Sean Bergenheim has signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay, per James Mirtle. I’ll put up an analysis on that shortly.

Some notes – still hoping to get the new shop page set up today, but may hold off until tomorrow. We’re close though. The Fantasy Guide is updated but I haven’t uploaded it yet. I’m still wrestling with my New Jersey vs. Ottawa decision. Carolina will knock someone out of the playoffs, their record in the second half was too good to ignore and I don’t care how green some of their wingers are. But the Guide will be uploaded tonight I’m sure. Also, t-shirts – get some DobberHockey swag for just $12.99 CDN or US. Trash talk your opponents with your shirt as well as your mouth!

Jari Kurri had a goal and three assists as the Oilers of 1989 topped the Oilers of 2009 8-4. Jeff Beukeboom had a strong game, going plus-5, while Patrick O’Sullivan was a minus-4. Yes, it’s the dog days of fantasy hockey and so I thought I’d play around with some of the tools on WhatIfSports. They had approached me a couple of months ago and now I finally have some time to give it a look. Very cool, I invite you to check it out. If you’re at work right now, you’ll probably get addicted.

Carolina was 24-13-3 in the last 40 games and they have a habit of surprising us all with their year-to-year fluctuation. Cup Final, then no playoffs, no playoffs… then Stanley Cup? No playoffs, no playoffs… final four? No playoffs… This has been their pattern!

The Habs traded a very promising goaltender in Cedrick Desjardins. I had him pegged to get into a few games this year, as Auld – for one reason or another – has trouble holding onto a job these last couple of years and Carey Price is bound to miss a couple of games due to injury. So the team must think VERY highly of Karri Ramo. I do, too. Ramo is signed to play in the KHL this season and he will honor that contract, so Montreal obviously sees a nice Price/Ramo tandem for the future.

As for Desjardins, he joins a cluttered goaltending mix in TB – Tokarski, Helenius and Janus are all solid prospects, yet he is an AHL All-Star and cannot be underrated. He is also the most experienced and would probably be first in line for a recall.

I’ve been looking at the team, doing my NHL Standings prediction, and I think that without Kovalchuk, the Devils will struggle to get into the playoffs this year. Brodeur just isn’t the same…and they have to fall sometime, right? Then again, with their beefed up defensemen you can’t count Marty out either. But Carolina is getting in – they only lost Whitney, but gain Ward and they were winning like gangbusters in the second half. So if Carolina gets in, who gets out? The only teams even remotely feasible to get knocked out are Ottawa, Montreal or New Jersey. And, should I assume Kovalchuk will remain in New Jersey? Interested in your thoughts on all this.

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For the record I think Boston will bounce back and Buffalo, while they’ll slip a little, they are still a playoff team.