3/24/2009
3/23/2009
Shootout Fail
I love Scotty Hartnell and all (he's threatening to score 100pts as my TG), but this is just...sad.
Saturday Night Stats
As is the habit now, CBS Sportsline is a day behind but my back of the envelope calculation has Darrell regaining some ground on Sunday (with a Backstrom shutout and 6pts from the Anaheim game) while Cam managed to do just enough (or rather Brodeur and company didn't do quite enough) to eke out a narrow Challenge Cup win on home ice to eliminate my Highlanders and take on Darrel in the Challenge Cup finals.
Congrats to both Darrel and Cam and may their Challenge Cup final be epic, hard-fought and historically low-scoring :-)
Here's hoping that the final week 24 stats will be available tomorrow (where I will manually double-check the goalies for the top and bottom three teams where hardware is on the line (good and bad).
Doug.
3/22/2009
Week 24 Stats - As of Friday's Games (Sophia's 4th Birthday Edition)
I've given up caring about the fact that CBS continues to be one full day behind. It is what it is and it is clear that I will NOT be using them next season.
Goalie stats are going to need to be adjusted at week's end - as per usual but I will limit that to the bottom three (Herbivore) and top three (Challenge Cup/Predator Cup) contenders.
Oh, this is Sophia with her birthday cake yesterday (thanks Grandma - it looked great, tasted better). Auntie Heather was able to spare all of us a trip to Chucky-Cheese with the donning of some sort of rat costume, thanks Heather.
3/21/2009
3/19/2009
Stats as of Tuesday Night's Games
Again, CBS is a day late and a dollar short. At least they are consistant.
3/18/2009
Mid-Air Volley Goals
Includes one from none other than Gretzky, and a special appearance by both Hockey Jesus (Robbie Schremp) and of course, John Tavares.
Week 24 Stats - Monday Night Totals?
For reasons that defy explanation, CBS continues to be about one full day behind in their stats. This is annoying now not only for me but for Cam who doesn't get to see the monstrous Tuesday night total flashed up on the scoreboard as quickly as they should be (a 21.5pt night by his estimate - Malkin clearly misunderstanding the notion of a superbug). Anyhow, other that this only having Monday's games, please let me know of any problems with the totals. BTW, I had only dressed 5 d-men for Collin last week (forgot to de-activate Sarich from the +/- experiment so the Edge have an extra point from last we saw their totals).
3/17/2009
Week 23 Week Totals
Hi Guys,
Sorry, I was so gung-ho to start the process of entering week 24 line-ups that I forgot to give you the Week 23 weekly totals. These weekly totals have been manually corrected for goaltending on the top four and bottom two teams.
Thanks to Bob and Rob for pointing out that I had only given them part of the picture.
Doug
Week 23 Stats
Here is what I have for the stats as of Sunday night's games. CBS has, conveniently, not updated thier stats with last nights games so there was no need to manually subtract those totals (yay!), I just hope that they get caught back up by tomorrow. Still, I think these are correct. I have manually done the goalie stats for the Challenge Cup playoff teams as for Rob and Collin as they duke it out for the Herbivore - just to make sure that there are no fractional pt errors. Still, if you think I have your total off - let me know and we can try and track down the problem.
Yes, I will move to Yahoo! for next year.
3/16/2009
CBS Stats Delay Conspires to Deny Highlanders' GM Birthday Present And Much Needed Ego Boost
This logo should be atop the Predator Cup Standings as of Sunday Night Stats (by my back of the envelope calculation, the Highlanders had 9pts on Sunday to the Vendetta's 5 - enough for a "big" 2pt leads). CBS, for reasons that can only be fueled by personal spite against me, a subliminal fear of beheading or some latent concern around the Ides of March, have declined to update Sunday's stats yet onto their stats page. While this will necessitate me manually subtracting Monday's two games from tomorrow's stats to get the Week 23 Stats - a mildly annoying task - it also opens up the distinct possibility that by the time I post the stats on Tuesday Darrell will have reclaimed the lead (he's dressing Suter in NSH for pts and tg while it looks like M.Green in Was will sit out tonight's game - more conspiracy, I tell you :-). Anyhow, since I have been rechecking the CBS site all day before finally realizing that I need to see a Dr. about my 3 wk cold (I'm betting on another bout of pnumonia - which apparently was my condition the last time I was able to win this so don't think I'm going to go soft on you Darrell all doped up on anti-biotics) I am reduced to posting this lame excuse of a stats page.
Still, I think I had a good birthday. I'm off to bed now as the medicentre says I have to 2+ hour wait to see a Dr (my Dr. is away on holiday - more conspiracy, I tell you)....
FUNHL News and Notes
- The Great Whites stall out. Which is to say, they have now collected both of the forward brothers named in 'Staal', Eric (FP), and Jordan P3. Can a trade for Marc (PV) and the drafting of Jared (Phx) be in the works?
- The ED match on Niklas Kronwall looked suspect early on, but the Severed Heads have been rewarded with a 42 pt season so far, and he has a good shot at reaching 50 for the season. Not too shabby when you consider FP Lidstrom has 48pts. The triple threat value (Pts, PIM, +/-) never emerged, but its no longer looking like the GM wasted the pick.
- If the Highlanders pull off a win this year it will be with the worst collection of Right wingers to ever lift the trophy. Boyes, Doan, Backes and Cheechoo, are decidedly uninspiring, but the team is loaded with strength at every other position to compensate.
- The Wolves decision to play all the kids down the stretch is making the chances of a Herbivore more likely.
- Rick Nash currently has ppg totals, and is (more or less) justifying his status as an FP winger.
- Word is that the Sedins want $7M a year. Each. Bet on Toronto's GM Burke making a push to land the pair for something North of $6.5 - and that Vancouver lets them go.
- Of the leagues P3 players potential FPs; Bacsktrom, Statsny, and Ryan were all picked by the Severed Heads out of that draft class. (Pats self on back). Other picks made that draft by the Heads were Brian Lee-D Ott, and Michal Frolik-R Fla, players who are both now getting a regular role with their NHL teams. Without a doubt the best draft class of talent the Heads have ever produced.
- The Shadowmen experiment with the Kostitsyn brothers doesn't seem to have panned out so much as flamed out and then circled the bowl before disapearing forever.
- Among the players under contract for next year on the Lost Boys are; the teams entire LW (including 2 FPs), Miiko Koivu at center, and the teams top seven defensemen. That oughta make the draft go a little easier.
- How much longer can the Personal Vendetta expect to get mileage out of FP Lidstrom? One more year? With Stastny now a Great White, there isn't anyone in the pipeline ready to take over soon either.
- If you were the GM of the Knights Templar, what would you do with FPs Hejduk and Tanguay? Replace one? Replace both? Shoot self in the face?
- The Shadowmen currently have six P1 players on their roster, and a boat load of 1st rnd propsect picks. Which is both bizarre and unprecedented. Something will give in the off-season.
- Personally I expect that the following P1 s won't make it to be P2s; Stoll-C LA, Homqvist-L Nsh, Winchester-R Ott, Dupuis-R Pit, and Bowman-R Car. Kontiola-C Chi and Maclean-R Phx are on the bubble for the Edge - as neither is likely to crack their NHL rosters for a starting role anytime soon, but the Edge are down two mid-round picks so they may play it safe and give each of them another year. Sterling-C Atl, is also doubtful but the PV farm system is pretty bare so he may also get to stay. If they were all flushed I can't see any of them being a re-draft of any note.
