News: The Capitals re-signed Jack Hillen to a two-year contract extension worth $1.4 million Tuesday, Katie Carrera of the Washington Post reports.
Analysis:Jack Hillen, who missed 25 games this season due to injury, has recorded one assist and 10 penalty minutes in 10 games in which he has averaged 18:21 minutes worth of ice time.
News:Jack Hillen (shoulder) will be back in the lineup Saturday, Katie Carrera of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: With Jack Hillen's return, Cameron Schilling has been sent back to Hersey to make room on the Caps' roster.
News:Jack Hillen (shoulder) has not been cleared for contact yet, the Washington Post reports.
Analysis: The defenseman is still expected to be out for a few more weeks, but has been participating in team work outs.
News:Jack Hillen (shoulder) is expected to miss another six to eight weeks of the season, the Washington Post reports.
Analysis:Jack Hillen was placed on injured reserve Jan. 21 but was seen skating two days later. It appears the recovery time necessary is now more defined. In 55 games last season with the Predators, the defenseman scored two goals and added four assists. He should be a regular in the lineup again when he returns for the Caps.
Caps' Hillen (Shoulder) Skates Prior To Wednesday's Practice
News:Jack Hillen (shoulder) was seen skating solo for roughly 20 minutes before Wednesday's practice, the Washington Post reports.
Analysis:Jack Hillen was placed on injured reserve following the season opener against Tampa Bay, but was surprisingly back on the skating less than a week later. Coach Adam Oates said he "didn't really expect him to be back so soon," so it looks like a return could come earlier than originally thought.
News:Jack Hillen (unspecified injury) was placed on injured reserve by the Capitals Monday, after taking a hit against the boards in the season opener, Katie Carrera of the Washington Post reports.
Analysis:Jack Hillen was signed as a free agent by the Caps last offseason. He saw a total of 3:29 on the ice before exiting with the injury. Hillen played in 55 games for the Preadtors last year and was a plus-6 on the season. No timeframe has been given for his return.
News:Jack Hillen signed a one-year deal with the Caps late Monday night.
Analysis:Jack Hillen was a depth defenseman with Nashville last year. A curious move for the Caps who have a lot of depth defensively. Expect more low impact deals from the Caps who don't consider themselves big free-agent players.
News:Jack Hillen could sit out Tuesday's game as a healthy scratch, according to the Tennessean.
Analysis:Jack Hillen has played the last three games in place of Kevin Klein, who has been out with an upper body injury. However, coach Barry Trotz said he was considering switching Hillen for Ryan Ellis for Tuesday's game against the Wild. "What you get with Jack is a good defender. You get some veteran presence. He's a guy who subtly gets the job done. He goes under the radar a bit, but he's efficient," Trotz said. "With Ellis you get a dynamic puck-moving guy." Hillen has just six points in 49 games this season, giving him value in deeper fantasy formats only.
News:Jack Hillen was a healthy scratch for Saturday's 5-2 win over Carolina.
Analysis: Prior to the benching, Jack Hillen had been a regular in the Preds' lineup, missing only two games since the start of the season. However, the recent callup of Ryan Ellis from AHL Milwaukee has created somewhat of a logjam on the Nashville blue line, meaning someone has to sit. Hopefully you weren't relying too much on Hillen for fantasy purposes - with just six points in 38 games, his absence shouldn't be missed.
News:Jack Hillen has been seeing more ice time the last few games, according to the Tennessean.
Analysis: With fellow blueliner Franics Bouillon out with a groin injury, Jack Hillen saw his highest ice time of the season (21:12) Monday against Edmonton. After signing a a two-way contract with the Preds in the offseason, Hillen played his way onto the team out of training camp and has stuck with Nashville all year. With just four points (1G, 3A) in 21 games, he doesn't boast much fantasy value outside of very deep leagues, but with more ice time, the points could follow. Keep an eye on him.
