Ramblings: Jhonas Enroth signs, Ranking thoughts and Cup odds (Aug. 23)

Neil Parker

2016-08-23

Nick Bjugstad - USA TODAY Sports Images

 

Jhonas Enroth inks deal with Toronto, a look at rankings and a look at the Stanley Cup odds …

 

 

In one of the longest and worst kept secrets in sports, Jhonas Enroth signed a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs Monday. Ideally, he receives 16 to 20 starts behind Frederik Andersen this season.

Enroth is not capable of handling a starting workload, and he has often been underwhelming as a backup. He's coming off his best season behind the Los Angeles Kings where he posted a 7-5-1 record with a .922 save percentage and a 2.17 goals-against average.

He will not post those numbers behind Toronto this season, and he is not a fantasy option outside of the deepest of settings. His keeper/dynasty appeal is also non-existent at this point.

This is a fine real-world add for Toronto, and it also is cap friendly. Enroth will likely flirt with a .500 record and post a save percentage around .910 and a goals-against average of 2.50.

 

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Nick Bjugstad is a personal favorite who has proven to be a capable scorer but is currently miscast behind Aleksander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck. Entering his fourth full season, Bjugstad should be a prime breakout candidate after scoring 55 goals over his past 215 games, but his deployment down the depth chart is concerning.

However, with Barkov's injury history, Bjugstad shouldn't be completely ignored yet. Especially since Bjugstad posted a respectable 19 points over the final 33 games of the regular season with 93 shots on net.

Additionally, Florida is deeper than ever and Bjugstad should see weak opponents nightly. A 20-goal, 45-point season with a high shot total has plenty of value in deeper settings.

 

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I quickly ran through the Top 200 Fantasy Rankings at The Hockey News and jotted down a few notes. It's important to consider readily available rankings because they're going to influence your draft rooms. All it takes is one person to view John Tavares as the sixth best player for Tyler Seguin to drop to seventh — an example pulled from THN.

Evgeni Malkin is a third-round selection for me, as in, he is outside my top-25 players. Replacement level is high at center, and if Malkin still has winger eligibility it's great, but you're going to have to deal with injuries, so there's no point guaranteeing you do with one of your first two picks. Again, he's averaged just 62 games per year over the past three seasons.

Filip Forsberg is underrated. He increased his goals, points, penalty minutes, shots and power-play points while also throwing a healthy 114 body checks. 35 goals and 70 points with excellent peripheral statistics appear to be a lock, and you can grab him in the third round likely. Though, why wait? Take a top-tier contributor in the second because next year he could demand a first-round pick.

Max Pacioretty has averaged 35.3 goals, 63.6 points and 291.6 shots per year over the past three seasons. The floor is known, and Montreal has improved tremendously around him, and he flashed excellent chemistry with emerging Alex Galchenyuk. You can count on Pacioretty's plus/minus to bounce back, too.

There likely isn't a zero-center strategy yet, but if you wait at the position, Tyler Johnson will be sitting there in the middle rounds to provide No. 1 pivot upside. Nothing went right for Johnson during the regular season, as he finished with a measly 38 points. However, he posted a point-per-game mark in the playoffs, and he may or may not have been 100 percent healthy. He's locked into a cushy offensive situation, too.

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Leon Draisaitl remains a hot commodity despite clear decline with Connor McDavid in the lineup and Taylor Hall no longer in town. Draisaitl projects as the third-line center who could be on the outside looking in when it comes to power-play looks. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins isn't suddenly an afterthought at age 23, either. Draisaitl has a lot of work to do just to repeat last season's results.

Devan Dubnyk is ranked way too low here. He's capable and Minnesota is deep enough to stay in games with any team in the league. Dubnyk also won't be challenged for playing time and will contribute plenty through volume. He's strung together a number of high-end stretches since joining Minnesota and sits with a 59-35-8 record, 10 shutouts, a .925 save percentage and 2.13 goals-against average as a member of the Wild. That'll do, and especially since Bruce Boudreau should help Minnesota improve.

Jaromir Jagr is going to hit a wall at some point. Currently, he's in a prime spot to continue contributing, but nagging injuries have crept up in the past, and Florida has a talented group of wingers. Someone leapfrogging him isn't completely out of the question, especially if he misses time or his age begins to show. It's almost guaranteed someone else will want him more than you should.

