Fantasy Hockey Ramble – April 04, 2009

Dobber Sports

2009-04-04

 

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Claude Giroux has seven points in his last three games. He has 21 points in his last 24 games, making him an excellent candidate for 65 points next season and a very strong dark horse for your playoff pool.

 

Johan Franzen has 24 points in 20 games since his return from a hand injury. He has 14 points in his last seven contests. If Detroit doesn't sign him this summer, he'll be a first line player on a weak team and will get 70 points in 70 games (he gets hurt a lot).

 

Jason Pominville has 13 points in his last eight games. He'll salvage 65 this year and next year he'll produce somewhere between this season and last season (so about 74 points).

 

Colby Armstrong is on a six-game point streak, with nine points in that span.

 

Toronto's Nikolai Kulemin has eight points in six games since missing a game for personal reasons.

 

Petr Prucha has seven points in his last seven games and is seeing a ton of ice time. I'm never popular when I speak out against Prucha, because so many people are dazzled by his elite skill (apparently Gretzky is one of them). But he hits his cold spells often, and that means he will never see 60 points in the NHL.

 

After going pointless in his first six with Edmonton, Ales Kotalik has nine in his last nine.
TJ Oshie has 12 points in his last 11.

 

PLAYOFF RACE UPDATE:
EAST
7. MON 90 (5GR)
8. NYR 89 (4GR)
9. FLA 87 (4GR)
10 BUF 85 (5GR)

WEST
7. ANA 86 (4GR)
8. STL 85 (4GR)
9. NSH 84 (4GR)
10. MIN 83 (4GR)
11. EDM 81 (4GR)

 

Although Marc Denis was sent to the AHL yesterday, Carey Price will not start today. Also, Andrei Kostitsyn will probably miss today's contest.

 

Phoenix's farm team San Antonio has signed Jared Staal to a tryout contract. Staal is ranked 120th on my prospects list and is the younger brother of Eric, Marc and Jordan. He is considered by some to have more skill, but less work ethic and lacking in the right attitude. But he's still a teen so his upside is high. He's one to watch for sure.

 

The Penguins signed Hobey Baker finalist Brad Thiessen to an entry level contract. The undrafted netminder will probably battle John Curry for the backup job next fall. My money is still on Curry, who always seems to prevail against the odds.

 

Joe Vitale, drafted in the seventh round by the Pens, had a weak season in the NCAA, but that did not stop the team from signing him. He is ranked 240 on my prospects list. He won't make the team in the fall.

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San Jose prospect Logan Couture will join Worcester of the AHL. He is ranked 41 on my prospects list and I think he'll get a long look in the fall. Sharks players seem to make their mark quickly, too.

 

St. Louis signed Aaron Palushaj to an entry level deal. He will join Peoria and I have him ranked 179 on my list and he moves up with this news as he signed out of college early.

 

The Kings signed undrafted forward/defenseman Patrick Mullen, who is Joey Mullen's son. The undrafted Mullen will probably be brought along as a forward, since the Kings seem to be set on the blue line. He won't make the NHL next year but has a shot as a third liner in a couple of years. He has 25 points in 38 games for U. of Denver. Teammates Rhett Rakshani (37 in 38), Joe Colborne (31 in 40), Tyler Ruegsegger (26 in 35) and Tyler Bozak (23 in 19) are better prospects to own, from a fantasy standpoint.

 

Anssi Salmela was out of the lineup with a head injury. He is day to day. He has three points in nine games and had been seeing quite a bit of ice time. It is possible that he could anchor the PP next year with Bogosian, making him an excellent dark horse.

 

Calgary lost defensemen Regehr and Aucoin and were forced to call up a pair of d-men. Cap issues then forced them to send down Dustin Boyd. So Boyd will play in the AHL for the first time in over a year. The team was already missing Giordano, Warrener and Sarich. Aucoin is day to day with an UBI

 

Chicago prospect Akim Aliu, ranked 76 on my prospects list, has joined Rockford of the AHL. He will battle

 

Igor Makarov for third-line spot in Chicago in the fall, with the loser having to wait another year. My money is on Makarov winning the job and working up to the second line by Christmas.

 

Columbus lines in practice with Chimera back, according to the Dispatch: Huselius-Malhotra-Nash; Umberger-Vermette-Williams; Torres-Peca-Boll; Murray-Novotny-Voracek; Chimera-Gratton-Dorsett

Baseball season starts in THREE days – for just $5.99, the lowest price on the market, you can pick up your copy of Dobber's Fantasy Baseball Guide right HERE

 

HEAVYWEIGHT battle – Evgeny Artyukhin 6-5, 255 vs. Zdeno Chara 6-9, 260. It's not often someone remotely close to Chara's size fights him:

 

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTD9Jel46Iw]

 

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UPCOMING GAMES

Mar 28 - 19:03 OTT vs CHI
Mar 28 - 19:03 TOR vs WSH
Mar 28 - 19:03 MTL vs PHI
Mar 28 - 19:03 PIT vs CBJ
Mar 28 - 19:03 FLA vs NYI
Mar 28 - 19:03 CAR vs DET
Mar 28 - 20:03 MIN vs S.J
Mar 28 - 20:03 STL vs CGY
Mar 28 - 20:03 WPG vs VGK
Mar 28 - 21:03 EDM vs L.A
Mar 28 - 21:03 COL vs NYR
Mar 28 - 22:03 SEA vs ANA
Mar 28 - 22:03 VAN vs DAL
Mar 28 - 22:03 ARI vs NSH

Starting Goalies

Top Skater Views

  Players Team
TAGE THOMPSON BUF
JJ PETERKA BUF
ANTHONY DUCLAIR T.B
JORDAN GREENWAY BUF
JURAJ SLAFKOVSKY MTL

Top Goalie Profile Views

  Players Team
ALEKSEI KOLOSOV PHI
JOONAS KORPISALO OTT
KAREL VEJMELKA ARI
UKKO-PEKKA LUUKKONEN BUF
JUSTUS ANNUNEN COL

LINE COMBOS

  Frequency SEA Players
23.5 JADEN SCHWARTZ JARED MCCANN JORDAN EBERLE
19.1 BRANDON TANEV YANNI GOURDE ANDRE BURAKOVSKY
18.8 EELI TOLVANEN OLIVER BJORKSTRAND MATTY BENIERS

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