- Speaking of a GM with a situation of 'something has gotta give', the Wolves have 8 P1s, 4 P2s, and 3 P3s - but only 8 slots to carry them. Even if the Wolves GM drafts some (all) of the P3s outright, there are still four too many players for the team. Which will make for some interesting off-season bartering for sure.
- The Scourge GM suggested he was surprised at the lack of deals towards the deadline in the FUNHL, but I'm not sure if he should have been. All of the top 3 teams made large deals to shore up weaknesses prior to (the Heads) or at the deadline (PV and Highlanders). The fourth, the Bladerunners, probably considered themselves too far back to be serious contenders warranting a blowup of their roster. In the case of the Scourge, the biggest prize would have been Campbell-D Chi, but only the PV had a defense corps that could have easily accomodated him, and the PV were already light on prospects to send back, and a1st (and likely Suter-D Nsh RFA) for Campbell would have been a high price to pay for a 1/5th of a season rental. In this case the simplest explanation is probably the best, the price for the asset was too high for the return expected. Factor in as well that the Highlanders, Bladerunners and Heads all were getting significant contributions from prospects (Backstrom, Kessel, Ryan and Green) that made parting with them - even in a package deal - unpalatable, and you have all the reasons necessary for teams to stick with what they had (more or less). Worth noting that the leaders did part with; Mueller, Tavares, and Stastny in deals down the stretch - so it isn't like they completely static.
- The ED match on Niklas Kronwall looked suspect early on, but the Severed Heads have been rewarded with a 42 pt season so far, and he has a good shot at reaching 50 for the season. Not too shabby when you consider FP Lidstrom has 48pts. The triple threat value (Pts, PIM, +/-) never emerged, but its no longer looking like the GM wasted the pick.
- If the Highlanders pull off a win this year it will be with the worst collection of Right wingers to ever lift the trophy. Boyes, Doan, Backes and Cheechoo, are decidedly uninspiring, but the team is loaded with strength at every other position to compensate.
- The Wolves decision to play all the kids down the stretch is making the chances of a Herbivore more likely.
- Rick Nash currently has ppg totals, and is (more or less) justifying his status as an FP winger.
- Word is that the Sedins want $7M a year. Each. Bet on Toronto's GM Burke making a push to land the pair for something North of $6.5 - and that Vancouver lets them go.
- Of the leagues P3 players potential FPs; Bacsktrom, Statsny, and Ryan were all picked by the Severed Heads out of that draft class. (Pats self on back). Other picks made that draft by the Heads were Brian Lee-D Ott, and Michal Frolik-R Fla, players who are both now getting a regular role with their NHL teams. Without a doubt the best draft class of talent the Heads have ever produced.
- The Shadowmen experiment with the Kostitsyn brothers doesn't seem to have panned out so much as flamed out and then circled the bowl before disapearing forever.
- Among the players under contract for next year on the Lost Boys are; the teams entire LW (including 2 FPs), Miiko Koivu at center, and the teams top seven defensemen. That oughta make the draft go a little easier.
- How much longer can the Personal Vendetta expect to get mileage out of FP Lidstrom? One more year? With Stastny now a Great White, there isn't anyone in the pipeline ready to take over soon either.
- If you were the GM of the Knights Templar, what would you do with FPs Hejduk and Tanguay? Replace one? Replace both? Shoot self in the face?
- The Shadowmen currently have six P1 players on their roster, and a boat load of 1st rnd propsect picks. Which is both bizarre and unprecedented. Something will give in the off-season.
- Personally I expect that the following P1 s won't make it to be P2s; Stoll-C LA, Homqvist-L Nsh, Winchester-R Ott, Dupuis-R Pit, and Bowman-R Car. Kontiola-C Chi and Maclean-R Phx are on the bubble for the Edge - as neither is likely to crack their NHL rosters for a starting role anytime soon, but the Edge are down two mid-round picks so they may play it safe and give each of them another year. Sterling-C Atl, is also doubtful but the PV farm system is pretty bare so he may also get to stay. If they were all flushed I can't see any of them being a re-draft of any note.
- Speaking of a GM with a situation of 'something has gotta give', the Wolves have 8 P1s, 4 P2s, and 3 P3s - but only 8 slots to carry them. Even if the Wolves GM drafts some (all) of the P3s outright, there are still four too many players for the team. Which will make for some interesting off-season bartering for sure.
- The Scourge GM suggested he was surprised at the lack of deals towards the deadline in the FUNHL, but I'm not sure if he should have been. All of the top 3 teams made large deals to shore up weaknesses prior to (the Heads) or at the deadline (PV and Highlanders). The fourth, the Bladerunners, probably considered themselves too far back to be serious contenders warranting a blowup of their roster. In the case of the Scourge, the biggest prize would have been Campbell-D Chi, but only the PV had a defense corps that could have easily accomodated him, and the PV were already light on prospects to send back, and a1st (and likely Suter-D Nsh RFA) for Campbell would have been a high price to pay for a 1/5th of a season rental. In this case the simplest explanation is probably the best, the price for the asset was too high for the return expected. Factor in as well that the Highlanders, Bladerunners and Heads all were getting significant contributions from prospects (Backstrom, Kessel, Ryan and Green) that made parting with them - even in a package deal - unpalatable, and you have all the reasons necessary for teams to stick with what they had (more or less). Worth noting that the leaders did part with; Mueller, Tavares, and Stastny in deals down the stretch - so it isn't like they completely static.
GOY Candidate
Henrik Sedin pulls out the ole spin-o-rama, outside-inside fake, wrist-shot to the short side. Very nifty.
3/15/2009
Week 24 Line-ups
Game 3 of the Challenge Cup Playoffs (well for the Severed Heads and the Highlanders) and the final month of FunHL Hockey for this season.
You know the routine, please post your line-ups in the comments. Thanks again from your appreciative stats-keeper.
You know the routine, please post your line-ups in the comments. Thanks again from your appreciative stats-keeper.
Saturday's Results
Given the game differential today, the Vendetta should hold on to their victory against the Bladerunners and their Predator Cup lead but I'm still hoping for a good Sunday...
3/13/2009
Next Years FP Candidates
Here is my largely arbitrary ranking of the top 20 FP candidates for next year.
I used two main criteria for determining their rankings, their current level of performance, and their age. Comments to follow each.
20. Ollie Jokinen-C Calgary
He's among the top centers in the league now that he is on a team with complimentary offense, but Ollie is getting a little long in the tooth (30) to be a reliable for FP for more than a couple of years.
19. Jay Bouwmeester-D Fla (pending UFA)
Jay-Bo is the opposite of Jokinen. He is young, highly skilled, but on a crummy team, and it isn't clear yet where he will go or what his offensive support will look like. Could easily move way up the list if he goes to a top team willing to play him as the primary option on a loaded powerplay.
18. Patrick Marleau-C SJ
Has returned to ppg numbers as the shotgun on Thornton's wing. Unfortunately he is at a position that is relatively deep, and he isn't supplying overwhelming offense. Having been an FP previously and been dumped for poor play doesn't improve his chances either.
17. Dan Boyle-D SJ
He's among the top five in offense from the blue-line, but he is also past his expiration date as a bona fide cornerstone D-man you can rely on for more than a couple of seasons. Only the desperate need consider him seriously.
16. Evgeni Nabokov-G SJ
The third leg in the stool of Shark candidates Nabby has had one mega-elite season and several pretty good - including this year. At his age though it probably makes sense to consider other candidates.
