Fantasy Spin: Blues activate Oshie from IR

By Deborah Francisco - NHL.com Staff Writer

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Fantasy Spin: Blues activate Oshie from IR
The St. Louis Blues announced on Tuesday afternoon that center T.J. Oshie will return to the active playing roster after missing 31 games with a high ankle break that he sustained on Nov. 10 in a contest that St. Louis dropped 8-1 to the Blue Jackets.

Oshie was originally expected to return in mid-February, but he has been skating since late December and team doctors feel that he is ready to return to full game action.

"(The healing) has been very quick," Oshie said after his second consecutive full-contact practice on Tuesday. "It seems quick to doctors and maybe the fans, but for me it seems like it's been forever since I played a game.”

Oshie's early return is a nice boost for fantasy owners who have the 5-foot-11, 195-pound forward on his/her roster. The 24-year-old notched 18 goals and 30 assists last season, and in 13 games this season he tallied 1 goal and 9 assists. He also boasts the Blues' longest point streak this season, a seven-game stretch from Oct. 11-28.

The Mt. Vernon, Wash., native is an energetic, role player for the Blues. St. Louis is 9-2-2 with Oshie in the lineup this season and 13-15-4 without him.

So, what does this mean for your fantasy team?

While he is not a top name on any fantasy roster, he is a playmaker that can be counted on not only to produce assists, but he contributes in other key categories as well. He finished the 2009-2010 season with 15 power-play points, 158 shots and 149 hits.

Don't expect Oshie to come out of the gate flying. He told the press he still feels some soreness in the ankle, so, it will likely be a few games before he returns to his early-season form. However, his return should be a nice mid-season boost to any squad that needs some help with power-play points and assists.

"Obviously there's going to be a little of that sense of (hesitancy) when people get close to the leg," Oshie said. "But if I do get the chance to play (Tuesday), I'll go out there and do what I can. Nothing will hold me back."
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