News:Jack Hillen is listed on the Preds' Opening Night roster, according to the Tennessean.
Analysis: The Preds have decided to go with seven defensemen on their roster to start the season, meaning they will likely use a combination of Jack Hillen, Teemu Laakso and Mattias Ekholm in the bottom pair. This means Hillen won't be seeing quality minutes any time soon, and shouldn't be counted on for fantasy purposes outside of ultra-deep leagues.
Preds' Hillen Vying For Spot On Blue Line This Season
News:Jack Hillen is one of six defensemen currently competing for three open spots on the Predators' blue line, reports the Tennessean.
Analysis: The other five players are rookies Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm, Roman Josi and Teemu Laakso as well as free-agent signing Tyler Sloan. Jack Hillen's 22 points with the Islanders last season would have ranked him fourth among Nashville's d-men in scoring. He also has 175 games under his belt, which, based solely on experience, puts Hillen ahead of everyone in the aforementioned group. We think Hillen stands a very good chance of landing one of those open roster spots based on his past scoring record as well as his level of experience. Keep him in mind if you're in a deeper fantasy format.
News: Hillen has signed a two-way deal with Nashville, James Mirtle of the Globe & Mail reports.
Analysis: While he may be most known for taking an Alex Ovechkin slap shot to the grill, Hillen was surprisingly let go by the Isles after a 22-point effort over 64 games last season. Considering his minus-10 rating over 133 games during the last two campaigns on terrible squads with the Isles, Hillen could prove to be a nice addition to the Preds' third pairing this season.
Hillen Not Offered A Qualifying Offer By The Isles
News: The Islanders did not extend a qualifying offer to Hillen on Sunday, according to Newsday.
Analysis: The deadline for such an offer is Monday at 5pm, but with the Isles extending six other players it seems likely that Hillen will be allowed to hit the free agent market on July 1.
News: Hillen isn't sure if he will need shoulder surgery, according to Newsday.
Analysis: Hillen and the Islanders are hoping that rest will solve the issue, but surgery would be the next option.
News: Hillen (shoulder) is unlikely to play Friday versus Pittsburgh, according to Newsday.
Analysis: The Isles haven't made anything official yet, but the signing of Jamie Doornbosch to an amateur tryout signifies that Hillen won't be able to go Friday.
News: Hillen (shoulder) remains questionable for Friday's game against Pittsburgh, reports Newsday's Katie Strang.
Analysis: Hillen has been bothered by a nagging shoulder injury for the past few days and missed Wednesday's game against Boston. The defender has recorded 22 points in 64 games so far this season.
News: Hillen (shoulder) won't play versus Boston on Wednesday, according to Newsday's Katie Strang.
Analysis: Hillen has been dealing with a nagging shoulder injury for a few days now and will sit out the game to give it a chance to heal.
News: Hillen (shoulder) missed practice Monday, according to Newsday.
Analysis: Hillen was able to play Saturday with the injury and this doesn't seem to be a case of something he aggravated, so this seems just to be a day off for Hillen.
News: Hillen (shoulder) suited up Saturday against the Hurricanes and recorded an assist.
Analysis: Hillen, who saw 11:56 worth of ice time, was credited with four blocked shots Saturday, but more importantly, his shoulder woes do not seem to be a big concern.
Isles' Hillen Doesn't Participate In The Morning Skate
News: Hillen (shoulder) didn't skate with the team Saturday, according to Newsday.
Analysis: Hillen is still listed as questionable for the game Saturday night but it seems unlikely that he would play at this point.
News: Hillen (upper body) is considered day to day, according to Newsday's Katie Strang.
Analysis: The Islanders are playing for nothing but pride at this point in the season, so there is little need to rush anyone back.
Isles' Hillen Leaves Game With An Upper Body Injury
News: Hillen suffered an upper body injury during the game Thursday, according to Newsday.
Analysis: Hillen wasn't able to return to the game; more details should be available Friday.