15. Miika Kiprusoff-G Cgy
Having a fine bounce back year that places him amongst the better goaltenders, but (like Nabokov) he isn't a spring chicken anymore, and he has at least one turkey of a year to blot his resume. His save % has also steadily dipped since his super-elite season that saw him lead the Flames to the SC Finals. Not encouraging.
14. Niklas Backstrom-G Min
Plays in a defense first system, has excellent defensive support in front of him (including Brent Burns) leads the FUNHL in goaltending stats, and has just signed a four year deal at big $s. So he's got the resume, but he's also a late bloomer now over 30, and he has Josh Harding pushing him for his role. It wouldn't be out of the question that he become an FP, but it would be a big risk.
13. Vincent Lecavalier-C TBay
I believe he is destined to be the next Mike Modano in that he'll consistently post numbers that make him a top ten center, but never produce the kind of dominance or trust that make him an FP. His age (28) which was not long ago a factor in his favour is now starting to count against him.
12. Marc Savard-C Bos
Has made the case that he belongs amongst the top pivots in the league, but like Jokinen, Lecavalier, etc. his 30+ age makes him a risky bet to be the cornerstone of your franchise. Has one quality which might make him more attractive than the others in that he has on a couple of occasions posted 100+pims in a season - giving him some TG options.
11. Pavel Datsyuk-C/LW Det
In his favour are the gaudy offensive stats, and the primo position of being listed as a LW this year. Working against him are a history of sporadic injuries, a more reasonable consideration of his actual position as a center, and a birth certificate that has him over 30. Of all the pivots advanced in age, he is probably the most attractive because of his excellent stats this year.
The Top 10
10. Ryan Miller-G Buf
Seems like he's been around forever, but that has to do with his being a prospect twice over. He's a good age for a goaltender FP and at 28 is just hitting his prime. He has a solid defensive system in front of him, but unfortunately, not one as good as Nabokov, Kiprusoff, or Backstrom. Still of all the potential goalie FPs, his future is probably the brightest and longest.
9. Alexander Semin-L Wsh
Is one of the leagues most spectacular talents, with elite speed, superslick stickhandling, and an absolute bomb of a slapshot. At the first quarter pole he looked like a lock to be in the top 10 for goals and points. However his weaknesses are equally apparent. He is fragile to the point it is scary, accumulating injuries at a postively Nylanderish pace. His contract also works against him as he is the candidate to most likely to be moved by the Caps to keep room for the rest of their core. For all his other awesome abilities, he isn't a great assist generator as most of his helpers come off of his rebounds rather than his passes. And he reminds me too much of ultra-skilled wingers like Kovalev and Havlat who consistently find ways to undermine their elite skill sets. Also, he fights like a nancy.
8. Mike Richards-C Pha
The annointed 'Crosby-Stopper' is a throwback Bobby Clarke clone. He does it all; setup his linemates, score, fight and drag his team on his back as Captain. The biggest downside is that his talent cieling just isn't as high as others on the list - though you can guarantee he will maximize what he does have. He probably tops out as a 90 point guy with maybe one 100 point year if everything breaks his way, which still makes him a top 10 center, just not the kind that will bring home hardware other than the Selke.
7. Anze Kopitar-C LA
The opposite of Richards in that his talent cieling is much, much higher, but you wonder if the strapping kid with hair all one length will ever put all of his tools into the same box. If he does, he could be dominant, as his tool kit is impressive. He's got the speed, size, shot, passing ability and one on one moves to be an offensive mega-force. The talent surrounding the big Slovenian is weak, but improving, so we definitely haven't seen all he can do yet. Richards is probably the better choice for right now with his refined all-round game, but IMO Kopitar still has the better upside.
6. Thomas Vanek-L Buf
Trigger men like this don't come around very often. Vanek has that elite ability to one-touch rocket the puck to a corner of the net, and will score in bunches. His assist numbers are weak because of his focus on scoring, but he isn't a complete slouch at the passing game - it just isn't his big strenght. His age, position, and talent level make him a compelling option as FP, but his health (or lack thereof) continues to frustrate.
5. Shea Weber-D Nsh
He's the prototype defenseman, big, strong, excellent in his own end, runs the powerplay, and a horse for ice-time. Was atop the scoring board for defensemen for half the year, and continues to post decent numbers as the primary blue-line option for the Predators. On the downside, he's in Nashville, a team talent starved at forward - which will supress Weber's numbers until they can fix that deficit. The only other concern is that he could regress from his current state ala Ryan Whitney, so he isn't without risk. Just entering his prime, he's a solid candidate to post excellent numbers moving forward.
4. Ryan Getzlaf-C Ana
Just as Weber is a coaches dream defenseman, Getzlaf is the mold for a playmaking center. He's got the big body (6'4" 215), terrific wheels, passing ability and in close skills that make for a juggernaut in the offensive zone. He also has a partner in crime in Corey Perry to finish the sweet passes he makes, and the two form a high-octane tandem. As icing on the cake, Getzlaf also has a mean streak that can lead to above 100pim a year, making him a legit goon option at the center spot. Still scratching the surface of his potential, the only concern with him are his rather light goal scoring totals for a player of his talents.
3. Zach Parise-L NJ
Already a 40-40 man this year, he is clearly taking the step up to being an elite skill winger. A tad undersized, he nevertheless makes up for it with blazing speed, a sneaky shot and all-round craftiness. His hockey IQ is one of the highest in the league, and he's formed a lethal tandem with fading FP Patrick Elias. His age and skill level make him a perfect choice for FP. The downsides are that his team isn't known for maintaining a focus on offense, and that there is a history of one-or-two year wonders with the club (Gionta/Sykora come to mind). Still, his abilities are so apparent, it would be shocking not to see someone try to lock him up long term.
2. Dion Phaneuf-D Calgary
A very similar player to Shea Weber in that he has the prototype size, defensive ability, endurance and point-shot cannon to be a perrenial offensive force. Add in a nasty streak a mile wide that produces consistent 100pim seasons and he is an all-round monster. His offense is down somewhat this year, but his playing time and level of competition he faces are all up. IMO he'll adjust to both and continue to be the franchise defenseman for the Flames - as well as Wolves, moving forward.
1. Evgeni Malkin-C Pit
Has already got one 100 point season under his belt, is currently leading the league in scoring, and the argument can now be made he is a better all-round player and offensive force than either Crosby or Malkin. Will likely win the Art Ross and get serious Hart Trophy consideration. Whats more, he isn't dependent on Crosby for help (one might argue the opposite), he frequently carries weak linemates, and he has better size and shot than the Crosby-Show. Comparisons to Jagr are not unfounded, though he lacks some of Jagr's dazzling stick work and is a more responsible defensive player. With the Heads poised to offer him the big contract next year, Malkin will likely rock the Severed Heads jersey for a majority of his career.
I used two main criteria for determining their rankings, their current level of performance, and their age. Comments to follow each.
20. Ollie Jokinen-C Calgary
He's among the top centers in the league now that he is on a team with complimentary offense, but Ollie is getting a little long in the tooth (30) to be a reliable for FP for more than a couple of years.
19. Jay Bouwmeester-D Fla (pending UFA)
Jay-Bo is the opposite of Jokinen. He is young, highly skilled, but on a crummy team, and it isn't clear yet where he will go or what his offensive support will look like. Could easily move way up the list if he goes to a top team willing to play him as the primary option on a loaded powerplay.
18. Patrick Marleau-C SJ
Has returned to ppg numbers as the shotgun on Thornton's wing. Unfortunately he is at a position that is relatively deep, and he isn't supplying overwhelming offense. Having been an FP previously and been dumped for poor play doesn't improve his chances either.
