The Fantasy Guide updates are now in full swing, so you know that we're in the heart of fantasy draft season. It's been six days in row now where I've uploaded two updates in the same day – yes, it's been that frantic. And even the tiniest details matter. You're draft is coming up – get the Guide now and read it in advance. Be prepared for once! Grab it here.

(The above note was for my 'last minute' readers)

For my francophone readers who prefer to read their gold in their native tongue, we have a translated version of the Guide and the updates are not even a day behind – often within a couple of hours. You can order your French version here (and please share with any of your francophone pals).

ONE MORE NOTE: On Wednesday I change all the red font to black font, removing all indicators of my updates to that point. Then I start fresh, marking fresh updates in red. I do this because the entire Guide starts looking pretty red at that point, and this just cleans it up.

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In the keeper league where I keep 12 I was looking to upgrade my goaltending. I'm a contender and I wanted to keep two goalies. And while I love elite fantasy own Connor Hellebuyck, I wasn't happy about owning Mackenzie Blackwood. I want immediate help, and don't care as much about future seasons. In this type of league format, as long as I keep 12 great players each year, I'll generally take that over great prospects. Especially for goalies. So I swapped Blackwood straight up for Cam Talbot. I think the projected starts total favors Talbot here, and in that tight defensive system his peripheral numbers will be superior. I now have a solid 1-2 punch.

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I was invited to do an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit this week. We're just trying to iron out the details of when. I'll let you know on Twitter when we have everything nailed down.

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The preseason games are up and running and our Frozen Tools already has the stats, the box score, the line combos, etc. already up and running. Bookmark the Box Scores page here. Way better than the NHL.com box scores – for me it makes the Ramblings easier. It's everything you want to look up nightly for your league – we made sure of it. But if there's something else you'd like to see on the page just let us know.

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Seattle played their first ever exhibition game. It was against Vancouver and they came away with the W. This was the only game without a boxscore or gamecenter at NHL.com, so we were unable to pull that game (yet). But I watched it. The second period was all Jared McCann and Ryan Donato. The third period saw Morgan Geekie all over the ice. He ended up with a couple of goals. It was a statement game, as Donato is trying to prove he is a legit NHLer who belongs in the top six, Geekie is trying to prove he can be an NHL regular who deserves top-nine consideration and McCann is out there to show that he can be their best player. Riley Sheahan also scored and he, too, will be fighting for regular ice time. The guys who needed to do something, did it. The veterans, such as Jordan Eberle and Mark Giordano, took a backseat.

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Florida line combinations in their 5-4 OT (split squad) win over Nashville:

Time	%	EV – FORWARDS	GF	GA	+/-	SF	SA	SF%	CF	CA	CF%
11:17	25.2	J. Huberdeau – S BENNETT – O. Tippett	1	0	1	6	6	50.0	8	8	50.0
5:26	12.1	SERRON NOEL – J NACHBAUR – JUSTIN SOURDIF	0	0	0	1	2	33.3	3	2	60.0
5:15	11.7	P HORNQVIST – FRANK VATRANO – NOEL ACCIARI	0	1	-1	4	5	44.4	5	10	33.3
4:07	9.2	ZAC DALPE – MAXIM MAMIN – A HEPONIEMI	0	0	0	2	1	66.7	2	2	50.0

Don't read too much into a preseason pairing …unless its success carries over from last year! Bennett and Huberdeau were awesome together down the stretch last season and on Sunday they continued that chemistry. Bennett had six shots on goal, eventually scoring the OT winner on a dish from Hubes. I'm quite bullish on Bennett, just not so optimistic about his health. But if he can play 70 games I think he's pushing past 60 points. I have him for 59 in 69 in the Guide, but a 20% sleeper for 70 points.

Here were the PP time/line combos:

Time	%	PP – FORWARDS	GF	GA	+/-	SF	SA	SF%	CF	CA	CF%
3:55	40.9	J HUBERDEAU – SAM BENNETT – Tippett	0	0	0	4	0	100.0	9	1	90.0
2:20	24.4	P HORNQVIST – F VATRANO – A HEPONIEMI	0	0	0	2	0	100.0	5	0	100.0

The two defensemen out on the first unit were Aaron Ekblad and Mackenzie Weegar – and they were also out on the top PK unit. Bennett and Huberdeau were on the second PK unit.

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Tanner Jeannot was the star for Nashville, potting two goals and an assist with four SOG. He was on the second line and top PP unit, though to be fair the team didn't dress veterans in this game. It's just interesting to note that he had more PP time than Elli Tolvanen, as the coach went with the hot hand. Jeannot, 24, is a bit of a late bloomer and a power forward who to me had third-line upside and a high ceiling for Hits. But last season was a real revelation as he finally figured out the pro game when he tallied 21 points in 13 AHL games. He then picked up seven in 15 for Nashville. He's one to watch – I wonder if I'm wrong with my upside projection. Sometimes players just 'get it' and come from out of nowhere. With Jeannot, it all depends on linemates and opportunity. He'll have to fight for every scrap he gets, and then produce numbers as soon as he gets it. Little room for error.

