Looking Ahead: Week One

Karl Paquette

2014-10-02

MilanLucic2

Looking Ahead returns to examine the favourable schedules for the first week of the season.

Greetings Dobbernation!

You may know me as Fighting Emu on the forums and I'm thrilled to be taking on the Looking Ahead column this year. We'll take a look at your best and worst matchups in weekly start leagues and try to dig beneath the surface and make sense of those difficult roster decisions. I really enjoyed Bob's format and will try to stay true to it while hopefully adding my own unique spin. Each week I'll continue posting a team to Target, Consider, Beware, and Avoid- over a two-week period as per the old format. I'll also continue to recommend some of those low ownership guys (Yahoo) for leagues that allow streaming over the same two week period. Lastly, each month I'll be adding another feature that might provide some insight to people in leagues with daily changes.

Cloudy with a Chance of Add/Drops will be a monthly forecast breaking down teams with favorable games played totals projected over the next thirty-day period. Hopefully this will help with those tough calls at the bottom of your roster when you want to take a flier on the waiver wire- especially in formats with limited moves. I hope that at the very least each week- I can provide some insight, a bit of humor and more bad puns than a Flintstones marathon!

So without further ado…

Big Bad Bruins (Target)

Games: 4 Away, 3 Home

@ Phl, Det, Was, Col, @Det, @Mtl, @Buf

The B's kick off their season with a bang, being one of only two teams starting seven games in the next two weeks. Although they face some quality competition in that schedule it should be noted that most of those teams are relatively middling in terms of Goals and Shots allowed per game, categories for which the Bruins were conversely ranked 3rd(Goals For) and 5^th(Shots For) last year.

Washington will be especially interesting considering they were giving up an average of 33 shots per game last season- good for fourth worst in the league- although Barry Trotz may have something to say about that this year. Look for some lucky bounces as they finish up their three game road trip in Buffalo on the 18^th as well. Start your Black and Yellows with confidence.

Lightning Storming Out of the Gate (Consider)

Games: 2 Away 4 home

Fla, Ott, Mtl, NJ, @Van, @Edm

Tampa Bay skaters should see some favorable ice time to start the season with a four game home stand and you just might want to mark October 10^th down on your calendar if you own any of them. There will be plenty of room for carnage when they face off against the lowly Panthers who were second worst in the league for Goals Allowed and a miserable league worst in Penalty Kill Percentage. Of special note, will be who is able to lockdown those coveted top-line power-play minutes. The early favorites seem to be Callahan and Garrison- but this situation bears monitoring.

