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2/23/2015
2/22/2015
Week 21 FUNHL Line-ups
Please post your line-ups here.
FUNHL trade deadline is March 9th at 6PM MST
Good luck.
2/17/2015
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2/16/2015
2/09/2015
The Stretch Run - Week 19 Line-ups
Well With Eight Weeks (more or less) to go and will anyone catch Cameron?
WD2 was well-attended only missing 3 GMs...There was some fun in there for all.
Please post your Week 19 Line-ups here.
Thank-you!
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2/06/2015
FUNHL News and Notes II
- The Highlander crash in the standings is attributable largely to a decision to ride the plus minus train. Sadly, it ran him over. It's not the attempt that I think was faulty (it at least makes sense in theory) but in this case, it's the execution. Minnesota? Really?
- At the beginning of the year, I would have bet money that one of the best sophomores would be Thomas Hertl of the Sharks. Not so much. The team ahead of him is stacked, and the Sharks seem content to have him develop further down the roster.
- Remember how we used to wish that Scott Niedermayer were on another team, any other team really, so that we could be treated to his offensive powers without the shackles of a trap first coach intent on killing all the fun in the universe? I feel that way about Drew Doughty.
- With all the hell raining down on the Kings lately, what with the Voynov garbage, the Richards' contract, theplummetting playoff fotunes, injuries to uber-prospects Pearson and Toffoli, and Quick losing his mojo, it makes me wonder if someone in management asked for their soul back.
- Here's a thought to give you the heebie jeebies, the Kings miss the playoffs - and then win the McDavid lottery.
- I have to say I am not a fan of how the Canadiens have built their team. The defense is good to great, with Subban being an All-World defender, but the best forwards are all on the wing, and Plecanek is just not my idea of a #1 C. Galchenyuk was being groomed for the #1C job, but has been vocal about preferring life on LW. That all said, Carey Price is the kind of goalie who can cover up just about any structural weakness.
- You can extend that comparison further to Boston, with the biggest difference being that while Kreijci is a fair approximation of Plecanek, there simply is no Montreal equivalent for the two-way force at center that is Patrice Bergeron.
- One player I am very glad I didn't get when my list said I should is Jason Spezza. He just isn't in the same galaxy offensively compared to where he was 5 years ago, and that lack of production is one reason why the Ramapithicines aren't closer to the top.
- I will be surprised if Jamie Benn isn't among the top candidates to be a new FP. That guy is a total beast when he gets rolling.
- I work with a recovering Leafs fan, and if he is to be believed Phaneuf is Satan. Expensive, underperforming, and signed long-term, we often discuss who T.O. might be able to trade him for (his intitial suggestion that Edm would part with their 2015 1st rnd pick for him was met with resounding laughter). So far, we haven't come up with a good answer. The one team that has the cap space to absorb that contract, cheap young assets they could send back, and a hole on the 2nd pairing that Phaneuf might adequately fill...is Calgary, and I just don't see the Flames wanting 'Neon-Dion' back.
- Which illustrates what a disaster the Leafs roster is as constructed by Dave Nonis. Nonis extended Phaneuf his $7Mx7years deal that is now a tungsten handcuff on management. Nonis was the one who went whale hunting and signed Clarckson to his obscene contract, and so on. Clarckson's is in particular terrifically evil. Not only does it run for another 6 years, not only is it for just under $6M, but the agent for Clarckson made it all but buyout bullet-proof. When you buy out a contract you have to pay 2/3rds of the value of the total contract to the player (not including bonusses which must be paid in full), and then take a cap-hit for half the annual value for double the length of the deal. But Clarckson's agent earned his pay day, as the majority of money owed to Clarckson is actually designated as 'bonus money' which means that the team has to pay those $s in full, and he would be getting much closer to the full ticket on the buy out. Worse, the cap hit would be close to $3M a year, for another DECADE, just to make him go away.
- Another guy who I think will get serious consideration as an FP is Johanssen of the Blue Jackets. Power pivots like him don't come along very often, and his youth and high ceiling are very attractive. That said, his team, and history of antagonistic contract negotiations isn't.
- At the beginning of the year, I would have bet money that one of the best sophomores would be Thomas Hertl of the Sharks. Not so much. The team ahead of him is stacked, and the Sharks seem content to have him develop further down the roster.
- Remember how we used to wish that Scott Niedermayer were on another team, any other team really, so that we could be treated to his offensive powers without the shackles of a trap first coach intent on killing all the fun in the universe? I feel that way about Drew Doughty.
- With all the hell raining down on the Kings lately, what with the Voynov garbage, the Richards' contract, theplummetting playoff fotunes, injuries to uber-prospects Pearson and Toffoli, and Quick losing his mojo, it makes me wonder if someone in management asked for their soul back.
- Here's a thought to give you the heebie jeebies, the Kings miss the playoffs - and then win the McDavid lottery.
- I have to say I am not a fan of how the Canadiens have built their team. The defense is good to great, with Subban being an All-World defender, but the best forwards are all on the wing, and Plecanek is just not my idea of a #1 C. Galchenyuk was being groomed for the #1C job, but has been vocal about preferring life on LW. That all said, Carey Price is the kind of goalie who can cover up just about any structural weakness.
