April 10, 2014

steve laidlaw

2014-04-10

This has been a pretty disappointing fantasy season for me. Any hopes of competing in the DobberHockey Expert's League were tanked when Jonathan Quick got hurt early on. It didn't help that the Devils seemed dedicated to Martin Brodeur's mediocrity leaving Cory Schneider few starts to work with.

I won the regular season in my friends/family league but got dumped in the first round when Alexander Ovechkin decided to take his post-Olympic sabbatical. What's that? He's been playing this whole time? You could have fooled me.

I did have my best ever finish in the UHL salary cap league with many of DobberHockey's own writers/readers. I made it all the way to the Conference Finals in spite of Marc-Andre Fleury and Jonas Hiller falling off once the calendar flipped to March. I was proud of that finish and it's something to build off of.

Patrick Sharp made a great play to assist on Petr Budaj's game winner for Chicago. Just a brilliant tape-to-tape pass.

Alex Galchenyuk</a> <a href="http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/latest-news/2014/4/9/5599378/alex-galchenyuk-injury-canadiens-forward-hurt-blackhawks">left the game with a knee injury</a> and did not return.   *   20 years from now someone is going to be sifting through game logs and discover <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=637&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Nathan Horton</a>'s miracle goal at 20:00 of the first period of last night's Jackets-Stars game, which was even more impressive since he didn't even skate in the game. I just wish <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=2445&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Sergei Bobrovsky</a> had hung on for the shutout so that Horton's goal could have been the game winner.   <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=340&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">James Wisniewski</a>'s assist on that goal gave him 50 points for the season – the second time he has reached that plateau. If only he wasn't a <a href="">Band-Aid Boy</a> he'd get a lot more respect. Definitely a power play specialist though – 27 of his 50 points have come on the man advantage.   Columbus booked their ticket to the playoffs and pulled into a three-way tie with Detroit and Philadelphia at 91 points. Because of the tiebreaker (regulation + overtime wins) Columbus sits in the top Wild Card slot eyeing a matchup with Pittsburgh.   Philly is in the catbird seat with the most games remaining and the tiebreaker so odds are they hang on and avoid a first round matchup against the Penguins, although I wonder if they would welcome such a matchup?   *   Another game, another point for <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=2480&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Tyler Seguin</a>. He's third in the league in scoring. He certainly wouldn't be there if not for injuries to the likes of <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=2121&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">John Tavares</a>, <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=2181&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Matt Duchene</a> and <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=323&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Patrick Kane</a> but those injuries aren't what allowed Seguin to bust out for 80+ this season. And durability is a legit skill in fantasy hockey so respect the success. He fired nine SOG last night too. Wowy.   <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=496&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Trevor Daley</a> scored the lone Stars goal. Give him 12 points in the last 19 games and he's starting to produce on the power play with two PPP in the last three games, including last night's marker. He skated over four minutes with the man advantage last night. If you can believe in Dallas as a playoff contender then Daley has real sleeper potential.   <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=1245&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Alex Goligoski</a>'s three-game streak came to an end last night but the damage was done. He cleared 40 points. I told you he'd make it.   Dallas' loss breathes life back into the Coyotes' playoff hopes. They'll go against the Predators tonight. I really hope that they win to pull even with the Stars. I want this to come down to the last game of the season, which the Stars-Coyotes game on Sunday night just so happens to be.   Of course, it probably will all come down to that game and it will undoubtedly go to a shootout so we can have yet another playoff spot decided by that silly skills competition. Remember when the Flyers booked their trip to the playoffs with a shootout win over the Rangers a few years ago? My goodness that was stupid.   *   I'll tell ya, <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=1414&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Karri Ramo</a> has had quite the run for the Calgary Spoilers. Since returning from injury Ramo has won six of nine starts with an above-0.900 save percentage in seven of those games. He stopped 41 of 44 shots helping Calgary to a shootout win despite getting dominated 44-18 in shots.   Does this mean I'm excited to give Ramo a shot on my fantasy team next year? I'm warming to the idea. He has certainly resuscitated some of his fantasy value these past few weeks, moving from subpar to average. His history on North American ice is dreadful but at every other level Ramo has excelled including some outrageous numbers over the past few years in the KHL.   *   Tanner Pearson is on a nice little run with five points in his last seven games clicking on the third line with <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=589&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Jarret Stoll</a> and <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=693&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Dustin Brown</a>. He might be worth a sleeper pick in your playoff pool considering Darryl Sutter is not above using youngsters come playoff time.   If you are looking for your <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=329&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Bryan Bickell</a> candidate on this squad though I'd be looking at <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=2274&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Dwight King</a>. He has bounced around the lineup quite a bit this season but always seems to find a spot on a scoring line. He scored his 15th goal and 30th point of the season last night on a tip-in. I really wonder if moving King to the front of the net couldn't unlock Los Angeles' dreadful power play.   <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=2968&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Slava Voynov</a> notched a couple of assists last night but I'm not reading too much into things with <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=2007&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Drew Doughty</a> out of the lineup. Voynov did have a great post-season last year but it just seems he has regressed. It probably doesn't help that, as mentioned, the Kings have a dreadful power play. One thing I love about Voynov is how he is able to get his shot through, which is an asset I really value in defensemen.   *   The San Jose Sharks really screwed the pooch last night. <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=1867&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Antti Niemi</a> came out in the biggest game of their regular season with more holes than a leaky ship. He drowned allowing three weak goals before getting yanked. The Sharks' hopes of first place went down with him. Now the Sharks get to enjoy a first round exit at the hands of the Kings.   Of course, it didn't all turn on this one game. They'd spoiled other chances to make up ground earlier but with their fate established this was the game they needed to win and they couldn't do it.   Kudos to Anaheim for stepping up. This was a game with a real playoff vibe and they were flying. The Ducks have done a wonderful job of rolling their lines all year and wearing teams out with a fast and relentless attack.   I won't pretend like the Ducks don't spring leaks at times and certainly the Sharks were able to force open a few. The Sharks carried the play for plenty of stretches generating some great chances and winning the shot battle 38-30. But the thing is that Anaheim has played this way all season and they've excelled doing it. This doesn't endear them to the "fancy stats" crowd where they rank as a <a href="http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/teamstats.php?disp=1&db=201314&sit=5v5close&sort=FFPCT&sortdir=DESC">league average team</a> but it isn't like they are a Leafs-level house of cards, ready to crumble at any moment.   It's certain that the Ducks are a team that relies on quality goaltending and their ability to generate "high percentage chances" off the rush (if such a thing really exists). They have the <a href="http://www.sportingcharts.com/nhl/stats/team-pdo-numbers-save-plus-shooting-percentage/2013/">fourth highest PDO</a> – a measure combining shooting percentage with save percentage to determine luck – in the league but the thing is that the PDO leaders are basically a laundry list of the league's best teams and the Leafs.   It helps that the Ducks have found yet another excellent goaltender to throw out at teams in <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=2905&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">John Gibson</a> who has now won his first two starts. We know from the <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=1835&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Semyon Varlamov</a> experience in Washington that Bruce Boudreau is not afraid to roll with a rookie in goal so it's looking like a legitimate possibility that Gibson starts in the playoffs. After all, he did just start (and win) arguably the biggest game of the season thus far.   Even if he doesn't get the reins come playoff time, each and every Gibson start makes it more and more likely that <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=15&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Jonas Hiller</a> winds up elsewhere next season. Hiller owners beware. It also significantly decreases the likelihood that we see <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=174&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Ryan Miller</a> join the Ducks.   Remember, Anaheim was a rumoured destination for Miller this season, mostly because of his desire to move to the West coast to be closer to his wife who is an actress. There exists a possibility that if things don't end well for St. Louis in the playoffs that Miller looks for a landing spot in Anaheim. But Gibson is the future for the Ducks and if that future is now then you can kiss any chance of the Ducks spending big money on a veteran goodbye.   On the subject of Miller though, would the Sharks consider a move for him if he comes available and that first round loss I've predicted comes to fruition? Niemi has just one year left on his deal at a decent number. The Sharks could potentially buy him out and splurge on Miller. That would be a huge shakeup but that's GM Doug Wilson's M.O.   Am I overreacting because I needed a Niemi win to help me make up ground in the afformentioned pool? YES. Does that mean I’m wrong? Maybe. Should you join in on my overreaction? Probably not. Am I going to back down from this stance? NO.   *   Back to the Ducks though. I don't hear too many people excited about this team for the playoffs. Obviously last year's first round flameout to the Red Wings has left a lot of doubt about their ability to win in the spring. But they aren't going to be facing a veteran-laden Wings team. There also have to be some doubts about Bruce Boudreau's ability to win the big one given his playoff struggles in Washington.   But the Ducks are headed towards one of Dallas, Minnesota or Phoenix. None will be pushovers but none strike fear either. Then round two will feature a banged up Kings (or Sharks team). Things are starting to line up quite nicely.   The beauty of the Ducks is how many potential dark horses exist on this roster. The way they roll their lines makes everyone a potential <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=587&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Fernando Pisani</a>. I'd be looking at <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=1840&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Matt Beleskey</a> right now because he's currently clicking with <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=41&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Corey Perry</a> and <a href="frozenpool_profiler.php?players=20&sent=go&games=2013-2014%3AR">Ryan Getzlaf</a> on the big line. I mean, how about this goal last night?   <iframe src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2013021193-510-h" frameborder="0″ width="640″ height="395″>

