Eric Maltais recently hosted the third annual Industry Experts Fantasy League. DobberHockey has always had a strong presense in this one – Dobber exploded out of the gates the first year, leading for the better part of five months before injuries took the big man down in the final weeks. Last season, DobberHockey's Maltais won the whole she-bang. This year will be no different.

 

The format has changed this year to that of a keeper league. Below is an uncensored account of the draft from Eric Maltais (okay – it's censored once…Dobber's call!)

 

Draft Diary

 

 

Thursday night was the draft for the Industry Experts league, which is in its third season. TSN's Scott Cullen won the league in its initial season while yours truly finished at the top of the 15 experts last season. The league was converted to a 12-team keeper league this year where each team will be able to keep four players with a maximum of one goaltender the following season.

 

 

Here are the league participants;

 

 

Eric Maltais –  Dobber Hockey

Jeff Angus – Dobber Hockey

Ray Flowers – Fanball

Scott Cullen – TSN

Ian Gooding – FantasyHockey.com

Jan Levine – Rotowire

John Topper – Rotowire

Gus Katsaros – McKeens Hockey

Matt Romig – Yahoo! Sports

Michael Finewax – Rotoworld

Nicolas Chabot – The Sports Forecaster

Rocky Bonnano – NHL.com

 

 

Rosters: C, C, C, C, LW, LW, LW, LW, RW, RW, RW, RW, D, D, D, D, D, D, G, G, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, IR, IR 

 

 

Scoring categories: G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG, W, GAA, SV%

 

 

The following are my thoughts written during the draft, an insight in my mind while I processed the goings as picks were made.

 

 

8:30 – Draft is in 30 minutes I'm about to log on hoping to get one of the top three picks so I can draft Ovechkin, Crosby or Malkin. There are plenty of other young studs available, but the drop-off is big after the top three.

 

 

8:32 – Draft room is open, I log on and %*&@, I got the fourth pick, I really wanted top 3 or something later. I'm really tempted to go with Zetterberg but his injury history scares me. On the other hand he was awesome during the playoffs and is a five-category stud. So is Dany Heatley . There's also Iginla but he's four years older than Zetterberg and Iginla. And there’s still Thornton.

 

 

8:55 – Zetterberg is fourth in my queue, the fact that he plays with Detroit who is so awesomely strong this year ways in his favor. I'll be looking for a goaltender in the second round.

 

 

8:59 – Draft is about to start and I change my mind scared off by Zetterberg's bad back. Seconds are counting down; I'm hoping a goalie goes in the top three, nervous to find out.

 

 Round 1 

 

Draft starts quickly the top three go as expected and I take Heatley and Iginla goes right after. Unlike the last two years no goalies have gone in the top five.

 

 

Zetterberg went after Iginla and then Brodeur is the first goalie taken, followed by Luongo, I wonder if we'll see a goalie run. Nabokov is the only other goalie to go in the first round so I'm confident to get a good one in the second round

 

 

1.	Alexander Ovechkin	Sports Forecaster
2.	Sidney Crosby	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Evgeni Malkin	TSN.ca
4.	Dany Heatley	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Jarome Iginla	NHL.com
6.	Henrik Zetterberg	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Martin Brodeur	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Roberto Luongo	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Joe Thornton	Fanball
10.	Evgeni Nabokov	Rotoworld
11.	Vincent Lecavalier	McKeens Hockey
12.	Ilya Kovalchuk	Yahoo!

 

Round 2 

 

Lundqvist and Turco go back-to-back to start the second round. I'll probably draft goalies with my next two picks; this crowd always drafts goalies early. Carey Price is tops in my queue. Three picks to go I'm nervous, Fleury and Giguere went off the board, one pick and then I take Price.

 

 

YES!!!! Getzlaf is drafted leaving me Price. I got my goalie for the next 10 years!

