Welcome back to An Expert’s Audit. Every month we’ll take a look at a reader’s keeper league team in the hopes of helping him toward a championship. If you’re interested in getting an audit for your own keeper team you can begin the process by emailing Dobber about it.
Goldie says: Pavelec wasn't overly tested vs MIN last night, but it was a huge win and I feel good about his value springing forward. Massive win for Rinne in a SO, so IMO he's back on track. Quick is blowing me away and watch for Ward falling back from energy drain. Once again, Dwayne Roloson [...]
I admit I may overvalue defensemen in my fantasy leagues. In nearly every league I've ever been in, my defence is always at or near the top. I've been called a "defence whore" for my penchant for drafting quality offensive defensemen, even if I may need other positions more.
It looks like Keith Ballard will be a healthy scratch again tonight. I am not really concerned, just a string of bad luck. He had serious hip surgery in the summer and was unable to skate and train until late into August. He was obviously a bit rusty and his minutes were limited. [...]
In the real world, the stock market is one of the most important ways a company has to raise money in order to grow it's business. Similarly, fantasy hockey is equally liquid and a successful owner demonstrates the ability to be parts active and patient in order to develop a team (or portfolio of players if you will) that is championship calibre.
If you’ve ever felt maybe, just maybe, that when it comes to picking a winner on any given night, hockey represents a tougher challenge than other pro sports, then you’re not alone. Whether you’re trying to beat the odds on a game, or simply trying to figure out which goalie to start, choosing correctly isn’t easy, and it turns out there’s evidence suggesting that hockey fans have it harder than most.
Draw for Musty Putters customized (designed by YOU) putter - drumroll - the winner is - CHUK! Chuk, flip me an email and I'll put you in contact with the Mr. O'Donnell I just floated this idea on Twitter, thought I would mention it here. We all know the new All-Star game format. [...]
(NOW CLOSED - Dobber's note - the first person to comment below the name of the Phoenix blueliner with the most shots on goal gets into the draw for a free putter from Musty Putters)
Last year, I began the column by discussing a widely debated topic in fantasy hockey. Do defensemen really make a major difference in fantasy pools? As much as many fantasy poolies want to deny it, defensemen do play a vital role on influencing the outcome of your fantasy league. Last season, I pitted three offensive players with three defenseman. But based on comments from last season’s column, I’ll try to make it more realistic with a typical Yahoo! six-by-four setup. Let’s visit this example:
Goldie: Neuvy's "fall-back" continued, but his strong focus in the third period helped him clinch a big win over NYR. I was right about Budaj vs. CGY last night - a wild final five minutes was the first time all year he lacked confidence. Tough loss for Niitty, but WOW is Hiller proving his elite status right now! I never [...]
Try as you might, there’s simply no way of stopping the inevitability of a goalie’s sudden failure and surprising success. Every season, nay, every month, an unsuspecting group of them spring forward, while a few of the more valuable ones fall back and almost single-handedly crush your chance of winning it all.
But as I have come to learn over the years, it’s not the goalies you draft that make or break your season. Rather it is the ones you acquire through a trade, or the ones lost on the free agent wire that you are able to project correctly before everyone else.