Why is Alexander Radulov ranked so low? He's been an offensive machine at every stop throughout his career, so why would that suddenly change after joining a team in need of exactly what he brings? I guess the floor is the press box, but the upside is 30 goals and 65 points. If he's still available any time after Round 5, the ceiling alone is worth targeting. Assuming he plays 70 games, 40 points are a lock.

Bo Horvat is really intriguing after finishing last season with 30 points in his final 44 games. His projected linemates, on the other hand, are not. Sinking a middle-round pick into an unproven player on a basement-dwelling team is fantasy suicide. Given the organization, it wouldn't even be totally shocking if Horvat failed to beat out Brandon Sutter for a top-six role. The supporting cast isn't good enough to help propel Horvat's production any higher.

 

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Not much has changed in the Stanley Cup odds at Bet365. Tampa Bay is the big gainer, which makes sense after Steven Stamkos re-upped, but it is interesting to see Montreal so far back given the generally easier trek through the Eastern Conference.

Still, there aren't a lot of attractive numbers at this stage.

Following the Stanley Cup Finals:

 

August 22:

 

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Thanks for tuning in, Dobberheads.

 

8 Comments

  1. Striker 2016-08-23 at 07:25

    Enroth has played 147 NHL games with a career average of .911, considering 6 of those 7 seasons were spent playing for a brutal Buffalo team as a back up I think those are decent #’s. I had Enroth as the best UFA goalie available & for Tor to get him for 1 year at 750K is awesome. Playing behind a better D he showed well. You would assume his 13 starts were against weaker competition but 7 of the 13 starts were against playoff teams, SJ twice, NYI twice, Det, Dal & StL & only 2 of the starts against teams that finished in the bottom 5, Tor & Cal. The remaining Buf twice, Col & NJ.

    Could Enroth be a #1 in the NHL? That ship has sailed. He’s never been given that chance & doubtful with only 3o teams soon to be 31 he ever will. Far to many goalies being produced world wide to accommodate players like Enroth. If he was 6’5″ as opposed to 5’10” who knows.

    I will say that Andersen has yet to play more than 54 games in his 3 seasons in the NHL due primarily to injuries, so I see Enroth potentially playing significant more games than 16 to 20. Time will tell.

    Andersen bit me in 1 fantasy league last season & 1 of my pools. Cost me a cup in the fantasy league. I eventually acquired Jones 2/3rd’s of the way through the season; stopping gaping on the waiver wire until then & final dropped Anderson. Still made it to the final but lost due to home ice advantage; 5 bonus points for the team with higher regular season standing. I won the pick em pool regardless but pissed me off anyway. Ha-ha!. Dam Boudreau.

    • Neil Parker 2016-08-23 at 10:09

      Great move for the Leafs, but it’s hardly fantasy relevant.

  2. Pat Quinn 2016-08-23 at 09:51

    I disagree with your Malkin assessment as in those 3 years he is still 16th overall in points (200 in 186gp), but I understand the hesitation as he would rank around the late 30’s for overall points last season. I would say it depends how large your league is as he can win you weekly match ups on his own sometimes (he has for me), and if you are lucky enough to get him round 3 and he plays 75 games he’d be an amazing pick. I seem to be more rambling here than anything haha, so hopefully it makes some sense. I would conclude by saying let him slip to the third round if you dare but the benefit of selecting him late could be huge, and his floor is usually 60 points (in 60 games of course)

    • Neil Parker 2016-08-23 at 10:07

      It’s just personal preference for building my teams. 75 game would be great, and anyone can get hurt, but Malkin’s trend is a nuisance.

      • Mark 2016-08-23 at 15:00

        At this stage, Malkin playing 70 should be considered a healthy season. Imagine how much the Pens would score if Crosby, Malkin, and Letang all stayed healthy for the season (75+ GP) – they’d be the highest scoring team for years.

        • Cal Growette 2016-08-23 at 21:22

          Isn’t that the truth. Where does Letang project to go? Top 5 upside is undeniable, but is he gonna play 70 games? Doubtful…

  3. isle b. 2016-08-23 at 17:13

    So are you saying that it is inaccurate to rank Tavares over Seguin? Because, when they were last seen in action, the former was most certainly outplaying the latter, who almost always seems to break down during the stretch run.

    • Cal Growette 2016-08-23 at 21:19

      Seguin > Tavares (in fantasy)

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