- You can extend that comparison further to Boston, with the biggest difference being that while Kreijci is a fair approximation of Plecanek, there simply is no Montreal equivalent for the two-way force at center that is Patrice Bergeron.
- One player I am very glad I didn't get when my list said I should is Jason Spezza. He just isn't in the same galaxy offensively compared to where he was 5 years ago, and that lack of production is one reason why the Ramapithicines aren't closer to the top.
- I will be surprised if Jamie Benn isn't among the top candidates to be a new FP. That guy is a total beast when he gets rolling.
- I work with a recovering Leafs fan, and if he is to be believed Phaneuf is Satan. Expensive, underperforming, and signed long-term, we often discuss who T.O. might be able to trade him for (his intitial suggestion that Edm would part with their 2015 1st rnd pick for him was met with resounding laughter). So far, we haven't come up with a good answer. The one team that has the cap space to absorb that contract, cheap young assets they could send back, and a hole on the 2nd pairing that Phaneuf might adequately fill...is Calgary, and I just don't see the Flames wanting 'Neon-Dion' back.
- Which illustrates what a disaster the Leafs roster is as constructed by Dave Nonis. Nonis extended Phaneuf his $7Mx7years deal that is now a tungsten handcuff on management. Nonis was the one who went whale hunting and signed Clarckson to his obscene contract, and so on. Clarckson's is in particular terrifically evil. Not only does it run for another 6 years, not only is it for just under $6M, but the agent for Clarckson made it all but buyout bullet-proof. When you buy out a contract you have to pay 2/3rds of the value of the total contract to the player (not including bonusses which must be paid in full), and then take a cap-hit for half the annual value for double the length of the deal. But Clarckson's agent earned his pay day, as the majority of money owed to Clarckson is actually designated as 'bonus money' which means that the team has to pay those $s in full, and he would be getting much closer to the full ticket on the buy out. Worse, the cap hit would be close to $3M a year, for another DECADE, just to make him go away.
- Another guy who I think will get serious consideration as an FP is Johanssen of the Blue Jackets. Power pivots like him don't come along very often, and his youth and high ceiling are very attractive. That said, his team, and history of antagonistic contract negotiations isn't.
2/05/2015
FUNHL News and Notes Part I
Ok, so here we are coming up on WD2, and I still haven't finished the team profiles.
I suck. I know.
So here's a NandN to get you through the crushing disappointment;
- Todd Nelson has the Oilers playing better. Much better. That said, they were unbelievably unlucky and snakebit prior to his arrival, so it could be just the natural order of the universe reasserting itself. All of which means the Oilers might not have as good a shot at McEichel as the fans would have believed. I could see them drafting anywhere from 2 thru 5, depending on the bounces the rest of the way.
- One guy who hasn't improved much is Taylor Hall, who is having a year from hell. I had him on a short list for possible FPs, but this year has me doubt whether that will ever happen.
- Jakub Voracek on the other hand is having his career season before our eyes. Will he outscore Giroux the rest of the way? I doubt it, but stranger things have happened. The best comparable I have for Voracek is that he is playing like a young Marian Hossa, a big strong, scoring winger with excellent defensive abilities. Hall may haved dropped himself off the FP list, but Voracek may well have moved himself on to it.
- Every once in a while Nail Yakupov will take off on a skate where he breezes by several guys effortlessly, or he unleashes hell with a slapshot that stinks of sulfur, but these events are still few and far between. There is an elite player in there, somewhere. I just don't think Edmonton will be the team to bring it out of him though.
- I love me some Dougie Hamilton. With Chara clearly no longer the immovable object at the center of Boston's D, Hamilton has gradually added to his game to the point where you can see he'll be the heir apparent. Chara isn't done. Yet. But you can see the end of his track from here, and with it Boston's window is slamming shut, unless Hamilton can keep it forced open.
- If Edmonton had added; Grabovski, Kulemin, Leddy and Boychuk, (and had signed Derek Roy in the off-season rather than trading for him after wasting Draisaitl's first season), it might be them recieving all the plaudits that Garth Snow is now getting. Garth. Snow. I'm still getting used to him not being the punchline.
- I have to think that Kesler's time as a top 2 line pivot in the FUNHL is rapidly coming to a close. His game is perfect for Anaheim, but his offensive abilities appear to be deserting him.
- By all accounts Mike Ribeiro has had a remarkable turn around in Nashville. He successfully completed a stint in the NHL substance abuse program, and getting clean has helped his offensive stats return to his historic norms. Good story.
- One guy I really liked to have a breakout season was Tyson Barrie. But...not so much. You can blame the team's D corps around him (weak), the loss Varlamov for much of the year, or the moon being in the 7th house of Apollo, but the upshot is Barrie hasn't taken that next step.
- So I was looking over Bob''s roster and I noticed something odd....he hasn't traded his entire defense yet, and he still has more than half his forward roster remaining from the beginning of the year. WHAT IS HAPPENING?? IS THIS EVEN REAL? I suspect that this has more to do with it being a soft trade market than Bob losing his mojo, but still, weird.