 

 

1.	Henrik Lundqvist	Yahoo!
2.	Marty Turco	McKeens Hockey
3.	Dion Phaneuf	Rotoworld
4.	Marc-Andre Fleury	Fanball
5.	Marian Hossa	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Pavel Datsyuk	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Jean-Sebastien Giguere	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Ryan Getzlaf	NHL.com
9.	Carey Price	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Miikka Kiprusoff	TSN.ca
11.	Jason Spezza	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Chris Osgood	Sports Forecaster

 

Round 3 

 

I take Ryan Miller hoping he has a better season this year, hesitated between Miller and Bryzgalov. Now I can forget about goaltenders for the rest of the draft.

 

 

I'm surprised to see Alfredsson go so early considering his age, than again it is the 3^rd round and he doesn’t have to be a keeper.

 

 

Mike Green just got drafted, was hoping to make him my next pick. Patrick Kane is next on my list but plenty of picks before it’s my turn. Kane, Morrrow, Parise are in my queue.

 

 

1.	Niklas Backstrom	Sports Forecaster
2.	Daniel Alfredsson	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Nicklas Lidstrom	TSN.ca
4.	Ryan Miller	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Olli Jokinen	NHL.com
6.	Zdeno Chara	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Marian Gaborik	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Ilya Bryzgalov	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Rick Nash	Fanball
10.	Mike Green	Rotoworld
11.	Dan Boyle	McKeens Hockey
12.	Eric Staal	Yahoo!

 

 

 Round 4 

 

I add Vanek and Brent Burns to my queue.

 

 

A lot of defensemen are going early, Morrow goes, damn I just had put him ahead of Kane.

 

 

I've got a feeling I'm not getting Kane….but WOOHOO it's suddenly my turn and he's there.

 

 

1.	Chris Pronger	Yahoo!
2.	Daniel Briere	McKeens Hockey
3.	Martin St. Louis	Rotoworld
4.	Brian Campbell	Fanball
5.	Brenden Morrow	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Jonathan Toews	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Daniel Sedin	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Cristobal Huet	NHL.com
9.	Patrick Kane	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Thomas Vanek	TSN.ca
11.	Brian Rafalski	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Andrei Markov	Sports Forecaster

 

Round 5 

 

I'm wondering when to pick Stamkos, I'll wait at least another round

 

 

Another good one, Burns is still there, the draft is going very well. My pick is applauded. Wow, huge suprise to see McCabe go right after Burns after his season last year and the poor +/- he should post in Florida.

 

 

After the next couple of picks I won't worry about keeper value I'll have my four keepers already

 

 

Backstrom (WAS) goes, damn wanted to make him my next pick, I'm huge on the guy, three straight picks out of my queue with Parise and Perry. I've got Horton and Zherdev on deck. I add Kopitar and Hemsky.

 

 

1.	Mike Richards	Sports Forecaster
2.	Paul Stastny	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Shane Doan	TSN.ca
4.	Brent Burns	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Bryan McCabe	NHL.com
6.	Tomas Vokoun	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Joe Corvo	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Dustin Byfuglien	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Corey Perry	Fanball
10.	Nicklas Backstrom	Rotoworld
11.	Zach Parise	McKeens Hockey
12.	Alexei Kovalev	Yahoo!

 

Round 6 

 

Picks are taking longer now, four picks before me and I like my queue of four, I'd have to be really unlucky for them to all go before I pick

 

 

I add Sean Avery to my queue hoping to get him in round 7.

 

 

I hesitate between Zherdev and Horton but go with Zherdev since I think he'll score 40 goals, Horton goes next and I'm not surprised, then Kopitar who was in my queue and who I might have taken over Avery.

 

1.	Alexander Frolov	Yahoo!
2.	Jason Pominville	McKeens Hockey
3.	Alexander Semin	Rotoworld
4.	Marc Savard	Fanball
5.	Derek Roy	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Michael Cammalleri	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Tomas Kaberle	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Cam Ward	NHL.com
9.	Nikolai Zherdev	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Nathan Horton	TSN.ca
11.	Jeff Carter	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Anze Kopitar	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 7

 

Again I glad with my pick since I get Avery, if I can add Carcillo I've got the category sewn up but I wouldn't take him until round 11 and I'm sure he'll be gone by then.

 

I was surprised to see Souray and Carter go so early.

