El Niño On the Way
Shaquille O’Neal. Alfredo Pacino. Esperanza Spalding. Some names are destined for greatness. And Nino Niederreiter is proving that he’s got the game to match the name.
Saturday’s Picks – February 26
While you’re deciding whether to spend your weekend working on a six-pack of Labatt suds or still somehow striving toward your NY’s resolution of sculpting a six-pack of abs, here’s my NHL Saturday Night Six-Pack Special for you to chew on. With a new precedent set by Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke since I last spoke to you, the glorified madness of Deadline Day has seemingly lost a bit of its lustre. A monkey-see monkey-do reaction by eager GMs league-wide has resulted in an early and frankly unprecedented frenzy in the market in the weeks prior to the traditional deadline caving. Thus, with tonnes of new faces zipping off to strange settings and meeting new teammates all over the league, new chemistries will be abuzz, making for an interesting weekend for sure.
Let’s cut to the chase...
The Hurricanes trade for Cory Stillman
Fantasy Impact: The Carolina Hurricanes have reacquired Cory Stillman in exchange for Ryan Carter and a draft pick.
Atlanta acquires Ben Maxwell
Fantasy Impact: The Atlanta Thrashers have traded defenseman Brent Sopel and forward Nigel Dawes to Montreal in exchange for prospect Ben Maxwell and a draft pick.
Angus, Richardson, and Wilson
For your listening pleasure - put it on your Ipod or just listen in on your computer! Dobber Nation appears on the 25th of every month, except December (Christmas). Let's talk some fantasy hockey!
Looking Ahead – Week 21
A tough decision can be made easier with these charts showing you the best five and worst five schedules for upcoming seven-day periods. Some of you used them last year but for the benefit of new readers here is a refresher. The number next to the team indicates the 'multiplier' to use on a player's point-per-game pace to give you an idea how many points to expect for that week.
Kovalev to Pittsburgh
Fantasy Impact: The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired the enigmatic Alex Kovalev from Ottawa in exchange for a conditional draft pick.
A SENSible Decision
The Ottawa Senators are in an enviable position. At least that's how I view their situation at this point in the season. Listening to some of the radio stations in the city, I hear fans and on-air personalities saying that they hope the Sens can turn it around this year. No, no, no, a nice winning streak is one of the WORST things that could happen to the team right now. I would call that "pulling a Toronto"; being out of contention most of the year and then winning just enough games to finish ninth or tenth in the Conference. That only provides false hope and gives the team the worst possible draft position without the reward of playoff games/experience.
Trade Deadline Investments
With the 2011 NHL trade deadline approaching quickly, many fantasy GMs run into their own dilemmas at their deadline, especially if it's a deep keeper league. Is it time to sell the veterans for some youth? Is it better to move a few young pieces and bring in that proven veteran with a few years left in hopes of winning a league title? What type of player should I be investing in? While these might sound like relatively easy decisions, most will concur they are not.
Deadline Day – Southeast Division
In Part 5 of this six-part series, we’ll take a team-by-team look at the Southeast Division. Buyers? Sellers? Who’s available? How can you prepare your fantasy roster for the upcoming address changes for some of these guys? Everything you need to know as a fantasy hockey owner about the 2011 NHL Trade Deadline is right here. Hell, I’ve already nailed a few of the speculated players moving. All you need is a bit of research…and I save you that trouble.