The 15^th annual Fantasy Hockey Guide is out and ready for download! Also – the Draft List too! To my knowledge, this is the only fantasy hockey guide available right now. So if you're hankerin' for a fantasy guide and haven't tried mine yet, I guess now is as good a time as any.

Soon after we know the length of the NHL schedule, I will dive back into my projections and re-analyze them for the new target GP. So your Guide purchase is safe and relevant.

*

I hope you enjoyed our feature week last week on Bubble Keepers. All the columnists focused their articles on those players who were on the cusp of being kept or dropped in many 10-player, 12-player, 15-player or even 18-player keeper leagues. This has become an annual tradition at DobberHockey with lots of positive feedback.

*

Last week I announced that DobberHockey and WebSim Hockey had formed a partnership. It's a match made in heaven, especially when there is currently no hockey going on. Why not simulate it? You and 30 friends (or just join and after 30 strangers also join then the league can begin) can fill a Dobber league. Draft your teams and run it just as you would run a real hockey squad. Player skill levels are based off of their real-world skill level. Full details can be found here.

*

Despite a few rumors that were floated around out there last week, the NHL did not set a timeline or even the basis of a 2020-21 schedule last Thursday. Instead, they ramped up talks between the league and the players, and announced that they were still going to push for a January 1 start date. I'm inclined to believe that they're going to do it, and likely go with 60 games that probably leak into May a little bit, with the playoffs running into early July. My guess is that they go with an early six-division partial bubble where teams play within their division (including an all-Canadian division) maybe three games against each team over the course of about 24 days (midway between three and four weeks). Then they take a break, at least one week but perhaps two, where they go back to their families for a few days before the Canadian division crosses the border. After that, we're looking at another perhaps three to four weeks of playing in empty arenas and staying in the United States. This takes us to March where another two-week break needs to happen as the Canadian teams and one of the US divisions cross the border. The break would be staggered among teams so that hockey continues, satisfying television obligations. At this point, mid-to-late March, the league may look at opening up the schedule similar to baseball, where a team will arrive at an arena and play three games there.

The situation at the Canadian border would then become a serious issue, as teams would now be crossing more frequently. But with the league not knowing how the situation will look in terms of rapid testing and/or vaccines, all they can do is schedule it in and hope. And they'll have a Plan B for that part of the schedule because, honestly, they have teams of people doing nothing but plan this. I'm married to a government analyst and if what I've witnessed is any indication – yeah, this is getting planned right down to the dots above the i's and the crosses through the t's.

The key is to schedule in two or even three widespread breaks in the schedule, to cover off the necessary quarantine regulations and/or act as a safety net for rescheduling any games that have to be postponed.

*

With a flat salary cap in place after teams had already been planning on it rising as of the Trade Deadline, we're seeing a lot of salaries getting dragged down. The upper-tier guys are still getting paid. But the bottom tier guys are getting nickel-and-dimed. Players who may have been given $900K per season are getting $750K. The players really getting affected are the mid-tier guys. These players were set to get overpaid in a big way and instead they're getting half of what was expected. And now any players who are still without teams have to settle for less. This isn't sitting well with Mike Hoffman, who was making $5.1875 AAV and would easily get a raise on that number had this been a normal year. But only nine teams in the entire league have $5.1875M in cap space right now, let alone a raise on that.

Mike Hoffman – Ironically, Florida can afford him. But I say Columbus signs him to a one-year contract worth around $5M AAV. A pay cut after scoring 65 goals in 151 games. He signs for one year in hopes that the market gets back to normal in a year. But it won't, because the cap remains flat for next year too, and teams will be spending to keep their RFAs. Second pick: Nashville.

Mikael Granlund – He made $5.75M last season and even though he doesn't deserve a raise, in a normal offseason he would get one because NHL general managers aren't thinking straight once free agency opens. But in the current climate, GMs are taking a harder look. They're being much more careful, and frugal. In other words – they're doing what they should always be doing (but had never done it before). I think he has to settle for a low-ball offer and he may even take two years. I think he may have to settle for last year's salary getting cut in half. I think Detroit is a good fit, but if he signs there I bet Steve Yzerman convinces him to take a one-year deal at a shockingly-low AAV. Second pick: Los Angeles.