 

Selanne goes, good pick in round 7. I'm thinking hard about Stamkos. It looks like nobody trusts Ribeiro who went in round 5 in the Dobber Expert draft.

 

I wonder how long Gonchar will be out, he could be worth a gamble in round 8 Carcillo goes so so much for me matching him up with Avery.

 

 

1.	Ed Jovanovski	Sports Forecaster
2.	Sheldon Souray	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Brad Richards	TSN.ca
4.	Sean Avery	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Tomas Plekanec	NHL.com
6.	Daymond Langkow	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Jose Theodore	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Teemu Selanne	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Jonathan Cheechoo	Fanball
10.	Martin Biron	Rotoworld
11.	Erik Cole	McKeens Hockey
12.	Pascal Leclaire	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 8

 

Ribeiro finally goes in round 8, I guess I'm not the only one who doesn’t trust him, he's followed by Gonchar…so much for that tought.

 

My turn, Hemsky or Stmakos…hmmmm Hemsky it is.

 

1.	Lubomir Visnovsky	Yahoo!
2.	Scott Niedermayer	McKeens Hockey
3.	Daniel Carcillo	Rotoworld
4.	Dan Ellis	Fanball
5.	Mike Ribeiro	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Sergei Gonchar	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Milan Michalek	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Andrei Kostitsyn	NHL.com
9.	Ales Hemsky	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Martin Gerber	TSN.ca
11.	Brad Boyes	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Milan Hejduk	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 9

 

Round 9 and still I have no centers, if he's there on the way back I'm taking Stamkos.

YES!!! got him. Now I have to wait a while for my next turn.

 

Bergeron goes, damn he could have been my next pick, I need centers. I  Put Sedin and O'Sullivan in my queue.

 

Comment appears about Stamkos going late for a keeper league

 

Satan goes, he was about to go in my queue. I add Ryan Whitney in my queue, don't want to forget about him.

 

Letang goes, I'm not as high on him as others even with Gonchar and Whitney, but he could bust out. Tangay goes 4 rounds later than in the Dobber draft

 

I'm thinking Sedin might fall to me…at least I'm hoping but still 8 picks before me.

 

 

1.	Pierre-Marc Bouchard	Sports Forecaster
2.	Jay Bouwmeester	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Simon Gagne	TSN.ca
4.	Steven Stamkos	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Patrick Sharp	NHL.com
6.	Patrice Bergeron	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Miroslav Satan	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Kris Letang	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Shawn Horcoff	Fanball
10.	Patrick Marleau	Rotoworld
11.	Alex Tanguay	McKeens Hockey
12.	Peter Mueller	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 10

 

Ryan Clowe goes way too early but Romig is a Shark fan. Prospal also goes way early for my taste and so does Lehtonen for that matter, but very few goalies left. Dipietro is the best left, but I put Conklyn in my queue so I don't forget about him.

 

Damn it, Sedin goes 2 picks before my turn. I take Gomez for the assists and power play points…oops I wrote that in the Yahoo comment box…this isn’t easy writing this thing and doing the draft at the same time.

 

1.	Ryane Clowe	Yahoo!
2.	Tim Thomas	McKeens Hockey
3.	Vaclav Prospal	Rotoworld
4.	Kari Lehtonen	Fanball
5.	Niklas Kronwall	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Kevin Bieksa	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Henrik Sedin	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Shea Weber	NHL.com
9.	Scott Gomez	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Braydon Coburn	TSN.ca
11.	Mathieu Garon	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Ryan Suter	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 11

 

Defensemen are going fast so I need to add another and Timonen is next on my list…and I get him, I really like my team overall even if I am weak at center.

 

My queue now consists of O’Sullivan, Ryan Whitney, Conkly, Meszaros, Brown and Franzen.

 

Brown goes and there are plenty of picks before my turn. One of my sleepers, Kuba goes, I wouldn't have taken him over Meszaros.

 

I'm asking myself when to take a chance on Havlat.

