angus

I completed a few audits last week that generated a lot of positive feedback. Throughout the summer, expect one or two per week. Fire me an e-mail if you want to get in line!

This week I took a look at the Brunei Oil Barons, submitted to me by DobberHockey member (and Brunei resident) KingGoob.

It took me a while to figure out how to tackle this list. The selection process for my previous four keeper lists – top ten centers, left wingers, right wingers, and defensemen – has been relatively straight forward. Using a one-to-three season window, the best talents at each position were ranked (according to standard fantasy hockey categories). Secondary statistics, like shots on goal, plus-minus, and penalty minutes, are much easier to fill with the later round picks (in my experience, at least). With your top guys, you generally want to get the players who will maximize your goals and assists categories.

Here are the individual and averaged predicitions for the 2010 Stanley Cup Final from Dobber, Angus, Bugg, Ma, Miller, and more! The panel's consensus picks were 12-3 last year, and we boast an impressive 34-11 record over the past three seasons! However, this season the panel has struggled a bit. Matt Bugg has been the most successful, going 10-4 through the first three rounds.

Steve Johnson, Marty Kwiaton, Chris Boyle, Justin Goldman, and Ian Fergusson all picked Chicago to make the Final before the playoffs began. None of the experts had Philadelphia emerging from the East. Of those who picked Chicago, Steve was the only one who had them winning it all.

Ville Leino has been one of Philadelphia’s best players in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was acquired back in February from Detroit for next to nothing (no offense to Ole-Kristian Tollefsen), and not much was expected of him. He came over to Detroit from Finland in 2008 after recording 77 points in only 58 games for Jokerit of the SM-liiga. He showed flashes of skill during his two years with the Red Wings, but the production wasn’t there (only 16 points in 55 games as a Red Wing).

Where does he go from here? Has Leino simply caught fire at the right time of year, or should we be expecting more from him in 2010-11 and beyond?