News: Hillen (head) returned to the lineup Tuesday and was able to skate for more than 21 minutes in the 4-3 shootout win over Ottawa.
Analysis: Hillen had been dealing with a head injury, but the good amount of minutes that he spent on the ice Tuesday suggests that he's healthy again.
News: Coach Jack Capuano said Hillen (head) will return to the lineup Tuesday against Ottawa, the MSG Network's Rob Carlin reports.
Analysis: Hillen said his head injury is feeling better, and he presumably isn't suffering from any concussion symptoms, so he should be good to go Tuesday.
News: Hillen missed the game Sunday due to a head injury, according to Newsday.
Analysis: The Islanders are being cautious with Hillen and want to make sure he doesn't show any concussion symptoms before they place him back in the lineup.
News: Hillen will miss Friday's tilt against the Red Wings after attending the birth of his son Thursday, Newsday's Katie Strang reports.
Analysis: Hillen will rejoin the team in Calgary for Monday's game, so he should only be out for one night. Adjust your lineups accordingly.
Hillen Will Not Play for the Islanders on Thursday
News: Hillen (concussion) will not play Thursday, according to Newsday.
Analysis: Hillen has been out of the lineup since Nov. 11. It was thought that he would return to the lineup Thursday, but the Islanders aren't feeling the need to rush him at this point in time.
News: Hillen (concussion) has been activated from IR, the team's official site reports.
Analysis: He should be back in the lineup against the Rangers on Thursday night as a result. With Hillen's return, the Isles officially placed Mike Mottau (eye) on injured reserve to clear a roster spot.
News: Hillen (concussion) practiced again Monday, according to the Islanders' official Twitter page.
Analysis: Barring any additional symptoms over the next couple days, there is a decent chance Hillen returns to the ice for Thursday's game against the Rangers.
Isles' Hillen Practices for First Time Since Concussion
News: Hillen (concussion) was able to skate with the team Thursday, according to Newsday.
Analysis: This was the first time Hillen has been able to skate since suffering the concussion. He is aiming to get back into game action next week.
Hillen Has Been Cleared to Skate for the Islanders
News: Hillen (concussion) has been cleared to skate, acccording to Newsday.
Analysis: Assuming he doesn't have a setback Hillen should be back with the Islanders shortly.
News: Hillen (concussion) still has no timetable for a return to action, according to Newsday.
Analysis: Islanders interim coach Jack Capuano didn't even know if Hillen had undergone a baseline test as of yet. Not that it matters much; Hillen is not going to save your fantasy team or the Islanders season.
News: Hillen has a concussion and will be monitored daily, the Islanders' official site reports.
Analysis: Hillen has not played since last Thursday and may miss more time if his concussion symptoms linger. There's a good chance he misses Wednesday's game against the Lightning.
News: Hillen missed the game Saturday with an illness, according to Newsday.
Analysis: Hillen left the morning skate early due to the illness. The Islanders were only carrying six d-men, so they will play with five versus the Kings. Hillen should be good to go when the Islanders return to Long Island next week.
News: Hillen will replace Andrew MacDonald (hand) in the Islanders' lineup, Newsday's Katie Strang reports.
Analysis: MacDonald is expected to miss about 4-to-6 weeks, so Hillen could see extended ice time for a while. Still, Hillen does not see much time on the power play, so his fantasy value remains minimal.
Hillen will Likely Head Back to the Pine for the Islanders
News: Hillen is likely to be a healthy scratch for the Islanders on Saturday, according to Islanders Point Blank.
Analysis: Hillen is the Islanders' seventh defenseman, and the return of James Wisniewski from suspension likely means Hillen will return to the press box.
News: Hillen will play against Washington on Wednesday, according to Newsday.
Analysis: With James Wisniewski being suspended for two games, Hillen draws into the lineup for the first time this season, and lucky him, those two games are versus Washington with Alexander Ovechkin, and Pittsburgh with Sidney Crosby, makes you wonder if Wisniewski planned out this suspension so that his +/- wouldn't take a beating.