 

 

1.	John-Michael Liles	Sports Forecaster
2.	Wade Redden	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Petr Sykora	TSN.ca
4.	Kimmo Timonen	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Brian Gionta	NHL.com
6.	Brian Rolston	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Patrik Elias	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Duncan Keith	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Dustin Brown	Fanball
10.	Joe Sakic	Rotoworld
11.	Filip Kuba	McKeens Hockey
12.	J.P. Dumont	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 12

 

I add guys in my queue I don't want to forget about. Turris, Okposo, Doughty. Meszaros is my next pick if he's still there, 3 more to go before my turn.

 

Damn I was almost forgetting one of my favorite sleepers, Kessel, so I add him to my queue.

 

Got Meszaros, giving me three solid blueliners. I'll gamble on Havlat in round 13.

 

1.	Mark Streit	Yahoo!
2.	Jordan Staal	McKeens Hockey
3.	Sergei Zubov	Rotoworld
4.	Markus Naslund	Fanball
5.	Mikko Koivu	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Johan Franzen	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Chris Drury	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Todd Bertuzzi	NHL.com
9.	Andrej Meszaros	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Marek Zidlicky	TSN.ca
11.	Paul Kariya	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Chris Kunitz	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 13

 

I get Havlat as planned, but I really need to draft a few centers, I've still got O’Sullivan in my queue as well as Nylander and Turris. I add Jason Arnott. I’m thinking Havlat is worth it here if he plays 60 games.

 

Arnott goes so it won't be him, would have made a nice third center.

 

Antropov so early???? You know that I can't stand him.

 

1.	Michael Ryder	Sports Forecaster
2.	Vesa Toskala	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Sam Gagner	TSN.ca
4.	Martin Havlat	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Sami Salo	NHL.com
6.	Matt Niskanen	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Dennis Wideman	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Joni Pitkanen	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Rob Blake	Fanball
10.	Jason Arnott	Rotoworld
11.	Nik Antropov	McKeens Hockey
12.	Joffrey Lupul	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 14

 

Three more picks and I take O’Sullivan, I really need him and I do believe he will sign a contract soon

 

Huselius is still out there, another guy we experts don't believe in.

 

Phew I get O’Sullivan, and already thinking about my next pick, I think it'll be Ryan Whitney.

 

Just talked about him and Huselius goes, seven rounds later than in the Dobber draft.

 

 

1.	Michal Rozsival	Yahoo!
2.	Radim Vrbata	McKeens Hockey
3.	Tomas Holmstrom	Rotoworld
4.	Ryan Malone	Fanball
5.	Scott Hartnell	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Philippe Boucher	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Mike Knuble	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Bobby Ryan	NHL.com
9.	Patrick O'Sullivan	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Kristian Huselius	TSN.ca
11.	Wojtek Wolski	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Tobias Enstrom	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 15

 

When do I gamble on Sundin???

 

I get Whitney and a few comments appear, it seems I took him just in time.

 

I thinking Nylander for my next pick , hopefully he'll still be there. Kubina is another possibility, love the PIMs he'd bring. Demitra is also a possibility.

 

Samsonov is a surprise here but I like the Schneider pick even though we don't know where he'll play

 

So much for Kubina, but I keeping hope for Nylander.

 

Damn Conklin goes and I was considering him for my round 17 pick, Filatov now, a bit early but worth a gamble. I'm thinking I really need to get Halak to cover Price

 

 

1.	Paul Ranger	Sports Forecaster
2.	Ryan Smyth	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Steve Bernier	TSN.ca
4.	Ryan Whitney	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Maxim Afinogenov	NHL.com
6.	Jere Lehtinen	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Brent Seabrook	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Sergei Samsonov	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Shane O'Brien	Fanball
10.	Mathieu Schneider	Rotoworld
11.	Pavel Kubina	McKeens Hockey
12.	Ty Conklin	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 16

 

Demitra is gone, I'm praying for Nylander now…particularly with Turris going.

 

Yes again! I get my pick, I'm loving my draft!!!

 

The young guys are going, Filatov, Turris, Perron, Lucic, Okposo.