Andreas Athanasiou – This one screams New Jersey to me. It also screams "cheap deal". He made $3M last season and I think he gets signed for $1M this year. On the Devils, Lindy Ruff's strong defensive coaching style will help. As will getting put on the third line. To move into the top six he would have to out-play Jesper Bratt or Andreas Johnsson, which as far as the team is concerned, can only help all three. Second pick: Ottawa.

Sami Vatanen – So much unrealized talent and upside, never to be seen because of the constant injuries. I almost need to look over each team's medical staff, figure out which ones need the most medical-room practice, and go with that team as his next home. But anyway, which team needs a right-shot 65-game defenseman? I honestly think Columbus would be a great fit if he was a left-shot. He'd slot in nicely with Andrew Peeke on the right side for the third pairing. Will they do that anyway? It would create such a good, mobile defense group with an amazing top four in Zach Werenski – Seth Jones followed by Vladislav Gavrikov – David Savard, and then Vatanen – Peeke. I think I just talked myself into it. Second pick: NY Islanders.

Matt Beleskey – Just kidding. We don't care about Matt Beleskey.

Conor Sheary – Sheary clicked with Sidney Crosby just in time to get a sweet contract that paid him $3M per season. The reality is, he is just another diminutive AHL star that is a dime a dozen. Once every 20 or 30 of these guys get a real shot in the NHL alongside a superstar, and Sheary was it. And he cashed in. But he never got the chemistry with Sid again, and I honestly wonder if he's just looking at a training camp invite if he won't accept a two-way deal. I can see the Sharks giving him a $900K deal, and that wouldn't be a bad fit. Second pick: Florida.

Erik Haula – The 29-year-old peaked three years ago with 55 points in 76 games. That's his career high in both points and games played. These days, he can't be counted on to play 70, which is a red flag for fantasy owners. His ice time and overall play is declining. Where can he revive his career? Ironically, I would have said Florida, a team heavy in wingers and weak at center. But…they didn't want him, so what's that say about his value? Montreal could use a fourth-line center, but they're pretty tight against the cap so they would have to get him at a one-year friendly deal close to the minimum. Second pick: San Jose.

Anthony Duclair – I think Duclair is looking for term here even if it means a lower AAV. But teams are shying away from commitment due to his fall-off in the second half last season. I'm gonna go with Florida here. Second pick: Dallas, if his price comes down low enough.

*

I, of course, really love this year's NHL Draft for fantasy-worthy forwards. Deeper than most years in terms of having forwards who at least have the 'potential' to get to 90 points one year. And other than Alexis Lafreniere, there are a group of eight or nine forwards with pretty much equal chance of getting to that lofty number. While most poolies will be going straight for Quinton Byfield, Tim Stuetzle and Marco Rossi once Lafreniere is gone, and rightfully so. Those are each elite players who will almost certainly produce lofty numbers, some quicker than others. But I'm not going to look at the upsides here. One is as good as another for that, probably going all the way down to Connor Zary at the 24^th pick. No, I'm going to look at opportunity for the players outside of the first three picks:

Cole Perfetti was taken 10^th overall by the Winnipeg Jets and I think things are lining up really nicely for him to make an impact without waiting too long for him. Paul Stastny's contract is up after this season, and Perfetti should be ready to have his rookie NHL campaign for 2021-22. It lines up really nicely. The Jets won't slot him directly into that No.2 slot though. Teams tend to do what they can to relieve the expectations and pressure on their youngsters. So the Jets will sign some veteran – perhaps even Stastny – who can cover off that second line to start, but can easily slot back to third line if Perfetti performs. The point is, I really like this guy for 2021-22. Call it a super-early Calder candidate.

Lucas Raymond is another one of those top forwards and I strongly favor him because of his team's situation. Drafted fourth overall, he is already the top (potentially) winger on the Red Wings. And the team has tons of room for him in 2021-22. So again, very low wait time. Yes, many of those players drafted in the first 20 or 25 picks are going to make the jump in the first two seasons. Likely more than in usual years. But how many will put up points right away versus how many will see a gradual, Sam Steel-like increase in year-over-year production? And that's where, after Lafreniere, Byfield, Stuetzle and Rossi, I like Perfetti and Raymond.

*

See you next Monday.