Arizona (2.05)- 2 games: Win, LA

Vancouver (2.20)- 2 games: @Cgy, Edm

Thursday, October 9 to Wednesday, October 15- 2014

Best Bets

Tampa Bay (4.57)- 4 games: Fla, Ott, Mtl, NJ

Edmonton (4.l1)- 4games: Cgy, @Van, @LA, @Ari

Boston (3.95)- 4 games: @Det, Was, Col, @Det

NY Rangers (3.92)- 4 games: @Stl, @Clb, Tor, NYI

Anaheim (3.90)- @Pit, @Det, @Buf, @Phi

Steer Clear

Vancouver (1.10)- 1 game: Edm

Minnesota (1.90)- 2 games: Col, @Col

Pittsburgh (1.94)- 2 games: Ana, @Tor

San Jose (2.11)- 2 games: Win, @Was

St. Louis (2.21)- 2 games: NYR, Cgy

Friday, October 10 to Thursday, October 16- 2014

Best Bets

Carolina (4.26)- 4 games: NYI, @NYI, Buf, @NYR

NY Rangers (4.21)- 4 games: @Clb, Tor, NYI, Car

Los Angeles (4.20)- 4 games: @Ari, Win, Edm. Stl

NY Islanders (4.00)- 4 games: @Car, Car, @NYR, SJ

Boston (4.00)- 4 games: Was, Col, @Det, @Mtl

Steer Clear

Minnesota- (0.90)- 1 game: @Col

Vancouver (1.10)- 1 game: Edm

Winnipeg (1.71)- 2 games: @SJ, @LA

Detroit (1.89)- 2 games: Ana, Bos

Arizona (2.08)- 2 games: LA, Edm

Saturday, October 11 to Friday, October 17- 2014

Best Bets

NY Rangers (4.21)- 4 games: @Clb, Tor, NYI, Car

Los Angeles (4.20)- 4 games: @Ari, Win, Edm, Stl

Anaheim (4.09)- 4 games: @Det, @Buf, @Phi, Min

Edmonton (4.05)- 4 games: @Van, @LA, @Ari, Van

Boston (4.00)- 4 games: Was, Col, @Det, @Mtl

Steer Clear

St. Louis (2.02)- 2 games: Cgy, @LA

Minnesota (1.76)- 2 games: @Col, @Ana

Philadelphia (2.05)- 2 games: Mtl, Ana

Arizona (2.00)- 2 games: LA, Edm

Pittsburgh (2.05)- 2games: @Tor, Dal

Sunday, October 12 to Saturday, October 18- 2014

Best Bets

Buffalo (4.10)- 4 games: Ana, @Car, Fla, Bos

Toronto (3.90)- 4 games: @NYR, Col, Det, @Det

Colorado (3.85)- 4 games: @Bos, @Tor, @Ott, @Mtl

Boston (4.09)- 4 games: Col, @Det, @Mtl, @Buf

Washington (3.36)- 3 games: SJ, NJ, Fla

Steer Clear

Minnesota (0.86)- 1 game: @Ana

St. Louis (1.85)- 2 games: @LA, @Ari

Phiuladelphia (1.90)- 2 games: Ana, @Dal

Winnipeg (1.91)- 2 games: @LA, Nas

Arizona (2.00)- 2 games: Edm, Stl.

Monday, October 13 to Sunday, October 19- 2014

Best Bets

Buffalo (4.10)- 4 games: Ana, @Col, Fla, Bos

Boston (4.09)- 4 games: Col, @Det, @Mtl, @Buf

Anaheim (4.03)- 4 games: @Buf, @Phi, Min, Stl

San Jose (3.90)- 4 games: @Was, @NYI, @NJ, @NYR

Colorado (3.85)- 4 games: @Bos, @Tor, @Ott, @Mtl

Steer Clear

Minnesota (1.66)- 2 games: @Ana, @LA

Philadelphia (1.90)- 2 games: Ana, @Dal

Arizona (2.00)- 2 games: Edm, Stl

Vancouver (2.05)- 2 games: @Edm, TB

Pittsburgh (2.15)- 2 games: Dal, NYI

Tuesday, October 14 to Monday, October 20- 2014

Best Bets

Buffalo (4.10)- 4 games: Ana,, @Car, Fla, Bos

Boston (4.09)- 4 games: Col, @Det, @Mtl, @Buf

Anaheim (4.03)- 4 games: @Buf, @Phi, Min, Stl

San Jose (3.90)- 4 games: @Was, @NYI, @NJ, @NYR

Colorado (3.85)- 4 games: @Bos, @Tor, @Ott, @Mtl

Steer Clear

Minnesota (1.66)- 2 games: @Ana, @La

Philadelphia (1.90)- 2 games: Ana, @Dal

Arizona (2.00)- 2 games: Edm, Stl

Vancouver (2.05)- 2 games: @Edm, TB

Pittsburgh (2.15)- 2 games: Dal, NYI

UPCOMING GAMES

Nov 15 - 19:11	CBJ	vs	PIT
Nov 15 - 21:11	UTA	vs	VGK
Nov 15 - 21:11	CGY	vs	NSH
Nov 15 - 21:11	COL	vs	WSH
Nov 15 - 22:11	ANA	vs	DET