Ramblings: World Cup lines, Connor McDavid, Henrik Zetterberg and Frederik Andersen (Sept. 6)

Neil Parker

2016-09-06

Henrik Zetterberg - USA TODAY Sports Images

 

Looking at some World Cup line combos, Connor McDavid's run at the Art Ross, Henrik Zetterberg's decline and Frederik Andersen's decline …

 

Team North America Lines

 

 

This is exciting stuff. How couldn't you root for this team? The buzz is ramping up, too. If Nathan MacKinnon and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins stick together, that line could be extremely dangerous. They're older(ish) players on the roster and will both have a bit of a chip on their shoulders after weaker seasons last year.

Vincent Trocheck's inclusion on this team highlights his ascend into the higher ranks of skilled players. He should still be a bargin in casual circles, but playing in this tournament could drive up his name value.

 

Team Canada Lines

 

 

It's basically picking names out of a hat, and the Canadians should cruise to victory. Assuming they care, of course. Steven Stamkos is a player to watch because it'll be interesting to see if he can gain some momentum to parlay into a strong start to the season.

Claude Giroux stands to benefit from the extra work, too. He is poised for a slight rebound this year, and this tournament should help him prove his health following offseason surgeries on his hip and abdomen.

 

Team USA Lines

 

 

This isn't a very strong hockey team. The two bottom lines would be mediocre in the NHL, and it should prove difficult to have a balanced scoring attack throughout the roster. Plenty of shot blockers here, though.

Following his breakout 2015-16 campaign, Kyle Palmieri should benefit from game action, and he stands to hit the ground running again this fall. Playing a full season with Taylor Hall will help him sustain his production this year, too.

 

Team Finland

 

 

Look at Patrik Laine sitting atop the depth chart. He's a solid tournament away from beginning his tenure with Winnipeg in a similar role. It's also interesting to see him paired with two Panthers. If Jaromir Jagr went down or struggled, could Jussi Jokinen be the next man up alongside Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov?

Like the USA team, there doesn't look to be a lot of firepower in the bottom-six group, and potentially less offensive punch in the top two lines. Yet, Finland will likely prove to be the better club.

 

Team Russia

 

 

It's a new international tournament, but Russia still has the same issue. The stars are plentiful, but the defense is gross. If Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov paced the tournament in scoring, would Barry Trotz be inclined to start them together on a line?

Nikolai Kulemin has played with Evgeni Malkin a lot internationally, but it doesn't seem like the best fit in 2016. There are enough talented players (Vladislav Namestnikov) who would likely make for a better fit alongside Malkin and Vladimir Tarasenko, assuming Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov play together.

 

Team Sweden

 

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There are a lot of intriguing combos, but the Daniel SedinHenrik SedinLoui Eriksson line could prove to have the biggest fantasy impact. This provides the trio with an extra few weeks of chemistry building and then a free run in competitive games.

I'm likely higher than most on Eriksson and touched on him already Saturday. This just sets up nicely, and having a head start on the rest of the league only stands to help all three get off to a nice start.

 

The World team didn't practice Monday, and the Czech Republic team is really bad. And then, after I found all the line combos on twitter, Chris Peters of CBSSports put them all in one place.

 

***

 

I've already put it out there that it's Connor McDavid and everyone else for me, and this only fuels my optimism:

 

 

 

What's so important, though, is McDavid's ability to create at full speed. We've seen so many burners who skate faster than they can think and process the game. 

Remember, the Art Ross has had 11 different winners over the past 14 seasons, so it isn't like there is a locked-in favorite. McDavid could post a point-per-game season, and anytime you hit 80 points in this era, you're in the running.

 

***

 

Count me 100 percent out on Henrik Zetterberg. He's going to miss time in training camp with his knee injury, and any injury can quickly linger into the regular season. He's also entering his age 36-campaign following his worst offensive season since his rookie year (0.61 points per game).

The cliff is often steep and unexpected for players in their 30s, and while there is no denying the potential for a bounce-back showing Zetterberg, the likelihood of a further decline is just as probable, isn't it?

Or, what if Zetterberg just produces another 13-goal, 50-point season? That doesn't cut it in many leagues. And what's further troubling is that despite starting 59.9 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, he posted a mediocre 51.2 CorsiFor percentage.

Oh, and after all that, there is also the wonky back.

 

***

 

Fredik Andersen is set to miss three to four weeks, but both Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock aren't concerned. Shanahan said Andersen would be ready for training camp, and Lamoriello said Andersen would be ready for the regular season.

Fantasy owners shouldn't be too concerned, either, maybe. Though, the injuries are beginning to add up for Andersen. He's suffered a concussion and has missed time with both upper- and lower-body injuries since entering the league.

With all that said, the injury could be minor. Andersen might not have missed a start if it was playoff time. I'm interested to know if there are any clearer sources outlining the significance and nature of the injury. Hit the comments if you've got a scoop.

Sometimes, it is difficult to separate your fandom from fantasy when it comes to your favorite teams. All summer long in my daily baseball columns I've looked at the stacked Chicago Cubs and hesitated to consistently recommend them. I don't like to come off biased, and I'm typically more critical and pessimistic about my own team.

Yet, I'm intrigued by Toronto making a splash this year, and I can see Andersen pushing towards a fantasy finish between the top 12 to 15 goaltenders.

Babcock is a huge factor, and there is a lot of talent. A sign of things to come starts this year, and it should begin with a faster team capable of generating more offense. More offense means less time in the defensive zone, and Toronto was already the third-best CorsiFor percentage team last year.

 

***

 

Thanks for tuning in, Dobberheads.

 

 

8 Comments

  1. stimperi 2016-09-06 at 05:52

    Panarin will play with Shipachyov and Dadonov. They have been together quite a bit in the KHL and Russian NT. And they are awesome.

    • Hugo Twigg 2016-09-06 at 08:52

      Didn’t Panarin-Kuz-Tarasenko also rippied it in the WJC ?

    • LAKings 2016-09-06 at 09:32

      But he’s been with Anisimov more recently, so which factor is more important? We’ll see what Russia’s coach comes up with.

  2. Striker 2016-09-06 at 07:08

    I have concerns about Andersen’s ability to stay healthy. Not ready to call him injury prone but he has missed time in all 3 seasons played in the NHL with some form of injury to date, nothing serious just saying it concerns me. He has yet to start over 53 games, 54 appearances. For me a solid starter needs to be able to make 55 starts year in year out. Andersen is young by NHL experience but is right on target for the age that most goalies lock down the #1 NHL starters job.

    We debated this slightly when discussing our expectations for Enroth. I got burned by Andersen in both a fantasy pool & draft pool last season. I overcame the problem some what but once bitten twice shy.

    • BF 2016-09-06 at 10:41

      These things tend to happen when you’re in a platoon goaltending situation with one of the highest rated goalie prospects alive.

      • Neil Parker 2016-09-06 at 11:22

        I’m interested to see him take a full workload (65 games). It’s going to be a really big season for the Leafs up and down the lineup.

  3. Stu Campaigne 2016-09-06 at 13:25

    The phrase “quickly linger” strikes me as oxymoronic.

    • Ken Landry 2016-09-06 at 19:11

      Who you callin’ an ox moron? :D

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