Detroit gave it a good run. They had their foot on Chicago's throat, but didn't press down. Whatever trick Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk had up their sleeve to hold Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa to two points each in five games no longer works. Toews and Hossa finally solved it in Game 5, and [...]
What we said about Erik Karlsson back in 2009
The 2013 Fantasy Prospects Report will be the seventh annual production from DobberHockey. And what better way to celebrate than to take a trip down memory lane at past prospects and profiles? For the next few weeks, we will unveil a different biography each day. Enjoy!
Some morning notes from around the league: It's looking like Jarret Stoll is a strong possiblity to return for Game 7. Sidney Crosby has removed his jaw protector and hopes that the next few days (before the next series starts) will be enough time to get him used to playing without it. An interesting slant [...]
What we said about Kris Letang way back in 2007
The 2013 Fantasy Prospects Report will be the seventh annual production from DobberHockey. And what better way to celebrate than to take a trip down memory lane at past prospects and profiles? For the next few weeks, we will unveil a different biography each day. Enjoy!
* Torey Krug is undersized, he's got a distinctive name - one that lends itself naturally to a variety of silly nicknames (like Motley Krug) - and he's lighting it up as an unknown rookie in the NHL playoffs. Combine those three facts with his flowing hair and impish grin and you've got a [...]
Toronto has some good young talent down on the farm. Find out more about a few of them.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The Toronto Marlies season ended in a strikingly similar fashion as their parent club's. Just one week after the Maple Leafs suffered a heart breaking loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Final, blowing a 4-1 lead late in the third period, the baby buds took a 3-1 lead into the third period of game 6 of the American League’s Western Conference Semi Final against Detroit Red Wings affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins. Like the Leafs, the Marlies surrendered three goals late in the third period, eventually losing the game.
Amidst the disappointment is a strong sense of hope for the future, though. The surprising success of the 2013 Maple Leafs can be attributed to a group of 2011-2012 Marlies alumni. Marlies call-ups Mike Kostka, Mark Fraser and Nazim Kadri among others, were instrumental in ending the NHL’s longest playoff drought. The strong performance off several Maple Leafs prospects in the AHL playoffs this season gives further hope that like this season, the Marlies will continue to breed talent capable of producing at the NHL level for years to come.
The best draft-eligible goaltender - what is his fantasy value?
When the 2013 NHL Draft kicks off at the Prudential Center in New Jersey this June, chances are the first goalie to hear his name called will be Zach Fucale of the Halifax Mooseheads.
NHL Central Scouting Services has Fucale ranked as the top North American goalie and many experts predicting he’ll be selected somewhere in the late first round.
* In James Neal's last two games - 28 minutes of total ice time, five goals, two assists, and 14 shots on goal. Ottawa had a hell of a season. They should be extremely proud of themselves. A ton of adversity, and their young kids followed the lead of their proven vets [...]
* An absolutely dominant performance from the LA Kings last night. Three Kings made my top 50 NHL trade value rankings - Kopitar (8), Doughty (11), and Quick (37). If Doughty isn't the best two-way defenseman in hockey, he's right there in the mix. What a defenseman he has developed into. The [...]
Beck, Rattie, Rajala, and more. Rule your pool with these under-the-radar prospects.
Many NHL teams are entering this offseason with the mandate to clear cap space, as the salary cap is dropping to $64.3 million for the 2013-14 season. And because of that, there will be a lot of roster openings around the league. Young players are very valuable in situations like these, as their rookie contracts typically come with low cap hits. However, they need to be ready for the NHL game - their development can be damanged if they are thrown in without being ready for it.
Look at Josh Bailey, who the Islanders rushed to the NHL. A former top 10 pick, he is only now beginning to establish himself as a top six forward (five years later).
Read on for five lesser-known offensive prospects that are primed to make an impact in 2013-14.