 

 

1.	Nikita Filatov	Yahoo!
2.	Ray Whitney	McKeens Hockey
3.	Jamie Langenbrunner	Rotoworld
4.	Pavol Demitra	Fanball
5.	Jiri Hudler	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Kyle Turris	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Adrian Aucoin	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Marco Sturm	NHL.com
9.	Michael Nylander	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	David Perron	TSN.ca
11.	Milan Lucic	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Kyle Okposo	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 17

 

I'm looking for a LW since I only have two. Not much left so I take Penner.

 

Kessel will be my next pick if he's still there, if not I'll go with Sergei Kostitsyn or a third goaltender. I still need Ds and Cam Barker and Gilbert are in my queue…okay Barker not there anymore shit I was really hoping to get him with my 19th pick.

 

Koivu goes, I'd been eyeing him. I add Artyukhin to my queue, I like his PIM potential. I add Vermette…and there he goes, oh well.

 

 

1.	Christopher Higgins	Sports Forecaster
2.	Ron Hainsey	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Jaroslav Spacek	TSN.ca
4.	Dustin Penner	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Rod Brind'Amour	NHL.com
6.	Ales Kotalik	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Jason Blake	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Robert Lang	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Cam Barker	Fanball
10.	Cory Stillman	Rotoworld
11.	Saku Koivu	McKeens Hockey
12.	Antoine Vermette	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 18

 

Sundin??? hmmmm thinking about it hard…damn there he goes.

 

Matt Carle goes, nice pick this late. Kessel is still there though and I do want him bad. SHIT!!! Right before my turn… I'm really frustrated now.

 

I take Artyukhin, probably too early but I get kudos for my pick from some of the other guys.

 

 

1.	Mats Sundin	Yahoo!
2.	Mark Giordano	McKeens Hockey
3.	Martin Erat	Rotoworld
4.	Matt Carle	Fanball
5.	Jack Johnson	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Mikael Samuelsson	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Rick DiPietro	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Phil Kessel	NHL.com
9.	Evgeny Artyukhin	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Peter Budaj	TSN.ca
11.	Mike Smith	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Joe Pavelski	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 19

 

I'm going for upside now so S. Kostitsyn looks good but I need to protect Price so I put Halak in my queue…and get him, phew at least that's one worry gone. They should be could for 50 wins between the two of them.

 

I need LW and Defense, Kostitsyn and Eriksson are in my queue. It looks like Brunnstrom was on a lot of queues since there is much talk about his selection.

 

Tkachuk goes as I was about to add him in my queue, no worries S. Kostitsyn and Ericsson are my targets

 

My queue only has Gilbert and Connolly otherwise.

 

 

1.	Ryan Kesler	Sports Forecaster
2.	Jason Williams	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Drew Doughty	TSN.ca
4.	Jaroslav Halak	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Fabian Brunnstrom	NHL.com
6.	Johnny Oduya	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Andrew Brunette	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Scottie Upshall	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Keith Tkachuk	Fanball
10.	Paul Martin	Rotoworld
11.	Darcy Tucker	McKeens Hockey
12.	Brad Stuart	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 20

 

Steve Downie is an interesting pick for the PIMs if he plays enough. 4 more picks, I'm confident I'll get my LW.

 

The last of the goalies are going, really not much left, by the time the draft is over there'll be no goaltender worth a spot left on waivers.

 

I'm good, I get S. Kostitsyn, might take Eriksson next.

 

Claude Giroux goes and then Eriksson, damn it! I don't know what to do with my next pick. I don’t like the my last few rounds and am not set for the last few.

 

 

1.	Steve Downie	Yahoo!
2.	Alexander Steen	McKeens Hockey
3.	Craig Rivet	Rotoworld
4.	Marek Svatos	Fanball
5.	Josh Harding	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Manny Fernandez	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	R.J. Umberger	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Tom Gilbert	NHL.com
9.	Sergei Kostitsyn	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Ruslan Salei	TSN.ca
11.	Claude Giroux	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Loui Eriksson	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 21

 

I need a D and rush into taking Preissing, oh well I hope he takes the lead with Visnovsky and Blake gone

 

Only four picks left and I need at least two more Ds.

 

Several gambles taken this late.

