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Fantasy Hockey Stock Watch

October 20, 2009 By Draft Buddy 1 Comment

As I’ve said before, unless you’re in a keeper league, trading rarely happens in fantasy sports. However, that shouldn’t stop you from sending out enticing offers for this seasons’ slow-starting superstars. Let’s consider this group of top tier talent (the alliteration will stop, I promise), all of which are sure bets to find their game before long. If you currently own these players, be patient – the points will come. If you own any of the listed overachievers, send them packing before their hot start fizzles out.

Strong Buy

These guys had big expectations attached to them coming into the season, and they’ll come around, so wheel and deal for them if their owner is getting impatient.

Ryan Getzlaf, Ducks – With no goals and just 3 assists so far this season, Getzlaf is frustrating fantasy owners everywhere. The Ducks are averaging just under 2.3 goals per game so far this season, and when that trend inevitably rises, so too will the production of the Ducks’ lethal top line.

Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings – He’s currently day-to-day with an upper body injury, but is progressing and should be back in the lineup by week’s end. If he stays injury-free, and the Wings really need him healthy now with Johan Franzen on the IR for a few months, he’s a lock for another 90 point season.

Eric Staal, Hurricanes – A notoriously slow starter, Staal has always done the majority of his damage in the second half of the season. Like the Ducks, the Canes have stumbled out of the gate, and it’ll only be so long before Staal consistently frequents the score sheet.

David Booth, Panthers – He’s struggled to find his 2008-09 form with just a single goal through 6 games so far. He’s getting the chances though (21 shots) and it’s just a matter of time before they start going in.

Bobby Ryan, Ducks – With 26 shots and a just a goal to show for it, he joins Getzlaf as the other slumping star on the Ducks’ first line. Why are their numbers down? Getzlaf, Ryan, and Corey Perry combined to score 31 power play goals for the Ducks last year. This year? Zero. Patience is a virtue my friends – these guys are exponentially better than their current numbers indicate.

Roberto Luongo, Canucks – Another stud known for his slow starts, Bobby Lou is starting to come around, and while you’re unlikely to lure him away from his current owner, it never hurts to try. Package Ilya Bryzgalov with a decent forward or two and see if you get any bites.

Buy

These guys had lower expectations, but look like the real deal. Hold tight and reap the benefits if you own them already, or try to pry them away from their current owners.

Anze Kopitar, Kings – I wouldn’t dream of trading the Slovenian star right now. After an off year last season, Kopitar’s showing early on that he’s among the NHL’s elite.

Rich Peverley, Thrashers – For whatever reason, Peverley produces in Atlanta. He’s been a huge part of the Thrashers number one ranked power play so far, contributing 3 goals and 2 assists with the man advantage.

Andrew Brunette, Wild – With Pierre-Marc Bouchard out indefinitely with post-concussion issues, Brunette now becomes an intriguing option playing on the first line with Mikko Koivu and Martin Havlat.

Erik Johnson, Blues – Finally healthy, he’s living up to his 2006 first overall pick hype with 6 points through 6 games.

Drew Doughty, Kings – We knew it was just a matter of time before Doughty started piling up points for the Kings. At 19, he’s already logging over 22 minutes of ice-time per game.

Antti Niemi, Blackhawks – Can you say, starting goalie battle? The rookie already looks like a seasoned veteran, outplaying Cristobal Huet so far.

Sell

Here are the overachievers to put on the trading block.

Vaclav Prospal, Rangers – Though he does have 79 and 80 point seasons on his resume, I have trouble envisioning him among the top 30 point leaders at the end of 2009-10. With 11 points already, you may be able to get some serious talent in return for Prospal.

Dustin Penner, Oilers – It’s very likely that Penner will achieve career highs this year, just not the 105 points his current pace would indicate. 55 points sounds more likely.

Keith Tkachuk, Blues – His 7 points in 6 games so far might suggest career year, but you know better. He’s 37 years old with plenty of young talent on the depth chart just waiting for a chance to pass him.

Matt Carle, Flyers – This one’s a no brainer – I’d set his point limit at a generous 40 which means, in a best case scenario, he’ll only get you another 32 points this season on top of his current 8. Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen are the Flyers’ two offensive d-men, so ship Carle out while he’s hot.

