The Benefits of the Underdog

Dobber Sports

2007-04-18

This article, and all of Dobber's articles, can also be found at the Hockey News, ESPN.com and MSN.ca. Originally published April 16 (Dallas has since lost twice).

 

While the rest of the group in your playoff draft set upon the Buffalo Sabres players like a pack of wolves, did you quietly load your team up with Dallas Stars?

Not a bad strategy.

underdogs

 

 

While poolies did everything they could to grab Buffalo, Anaheim, New Jersey or Vancouver players, you asked yourself the question – are they really such a heavy favorite that it is worth grabbing their number six scorer in the first round? The bottom line is, if you grab a Jason Pominville in the first round and then eagerly snap up a Brian Campbell in the second round, you really aren’t accomplishing anything. After all – if the Sabres go to the final, wouldn’t the guy/gal (who picked ahead of you) that scooped up Daniel Briere and Tim Connolly beat you? So why would you try to out ‘Buffalo Sabres’ him/her?

Upsets do happen and it was so easy this year to select two or three New York Islanders in the final rounds of your draft, why not roll the dice? I know someone in a 19-team pool, eight players per team, who drafted seven Dallas Stars. Guess what? If the Stars go to the semi-finals, he could very well win.

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In the Stanley Cup Playoff, if you wind up at the bottom of the draft order, going with the underdog is probably the smart move. You just need to pick (luck into) the right one…

Sean Avery has not only sparked the Rangers into the playoffs with his aggressive play and decent offense, but he has 16 shots in the first two games of the series against Atlanta. He played over 20 minutes last game and it is looking like his team will go to the second round. A great dark horse pick and kudos to those who picked him…

Injuries, from a fantasy pool perspective: With Todd Bertuzzi still out of action (neck and head, day to day), Jiri Hudler is still getting a little bit of quality ice time and has two points in the postseason so far. When Bertuzzi returns, Hudler’s production will cease…

Farm Report: Columbus farmhand Derick Brassard has 20 points in 10 Quebec League playoff games for Drummondville. He had missed much of the year after shoulder surgery, but has come back in a big way and will have a strong season in the American League next year.

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UPCOMING GAMES

Nov 27 - 19:11 BUF vs MIN
Nov 27 - 19:11 CAR vs NYR
Nov 27 - 19:11 N.J vs STL
Nov 27 - 19:11 T.B vs WSH
Nov 27 - 19:11 CBJ vs MTL
Nov 27 - 19:11 DET vs CGY
Nov 27 - 19:11 FLA vs TOR
Nov 27 - 19:11 NYI vs BOS
Nov 27 - 19:11 PIT vs VAN
Nov 27 - 20:11 NSH vs PHI
Nov 27 - 20:11 CHI vs DAL
Nov 27 - 22:11 SEA vs ANA
Nov 27 - 22:11 COL vs VGK
Nov 27 - 22:11 L.A vs WPG
Nov 27 - 22:11 S.J vs OTT

Starting Goalies

Top Skater Views

  Players Team
JOSH MANSON COL
WILL CUYLLE NYR
OLEN ZELLWEGER ANA
KIEFER SHERWOOD VAN
WILLIAM EKLUND S.J

Top Goalie Profile Views

  Players Team
JEREMY SWAYMAN BOS
SAM MONTEMBEAULT MTL
THATCHER DEMKO VAN
YAROSLAV ASKAROV S.J
JOEY DACCORD SEA

LINE COMBOS

  Frequency WPG Players
23.5 GABRIEL VILARDI MARK SCHEIFELE KYLE CONNOR
18.6 NINO NIEDERREITER ADAM LOWRY MASON APPLETON
16.0 COLE PERFETTI VLADISLAV NAMESTNIKOV NIKOLAJ EHLERS

DobberHockey Podcasts

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Jeremy and Shams are here to break down all the new injuries and update timelines as well. After all the injury news they close out the show covering all the cold Kings players giving actionable fantasy advice on each one. Lastly, they close out the show the latest hot Russian forward for Columbus that is only 1% rostered on Yahoo right now.

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