 

 

1.	Manny Legace	Sports Forecaster
2.	Alex Goligoski	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Teddy Purcell	TSN.ca
4.	Tom Preissing	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Francois Beauchemin	NHL.com
6.	Mattias Ohlund	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Viktor Tikhonov	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Fredrik Modin	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Zack Stortini	Fanball
10.	Roman Hamrlik	Rotoworld
11.	Jarret Stoll	McKeens Hockey
12.	Devin Setoguchi	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 22

 

Lee goes just as I was thinking about him

 

Not much left so I gamble on Radulov…we'll see what happens. I thinking only 1% chance he plays this season, but I’ll let him go in a few weeks if nothing positive comes out.

 

 

1.	Brian Lee	Yahoo!
2.	Ville Koistinen	McKeens Hockey
3.	Tim Connolly	Rotoworld
4.	Stephane Robidas	Fanball
5.	Brett Clark	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Viktor Kozlov	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Tuomo Ruutu	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Trevor Daley	NHL.com
9.	Alexander Radulov	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Andrew Cogliano	TSN.ca
11.	Derick Brassard	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Patrik Berglund	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 23

 

Poti isn't much of a pick, but there really isn't anything left on D. I still need another to compensate for Whitney’s injury.

 

I've got Schubert targeted as my last blueliner.

 

 

1.	Mikkel Boedker	Sports Forecaster
2.	Owen Nolan	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Keith Ballard	TSN.ca
4.	Tom Poti	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Olaf Kolzig	NHL.com
6.	Alex Auld	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Jakub Voracek	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Brandon Dubinsky	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Brendan Shanahan	Fanball
10.	Nikolai Khabibulin	Rotoworld
11.	Lee Stempniak	McKeens Hockey
12.	Valtteri Filppula	Yahoo!

 

 

Round 24

 

Draft Burrows with my next to last pick. I’ll see if I keep Artyukhin or Burrows once the season starts. Certainly won't keep both.

 

 

1.	Bryan Little	Yahoo!
2.	Scott Walker	McKeens Hockey
3.	Alex Pietrangelo	Rotoworld
4.	Jason LaBarbera	Fanball
5.	Alexander Edler	DobberHockey – Angus
6.	Dave Bolland	Fantasyhockey.com
7.	Andrej Sekera	Rotowire – Topper
8.	Brendan Morrison	NHL.com
9.	Alex Burrows	DobberHockey – Maltais
10.	Chris Neil	TSN.ca
11.	Zach Bogosian	Rotowire – Levine
12.	Fedor Tyutin	Sports Forecaster

 

 

Round 25

 

I decide to forego another D and take go for the upside of Nilsson. I'll get another defenseman when I put Whitney on IR. It's 11:30, I'm tired, I have a cold and my back aches so my concentration wasn’t there the last few rounds.

 

 

1.	Andrew Ladd	Sports Forecaster
2.	Ruslan Fedotenko	Rotowire – Levine
3.	Nigel Dawes	TSN.ca
4.	Robert Nilsson	DobberHockey – Maltais
5.	Daniel Cleary	NHL.com
6.	Drew Stafford	Rotowire – Topper.
7.	Karl Alzner	Fantasyhockey.com
8.	Jared Boll	DobberHockey – Angus
9.	Jonathan Bernier	Fanball
10.	Slava Kozlov	Rotoworld
11.	Erik Johnson	McKeens Hockey
12.	Christian Ehrhoff	Yahoo!

 

Morning after 

Overall I really like my team. Although I waited a while to get my centers I’m confident that Stamkos, Gomez, O’Sullivan and Nylander can give me good numbers. I really like my goaltenders, the Habs have a very good team so if anything happens to Price, Halak will cover. I’m already set on dropping Poti to gamble on Schubert instead since Kuba and Lee are no guarantees to run the power play with success. My defense is my weak spot.

 

I think I’ll be very strong in seven of nine categories; goals and plus/minus will be weaker. I give myself a good shot at defending the league title providing my squad remains relatively healthy.

 

My four keepers will probably turn out to be Heatley, Kane, Stamkos and Price. If Stamkos is a bust, Burns or Zherdev will be the guy.