17. Dan Boyle-D SJ
He's among the top five in offense from the blue-line, but he is also past his expiration date as a bona fide cornerstone D-man you can rely on for more than a couple of seasons. Only the desperate need consider him seriously.
16. Evgeni Nabokov-G SJ
The third leg in the stool of Shark candidates Nabby has had one mega-elite season and several pretty good - including this year. At his age though it probably makes sense to consider other candidates.
15. Miika Kiprusoff-G Cgy
Having a fine bounce back year that places him amongst the better goaltenders, but (like Nabokov) he isn't a spring chicken anymore, and he has at least one turkey of a year to blot his resume. His save % has also steadily dipped since his super-elite season that saw him lead the Flames to the SC Finals. Not encouraging.
14. Niklas Backstrom-G Min
Plays in a defense first system, has excellent defensive support in front of him (including Brent Burns) leads the FUNHL in goaltending stats, and has just signed a four year deal at big $s. So he's got the resume, but he's also a late bloomer now over 30, and he has Josh Harding pushing him for his role. It wouldn't be out of the question that he become an FP, but it would be a big risk.
13. Vincent Lecavalier-C TBay
I believe he is destined to be the next Mike Modano in that he'll consistently post numbers that make him a top ten center, but never produce the kind of dominance or trust that make him an FP. His age (28) which was not long ago a factor in his favour is now starting to count against him.
12. Marc Savard-C Bos
Has made the case that he belongs amongst the top pivots in the league, but like Jokinen, Lecavalier, etc. his 30+ age makes him a risky bet to be the cornerstone of your franchise. Has one quality which might make him more attractive than the others in that he has on a couple of occasions posted 100+pims in a season - giving him some TG options.
11. Pavel Datsyuk-C/LW Det
In his favour are the gaudy offensive stats, and the primo position of being listed as a LW this year. Working against him are a history of sporadic injuries, a more reasonable consideration of his actual position as a center, and a birth certificate that has him over 30. Of all the pivots advanced in age, he is probably the most attractive because of his excellent stats this year.
The Top 10
10. Ryan Miller-G Buf
Seems like he's been around forever, but that has to do with his being a prospect twice over. He's a good age for a goaltender FP and at 28 is just hitting his prime. He has a solid defensive system in front of him, but unfortunately, not one as good as Nabokov, Kiprusoff, or Backstrom. Still of all the potential goalie FPs, his future is probably the brightest and longest.
9. Alexander Semin-L Wsh
Is one of the leagues most spectacular talents, with elite speed, superslick stickhandling, and an absolute bomb of a slapshot. At the first quarter pole he looked like a lock to be in the top 10 for goals and points. However his weaknesses are equally apparent. He is fragile to the point it is scary, accumulating injuries at a postively Nylanderish pace. His contract also works against him as he is the candidate to most likely to be moved by the Caps to keep room for the rest of their core. For all his other awesome abilities, he isn't a great assist generator as most of his helpers come off of his rebounds rather than his passes. And he reminds me too much of ultra-skilled wingers like Kovalev and Havlat who consistently find ways to undermine their elite skill sets. Also, he fights like a nancy.
8. Mike Richards-C Pha
The annointed 'Crosby-Stopper' is a throwback Bobby Clarke clone. He does it all; setup his linemates, score, fight and drag his team on his back as Captain. The biggest downside is that his talent cieling just isn't as high as others on the list - though you can guarantee he will maximize what he does have. He probably tops out as a 90 point guy with maybe one 100 point year if everything breaks his way, which still makes him a top 10 center, just not the kind that will bring home hardware other than the Selke.
7. Anze Kopitar-C LA
The opposite of Richards in that his talent cieling is much, much higher, but you wonder if the strapping kid with hair all one length will ever put all of his tools into the same box. If he does, he could be dominant, as his tool kit is impressive. He's got the speed, size, shot, passing ability and one on one moves to be an offensive mega-force. The talent surrounding the big Slovenian is weak, but improving, so we definitely haven't seen all he can do yet. Richards is probably the better choice for right now with his refined all-round game, but IMO Kopitar still has the better upside.
6. Thomas Vanek-L Buf
Trigger men like this don't come around very often. Vanek has that elite ability to one-touch rocket the puck to a corner of the net, and will score in bunches. His assist numbers are weak because of his focus on scoring, but he isn't a complete slouch at the passing game - it just isn't his big strenght. His age, position, and talent level make him a compelling option as FP, but his health (or lack thereof) continues to frustrate.
5. Shea Weber-D Nsh
He's the prototype defenseman, big, strong, excellent in his own end, runs the powerplay, and a horse for ice-time. Was atop the scoring board for defensemen for half the year, and continues to post decent numbers as the primary blue-line option for the Predators. On the downside, he's in Nashville, a team talent starved at forward - which will supress Weber's numbers until they can fix that deficit. The only other concern is that he could regress from his current state ala Ryan Whitney, so he isn't without risk. Just entering his prime, he's a solid candidate to post excellent numbers moving forward.
4. Ryan Getzlaf-C Ana
Just as Weber is a coaches dream defenseman, Getzlaf is the mold for a playmaking center. He's got the big body (6'4" 215), terrific wheels, passing ability and in close skills that make for a juggernaut in the offensive zone. He also has a partner in crime in Corey Perry to finish the sweet passes he makes, and the two form a high-octane tandem. As icing on the cake, Getzlaf also has a mean streak that can lead to above 100pim a year, making him a legit goon option at the center spot. Still scratching the surface of his potential, the only concern with him are his rather light goal scoring totals for a player of his talents.
3. Zach Parise-L NJ
Already a 40-40 man this year, he is clearly taking the step up to being an elite skill winger. A tad undersized, he nevertheless makes up for it with blazing speed, a sneaky shot and all-round craftiness. His hockey IQ is one of the highest in the league, and he's formed a lethal tandem with fading FP Patrick Elias. His age and skill level make him a perfect choice for FP. The downsides are that his team isn't known for maintaining a focus on offense, and that there is a history of one-or-two year wonders with the club (Gionta/Sykora come to mind). Still, his abilities are so apparent, it would be shocking not to see someone try to lock him up long term.
2. Dion Phaneuf-D Calgary
A very similar player to Shea Weber in that he has the prototype size, defensive ability, endurance and point-shot cannon to be a perrenial offensive force. Add in a nasty streak a mile wide that produces consistent 100pim seasons and he is an all-round monster. His offense is down somewhat this year, but his playing time and level of competition he faces are all up. IMO he'll adjust to both and continue to be the franchise defenseman for the Flames - as well as Wolves, moving forward.
1. Evgeni Malkin-C Pit
Has already got one 100 point season under his belt, is currently leading the league in scoring, and the argument can now be made he is a better all-round player and offensive force than either Crosby or Malkin. Will likely win the Art Ross and get serious Hart Trophy consideration. Whats more, he isn't dependent on Crosby for help (one might argue the opposite), he frequently carries weak linemates, and he has better size and shot than the Crosby-Show. Comparisons to Jagr are not unfounded, though he lacks some of Jagr's dazzling stick work and is a more responsible defensive player. With the Heads poised to offer him the big contract next year, Malkin will likely rock the Severed Heads jersey for a majority of his career.
3/12/2009
Week 23, Wednesday Night's Stats
Quiet night on Wednesday with only 3 games. Tonight, however, there are 13 games on tap so we should get a better picture of where things are going after tonight.
