoulos picked up two assists with a plus-2 rating and one shot on goal in 11:28 of ice time in Wednesday's game at Columbus.
Analysis: Kostopoulos ended a seven-game scoreless drought with the two assists. Despite the solid game, he has minimal Fantasy appeal.
News: Tom Kostopoulos signed a two-year contract with the Kings on Tuesday.
Analysis: Kostopoulos played with the Kings AHL team in Manchester, scoring 25 goals to go along with 46 assists.
News: Tom Kostopoulos extended his points streak to four games with an assist in Saturday's game against the Rangers.
Analysis: Kostopoulos has six points (3 G, 3 A) over his past six games. He is worth using in larger Fantasy leagues.
News: Tom Kostopoulos scored a goal in Wednesday's loss against the Islanders.
Analysis: Kostopoulos now has four points (3 G, 1 A) over his past four games and is useful in larger Fantasy leagues.
News: The Penguins recalled Tom Kostopoulos from Wilkes-Barre of the AHL on Thursday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He had seven goals and six assists for Wilkes-Barre.
Analysis: Don't bother adding Kostopoulos to a Fantasy roster.