Apparently Jaroslav Halak intends to hit the free agent market this summer. This doesn't entirely rule out the possibility of his return to Washington but not if Adam Oates is the coach. But Oates could definitely be gone. The whole handling of goaltenders this season was miserable. Definitely buy low on Braden Holtby if you can though.

Again, assuming Oates is gone Holtby should have a bounce back season.

As for Halak, off the top of my head I see openings in goal for the Islanders and Wild. Also, the Jets could use someone to plug the opening in Ondrej Pavelec's five-hole.

The Canucks canned Mike Gillis and then hired Trevor Linden as their new President of Hockey Operations. It remains to be seen what they will do with John Tortorella or who they will hire as their new GM.

I'm not always a fan of change but this seems like it was a pretty necessary move. We'll see what they do with Ryan Kesler this summer as well but I still think the Sedins have a lot left in the tank, which means they could make a quick turnaround.

Apparently Brendan Shanahan has been offered a job with the Leafs, which is just perfect. What has been more inconsistent over the past few years, Shanahan's discipline or the Leafs play?

Justin Bourne with an interesting piece on how coaches manipulate players and how that changes come playoff time.

You can follow me on Twitter @SteveLaidlaw.

UPCOMING GAMES

Dec 27 - 19:12	DET	vs	TOR
Dec 27 - 19:12	BUF	vs	CHI
Dec 27 - 19:12	CBJ	vs	BOS
Dec 27 - 19:12	N.J	vs	CAR
Dec 27 - 20:12	DAL	vs	MIN
Dec 27 - 20:12	STL	vs	NSH
Dec 27 - 21:12	UTA	vs	COL
Dec 27 - 22:12	S.J	vs	VGK