More than any other year in recent memory, the goaltending picture from a fantasy standpoint has been cloudier than ever. The usual suspects – Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo and Miikka Kiprusoff – aren’t in the top 10 in any major goaltending category (well, Kipper is tied for ninth in wins, but you catch my drift). This has turned a lot of fantasy leagues upside down.
Suddenly, owners of Pascal Leclaire and Martin Biron hold the bragging rights.
Hockey players can be a superstitious lot. Many players will wear the same T-shirt, socks or even underwear long past their expiry date, all in the name of luck. Others need to put on their equipment in exactly the same order every time. Some guys will find a lucky stick and use it until it literally falls apart.
Ed Jovanovski made a questionable hit on Marian Gaborik Wednesday - that didn't make the headlines - but he was suspended for one game. He will miss tonight's contest. Pascal Leclaire (hammy) did some light skating yesterday but did not face any shots. He will not start any games this weekend. Joe Sakic (groin) will be in [...]
You see it practically every time a coach gets the pink slip. Heck, you saw it six games into the season when Atlanta fired coach Bob Hartley.
The team gets hot and the slumping stars go on a tear.
My thanks again to Pete, who is always on top of this stuff - TJ Hensick has been very hot of late, after starting very slowly in the AHL. The Avs have recalled him and have sent down Brad Richardson. He will be in the lineup tomorrow night and is certainly capable of lighting up [...]
Sean Avery will be out for 10-14 days after undergoing arthoscopic wrist surgery tomorrow. The Jackets placed Jiri Novotny on injured reserve with his concussion. This allowed them to recall Tomas Popperle, who can now back up Norrena tomorrow. Braydon Coburn has signed a two year extension worth $2.6 million. Sergei Gonchar's groin injury kept him out of [...]
Edmonton line combos: Gagner, Horcoff, Hemsky. Cogliano with Nilsson and Penner. Reasoner with Brodziak and Sanderson. Stoll with Torres and Stortini. Martin Havlat will be back in the lineup tomorrow for Chicago. The over/under on his return to the IR is December 6. Kane, Ruutu and Toews have combined for just three points in their last six [...]
As far as fantasy defensemen go, there haven’t been many better than 37-year-old Sergei Zubov and there haven’t been any that have been better for longer.
I should mention this before I get more emails, forum posts and facebook messages - Nabokov is now the only goalie to start every game this year. I mistakenly said Kipper was the last. Now you can be certain that DobberHockey is always right, cause if I ever get it wrong things are straightened out [...]
The best keeper-league (and roto-league) owners don’t get that way by stubbornly sticking to their opinions for too long, despite evidence that they were clearly on the wrong track. No, the really good ones know when it’s time to change gears and roll with the trends. At the same time, they need to balance what truly is a contradicting trend with events that are just ‘hot streaks’.