The Years Top 10 Hockey Fights
Click here for a rundown (including video) of some of the top 10 fights of the year so far. Actually its just the top 6-10, 1-5 are in a future post.
Man, do I love Milan Lucic.
Man, do I love Milan Lucic.
3/11/2009
(FU)NHL Awards
If I were the sole arbiter of the NHL awards this year, based on their performances so far, here is how I would vote;
Art Ross: Evgeni Malkin. He has a 10 point gap on both Crosby and Ovechkin, and has held that lead for almost half a season. Despite periodic surges from both his competitors, neither have been able to reel in Geno at the top of the list. As of last night he has 30 goals, 65 assists and 95 points - and still has 14 games to pad his stats with.
Hart: Evgeni Malkin. When Crosby gets hurt Malkin actually gets better. Ovechkin would be the clear runner-up.
Rocket Richard: Alex Ovechkin. Likely to stay his for the future until he breaks something other than records.
Vezina: Niklas Backstrom. A solid case based on his numbers can be made for Tim Thomas, but Thomas was a waiver draft pickup and only played in 2/3 of the FUNHL season as a result. Backstrom however has played 56 games (11 more than Thomas) and has a GAA of 2.36, for a total (roughly) of 75 points in those 56 games. It's not unfair to say that he has been one of the main engines of the Personal Vendetta stay at the top of the leader board.
Norris: Mike Green. IMO this isn't even close. 58 points in 55 games - all offense. The only D-men close have played 10 more games, or have their PIM added in to pad their numbers. He's a future FP.
Calder: Bobby Ryan. This was tough, Steve Mason is going to lock this up rather easily in the NHL, but in the FUNHL he was only a WD2 pickup, and even then split his starts for his FUNHL team. Ryan's points have mostly come in the 2nd half of the season (he's only played 49 games) but a majority of them have actually counted towards his teams success. Alex Goligoski and Drew Doughty are also in the picture as both have made contributions to FUNHL teams for significant portions of the year.
Byng: Patrick Marleau in a squeaker over Pavel Datsyuk. Datsyuk has more points, but he also has 6 more PIM than Marleau. Marleau has maintained a PPG pace this year and only recorded 12 PIM. He's your winner.
Selke: Miiko Koivu. Plays for one of the stingiest teams in the league, regularily draws the opposing teams top offensive forwards, kills penalties, and manages to chip in just below ppg numbers despite weak linemates. He's officially a stud.
Adams: Darrell Mann of the Personal Vendetta. Its hard not to pick the guy in the lead as being the best coach as well as GM, but we can also look to his decision to play Duncan Keith for +/- over several weeks that resulted in a large net positive for the team, as example 'A' for why he deserves the award. He simply isn't making mistakes and is consistently making the right calls for his team.
Masterton: Patrick Elias. Written off more than loans at AIG or Lehman's Brothers, Elias has bounced back from Hepatitis to prove he can still have an elite season and avoid other injuries. He might even make the decision to release him from his FP contract a difficult one.
Art Ross: Evgeni Malkin. He has a 10 point gap on both Crosby and Ovechkin, and has held that lead for almost half a season. Despite periodic surges from both his competitors, neither have been able to reel in Geno at the top of the list. As of last night he has 30 goals, 65 assists and 95 points - and still has 14 games to pad his stats with.
Hart: Evgeni Malkin. When Crosby gets hurt Malkin actually gets better. Ovechkin would be the clear runner-up.
Rocket Richard: Alex Ovechkin. Likely to stay his for the future until he breaks something other than records.
Vezina: Niklas Backstrom. A solid case based on his numbers can be made for Tim Thomas, but Thomas was a waiver draft pickup and only played in 2/3 of the FUNHL season as a result. Backstrom however has played 56 games (11 more than Thomas) and has a GAA of 2.36, for a total (roughly) of 75 points in those 56 games. It's not unfair to say that he has been one of the main engines of the Personal Vendetta stay at the top of the leader board.
Norris: Mike Green. IMO this isn't even close. 58 points in 55 games - all offense. The only D-men close have played 10 more games, or have their PIM added in to pad their numbers. He's a future FP.
Calder: Bobby Ryan. This was tough, Steve Mason is going to lock this up rather easily in the NHL, but in the FUNHL he was only a WD2 pickup, and even then split his starts for his FUNHL team. Ryan's points have mostly come in the 2nd half of the season (he's only played 49 games) but a majority of them have actually counted towards his teams success. Alex Goligoski and Drew Doughty are also in the picture as both have made contributions to FUNHL teams for significant portions of the year.
Byng: Patrick Marleau in a squeaker over Pavel Datsyuk. Datsyuk has more points, but he also has 6 more PIM than Marleau. Marleau has maintained a PPG pace this year and only recorded 12 PIM. He's your winner.
Selke: Miiko Koivu. Plays for one of the stingiest teams in the league, regularily draws the opposing teams top offensive forwards, kills penalties, and manages to chip in just below ppg numbers despite weak linemates. He's officially a stud.
Adams: Darrell Mann of the Personal Vendetta. Its hard not to pick the guy in the lead as being the best coach as well as GM, but we can also look to his decision to play Duncan Keith for +/- over several weeks that resulted in a large net positive for the team, as example 'A' for why he deserves the award. He simply isn't making mistakes and is consistently making the right calls for his team.
Masterton: Patrick Elias. Written off more than loans at AIG or Lehman's Brothers, Elias has bounced back from Hepatitis to prove he can still have an elite season and avoid other injuries. He might even make the decision to release him from his FP contract a difficult one.
Week 22 Stats, corrected
Hi Guys,
Thanks to the Bladerunners and Vendetta GMs for their quick response to my stats query. The problem, as it has been most of the season, are minor discrepencies in goaltending stats. This year the good people at the NHL have decided to give their stats to CBS, ESPN, etc in a different format than they have since - well - the dawn of time. My spreadsheets had to be completely re-done. As a result goalie stats had to be calculated backwards because a goalie's minutes played is not expressly reported anymore in the regular sortable stats package (except by Yahoo!, more on that in a sec). I had found that this reverse-engineering of goalis stats would produce fractional pt errors but that these errors tended to work themselves out over the course of the season so I wasn't too worried about it. Until now. With the Challenge Cup races and the Predator Cup (and Herbivore) races being so close a fractional pt can be the difference between a win or a loss or 11th or 12th.
From here on in the final weekly stats will have goalie stats genereated manually by me for those races at the top and bottom, just so I'm sure we are handing out the hardware to the right person. My stats reports mid-week will be based on my spreadsheets and I'm pretty confident that by the end of this the fractional pt will not really matter but just so everyone is aware - I'm on it.
So, here was where we started the week. Congrats to Cam and Darrel for their Challenge Cup vicotries. Collin, sorry you start the week in 12th and not 11th - that said, you've closed the gap to a hair's breadth so you could pass Rob this week with only a little more luck. I hope to have stats up for the first two days of this week later today.
Oh, about Yahoo!. My intention is to revamp/restore my spreadsheets to their former glory over the summer with the intent of using Yahoo! next year as the cut and paste capture source for our stats - so buy stock :-)
3/10/2009
ABOUT TIME!
...assuming he misses next game anyway.... that a guy who is 'supposed' to have quality mending time has his turn. The only problem is that it is on a FUNHL team that doesn't deserve it.
Updated: March 10, 2009, 4:55 PM ET
Hawks offer no new details about HavlatComment Email Print Share Associated Press
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks are offering no new details on right winger Martin Havlat's lower body injury while saying he is day to day.