News: Islanders D Jack Hillen returned to the ice for the first time since Jan. 26 on Tuesday night against Chicago as the two teams played their first games since the Olympic break. Hillen broke his jaw and had been on injured reserve until earlier on Tuesday.
Analysis: Hillen has 16 points on the season for the Islanders. He can pick up some assists but really only has low-end Fantasy value in the deeper leagues.
News:Newsday reports that Islanders C Josh Bailey (upper-body), RW Tim Jackman (eye), and D Jack Hillen (jaw) will all be activated off IR in time for Tuesday's game vs. Chicago.
Analysis: The Islanders have one of the least-viable Fantasy lineups in the NHL, and Bailey has seen his value drop this season thanks to just minimal improvement from his rookie campaign of 2008-09. He remains a solid long-term keeper option but shouldn't be used in anything but the deepest of seasonal Fantasy leagues right now. Hillen and Jackman are also minimal factors.
News:Newsday reports that Islanders D Jack Hillen (face) skated Monday for a second straight day.
Analysis: Hillen took a slap shot to his face from Alexander Ovechkin on Jan. 26 and isn't going to be back until after the Olympic break most likely. He has minimal Fantasy value when healthy.
News:Newsday reports that Islanders D Jack Hillen (face) has been released from hospital. The 24-year-old has been placed on IR.
Analysis: Maybe Hillen will start wearing a full face mask after this incident. No one wants to see anyone get hurt like this, especially someone as young as Hillen (24). Luckily for Fantasy owners, Hillen has minimal value in deeper leagues.
News: New York Islanders defenseman Jack Hillen will miss six to eight weeks with a broken jaw and damaged teeth caused by a slap shot to the face from Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin. The Islanders said on Wednesday that the 24-year-old Hillen remained hospitalized following surgery late Tuesday night into the morning. Hillen was injured in the first period of New York's 7-2 home loss on Tuesday and is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday. It is the second major injury to the Islanders' defense corps that lost veteran Radek Martinek to a season-ending knee injury in November. "It's really unfortunate for Jack, who was playing so well," Islanders coach Scott Gordon said Wednesday. "If you look at the defensemen we've lost for long stretches this season -- Radek Martinek and now Jack -- it's been the big minute-munchers for us."
Analysis: Hillen was protecting the area in front of goalie Dwayne Roloson during a power play Tuesday night when Ovechkin wound up for a drive in between the blue line and the circles. Hillen appeared to be hit in the chin and mouth and immediately dropped to the ice with 2:31 left in the period. Blood pooled in front of Hillen as he was tended to by medical staff members. Ovechkin also checked on Hillen, who skated off even though a stretcher was wheeled onto the ice. Hillen remained down on his knees, hunched over, for several minutes before being helped to his feet. Hillen's teammates and Ovechkin tapped their sticks on the ice in hockey applause fashion as Hillen went down the tunnel. "I was worried for the young man," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said Tuesday. "You could see all of our guys went over to see if he was OK, too -- Alex being the first guy. Everybody on our bench was standing up when he got up, as well as their guys." As Gordon stated the injury comes at a bad time since Hillen had one goal and five points in his last eight games. He is pretty much a low-end Fantasy start when healthy.
News: New York Islanders defenseman Jack Hillen has left the game after being struck in the face by a hard shot from Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin. Hillen was protecting the area in front of goalie Dwayne Roloson during a power play when Ovechkin wound up for a drive in between the blue line and the circles. Hillen appeared to be hit in the chin and immediately dropped to the ice with 2:31 left in the first period Tuesday night. Blood pooled in front of Hillen as he was tended to by medical staff. Ovechkin also checked on Hillen, who skated off with assistance after a stretcher was wheeled onto the ice. Teammates and Ovechkin tapped their sticks on the ice in hockey applause fashion as Hillen was taken to the dressing room.