Ilya Bryzgalov, Coyotes – Bryzgalov is no slouch, and the Coyotes appear to be a much improved team sans Gretzky. Maybe Bryzgalov’s having an easier time concentrating this year in the library-quiet Jobing Arena, where they are reportedly getting crowds in the 6000s. But you’d have to be a fool to think Bryzgalov will finish the season with 68 wins and 27 shutouts, as his current pace would indicate. Even 35 wins and 7 shutouts would be a stretch in my mind, and I’d be offering him to that guy in your pool who’ll be blinded by Bryzgalov’s current, MVP-caliber numbers.

Hold

These guys are looking pretty good right now, but we need more information to judge them as a true buy or sell candidate.

Matt Moulson, Islanders – He’s been a consistent scorer in the AHL for a few years and is now playing on a line with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. He’s playing like he deserves to be a first-liner – can he keep it up?

Rene Bourque, Flames – He’s got great size and a knack for finding the net, but sits behind Jarome Iginla on the depth chart which could limit production.

Gilbert Brule, Oilers – The jury’s still out on Brule. This guy really perplexes me. I drafted him two years in a row, waiting for the hyped junior star to bust out and got nothing. Of course, now that I’ve given up on him, he’s showing life. He has loads of upside if he can keep up his current level of play.

Brooks Laich, Capitals – He’s not a flashy player and he’ll rarely create chances for himself, but he’s thrived playing with Alexander Ovechkin. Laich’s production is down since Caps’ coach Bruce Boudreau united the Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin line.

Ryan O’Reilly, Avalanche – He’s the lone second rounder from this year’s draft crop to play in the NHL so far, and the risk has definitely paid off for the Avalanche. O’Reilly hasn’t looked out of place, but could be sent back down to the OHL for seasoning before the Avs’ tenth game.

Michael Del Zotto, Rangers – The 19 year old has been an offensive juggernaut for the Rangers. It’d be largely unfair and even ridiculous to expect 82 points, but he’s got the lead in a tight Calder Trophy race at this point of the season.

Goalie Rankings

September 18, 2009 By John Leave a Comment

Of course your forwards need to put up strong numbers, and a solid defense is a necessity, but good versus bad goaltending can make or break your fantasy team. Here are my top 30 goalies if you were taking part in a fantasy hockey draft today.

Roberto Luongo

Evgeni Nabokov

Niklas Backstrom

Roberto Luongo, VAN – Luongo’s a stud and the only goalie worthy of a first round pick, as the Canucks are the favourites to win the division.
Evgeni Nabokov, SJ – Nabokov starts 75 games a season for a strong team which means a minimum of 40 wins.
Niklas Backstrom, MIN – Backstrom has as much skill as any netminder but the Wild are mediocre at best.
Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT – Fresh off a Stanley Cup win, Fleury will challenge for the wins lead among netminders.
Martin Brodeur, NJ – The greatest goaltender of all time will have to be at his best for the Devils to make the playoffs this season in an incredibly competitive Eastern Conference.
Miikka Kiprusoff, CGY – His numbers are diminishing with every passing season but with all the starts he gets, the wins are sure to come.
Tim Thomas, BOS – Last year’s Vezina Trophy winner was a virtual wall for the Bruins, posting a freakish .933 save percentage.
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR – Lundqvist has all the talent in the world, but the weak Rangers’ defense doesn’t bail him out too often.
Cam Ward, CAR – The former Conn Smyth winner was an integral part of the Canes’ cup run last season.
Cristobal Huet, CHI – He’s now the undisputed starter on a deep Blackhawks squad, with Nikolai Khabibulin leaving as a free agent.
Ryan Miller, BUF – Miller had a productive 2008-09 season and now is vying for the starting spot on the USA Olympic team.
Semyon Varlamov, WAS – The 21 year old could be the steal of your draft. The Capitals should contend for first place in the East, and if Varlamov starts even 60 games, he’ll hit the 40 win mark. He looked unbeatable for much of the playoffs.
Steve Mason, CBJ – The rookie of the year hopes to dodge the sophomore jinx, but it’ll be hard to repeat his 10 shutout performance.
Ray Emery, PHI – There couldn’t be a better fit for this notorious goaltender than Philadelphia. Emery dominated the Russian KHL last year and is poised for a big season to silence the critics.
Jonas Hiller, ANA – Hiller was a save-machine for the Ducks during last year’s postseason, holding the usually-high scoring San Jose Sharks to just 10 goals in a 4-2 series win. He’s an ideal sleeper.
Mike Smith, TB – Despite a less than impressive record last season, Smith had a .916 save percentage on arguably the worst defensive team in the NHL. The Lightning could be the most improved team this season, and Smith owners should reap the rewards.
Chris Osgood, DET – Even though he was nothing short of amazing during last year’s Stanley Cup run, it’s hard to forget his regular season. The aging veteran could split time with backup Jimmy Howard.
Carey Price, MTL – The former fifth overall pick has loads to prove after suffering through a sophomore slump last season. Playing in one of the world’s biggest hockey markets might be too overwhelming for this talented youngster.
Jonathan Quick, LA – The Kings will probably be in a battle for seventh or eight spot in the Western Conference this year and a big part of that will be attributed to the play of Quick.
Pekka Rinne, NAS – His successful rookie season was largely forgotten with Steve Mason stealing the show, but their numbers were pretty similar. If the Predators play even half-decently this season, Rinne could be a steal.
Pascal Leclaire, OTT – The Sens’ new starter is a risky pick, having only started in more than 31 games once in his 5 season career, but it’s hard to ignore the 9 shutouts he had in 2007-08.
Chris Mason, STL – He posted some solid numbers last year but the newly acquired Ty Conklin will be battling him for starts.
Nikolai Khabibulin, EDM – He’s coming off an uncharacteristically strong season in a contract year. The alarms should be going off – avoid him if you can.
Ilya Bryzgalov, PHO – The animated Bryzgalov is becoming frustrated with the team playing in front of him in Phoenix – just another of the many issues plaguing the Coyotes.
Marty Turco, DAL – His skills are quickly diminishing. My bet is that he’ll be battling Alex Auld for starts by December.
Tomas Vokoun, FLA – The Panthers lost their best player in Bouwmeester this offseason, and did little to replace his presence on the blueline – not a good sign for Vokoun. To make matters worse, Scott Clemmensen could fight for the starter’s job.
Kari Lehtonen, ATL – The former projected stud has been stuck for five years now on terrible Thrashers teams.
Craig Anderson, COL – The newly acquired Anderson is now a starter in Colorado after posting a .924 save percentage for the Panthers’ last season.
Vesa Toskala, TOR – Toskala has a very short leash in Toronto, especially with “The Monster” Jonas Gustavsson playing his tail off at Leafs’ camp.
Rick DiPietro, NYI – Avoid at all costs – he’s a huge injury risk and the Islanders didn’t sign Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron this offseason for nothing.

