Wondering what your plan of attack should be this summer? Preparing for a draft? Wondering about some trades you made in the past? I'll weigh in on the interesting and important issues with my thoughts. I completed a few audits last week that generated a lot of positive feedback. Throughout the summer, expect one or two per week. Fire me an e-mail if you want to get in line!

Today, I took a look at the Vancouver Canucks, submitted to me by Mike Gillis…er.. I mean Ryan G.

The League – The KKL

Rules:

Standard rotisserie keeper league

10 teams

Salary cap of $73 million that fluctuates with the movement of the NHL cap (rising to $75 million for 2010-11)

30 player rosters

17 players on the active roster

13 on the farm team (no rules/regulations governing who is on the farm team, essentially it is a bench for the active roster)

Any player removed from the prospect list cannot go back on it at any time. Once off, they remain on active roster or bench.

There is a draft done each summer, but it is not required. If you are happy with your team, you don't have to take part. The draft order is the reverse of the previous season's standings

Positions:

3 Centers

2 LW

2 RW

4 D

2 G

2 UTIL

Moves are made only between the active roster and farm team. The free agent pool cannot be utilized once the first game of the season is played.

Unlimited move during the off-season

Scoring Categories:

Player:

G A P PPP +/- PIM SOG

Goalie:

SV% GAA WINS SO

Roster:

Farm:

Prospects:

The Breakdown:

I spent a bit of time reading the website for this league, and it sounds like a good one. Simple rules, a good group of GM's, and lots of activity. Some of Ryan's recent trades:

Derek Roy and a 2011 1^st round pick for Jonas Hiller and a 2010 5^th.

Love, love, love this deal. Roy is a very solid center to own, but you are dealing from a position of immense strength (center) for one you were a bit weak in (goaltending). Hiller is a reliable goalie on a decent team. I'd consider him in the top 10-15 of fantasy goalies to own. I couldn't say the same for Roy at center. You had to give up a much better pick in the process, but I still really like the trade.

Jonathan Toews, Michal Frolik, and a 2011 2^nd round draft pick for Ilya Kovalchuk and a 2011 3^rd round draft pick.

This trade looks pretty even to me, and when that is the case I tend to favour the side getting the better player (Kovalchuk, in this case). I really like Frolik, and I believe he has the potential to become an 80 or 85-point winger. Toews is a very solid center as well. I'd call this one a wash.

Ryan has a very strong team at all positions. His goaltending depth is very, very good. Price and Lehtonen are two of the best candidates for a strong bounce back campaign in 2010-11. A duo of Lundqvist and Hiller is very strong in any league size or format. He is targeting Ryan Clowe, but the other GM is asking for Lehtonen and Frolik. Clowe has great potential as a combo player, but that is an overpayment. I have a hunch Lehtonen may sort out his health issues in Dallas, and now is not the right time to consider moving him. Ryan also has Downie and Lucic to fall back on already, two of the best combo players to own in keeper leagues.

He is looking to add another star up front, and has an offer on the table for Ales Hemsky. He would have to give up Alex Goligoski, who has a very cap-friendly contract, and looks to be the go-to guy on Pittsburgh's power play for the foreseeable future. I'd think long and hard about pulling the trigger on this deal – Ryan is deep at right wing (not sure how long Pavelski will keep his eligibility, though), but he lacks a star there.

He's thought about moving, Price, but decided against it because the market isn't there. Good move. Selling low on a future star goalie like Price would be a horrible mistake. The GM in his league is looking to move Martin St. Louis, and has shown considerable interest in Peter Mueller. To me, that seems like an obvious deal to pursue. St. Louis is elite, and he probably has two years of elite production left. Mueller has upside, but he also has sustained two serious concussions before the age of 23. As long as you don't have to sweeten the pot too much more, I'd look into making a Mueller + for St. Louis swap.

I love Corrente's value in a salary cap league that counts penalty minutes. I see him developing into a 20-30 point, 150-200 penalty minute defenseman for the Devils. He can skate, hit, fight, and has decent offensive instincts.

The Recommendations:

1) Trade Mueller and another young talent for St. Louis. There is never a better time than now to win!

2) Keep Price and Lehtonen. Selling low with goalies is never a good idea.

3) If you need to clear cap space, move Rafalski. You have other young defenseman who will be able to fill the void he leaves (Carlson and Edler, in particular). Of your high salary players, Rafalski is definitely the most movable. A future defensive core of Weber, Yandle, Carlson, and Edler isn't even fair.

4) Think about selling high on Toews. Just think about it. Never a bad idea to see what his value will be after the Cup Final is over. He is not a 100-point player, but he will probably be valued as one this summer.

***Again, fire me an e-mail if you want an audit done! I can’t promise anything, but might as well get your team in line! [email protected]***