February 1, 2010
Dobber Sports
2010-02-01
Two things are up in the shop now – the Playoff Draft List, and – now it’s offiicial – DobberHockey Night in Toronto! Only 16 tickets are available! I’ll have more info on this later in the week, but here is the lowdown: $35 puts you in a luxury suite at the Marlies game on March 21 (Sunday). I will be in that suite with you, as well as several of the writers here at DobberHockey (I need official confirmation, but the early word is that Brent Lemon, Russ Miller and Steve “Notch” Johnson will be there). The game will be on CBC. Food is included. Bottom line – you talk fantasy hockey with the experts over beer and wings. Who doesn’t like that? Again – only 16 tickets are available. I may make two more available as the date gets closer, but for now that’s it – 16 tickets. First come first serve!
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I will also be selling tickets to regular seats at the game for charity. Details on that still need to ironed out, but the goal is to put 50 kids into seats at that game.
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DobberBaseball’s Keeper League Hitter rankings are now up. Click Here to have a look.
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Latest on Mike Cammalleri – Sportsnet has learned that he will not be out for the season. Doctors are still looking at things so more details to come.
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Sami Lepisto is a plus-10 in the last 10 games. He has four points to boot. Phoenix is scoring goals and Lepisto’s numbers are reflecting that.
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The Habs recalled Matt D’Agostini to replace Mike Cammalleri. The extent of Cammy’s injury will be known today.
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The Preds assigned Nick Spaling to the AHL with the return of Marcel Goc. They chose to keep Cal O’Reilly over Spaling.
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Interesting – the Pens are 7-0 in shootouts this year.
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Evgeni Malkin was moved to right wing yesterday and he played with Jordan Staal and Pascal Dupuis. Usually they shift Staal to the left wing and leave Malkin at center, so this was an interesting way to change things up. Pascal Dupuis was on the other wing. I am 100 percent confident that the Pens will pick up a winger before the deadline. Dupuis is way way out of his element.
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With the injury to Scott Upshall – who is out for the season with a torn ACL – Peter Mueller played 17 minutes for the ‘Yotes for the first time since November 12 and rewarded them with a three-point effort. He’ll need to keep up the momentum if he wants to salvage the season. For what it’s worth, I still believe he’ll take the next step in 2010-11, which is to say I think he’ll get back up to his rookie level.
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Shane Doan, who played with Mueller, is still on fire. Give him 15 points in eight games now.
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The acquisition of Jason Blake means that Dan Sexton has been sent down to the AHL by the Ducks.
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Robert Lang is out with an undisclosed injury, which also influenced Mueller’s ice time.
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David Booth notched an assist in his return to action. He played just under 13 minutes, getting eased back in.
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Brad Richards has two points in his last six games and is a minus-4 in that span. He is now on pace for a more palatable 88 points. Sometimes it takes a long… long time, but most players will fall into the expected range eventually.
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Radim Vrbata has 10 points in his last 13 games and 21 in his last 29. The latter is a 59-point pace, which is the type of player that he should be barring a Joe Thornton-type of center setting him up.
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Keith Yandle has five points in four games thanks to his team starting to really come around. Remember, he started the year without a point in six games, so his 29 points right now are actually quite good.
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More thoughts on the Leafs – I think it’s a great way to rebuild. Do several three for ones, or four for twos and really upgrade your core. Then in the summer add a free agent or two to that core and graduate a prospect or two. Eventually, you’ll have 20 truly solid players. Right now they have about six or seven. For now, look for kids Bozak, Hanson and Stalberg to really get some ice time. That would make a nice kid line, actually, but I think Bozak will go back with Kessel.
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The Rangers-Flames deal is on hold. Apparently, as Angus said, the Flames wanted Gilroy, but the deal with the Leafs changed their want to Higgins. That’s holding things up. So Calgary fans – Sutter can still get out of this dumb deal. Fingers crossed.
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The DobberHockey Olympics Pool is FREE to join and it’s simple – you just pick one player from each box. Sound complicated? Call my one-year-old daughter and she’ll walk you through it. And you could win prizes. Already 1300 have signed up. Prizes include an autographed Steve Yzerman jersey courtesy of the Sports Lettering Company, an autographed Jaromir Jagr jersey and an autographed Eric Staal picture for the funniest team name.
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Rick DiPietro has lost three in row. His team isn’t scoring in front of him, but if he was on his game he still could have stolen one.
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This has gone under the radar – and he does have just one point in his last four games – but LA’s Brad Richardson has 19 points in his last 28. He had gone 26 games without a point to start the year. He has put up numbers at other levels, but was never seen as a top sixer in the NHL. He has had to make his mark as a checker or depth guy. But this surge has impressed and he may be worth a depth pickup if he has dual positions in your league (as he does in one of mine).
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