Havlat has played in all 64 games this season after missing 105 the previous three years because of shoulder injuries. But his status is in question after he went down in the second period of Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Team spokesman Brandon Faber said he did not practice Tuesday. The next game is at home against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.
Losing Havlat for an extended period would be a big blow for the Blackhawks. They are second in the Central division at 36-19-9 and are eyeing a playoff run. With 21 goals and 36 assists, he is tied for second on the team with 57 points and is having one of his best seasons.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
Updated: March 10, 2009, 4:55 PM ET
Hawks offer no new details about HavlatComment Email Print Share Associated Press
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks are offering no new details on right winger Martin Havlat's lower body injury while saying he is day to day.
Havlat has played in all 64 games this season after missing 105 the previous three years because of shoulder injuries. But his status is in question after he went down in the second period of Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Team spokesman Brandon Faber said he did not practice Tuesday. The next game is at home against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.
Losing Havlat for an extended period would be a big blow for the Blackhawks. They are second in the Central division at 36-19-9 and are eyeing a playoff run. With 21 goals and 36 assists, he is tied for second on the team with 57 points and is having one of his best seasons.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
Gary Roberts Retires
You can read a good synopsis of his career here.
As a heart-and-soul guy who was tough as nails and good in the locker room he was unparalleled. Pittsburgh brought him on board for a run at the finals to add grit and depth but also to help improve the fitness level of their stars, and for a guy who was 40 years old at the time, that speaks volumes.
Is he Hall of Fame worthy? Only I suspect to die-hard Leaf fans. He had only one 50 goal season, never cracked 100 points, and was only the 5th best player on his cup winning team (behind Nieuwendyk, MacInnis, Vernon, and Gilmour). In his career he played over 1200 games but didn't get to 500 goals or 1000 points - so the odds seem stacked against him.
He'll make a fine coach though, as he was someone who always demanded the most from himself and those around him, while also being very smart about the details of the game.
We may have seen the last of Gary Roberts the player, but I suspect we'll see more of him in the future behind a bench somewhere.
As a heart-and-soul guy who was tough as nails and good in the locker room he was unparalleled. Pittsburgh brought him on board for a run at the finals to add grit and depth but also to help improve the fitness level of their stars, and for a guy who was 40 years old at the time, that speaks volumes.
Is he Hall of Fame worthy? Only I suspect to die-hard Leaf fans. He had only one 50 goal season, never cracked 100 points, and was only the 5th best player on his cup winning team (behind Nieuwendyk, MacInnis, Vernon, and Gilmour). In his career he played over 1200 games but didn't get to 500 goals or 1000 points - so the odds seem stacked against him.
He'll make a fine coach though, as he was someone who always demanded the most from himself and those around him, while also being very smart about the details of the game.
We may have seen the last of Gary Roberts the player, but I suspect we'll see more of him in the future behind a bench somewhere.
Jersey FAIL
There is of course just a 48% chance of this happening, so the guy isn't way overboard. Personally, I'm now hoping he didn't waste his money. Tavares on Long Island is the perfect exile for the former Heads prospect.
More hilarious jersey fouls here.
3/09/2009
Week 22 Stats - Challenge Cup Playoffs, Game 1 Results
The Predator Cup Race is actually tightening as we move into the final few weeks. The Vendetta continue to lead the Highlanders but the Severed Heads, and even the Bladerunners, are drawing closer to make it a multi-team fight. At the bottom of the table the Edge and eked ahead of the Wolves and the fight to avoid the Herbivore will be the other big battle on the main board.
The Omnivore looks to be a lock for the Bladerunners, but a lot of movement traditionally takes place after the trade deadline so we will keep you posted.
The Challenge Cup playoffs got underway this past week with the home teams victorious. The Severed Heads won a fairly close fight against the Highlanders but the Bladerunners victory over the Personal Vendetta is so close that it may not be confirmed until week three of the playoffs. Barring prostest, I will give it to the Bladerunners but, obviously, Brian and Darrel will need to double check their numbers.
Game on.
3/07/2009
LEADER BOARD THROUGH FRIDAY
Thought I'd help out just a bit:
Through Friday:
PERSONAL VENDETTA 21.69
HIGHLANDERS 19.56
SEVERED HEADS 23.50
BLADERUNNERS 18.62
Through Friday:
PERSONAL VENDETTA 21.69
HIGHLANDERS 19.56
SEVERED HEADS 23.50
BLADERUNNERS 18.62
3/06/2009
Tyler Ennis Goals
If you go to the Medicine Hat Tigers webpage here, click on the 'Features' button under the video box and select 'Plays of the Week ending March 2nd'.
Make sure you check out the top 2 POW as Tyler Ennis flashes a tonne of skill for two very pretty highlight reel goals.
Make sure you check out the top 2 POW as Tyler Ennis flashes a tonne of skill for two very pretty highlight reel goals.
3/04/2009
Trade Deadline Day
I checked intermittently throughout the day on the action and had the following thoughts about todays many moves;
---> Tampa Bay: Petiot-D
---> Toronto: Kolzig-G, Heward-D, Rogers-D a 4th rnd pick
A salary dump on to the Leafs who accept the dump for a 4th rnd pick.
---> Buffalo: 2nd rnd pick
---> Edmonton: Kotalik-L
A useful big body who can play on different lines for a 2nd. Good deal for both teams.
---> Carolina: Cole-R Edm, 5th rnd pick
---> Edmonton: O'Sullivan-L, 2nd rnd pick
---> LA: Williams-R
Another deal where all sides win. O'Sullivan has oodles of untapped talent, but needs to find his way. Cole was unhappy and unproductive in Edmonton and returns to ride shotgun for Staal. The only headscratcher is that Cole is UFA and needs to be re-signed, making the deal risky for Car. Williams is older, and more consistent than O'Sullivan and should fit better into the chemistry of the Kings - if he can stay healthy.
---> San Jose: Moen-L, Huskins-D
---> Anaheim: Bonino-L, Pielmeyer-G, conditional 4th
Two prospects of dubious quality (though Pielmeyer as the 18th rated Duck prospect has a good chance at being a real live goaltender at some point) and a low pick for a high tempo checking winger and a depth defenseman. Yawn.
---> Chicago: Pahlsson-C, Stephenson-D, conditional pick
---> Anaheim: Kontiola-C, Wiseniewski-D
Two prosects of dubious quality (though Kontiola, as the 9th rated Blackhawks prospect, has a good chance at being a real live third line center at some point) and a low pick for a high tempo checking center and a depth defenseman. Yawn 2. The dismantling of the Ducks 3rd line for dubious prospects and marginal defenders is now complete.
---> Columbus: Lalande-G
---> Calgary: 4th rnd pick
According to my back of the envelope review (ok, so I actually looked up Hockey Future's depth chart) of Calgary goaltenders, Lalande falls somewhere after; Kiprusoff, McIllheney, Irving, Keetley and Spratt on the depth chart. Which is to say I believe we just got something for nothing.
---> Tampa Bay: Welch-D, 3rd rnd pick
---> Florida: Eminger-D
The funhouse in Tampa Bay just keeps on making people smile. That said, Welch and a 3rd is a pretty nice return on Steve 'Suitcase' Eminger.
---> Anaheim: Christensen-L
---> Atlanta: O'Dell-L
Once considered a key component of the Hossa trade, Christensen was just traded by Atlanta for a prospect Hockeys Future doesn't even have rated.