A Case of the St. Louis Blues’ Blues

April 22, 2009 By John Leave a Comment

And so last night brought us our first elimination, as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the St. Louis Blues in overtime. While the vast majority of you had selected the Canucks as the series’ winners, only megameg and TeamDahlgren snapped up bonus points for calling the sweep. Props to you two, as Roberto Luongo proved to be more than prepared for everything the Blues shelled out. The Canucks will get that long, and sometimes not so beneficial, rest before the second round, which will allow integral players like Mats Sundin and Sami Salo to recover from minor injuries.

Cellorocks, who has the Philadelphia Flyers as Stanley Cup champions, must have been cringing last night as he watched the Penguins/Flyers tilt. The Flyers dominated puck possession, shots, and scoring opportunities, but not the score sheet. Marc-Andre Fleury stood on his head, stopping 45 of 46 shots in the victory, to give the Penguins from Pittsburgh a 3-1 series lead.

A usually calm and collected Martin Brodeur was seen repeatedly smashing his stick in frustration at the conclusion of last night’s game in Raleigh, North Carolina. That’s because moments earlier Carolina Hurricanes’ Jussi Jokinen skated into Brodeur, after which the left winger immediately proceeded to tip in the go-ahead goal with 0.2 seconds remaining in the game. Controversial? Yes. Does this get me and 29 other people in the pool closer to 5 points for a ‘Canes series’ win? Sure does, suckers!

The San Jose Sharks were finally able to get to Anaheim Ducks’ goaltender Jonas Hiller last night, and I could almost hear the nearly universal sigh of relief from the 94% of you that took the Sharks to win the series. A seven game series could be brewing here, while a sweep awaits the Canadiens in Montreal this evening at the hands of the Boston Bruins. So much for the fairy-tale ending to the Canadiens’ 100th season. Serves the Habs faithful right for picking with their heart instead of their head. Take that arseneau, jballin, and datsyukkk13!

The Detroit Red Wings will also have an opportunity to get the brooms out tomorrow night when they’ll try to sweep the Columbus Blue Jackets from their first ever post-season appearance. Two more evenly matched series’ take place tonight as the Calgary Flames try to even up a 2-1 series with the Chicago Blackhawks, while the Washington Capitals try to do the same in New York against the Rangers. We currently have a 5 team tie atop the leader board, but look for that to change over the next few days as points for eliminations will swing the standings. Best of luck fellow poolies!