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Eric Maltais recently hosted the third annual Industry Experts Fantasy League. DobberHockey has always had a strong presense in this one - Dobber exploded out of the gates the first year, leading for the better part of five months before injuries took the big man down in the final weeks. Last season, DobberHockey's Maltais won the whole she-bang. This year will be no different.

The format has changed this year to that of a keeper league. Below is an uncensored account of the draft from Eric Maltais (okay - it's censored once...Dobber's call!)

I win a lot in fantasy hockey. I often win the league and am almost always a top threat. There is one common thread I have followed in my success in head-to-head leagues. I don’t overpay for defensemen. It just isn’t necessary. There are several factors against it.

(Note: For an opposing viewpoint, see Russ Miller's article HERE ) 

With every NHL team’s training camp come high expectations for some goalies, yet absolutely none for others. Many of the netminders in Colorado’s first day of camp, at a glance, had low expectations to make the club. But after breaking down the ones behind Peter Budaj, there’s much more than meets the eye. This includes Andrew Raycroft, Jason Bacashihua and Peter Delmas. Now Tony Granato has verbally confirmed that Budaj is the No. 1 goalie for over a week, so this column does not analyze his first day of camp – same goes for Tyler Weiman, since I feel he’s going to be a full-time NHL’er in a few seasons.

Vous allez voir ceci arriver encore longtemps. Un défenseur de 18 ans a une frénésie dans certains cercles de la LNH et conséquemment, dans les médias, alors le statut du défenseur monte aux yeux des poolers. Erik Johnson? Il sera une vedette. Ed Jovanovski? Vous devez l’avoir. Chris Pronger? Je le prends avec le premier choix au total!

Ceci est la mauvaise approche et cet énoncé devient encore plus important dans les repêchages cette année, à cause des défenseurs à potentiel élevé choisis dans le repêchage de 2008.
 

Here are six players to keep an eye on in the season ahead - all of them warrant 'sleeper' consideration in your draft.

Hail, hail, the furious frenzy of live drafts is upon us. Like a chaotic midnight battle inside the realm of a black forest, survival comes by hacking your way through each round, fending off the heathens and securing prized players poised to bring you glory. We are the true Fantasy Hockey Warlords and we exist everywhere at all times. We all have different drafting skills, strategies and special sleeper picks ready to provide an offensive punch that will pulverize and demolish opponents.

Ils ont peut-être terminé au 5ème rang pour les buts dans la LNH l’an dernier, mais les Hurricanes vont marquer plus que vous le croyez en 2008-09.