z-Archives (other articles)

In a little under four weeks, I’ll be heading off to Vegas for some fun. One reason I am heading down is to meet up with several members of the Ultimate Fantasy Pool – a keeper league that uses head-to-head scoring. I have been in the league for two years now, and it features some stiff competition (all of our league members read this site, and one is among the regular columnists).

Over the next few weeks, I am going to introduce the league and each of the 12 teams to the DobberHockey readers. The three teams today – Biscuits & Gravy (Alex), DraperNEuroTwinSauce (Rhys), and the Bulldogs (Shannon).

Readers, you are looking at the last edition of the Roto Exclusive - Vol 1. September’s edition will see major modifications done to the top 100 including the addition of hits and blocked shots, a revamped “PG” roto score, more distinction between “win now” and “rebuild” players and much more. Going with a to-the-point type feel gives you a clean cut product. Check the list out here.

In last week’s School of Block, I discussed different elements that make up a steady and reliable backup. Then I gave hints on which of those perfect backups would have the best fantasy value for one-year leagues. And when I looked out across the NHL goalie battlefield this morning, I saw three key fights ready to ignite when training camps begin in just one more month.

The Dean’s List series promises that it will not make a habit of jumping this far ahead in the future of hockey to profile a budding star but this 2013 NHL prospect has been making too much noise to simply ignore.  How often do you find an emerging hockey star in the land of Texas?  Seth Jones is proving that hockey has no geographic limits.  The six-foot-four-inch 16-year-old hails from Dallas, Texas and is the son of former NBA basketball forward Popeye Jones which explains the youngster’s excellent athleticism. Jones is not eligible for the NHL Entry Draft until 2013 but fantasy owners will soon start realizing that he is quickly developing into a special prospect.

The following entry features two teams with opposing building goals become perfect trading partners - eventually coming to terms on a blockbuster. This trade effectively triggers one team’s rebuild, and actively attempts to complete the other team’s road to victory. Experience both views in detail and witness the results of their decisions.

There’s nothing I hate more than sketchy, unstable goaltenders and goalie situations. I’m talking about the Pascal Leclaire, Rick DiPietro, Marty Turco and Nikolai Khabibulin’s of the world. Even though they could easily be key pieces to your fantasy team's puzzle, sheer instincts tell you to stay as far away from them as possible. Why? Because something always seems to go terribly wrong.

As mentioned in last week’s edition of The Dean’s List, the 2012 Draft Class is littered with franchise calibre defensemen. There are several game-changing rear-guards who could become very good NHL defensemen over the next few years and when we re-visit the 2012 draft it will likely become the “Year of the Defenseman”.  The Dean’s List will feature a few defensemen who should be first round selections and could make some noise next season as the NHL Entry Draft approaches next June.

The 2012 NHL draft class is quickly emerging as one of the best groups in recent years.  Highlighted by a slew of first round talent defensemen, the 2012 draft is shaping up to bring a little bit of everything from elite forwards to skilled agitators.  While the defensive depth will likely become what the 2012 draft is known for, there are also several skilled forwards who have the potential to become elite NHL stars.  The top three forward candidates make things even more intriguing as each of them are Russian talents and NHL GM’s surely couldn’t pass on all three of them because of their “Russian Factor”. Could they?  In its DobberHockey debut, The Dean’s List will take a look a few forward skaters who are likely to be selected in the first round of next year’s NHL Entry Draft.

Over the past week, the goaltending scene centered around two teams – Detroit and Buffalo. It started last Tuesday when Chris Osgood, who finished off his career with 401 wins and three Stanley Cups, announced his retirement. Then on Wednesday, Detroit signed Ty Conklin, who promptly replaced Osgood as Jimmy Howard’s new backup.

This month, host Brian Kom chats with Sarah Baicker, Comcast Sportsnet's Flyers' reporter. Kom also catches up with Hockey Prospectus prospects writer Corey Pronman. Rounding out the group is McKeen's pro scouting coordinator Gus Katsaros. Click here to listen to the podcast!