Tolvanen was on the first line with Cody Glass and Luke Kunin. That line didn't have much spark. Tolvanen played his best last season with Viktor Arvidsson, who is now with the Kings. Nashville will float him through the lineup in an effort to find similar chemistry.

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In the other Nashville – Florida game, the veterans were again not there for Nashville and again Florida won 3-1. The Preds really pushed the ice time for the forwards on the cusp – Philip Tomasino, Nick Cousins, Rocco Grimaldi each saw over 21 minutes of ice time. The prospect forwards besides Tomasino were lucky to get in 14. You just know the coach wants to see a lot of those guys. Tomasino, by the way, led Nashville forwards in PPTOI with 3:13.

Leading Nashville defensemen? David Farrance. He played 20 minutes, plus 3:30 of PP ice time. Farrance and Tomasino are must-owns in keeper formats. And if they make the team, they are Calder contenders.

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Florida, on the other hand, didn't hold back in this game.

Time	%	EV – FORWARDS	GF	GA	+/-	SF	SA	SF%	CF	CA	CF%
10:17	21.9	C SCHWINDT – LOGAN HUTSKO – HENRY BOWLBY	0	0	0	5	4	55.6	7	5	58.3
9:55	21.1	A BARKOV – SAM REINHART – C VERHAEGHE	1	0	1	7	4	63.6	13	8	61.9
9:54	21.1	RYAN LOMBERG – J LAMMIKKO – G DENISENKO	0	0	0	3	7	30.0	6	10	37.5
7:44	16.5	A DUCLAIR – E LUOSTARINEN – M MARCHMENT	0	1	-1	0	4	0.0	2	6	25.0

Note that they are looking at Reinhart on the Barkov line. Duclair joined the trio for the power play, with them employing a four-forwards system and Brandon Montour on defense. Montour did great, by the way, picking up three points.

I didn't like seeing Denisenko on a line like that. But with the amount of forwards that this team signed, we all knew that Denisenko would have to find a way to produce regardless of linemates. We knew he would be buried, and his only shot at making the team was to overcome that and make it happen in spite of it. He did have three SOG, but his line was overmatched often.

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Over to the Boston – Washington game. In Boston, all the buzz right now is about Jesper Froden. Never heard of him? Neither did I until three months ago. And even then, I didn't think much of it because he's 27. The Bruins signed a 27-year-old undrafted player from out of the SHL to a one-year contract back in June. He dominated the prospects tournament and the coaches were raving about his offense, but also his defense. He had 40 points in 52 SHL games last year, and then four in five games for Team Sweden at the Worlds. In the first practice for the main camp he actually skated with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.

In the game on Sunday, Marchand and Bergeron didn't play. So Froden lined up with Erik Haula and Jake DeBrusk to form the team's top line. They dominated play and scored two of Boston's three goals. Froden did not log an assist, but was still a key part of their success. He led all of Boston in PP ice time with 3:48, so the coaches definitely want to see what he can do and are giving him all the opportunity to do it. What helps his case is that he is a right shot right winger. Boston doesn't have many of those.

And yes, he is in the Fantasy Guide now. I don't anticipate him making the team, as the Bruins are very deep. But I think he's making enough of a mark that he sees some games. And if he can kick that door wide once it opens a crack – then who knows? I don't recommend drafting, but just keep an eye on him.

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Tom Wilson and Daniel Sprong played with Connor McMichael for the Caps in that game. The line was out-chanced at even strength. McMichael was replaced by Lars Eller on the power play. It's one preseason game, but they didn't seem to be playing McMichael as if they were considering him making the team. He was just one of the many prospects getting a look. Again it is early…but I don't like seeing signs like that. I had him making the team around midseason, so this would only back up what I was thinking anyway.

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Sami Vatanen has signed to play in the Swiss League, which as I always say – is the best place to sign if you’re a borderline NHLer.

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A few days ago, Dobbernomics opened for registration. It's a free game – and it's my passion project. We are having one last season using this 'Beta' format. Next year this will (almost 100% take it to the bank) be on a sleek new platform with accompanying app, better navigation and more tools.

Back in 1998 and 1999 I fell in love with the Smallworld format. For football, baseball and hockey – I played it all. I loved the idea of adding and dropping players while trying to maximize their value. Pick up a guy at $5 (pretend money) and he goes on a three-game tear which makes other game-players pick him up. And that makes his value jump over those few days to, say, $5.50. I then drop him and then have an extra 50 cents to spend on the next guy I pick up. Yeah – your team value rises/falls based on the real ownership of the players. The idea is to not only have your team finish the season with the most points in your league (and/or the world), but also to have the highest team salary value. You start with $50 (pretend dollars) to spend.

Anyway, I loved Smallworld. But they couldn't monetize this great game. So they sold it to RotoHog, who tried to monetize the game and that cost them users and the game was done by (I'm guessing) around 2004. I brought it back to life and it's free. I lose money just hosting it, having the programmers set it up, putting my own time into it…because I love it. That's the very definition of 'passion project'. Give it a try!

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See you next Monday.