While revamping the downloads section, the new updated guide was inadvertantly removed and the one from Sept 12 was made available. I have switched this back now so it is the Sept 15 Fantasy Guide you can update now. Ditto for the Spreadsheet.

I’m normally not in agreement with Damien Cox, so this is extremely rare. He loves to take the crazy stance, but in this case that stance is correct. I’m glad there is a rookie tournament/ prospects camp…but it really is an excercise in excess.

So how would you like to have picked up a ticket to last night’s Calgery – Edmonton rookie tilt, only to find that the Oilers sat out Eberle, Hall and MPS?

What can be said about Carolina’s Jeff Skinner? The guy, already impressing in camp, rattled off another five points against Columbus last night. He went from long shot to leapfrogging everybody for a roster spot. He’ll at least get a nine-game look. Great dark horse and future star. The roster spot would be at Patrick Dwyer’s expense, after taking a look at their depth chart.

Winger Matt Kennedy also tallied five points, but at 21 and coming off an overage mediocre OHL season, he’s not on my radar.

Fantasy Guide is updated as of today. Draft List will be updated later this morning.

Evgeni Grachev scored his third goal in three games. If he continues his strong play in the main camp, he’ll get a few call-ups this season and parlay those into a roster spot in 2011-12.

In my latest Hockey News article, I give you several training camp battles to keep an eye on in the Western Conference. Saturday I will have the East up over at THN.com.

The Post reports Eric Belanger did indeed have a handshake agreement with the Caps, according to his agent. But when a “trade fell through”, they couldn’t sign him. He had a place leased and his kids enrolled in Washington schools. Nice, eh?

A big thank you to On the Forecheck for their flattering review of DobberHockey and Frozen Pool

Boston has invited Brian McGrattan to camp, according to boston.com

Igor Makarov scored a hat trick in Chicago’s 9-5 win, plus an assist. Wish I could dig up a box score… I know Jeremy Morin had two, Kyle Beach had one. I know Casey Pierro-Zabotel had two goals, ditto for Simon Despres. Chicago rearguard Brian Connolly had a couple of points from what I saw in this Blog. I did not see the game, but wish I did. That’s the downfall of my business – right now is the busiest time of year, so even though I lived in London for two years and have friends and family there and it’s just two hours away, I can’t sneak off to that tournament.