- Bob's selection of Noah Hanifin could be excellent, or 'meh'. He's big, exceptionally mobile, and has terrific hockey sense, but he may lack the killer offensive instincts that separate the Erik Karlsson's from the Jay Bouwmeesters. Very curious to see where he lands (Edmonton would probably LOVE him).
- He may not be responsible for all of LAs problems, but Jonathon Quick really isn't helping. Personally I hate Sutter's coaching style, and the Kings are boredom on ice unless Kopitar or Doughty are over the boards, but along with those two, Quick was the capstone, and without him posting an elite save% the Kings are in serious trouble.
- Chris Kunitz has been a nice fit next to Crosby for the last few years, but the veteran winger is nearing the edge of his abilities. No longer a spring chicken, his contract $s may make him expendable moving forward.
I suck. I know.
So here's a NandN to get you through the crushing disappointment;
- Todd Nelson has the Oilers playing better. Much better. That said, they were unbelievably unlucky and snakebit prior to his arrival, so it could be just the natural order of the universe reasserting itself. All of which means the Oilers might not have as good a shot at McEichel as the fans would have believed. I could see them drafting anywhere from 2 thru 5, depending on the bounces the rest of the way.
- One guy who hasn't improved much is Taylor Hall, who is having a year from hell. I had him on a short list for possible FPs, but this year has me doubt whether that will ever happen.
- Jakub Voracek on the other hand is having his career season before our eyes. Will he outscore Giroux the rest of the way? I doubt it, but stranger things have happened. The best comparable I have for Voracek is that he is playing like a young Marian Hossa, a big strong, scoring winger with excellent defensive abilities. Hall may haved dropped himself off the FP list, but Voracek may well have moved himself on to it.
- Every once in a while Nail Yakupov will take off on a skate where he breezes by several guys effortlessly, or he unleashes hell with a slapshot that stinks of sulfur, but these events are still few and far between. There is an elite player in there, somewhere. I just don't think Edmonton will be the team to bring it out of him though.
- I love me some Dougie Hamilton. With Chara clearly no longer the immovable object at the center of Boston's D, Hamilton has gradually added to his game to the point where you can see he'll be the heir apparent. Chara isn't done. Yet. But you can see the end of his track from here, and with it Boston's window is slamming shut, unless Hamilton can keep it forced open.
- If Edmonton had added; Grabovski, Kulemin, Leddy and Boychuk, (and had signed Derek Roy in the off-season rather than trading for him after wasting Draisaitl's first season), it might be them recieving all the plaudits that Garth Snow is now getting. Garth. Snow. I'm still getting used to him not being the punchline.
- I have to think that Kesler's time as a top 2 line pivot in the FUNHL is rapidly coming to a close. His game is perfect for Anaheim, but his offensive abilities appear to be deserting him.
- By all accounts Mike Ribeiro has had a remarkable turn around in Nashville. He successfully completed a stint in the NHL substance abuse program, and getting clean has helped his offensive stats return to his historic norms. Good story.
- One guy I really liked to have a breakout season was Tyson Barrie. But...not so much. You can blame the team's D corps around him (weak), the loss Varlamov for much of the year, or the moon being in the 7th house of Apollo, but the upshot is Barrie hasn't taken that next step.
- So I was looking over Bob''s roster and I noticed something odd....he hasn't traded his entire defense yet, and he still has more than half his forward roster remaining from the beginning of the year. WHAT IS HAPPENING?? IS THIS EVEN REAL? I suspect that this has more to do with it being a soft trade market than Bob losing his mojo, but still, weird.
- Bob's selection of Noah Hanifin could be excellent, or 'meh'. He's big, exceptionally mobile, and has terrific hockey sense, but he may lack the killer offensive instincts that separate the Erik Karlsson's from the Jay Bouwmeesters. Very curious to see where he lands (Edmonton would probably LOVE him).
- He may not be responsible for all of LAs problems, but Jonathon Quick really isn't helping. Personally I hate Sutter's coaching style, and the Kings are boredom on ice unless Kopitar or Doughty are over the boards, but along with those two, Quick was the capstone, and without him posting an elite save% the Kings are in serious trouble.
- Chris Kunitz has been a nice fit next to Crosby for the last few years, but the veteran winger is nearing the edge of his abilities. No longer a spring chicken, his contract $s may make him expendable moving forward.
2/02/2015
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Week 18 Line-ups - Pre-WD2; provisional drops please; WD2 drop Deadline Friday Feb 6th at 6pm mst
WD2 will be Sat. Feb 7th at 1pm MST
Remember your drops - hence title of Blog post.
Please your line-ups here
The Week 17 stats will give the order for the WD2 drafting. Neither the Scourge nor the Severed Heads have their 1st rnd picks due their use of the IR rule.
Thanks to Doug who is doing Yeomen service catching us up statistically!
Again, Week 18 line-ups placed here please (or I'll do it as per usual)
Thank you!
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