Nick Fruscello: Welcome to Fantasy Friday! The past week has been a fantasy for me. My team and my hometown team are playing against one another for the first time ever. The Finals I've been indirectly rooting for, for the past 23 years is here... the same season my son, Caleb Yzerman Fruscello, is born. What are the odds? My own personal hockey armageddon starts tomorrow tonight and it should be one of the greatest finals in the history of the NHL. If you're not excited for this, then you are and never will be a hockey fan.

malkin71: Sorry I can't be at your chat today, I'm going to the rally at noon. What are your thoughts on the series?

Nick Fruscello: I think this series is going to involve a lot of skill and speed and that's exactly what hockey is all about. The Pens probably have a little more talent than the Wings, however the Wings system and how well they play it will be the determining factor in these Finals. It will be very interesting to see how the two teams adjust to one another.

malkin71: Fleury vs Detroit D and Osgood... which is better?

Nick Fruscello: Well no disrespect to Fleury, who has played fantastic this year and in the playoffs, but Detroit's defense and Chris Osgood won the Jennings Trophy as the league best defensive team. When you only give up 1-2 goals a game and only surrender 15-20 shots a game, you're doing something very right.

malkin71: With the Crosby line getting checked by Lidstrom and Rafalski, does that mean my boy Geno will go wild in this series?

Nick Fruscello: I don't think he'll go wild. I think he'll be more of a factor than Crosby in this one. Kronwall and Stuart will most likely get put up against the Malkin line. I see a lot of Scott Stevens in Nick Kronwall which makes that pairing very respectable. I don't think Malkin goes wild, but he'll have more open ice to work with than Crosby.

theWellHungarian: After hearing Mike Lange's call at the end of the Flyers game; I know I'm not alone on this, but isn't it a crime that he is not the TV announcer for FSN? Thoughts?

Nick Fruscello: I was a Lange fan for awhile, then I wasn't and after hearing him on the radio, I kind of like him again. Towards the end of his TV days he was too "middle of the road" for me. I like the cheerleading that Steigerwald and Errey do for the Pens. Its a local broadcast, they should be biased. They may want to consider having them split time on the broadcasts next season.

X-MaNDawg: why is it we keep getting close to 500 and then blow it????

Nick Fruscello: We meaning the Pirates, I take it. Honestly, I just think its the schedule that's getting them close. Playing the Giants and Marlins helps. After this weekend against the Cubbies, they'll be far from 500.

theWellHungarian: I have had about enough of Prince Fielder ... is he going to come around at all this year? Also, it looks like my prediction on Ervin Santana has turned false & he has returned back to Earth

Nick Fruscello: Santana collapse was inevitable. He's never really been that good of a pitcher and his ERA is starting to get back to the way it usually looks. As for Fielder, I don't know. I was really hopeful that he would have turned it around by now, but like I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I think, give players until June to break out and if they don't, they're not going to. June is just a week away, if he doesn't do something soon, I'd trade him.

X-MaNDawg: i read one of your transcripts about Braun being the real deal and you were right, after his slow start he's really kicking it into high gear

Nick Fruscello: He's a complete player and Fielder is his protection, believe it or not. Plus he got that "big" new contract from the Brewers. A player of his caliber is going to get around $6 million per year for 8 years... that has to be the MLB steal of the century.

X-Pens_fan: Your prediction, who is going to win the Stanley Cup and how many games will it take? Don't let your love for the RedWings all these years, cloud your judgment.

Nick Fruscello: I'm picking the Wings in 5 or 6. They have a much more structured team, they're great passers, great at faceoffs and play team defense like nobody else. And as we all know here in Pittsburgh, "Defense wins championships"

X-MaNDawg: What's going on with the steals this year? Reyes, Ramierez and Rollins aren't even in the top three!

Nick Fruscello: Well Reyes got off to a really slow start, like the rest of the Mets. He's starting to come on now, so he'll be high in steals soon. Ramierez is slumping himself and I think it has to do with moving him down to 3rd in the lineup. I don't know if its a different mindset or what, but I would move him back. As for Rollins, he was injured and missed some time, so he'll get back into the basestealing race.

malkin71: I'm picking Pens in 6. Lose the 1st and 5th games and bring it home in 6

Nick Fruscello: I'm thinking it'll be 3-1 Wings or 2-2 heading into Game 5. Just a guess.

theWellHungarian: Who do you like better as an SP who qualifies as an RP, Duchscherer or Wellemeyer? I have Rafa Soriano coming off the DL & need to bench one of them?

Nick Fruscello: Tough one, but I'd go with Wellemeyer. He's on a better team and he'll rack up more wins. Although I do think Duchscherer is a better pitcher, I don't think that his numbers will help you as much as Wellemeyer on your team.

theWellHungarian: Is this a fair trade, Cole Hamels for Alfonso Soriano?

Nick Fruscello: There's an old saying, "You can never have enough pitching." Hamels is one of the best young pitchers in the game and has looked really impressive in his last two starts. Unless you're desperate for offense, I would keep Hamels.

theWellHungarian: looks like I got a steal with Jacoby Ellsbury in the late rounds, eh? Sell him high? or Is he the Real Deal?

Nick Fruscello: Ellsbury is definately the real deal. Now everyone can see why the Bo Sox didn't want to throw him in as part of the trade for Johan Santana. His on base percentage is almost 400. His steals, average and runs production makes him the jewel of the waiver wire right now.

X-MaNDawg: how does Carlos Quentin keep going???

Nick Fruscello: Good question. He is on a monster hot streak, but I still think he's just a flash in the pan. He only hit 214 last year with Arizona and I think pitchers just don't have a book on him yet. Second half of the season, he'll be on the waiver wire in most leagues.

theWellHungarian: i picked up Jayson Werth(less) off the waiver wires, should I keep him or dump him for a potential Saves in Kobayashi from Cleveland?

Nick Fruscello: Yeah, he's hitless in the last 6 games. Since they moved him out of that cushy spot between Rollins and Utley, he can't hit. I'd drop him. Werth(less) is exactly right.

theWellHungarian: Kaz Matsui? Pick him up off the waiver wire? or Let him be?

Nick Fruscello: If you need steals and/or run Matsui is a good pickup. He's batting ahead of Tejada, fantasy monster Lance Berkman, and Carlos Lee. How's that for protection. I picked up Matsui at the midway point last year and didn't regret it. He's been a pretty consistent producer since he left NY.

theWellHungarian: Same question .. Armando Galarraga?

Nick Fruscello: Nah, I'd let him sit. He got off to a great start, but May hasn't been kind to him.

Nick Fruscello: Well that's all the time I have for this week. Enjoy the Finals, I know I will!