Analysis: Hillen is having the finest season of his young career in 2009-10. He is pretty much setting career highs across the board. He also has plenty of time to add to those totals, especially with New York in the playoff hunt. While Hillen continues to improve, he remains a low-end Fantasy flier. This injury might not be good for his confidence on the ice.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Islanders D Jack Hillen scored his second goal of the season on Saturday against the Devils and first since Nov. 7. He does have six points in his last seven games.
Analysis: Hillen is having the finest season of his young career in 2009-10. He is pretty much setting career highs across the board. He also has plenty of time to add to those totals, especially with New York in the playoff hunt. While Hillen continues to improve, he remains a low-end Fantasy flier until he shows steady progress for weeks.
News: Islanders D Jack Hillen tallied an assist and finished at plus-3 on Monday against the Devils. He has an assist in three of his last four games. He is also plus-4 in that span.
Analysis: Hillen is having the finest season of his young career in 2009-10. He already has set career highs in games (45), assists (12), points (13) and plus-minus (8). He also has plenty of time to add to those totals, especially with New York in the playoff hunt. While Hillen continues to improve, he remains a low-end Fantasy flier since his numbers still need to improve.
News: Islanders D Jack Hillen tallied two assists and finished at plus-1 during Wednesday's game against the Rangers. Hillen has three assists in his last five games.
Analysis: Hillen also had two assists on March 7 against New Jersey as he tied his career-high for points in a game on Wednesday. Hillen is rotating as a sixth defenseman for New York, but with more performances like Wednesday, he might become a regular. Hillen has low-end Fantasy appeal until further notice.
News: The Islanders signed defenseman Jack Hillen to a two-year contract Wednesday. "We are happy to have Jack signed," GM Garth Snow said. "He proved to be a reliable defenseman and should continue to be a productive player for our team."
Analysis: Hillen played in a career-high 40 games in 2008-09, his first full season in the NHL. He totaled one goal, six points and a minus-9 rating. The undrafted free agent is merely roster depth and can be ignored in most Fantasy formats.
News: Islanders D Jack Hillen scored a goal and finished at plus-1 during Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Rangers. Hillen posted his first NHL goal when he beat Henrik Lundqvist with a backhand shot 3:44 into the third.
Analysis: Hillen has four points in 22 games this season. He has been with the team since February as they have been depleted on the blue line by injury, so he could return to the minors as soon as everyone is healthy. Despite the goal, Hillen has little to no Fantasy value.
News: According to The Sports Xchange, Islanders D Jack Hillen and D Joe Callahan were recalled from AHL Bridgeport to replace All-Star D Mark Streit, who missed his first game of the season with an upper-body strain, and D Thomas Pock, who is sidelined with a hand injury.
Analysis: Hillen and Callahan are both just organizational depth for the Isles at the moment and don't have any Fantasy value for the time being.
News: Islanders D Jack Hillen and RW Kurtis McLean were called up from Bridgeport before Monday's loss to the Capitals.
Analysis: Hillen and McLean are both just organizational depth for the Isles at the moment and don't have any Fantasy value for the time being.
News:Newsday reports that Islanders D Jack Hillen has bent sent down to Bridgeport of the AHL.
Analysis: Hillen is an undrafted free agent from Colorado College that made a two-game debut in 2007-08 for New York. He had a breakout season in 2007-08 with Colorado College, but is not a big-time prospect and shouldn't be owned in most Fantasy formats.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Islanders D Jack Hillen, a rookie with no points in four appearances this season, was scratched with D Chris Campoli back in the lineup Thursday against the Stars for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury Jan. 16.
Analysis: Hillen is an undrafted free agent from Colorado College that made a two-game debut in 2007-08 for New York. He had a breakout season in 2007-08 with Colorado College, but is not a big-time prospect and shouldn't be owned in most Fantasy formats.
