A Roto-Look Ahead – Week 12
Tom Reeve
2008-12-19
Santa in a Flames Jersey
For the record it appears that Santa Clause is a Calgary Flames fan this year. Christmas finds them in the middle of a 5 games home stand stretches out over more than two week. If they didn't play the Ducks on December 23 they would have 7 full days off right over Christmas. So Flames fans have no excuses not to spend lots of times with the in-laws. Sorry.
Goals Against Numbers
There are two basic assumptions behind the Looking Ahead numbers in the chart and for injury replacement. First, skaters at home score more points than skaters on the road. And second playing teams that allow most goals against is better for your skaters. In general this means that playing bad teams is good and playing good teams is bad. This week when I updated each team's goals-against rating I thought it would be interesting to point out the few anomalies. Detroit and Philadelphia are both in the top half of the standings but on average allow more goals against then most teams. At the other end Ottawa have been losing a lot of games but they have been doing it with a relatively strong goals against average. So until things turn around this season has shown that you should rather have your skaters player Detroit then Ottawa. Doesn't work that way for your goalies unfortunately.
Injury Replacements
Looking at a team's schedule may help your chances of finding a good injury replacement. Here are some of the high and low ratings for teams over a two, three and four week period starting December 19. The rating is shown in brackets.
Two weeks
High ratings: Maple Leafs (7.75), Thrashers (7.74)
Low ratings: Stars (4.73), Flames (4.73), Rangers (4.02)
Three weeks
High ratings: Thrashers (11.64), Devils (11.23),
Low ratings: Sharks (7.05), Rangers (6.96)
Four weeks
High ratings: Canucks (14.09), Penguins (13.93), Devils (13.89)
Low ratings: Flames (10.55), Rangers (9.91)
Friday, December 19, 2008 to Thursday, December 25, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Atlanta 3.46 – three games TB, TOR, NYI | ||||||
Pittsburgh 3.46 – three games TOR, BUF, TB | ||||||
Minnesota 3.26 – three games NYI, STL, CAR | ||||||
New Jersey 3.26 – three games OTT, PHI, BOS | ||||||
NY Islanders 3.16 – three games MIN, NAS, ATL | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Chicago 1.81 – two games CGY, VAN | ||||||
Washington 1.81 – two games PHI, NYR | ||||||
NY Rangers 1.18 – two games SJ, WAS | ||||||
Calgary 1.89 – two games CHI, NJ | ||||||
Edmonton 1.89 – two games ANA, PHX | ||||||
Saturday, December 20, 2008 to Friday December 26, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Atlanta 4.62 – four game TB, TOR, NYI, CAR | ||||||
Pittsburgh 4.32 – four games TOR, BUF, TB, NJ | ||||||
Phoenix 4.19 – four games CBJ, EDM, COL, LA | ||||||
Philadelphia 4.01 – four games WAS, NJ, OTT, CHI | ||||||
Carolina 3.99 – four games BOS, MTL, MIN, ATL | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Calgary 0.84 – ONE game ANA | ||||||
Anaheim 1.81 – two games VAN, CGY | ||||||
NY Rangers 1.81 – two games SJ, WAS | ||||||
San Jose 1.89 – two games NYR, VAN | ||||||
Ottawa 1.90 – two games DAL, PHI | ||||||
Sunday, December 21, 2008 to Saturday December 27, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Florida 4.50 – four games COL, NAS, TB, TB | ||||||
Phoenix 4.40 – four games EDM, COL, LA, LA | ||||||
Pittsburgh 4.21 – four games BUF, TB, NJ, MTL | ||||||
Carolina 4.09 – four games MTL, MIN, ATL, BOS | ||||||
Philadelphia 3.91 – four games NJ, OTT, CHI, CBJ | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Chicago 1.05 – ONE games PHI | ||||||
Minnesota 1.16 – ONE game CAR | ||||||
Dallas 1.89 – two games TOR, ANA | ||||||
Nashville 1.90 – two games FLA, DET | ||||||
San Jose 1.90 – two games VAN, STL | ||||||
Monday, December 22, 2008 to Sunday December 28, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Toronto 4.49 – four games ATL, DAL, NYI, WAS | ||||||
Atlanta 4.40 – four games TOR, NYI, CAR, BOS | ||||||
Phoenix 4.40 – four games EDM, COL, LA, LA | ||||||
Pittsburgh 4.21 – four games BUF, TB, NJ, MTL | ||||||
Anaheim 3.99 – four road games VAN, CGY, DAL, STL | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Montreal 0.95 – ONE games PIT | ||||||
