Black Aces

The Avalanche goaltending situation has been somewhat in disarray since... well Patrick Roy. So it is no wonder that many Avs fans were less than excited about bringing in a fringe goaltender and giving up a 1st and 2nd round pick to boot. Not to mention there is a strong chance that the 1st rounder could be a lottery pick in 2012.

Regardless of what type of fantasy league you are in. Whether you are preparing for the initial draft, an expansion draft, a supplemental draft or midseason trades and roster adds/drops, these three concepts will give you an added edge towards fantasy pool supremacy among your peers.

Four years ago, the Los Angeles Kings' net minding situation was a mess. They used six different goaltenders in the 2007/08 season: Jason LaBarbera, Jean Sebastien Aubin, Erik Ersberg, Dan Cloutier, Jonathan Bernier, Jonathan Quick and Daniel Taylor. Even though Quick was handed the starting job the following season and posted respectable numbers (21-18-2, 2.46 GAA and .914 SV%), it seemed that Bernier was considered the franchise's goalie of the future.

Brendan Smith is a rare prospect these days because he has had so much time to develop. Many young players are rushed to the NHL before they are ready and it permanently damages their skill and potential. A 2007 Detroit first round pick, Smith was afforded the luxury of playing three years of college hockey at the University of Wisconsin and last season with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

The clock begins its countdown. Your buddies stare at you with a look of anticipation on their faces as you clumsily shuffle your papers around, trying to judge which remaining player on the board represents the highest value for your pick. You finally identify Mike Green and Rick Nash as potential candidates for the respected and esteemed spot on your roster. However, the counter on your internet browser turns red and you only have 10 seconds left! Its become a question of positional value now as your cursor hovers over and ultimately clicks, with one second to spare, the...

In deeper fantasy leagues many find themselves facing a difficult choice of who to select in later rounds. Typically I would look to a third line player on a strong team like Detroit or Vancouver to provide some offense and maybe boost my plus/minus. Lately however, I have been trying to buck that trend and look outside the box when it comes to the depth of my roster.

The NHL makes fantasy hockey possible. But does fantasy hockey make the NHL possible?

If you’re anything like me, sometimes you think about stuff.   At times I think it’s important to keep those thoughts to myself - like the time I pondered “exactly how in the heck in the world DO giraffes survive that six foot fall when they’re born?”  One thing I can share, though, is the completely stable consideration of “just who is a better goaltender, Pekka Rinne or Barry Trotz?”

In marketing, they call it brand recognition. You aren't going to the drug store to buy Kleenex, you're going to buy facial tissues. Your loving girlfriend isn't bringing you Tylenol to cure the beer-induced headache from last night, she's bringing you acetaminophen. The value these names hold are worth far more than the actual product is. The same can be applied to players in fantasy hockey.