The most regular games any one of these players played in a full season was the 56 that Murphy managed twice in Finland. Enstrom played as many as 49 games just once and the most young Backstrom played was 46 times.

So, it's not surprising that Tobias Enstrom and Cory Murphy have slumped of late as the NHL hits the 70 game mark of the season.

Cory Murphy came into this season as most fantasy experts sleeper pick. He started the season off in great fashion with 11 points in his first 19 games until a shoulder injury in mid-November kept him on the sidelines for the next two-plus months. An excuse could be made because of the injury, but the fact is that Murphy has only three assists in his past 15 games, not including one game in which he was a healthy scratch.

Tobias Enstrom was another highly regarded European who was a top sleeper on many draft lists. Enstrom has four goals and 37 points this season, a very good total for a rookie defenseman. However, while he has two assists in his past two games, he was held pointless in the previous nine contests while going minus seven.

The big surprise has been the play of Nicklas Backstrom. The youngest player of the threesome, Backstrom has been very strong of late with 17 points in his last 19 games, giving him 58 points this season. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he is playing full time with Alexander Ovechkin, but he has earned that spot through merit.

Expect players who have played their careers in Europe to hit the wall the first season, at about the 60 game mark. There are obviously exceptions, but most tend to break out their second seasons as they find the length of the NHL schedule and all the travel, a lot to handle in their first year. Unless of course, you play with Alexander Ovechkin, or even better yet, are him.