July 28, 2014

Dobber

2014-07-28

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Our old buddy Jeff Angus has his annual Top 50 NHL players list out. Take a look at it here.

The Red Wings have signed Tomas Tatar to a three-year deal.

The Maple Leafs have signed Daniel Winnik to a one-year deal. Solid depth signing, a great fourth liner add.

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The third annual Fantasy Football Guide is now out. Pick it up and enjoy – or buy it here if you haven’t yet. Just $5.99 for another week or so.

So I’m writing the Fantasy Guide, I just get done Pittsburgh. It requires calculation after calculation trying to figure out projected games played, which is the key to projections – anyone can come up with a points-per-game number and be reasonably close. But games played is what impacts the end result (some readers check my accuracy after the season). But back to Pittsburgh. What a bunch of Band-Aid Boys. And then I move onto the Sharks right after that, and I’m filling in “82 games”, “82 games”, “82 games” and I’m like – what the hell? The Sharks have a pretty weak system for prospects, but why bother when your top guys stay healthy and if you need an extra depth guy you just grab a Tye McGinn for bucket of pucks? Sure, they lose Couture from time to time, and Hertl was hurt all year. But Thornton, Pavelski and Marleau didn’t miss a single game. And haven’t in years. How easy is it to be a GM of such a team? What if the Penguins never had Crosby, Malkin or Neal out of the lineup over the course of three years?

Anyway, it dawned on me that we give way too much credit to how well that team is managed and coached. When really – there aren’t as many moving parts as with most teams.

Huberdeau – Bjugstad – Upshall

Jokinen – Bolland – Trocheck

Bergenheim – MacKenzie – Kopecky

With extras: Pirri, Thornton and Hayes, and with prospects Howden and Shore as first call-ups. Thornton is your fifth right winger, Hayes – sure enough – is No.6.

If I’m the Panthers, that’s all I’d bring to arbitration. Just a piece of paper with my depth chart. Then I’d ask if anyone wants to go for lunch.

Remember Patrick Cote? I’m guessing the enforcer made upwards of three quarters of a million dollars over two full NHL seasons with Nashville in the late 90s. Exhibit A as to why pro athletes need training and education in finances – because Cote is going to jail for 30 months for robbing two banks in Quebec!

PS – someone should tell him that it’s not 1874. You don’t really get away with robbing banks anymore.

If you want to see a negative article on the Kyle Dubas hiring by the Leafs, Gare Joyce of Sportsnet does so. It’s another perspective, I’ll give it that.

PK Subban drinks beer from the Cup! He didn’t win it, so he’s cursed. Or is he? He drank through a straw and did not touch the Cup. Start the footage at 4:30:

NHL is releasing a series of summing up the season in 60 seconds. For each team. Here are the Capitals:

UPCOMING GAMES

Mar 14 - 19:03	CAR	vs	DET
Mar 14 - 19:03	NYI	vs	EDM
Mar 14 - 20:03	WPG	vs	DAL
Mar 14 - 21:03	CGY	vs	COL
Mar 14 - 22:03	ANA	vs	NSH
Mar 14 - 22:03	SEA	vs	UTA