---> Rangers: Morris-D
---> Phoenix: Prucha-L, Dawe-L, Kalinin-D
Dawe is a decent AHL sniper who has never translated his game to the NHL except as an injury call-up (see Jamie Lundmark in Calgary for another example). Morris is definitely an upgrade on Kalinin - but an expensive one. Prucha being thin, small and weak, was included purely to make the money work as he has no exceptional talent except as the trigger man for a superstar like Jagr who can cover for all of his faults whilst setting him up in the slot, and I don't see anyone like that in Phoenix.
---> Rangers: Antropov-C
---> Toronto: 2nd rnd pick, conditional pick
Obviously all that talk of getting a 1st for Antropov was way overblown, but getting 2 picks - including a 2nd rounder for him is probably fair value. I do wonder what the #@*^%*$ Sather is thinking though. He now has three 2nd line centers on his roster (Drury, Gomez and Antropov) getting a fortune in cap-space. Antropov would have been a way better pickup by any number of teams looking to add to their depth - but the Rangers aren't one of them.
---> Philadelphia: Carcillo-L
---> Phoenix: Upshall-L, 2nd rnd pick
Carcillo is a much tougher, and also much slower version of Upshall, but has a slightly better contract (by half a million or so), and is signed for one more year than Upshall. Phoenix is clearly hoping they can use the holding rights to sign Upshall as a bonus to getting Carcillo for the 2nd, while Philly saved a little money and got another bully for Broadstreet.
---> Islanders: A 5th, 4th, or 3rd rnd pick
---> Penguins: Guerin-R
The conditions are on whether the Pens; miss the playoffs, make the playoffs but exit in the first round, or advance past the 1st - pretty nice return for a guy whose best days are long past him. The Penguins get a slightly less dinged up version of Gary Roberts for their playoff run. A win win in my books.
---> Tampa Bay: Lashoff-D, Karstums-L
---> Boston: Recchi-R, 2nd rnd pick
A rental character guy and a 2nd round pick for two prospects - one of whom (Lashoff) has a legit roster chance next year. Win-win.
---> Anaheim: Nokkelainen-L
---> Boston: Montador-D
A fringe left winger (from that dissapointing Finnish trio that includes Tukonen in LA) for a fringe defenseman in Montador. My junk for your junk. Everybody wins!
---> Buffalo: Tellqvist-G
---> Phoenix: 4th rnd pick
Buffalo needed goalie insurance, Phoenix needs...everything, and a 4th can only help.
---> Penguins: Wozniewski-D
---> St Louis: Richmond-D
Depth D-man swap. I'm trying hard to care, but its just not happening.
---> Ottawa: Leclaire-G, 2nd rnd pick
---> Columbus: Vermette-C
I love this deal for Ottawa, they get a legit NHL goaltender AND a 2nd rnd pick for a light scoring high speed 3rd line center. Nice. I see the upside for Columbus in this, Vermette fills a gaping hole in the middle, and his all-round game is likely to appeal to Hitchcock, while Leclaire was redundant for the team with the emergence of Mason - not to mention chronically injured. Still, I think Murray just crapped himself at his good fortune today.
---> Calgary: Leopold-D
---> Colorado: Nycholat-D, Wilson-D, 2nd rnd pick
Sweet. Leopold can easily play in Calgary's top four and gives them a huge depth advantage over many teams as we wheel into the playoffs. Wilson is a way below the radar prospect, and Nycholat is pure salary dump - so its really Leopold for a 2nd, which rocks.
---> Calgary: Jokinen-C, 3rd rnd pick
---> Phoenix: Lombardi-C, Prust-L, conditional 1st
A steaming cup of AWESOME. Jokinen is just shy of being a franchise caliber pivot. He's 6'3", 215, has brawn, speed, and a high skill level to go with near elite playmaking ability. The only knock on him is that he has always played for loser teams that don't make the playoffs - as if that was always his fault. Bonus points - Keenan loves him, and Ollie loves Keenan back - so we can expect to get a maximum return on his potential - which is considerable. Lombardi to be fair is a quality NHL player with elite speed, but he's never put all his tools into the same toolbox. After watching him for years I'm convinced he's a slightly more versatile Paul Ranheim clone. He can play a great checking role on a third line. Prust is a dime-a-dozen energy line winger who can drop the gloves. He's a player, just not a great one, or even really, a good one. Losing the first will hurt the teams depth in the long run, but with the Flames close to being among the elite contenders, its the right time to sacrifice the future.
---> Tampa Bay: Petiot-D
---> Toronto: Kolzig-G, Heward-D, Rogers-D a 4th rnd pick
A salary dump on to the Leafs who accept the dump for a 4th rnd pick.
---> Buffalo: 2nd rnd pick
---> Edmonton: Kotalik-L
A useful big body who can play on different lines for a 2nd. Good deal for both teams.
---> Carolina: Cole-R Edm, 5th rnd pick
---> Edmonton: O'Sullivan-L, 2nd rnd pick
---> LA: Williams-R
Another deal where all sides win. O'Sullivan has oodles of untapped talent, but needs to find his way. Cole was unhappy and unproductive in Edmonton and returns to ride shotgun for Staal. The only headscratcher is that Cole is UFA and needs to be re-signed, making the deal risky for Car. Williams is older, and more consistent than O'Sullivan and should fit better into the chemistry of the Kings - if he can stay healthy.
---> San Jose: Moen-L, Huskins-D
---> Anaheim: Bonino-L, Pielmeyer-G, conditional 4th
Two prospects of dubious quality (though Pielmeyer as the 18th rated Duck prospect has a good chance at being a real live goaltender at some point) and a low pick for a high tempo checking winger and a depth defenseman. Yawn.
---> Chicago: Pahlsson-C, Stephenson-D, conditional pick
---> Anaheim: Kontiola-C, Wiseniewski-D
Two prosects of dubious quality (though Kontiola, as the 9th rated Blackhawks prospect, has a good chance at being a real live third line center at some point) and a low pick for a high tempo checking center and a depth defenseman. Yawn 2. The dismantling of the Ducks 3rd line for dubious prospects and marginal defenders is now complete.
---> Columbus: Lalande-G
---> Calgary: 4th rnd pick
According to my back of the envelope review (ok, so I actually looked up Hockey Future's depth chart) of Calgary goaltenders, Lalande falls somewhere after; Kiprusoff, McIllheney, Irving, Keetley and Spratt on the depth chart. Which is to say I believe we just got something for nothing.
---> Tampa Bay: Welch-D, 3rd rnd pick
---> Florida: Eminger-D
The funhouse in Tampa Bay just keeps on making people smile. That said, Welch and a 3rd is a pretty nice return on Steve 'Suitcase' Eminger.
---> Anaheim: Christensen-L
---> Atlanta: O'Dell-L
Once considered a key component of the Hossa trade, Christensen was just traded by Atlanta for a prospect Hockeys Future doesn't even have rated.
---> Rangers: Morris-D
---> Phoenix: Prucha-L, Dawe-L, Kalinin-D
Dawe is a decent AHL sniper who has never translated his game to the NHL except as an injury call-up (see Jamie Lundmark in Calgary for another example). Morris is definitely an upgrade on Kalinin - but an expensive one. Prucha being thin, small and weak, was included purely to make the money work as he has no exceptional talent except as the trigger man for a superstar like Jagr who can cover for all of his faults whilst setting him up in the slot, and I don't see anyone like that in Phoenix.