Calgary 1.89 – two games ANA, OTT | ||||||
Chicago 1.92 – two games PHI, MIN | ||||||
San Jose 1.99 – two games VAN, STL | ||||||
NY Rangers 2.00 – two games WAS, NJ | ||||||
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 to Monday December 29, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
NY Islanders 4.33 – four games ATL, TOR, BUF, NYR | ||||||
Nashville 4.01 – four games FLA, DET, EDM, COL | ||||||
Los Angeles 4.00 – four games CBJ, PHX, PHX, CBJ | ||||||
Florida 4.20 – four games NAS, TB, TB, MTL | ||||||
Toronto 3.35 – three games DAL, NYI, WAS | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Montreal 1.90 – two games PIT, FLA | ||||||
Edmonton 1.91 – two games VAN, NAS | ||||||
Chicago 1.92 – two games PHI, MIN | ||||||
Buffalo 2.21 – two games WAS, NYI | ||||||
Calgary 2.73 – three games ANA, OTT, MIN | ||||||
Wednesday, December 24, 2008 to Tuesday December 30, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Toronto 3.35 – three games NYI, WAS, ATL | ||||||
Buffalo 3.26 – three games WAS, NYI, WAS | ||||||
Washington 3.26 – three games BUF, TOR, BUF | ||||||
Vancouver 3.15 – three games EDM, OTT, PHI | ||||||
Florida 3.15 – three games TB, TB, MTL | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Calgary 1.79 – two games OTT, MIN | ||||||
Dallas 1.79 – two games ANA, SJ | ||||||
Minnesota 1.90 – two games CHI, CGY | ||||||
Carolina 1.98 – two games ATL, BOS | ||||||
Phoenix 2.00 – two games LA, LA | ||||||
Thursday, December 25, 2008 to Wednesday December 31, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Florida 4.29 – four games TB, TB, MTL, NYI | ||||||
Atlanta 4.18 – four games CAR, BOS, TOR, CAR | ||||||
NY Islanders 4.13 – four games TOR, BUF, NYR, FLA | ||||||
New Jersey 4.09 – four games PIT, NYR, STL, DAL | ||||||
Edmonton 3.80 – four games VAN, NAS, OTT, CGY | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
NY Rangers 2.21 – two games NJ, NYI | ||||||
Pittsburgh 2.64 – three games NJ, MTL, STL | ||||||
Philadelphia 2.66 – three road games CHI, CBJ, VAN | ||||||
St. Louis 2.73 – three home games SJ, ANA, NJ | ||||||
Dallas 2.73 – three home games ANA, SJ, NJ | ||||||
Friday, December 26, 2008 to Thursday, January 1, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Washington 4.42 – four games BUF, TOR, BUF, TB | ||||||
Buffalo 4.40 – four games WAS, NYI, WAS, TOR | ||||||
Toronto 4.40 – four games NYI, WAS, ATL, BUF | ||||||
Florida 4.29 – four games TB, TB, MTL, NYI | ||||||
Boston 4.19 – four games CAR, ATL, PIT, PIT | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
NY Rangers 2.21 – two games NJ, NYI | ||||||
Philadelphia 2.66 – three road games CHI, CBJ, VAN | ||||||
St. Louis 2.73 – three home games SJ, ANA, NJ | ||||||
Dallas 2.73 – three home games ANA, SJ, NJ | ||||||
Minnesota 2.74 – three games CHI, CGY, SJ | ||||||
Saturday, December 27, 2008 to Friday January 2, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Anaheim 4.39 – four games DAL, STL, CBJ, PHI | ||||||
Colorado 4.21 – four games DET, NAS, PHX, CBJ | ||||||
Vancouver 4.19 – four games OTT, PHI, NAS, ATL | ||||||
Boston 4.19 – four games CAR, ATL, PIT, PIT | ||||||
New Jersey 3.99 – four games NYR, STL, DAL, MTL | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Los Angeles 2.00 – two games PHX, CBJ | ||||||
NY Rangers 2.21 – two games NJ, NYI | ||||||
Pittsburgh 2.55 – three games MTL, BOS, BOS | ||||||
Philadelphia 2.66 – three games CBJ, VAN, ANA | ||||||
Dallas 2.73 – three games ANA, SJ, NJ | ||||||
Sunday, December 28, 2008 to Saturday January 3, 2008 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Washington 4.31 – four games TOR, BUF, TB, NYR | ||||||
Edmonton 4.21 – four games NAS, OTT, CGY, DAL | ||||||
Toronto 4.21 – four games WAS, ATL, BUF, OTT | ||||||
Vancouver 4.19 – four games OTT, PHI, NAS, ATL | ||||||
Boston 4.19 – four games ATL, PIT, PIT, BUF | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Los Angeles 2.21 – two games CBJ, PHI | ||||||
NY Rangers 2.21 – two games NYI, WAS | ||||||
Phoenix 2.31 – two games COL, NYI | ||||||
Detroit 2.56 – three games CHI, CHI, MIN | ||||||
Pittsburgh 2.65 – three games BOS, BOS, FLA |