z-Archives (other articles)

The hysteria surrounding the upcoming 2012 draft class has started as the CHL Subway Super Series is underway and the Under-20 World Junior Hockey Championship is quickly approaching.  The 2012 draft class has been deemed “deep” by most experts as it features several high profile forwards and plenty of defensemen with top four upside.  As exciting as the current crop of upcoming NHLers is there could be even more hype surrounding the 2013 NHL draft class when this time rolls around next season.

Some people say I’m too optimistic, that I think every goalie will do amazing things if they simply get the chance. At times, this is true. It is my nature to see the best in pro-level goalies, so I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. More often than not, they prove me right (Ray Emery, Brian Elliott, Al Montoya, Josh Harding, Kari Lehtonen).

Finding the balance between youth and experience is a difficult process in any keeper league.  GM's, for whatever reason, tend to put too much value into owning young potential superstars, which can disrupt the main goal of winning your pool.  A salary cap league is no different, but there is a rather large benefit in finding that 18 or 19 year old that can step directly into the NHL and make an instant impact.

This article was originally published at the Canucks Army. It also was submitted to the Province newspaper for their writing contest this month - please go to this link and give it a thumbs up.

How many franchise defensemen are there in the league right now? I count five (Zdeno Chara, Nick Lidstrom, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber, and Chris Pronger). There are a few more right on the cusp, like Drew Doughty, Keith Yandle, and Kris Letang. Each of the 30 NHL clubs carries anywhere from six to eight defensemen, meaning there are approximately 200-220 defensemen in the NHL at any given time. Less than three percent of the total defensemen are by my definition franchise material at this moment in time.

This month, I take a look at Mason Raymond’s recovery, Josh Harding, Henrik Zetterberg’s struggles, why I hate the shootout, and more.

This column is a part of the month-long contest the Province newspaper is having. Please go to this link and give it the thumbs up!

It’s quite simple, really. Jonas Hiller and Ryan Miller, two of my Top-10 Fantasy Goalies, have been killing poolies this past week. Miller was lit up for three goals in less than ten minutes last night against the Flyers, while Hiller suffered a meltdown against the Capitals on Tuesday in a 5-4 OT loss. Were these just ghastly “off nights” for the elite goalies, or were these games a sign of something more foreboding?

It can be difficult to find that goaltender who is going to produce big numbers without eating a big chunk of your cap space.  Generally, a goaltender who is firmly entrenched as a number one and can be counted on, year to year, for a solid GAA and SV%, is paid like one.  It's extremely important to find a balance between your first and second goaltender.  There are goalies out there who face different situations that create a more risky situation, but provide value as they tend to be paid as one.  Saving two to three million dollars on a goalie such as Kari Lehtonen, who carries baggage like a Hilton, is a big risk, but one that can pay off and be the difference between a competitive team and simply showing up.

Below is a list of some of the better bargains in the NHL.  Jump on them while you can as goalies aren't easy to come by and grabbing an under the radar goalie can pay large dividends in the future.