---> Rangers: Antropov-C
---> Toronto: 2nd rnd pick, conditional pick
Obviously all that talk of getting a 1st for Antropov was way overblown, but getting 2 picks - including a 2nd rounder for him is probably fair value. I do wonder what the #@*^%*$ Sather is thinking though. He now has three 2nd line centers on his roster (Drury, Gomez and Antropov) getting a fortune in cap-space. Antropov would have been a way better pickup by any number of teams looking to add to their depth - but the Rangers aren't one of them.
---> Philadelphia: Carcillo-L
---> Phoenix: Upshall-L, 2nd rnd pick
Carcillo is a much tougher, and also much slower version of Upshall, but has a slightly better contract (by half a million or so), and is signed for one more year than Upshall. Phoenix is clearly hoping they can use the holding rights to sign Upshall as a bonus to getting Carcillo for the 2nd, while Philly saved a little money and got another bully for Broadstreet.
---> Islanders: A 5th, 4th, or 3rd rnd pick
---> Penguins: Guerin-R
The conditions are on whether the Pens; miss the playoffs, make the playoffs but exit in the first round, or advance past the 1st - pretty nice return for a guy whose best days are long past him. The Penguins get a slightly less dinged up version of Gary Roberts for their playoff run. A win win in my books.
---> Tampa Bay: Lashoff-D, Karstums-L
---> Boston: Recchi-R, 2nd rnd pick
A rental character guy and a 2nd round pick for two prospects - one of whom (Lashoff) has a legit roster chance next year. Win-win.
---> Anaheim: Nokkelainen-L
---> Boston: Montador-D
A fringe left winger (from that dissapointing Finnish trio that includes Tukonen in LA) for a fringe defenseman in Montador. My junk for your junk. Everybody wins!
---> Buffalo: Tellqvist-G
---> Phoenix: 4th rnd pick
Buffalo needed goalie insurance, Phoenix needs...everything, and a 4th can only help.
---> Penguins: Wozniewski-D
---> St Louis: Richmond-D
Depth D-man swap. I'm trying hard to care, but its just not happening.
---> Ottawa: Leclaire-G, 2nd rnd pick
---> Columbus: Vermette-C
I love this deal for Ottawa, they get a legit NHL goaltender AND a 2nd rnd pick for a light scoring high speed 3rd line center. Nice. I see the upside for Columbus in this, Vermette fills a gaping hole in the middle, and his all-round game is likely to appeal to Hitchcock, while Leclaire was redundant for the team with the emergence of Mason - not to mention chronically injured. Still, I think Murray just crapped himself at his good fortune today.
---> Calgary: Leopold-D
---> Colorado: Nycholat-D, Wilson-D, 2nd rnd pick
Sweet. Leopold can easily play in Calgary's top four and gives them a huge depth advantage over many teams as we wheel into the playoffs. Wilson is a way below the radar prospect, and Nycholat is pure salary dump - so its really Leopold for a 2nd, which rocks.
---> Calgary: Jokinen-C, 3rd rnd pick
---> Phoenix: Lombardi-C, Prust-L, conditional 1st
A steaming cup of AWESOME. Jokinen is just shy of being a franchise caliber pivot. He's 6'3", 215, has brawn, speed, and a high skill level to go with near elite playmaking ability. The only knock on him is that he has always played for loser teams that don't make the playoffs - as if that was always his fault. Bonus points - Keenan loves him, and Ollie loves Keenan back - so we can expect to get a maximum return on his potential - which is considerable. Lombardi to be fair is a quality NHL player with elite speed, but he's never put all his tools into the same toolbox. After watching him for years I'm convinced he's a slightly more versatile Paul Ranheim clone. He can play a great checking role on a third line. Prust is a dime-a-dozen energy line winger who can drop the gloves. He's a player, just not a great one, or even really, a good one. Losing the first will hurt the teams depth in the long run, but with the Flames close to being among the elite contenders, its the right time to sacrifice the future.
GOY Candidate
I'm convinced that Semin will be an eventual salary cap casualty in Washington, but for now he can treat Cap fans like this.
3/03/2009
Blogroll Updates
As the season has progressed the blogroll on the right hand side has evolved as well.
For example, one of the more excellent blogs the last two years has been 'The Battle of Alberta' - it had a stable of 3-4 guys dedicated to writing posts on Cgy and Edm games, and their long running feuds with each other made for excellent reading. Sadly, they are now down to just one author, and he has just indicated he is winding the blog down.
However, one of the exiting writers is now doing a Flames blog called 'Matchsticks and Gasoline', and its of a similar quality to what BoA had been.
'Theory of Ice' a Habs blog, and 'Eddy Spaghetti', a Penguins blog have all but given up the ghost as well. I've replaced Eddy Spaghetti with more consistently good 'Pensblog', but as of yet, have no favourite to replace ToI.
So...I've weeded them out.
I've also resorted the listing based more on my usage. Puck Daddy and Illegal Curve get daily visits from me - hence they have moved to the top. Both are excellent blogs. Puck Daddy because it does everything well and with a wicked sense of humour, Illegal Curve because despite its more amateurish look has the best link resources to NHL news across the league.
In any case, there are gazillion blogs out there that might be of interest, so if you have something you think deserves the pools attention, by all means put a link in the comments section or send it to me directly for addition.
For example, one of the more excellent blogs the last two years has been 'The Battle of Alberta' - it had a stable of 3-4 guys dedicated to writing posts on Cgy and Edm games, and their long running feuds with each other made for excellent reading. Sadly, they are now down to just one author, and he has just indicated he is winding the blog down.
However, one of the exiting writers is now doing a Flames blog called 'Matchsticks and Gasoline', and its of a similar quality to what BoA had been.
'Theory of Ice' a Habs blog, and 'Eddy Spaghetti', a Penguins blog have all but given up the ghost as well. I've replaced Eddy Spaghetti with more consistently good 'Pensblog', but as of yet, have no favourite to replace ToI.
So...I've weeded them out.
I've also resorted the listing based more on my usage. Puck Daddy and Illegal Curve get daily visits from me - hence they have moved to the top. Both are excellent blogs. Puck Daddy because it does everything well and with a wicked sense of humour, Illegal Curve because despite its more amateurish look has the best link resources to NHL news across the league.
In any case, there are gazillion blogs out there that might be of interest, so if you have something you think deserves the pools attention, by all means put a link in the comments section or send it to me directly for addition.
3/02/2009
Week 21 Stats - Challenge Cup Regular Season Comes to End
Congrats to the Bladerunners for finishing first in the Challenge Cup Regular season, their prize - a playoff date with the Predator Cup-Leading Personal Vendetta. The best of three FunHL Semi-Final will pit two former Challenge Cup Champions against each other with the "experience" factor having to go to the Vendetta who have won the Challenge Cup Three Times - most recently in 2004, before the lock-out. The Bladerunners won their only Challenge Cup post-lockout in 2006.
The second Semi-Final sees the two-time Challenge Cup and Defending Champion Severed Heads face off against traditional rival the Highlanders, who won their only Challenge Cup in 2007.
This season the Bladerunners swept the Vendetta in both week 6 and 18 while the Highlanders and Severed Heads split their two meetings. Historically, the Bladerunners and Vendetta have never meet in the Semi-Finals before but have split the two times they meet in the Challenge Cup Finals. The Highlanders and Severed Heads have both swept the other once in their two previous first-round meetings - haveing never met in the Challenge Cup Final.
In the Predator Cup race, the Vendetta continue to lead though both the Severed Heads and Bladerunners have gained ground while at the bottom of the table the Edge and withing spitting distance of the free-falling Wolves.
3/01/2009
Week 22 Line-Ups
As usual, please post your line-ups in one convenient place for our beloved statistician...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)