September 08, 2011
Dobber Sports
2011-09-08
The Fantasy Guide is updated as of Tuesday, as is the Draft List. My Draft Buddy iPhone app…next on the docket for updating. *I just updated the Draft List again. I didn’t change the file name. But I added a ton of notes, you may want to re-download. The app update is complete, now we just wait on Apple…
Update on Jason Pominville – he will be ready to start the season, as well as some casual practice during training camp. He is recovering from a leg laceration.
Tough day yesterday. Tough summer. Still numb. One life is as important as another, but the 'known' names of yesterday's tragedy were the ones uttered the most. Nothing wrong with that, it's human nature. Any of us involved with fantasy hockey for more than five years have been in leagues that have owned and at times coveted Pavol Demitra. In 2002-03 he had 36 goals and 93 points. In 1998-99 he had 89 points. In all, 304 goals and 768 points. At times, I have had Demitra, Igor Korolev and Josef Vasicek on one fantasy team or another. I wasn't able to say that about Derek Boogaard, Wade Belak, Rick Rypien, Alexei Cherepanov, Steve Chiasson, Dan Snyder or Sergei Zholtok. It doesn't make it any more shocking or tragic, but it feels like a different kind of familiarity. But even with that small attachment to players once owned, for some reason the player that hit me hardest was Alexander Vasyunov, a player I had never owned.
Vasyunov was a player who was profiled in the first Fantasy Prospects Report that I ever did – and was one of my favorites in terms of upside. And every year after that draft, he was profiled in the New Jersey section. So year in and year out, I would read up on his stats, tidbits of his life, what his coaches say, what the GM says. And now, at just 23 years old, he's gone. He made the decision to go back to Russia because he could not get a one-way contract from the Devils. If he only had the patience for one more year. Lots of "if only" talk throughout the hockey community, I'm sure, as we try to cope with so much loss at once.
And I had a second wave of despair yesterday afternoon when Ruslan Salei's death was confirmed. He had a wife and three kids. And being a relatively new dad, if I think about all the children who became fatherless yesterday…I can't. It's too much.
If anything I've said comes across as insensitive, I don't mean to be. I was just pouring it out from the heart from the best perspective that I know. And I'm not really sure how it comes across. I will move onto fantasy hockey now.
Well, not fantasy hockey here, but interesting – Zack Stortini commented on the On the Forecheck Facebook page. Fantastic! I wonder if an NHL player will ever comment on my Dobber Sports page?
Corey Stillman will announce his retirement today, per Mike Brophy. Stillman had 39 points last year, but had 80 in 2004 with Tampa, his best season. He had 52 points or more six times.
If you didn't read it yet, I went over two Sidney Crosby scenarios with projections for the other Pittsburgh players – one in which he plays 70 games, and one in which he plays 30 games. Give it a read.
In the Oshawa prospects tournament, I linked to the PIT and OTT rosters earlier in the week. Chicago's roster has been announced now. I'll give you my take on how they do, as I take in a few of those games this weekend.
Alexander Vasyunov two-goal AHL performance. Fitting that there is no sound: