Stuff from former regular columnists such as Chris Burns, Eric Maltais, Jacob Status, Jim Gunther and Jeff Angus, as well as guest columnists such as Gus Katsaros from McKeen‘s, Jon Press from Japer’s Rink and more!
It happens to virtually every fantasy team in every format. Injury issues. It can force some tough decisions.
If the Islanders want to take full advantage of their current hot streak (4-0-1 in last five), Jack Capuano needs to label Al Montoya as his starter and be done with it all. Not only is Montoya statistically the team’s best goalie, but he's also the strongest horse to ride if they want to push for the playoffs. He played in all five games during this current run, so the players know it, the coaches know it, and he knows it.
Some of the toughest decisions you need to make when running a salary cap team come in the earliest rounds of your draft. The best players are paid accordingly and it's in these rounds that you are bound to be well over your average in terms of budget. It's tough to pass over one of the big three if you fall into a top-three draft position (yes, that still includes Ovechkin), but there are very few in the NHL who have a cap hit over $8 million. It's fair to question whether or not it's worth it to carry a monster contract despite the production; in some situations that answer is an easy and resounding yes. A lot depends on your pool's cap limit and the statistics it considers. Carrying an albatross of a contract works if you get the production that should come hand-in-hand with getting paid as a top player, but we know that in most cases production fluctuates year-to-year. A minor drop here and there isn't a team killer and is even expected, but can a team overcome a major drop in production when a player is eating up your cap space like Cookie Monster in the Mr. Christie factory?
The merits of PIM in fantasy hockey, Parise's struggles, Nugent-Hopkins, Gunnarsson, and more.
(#17 Max Lalander looks to make a move)
From the league that brought you Henrik Zetterberg, Alex Edler and Tomas Holmström, a raw young talent with superstar potential is making waves in front of his hometown crowd- when he's not in the penalty box.
Fantasy Impact: The Anaheim Ducks have fired Randy Carlye, and replaced him with Bruce Boudreau.
This month, host Brian Kom chats with Jeremy Rutherford, a beat reporter covering the Blues. He also talks with (fake) Henrik Zetterberg about his personal life. Jim Gintonio comes on to talk about the Turris situation, and DobberHockey's own Jason Arbuthnot dives into the wonderful world of the Frozen Pool fantasy tools.
Like a bolt of lightning, a Fantasy Darkhorse charges out of the quiet night and right onto your league’s battlefield. With raw potential and hidden talent, this powerful stallion lifts your fantasy hockey team off the ground, transforming it into a lethal weapon.
Hitting the quarter mark is a reasonable time for poolies to panic if their team isn't panning out. Don't panic to the point of making rash decisions, but realizing the time has come for a roster shakeup isn't unrealistic. If a trade can't be found, looking to the waiver wire may be the only option. There are generally a ton of options with the potential for big production in short spurts so let's take a look at some cheap options that can give your roster a swift kick in the arse.
We're nearly into December, so who would you consider some of your biggest surprises of the NHL season among the point leaders?
