You have to be pretty famous to have accolades named in your honour, and to be the namesake of a (pop) cultural touchstone like the Darwin Awards, well, you're approaching Brayden-Schenn-at-the 2011-World-Juniors levels of awesomeness.
Pending release of the MidSeason Guide later this week, I thought it would be a great idea to take a look back at the Pre-Season guide and see where I stand in comparison to four months ago. It’s always good to take a look back at past mistakes to help us prepare for the future. Plus it will give an insight to those who haven’t seen the content of the DobberHockey guides first hand.
Eleven Goalie Prospects to Watch in 2011
There’s no better way to kick off the new calendar year than by writing a School of Block lesson that reflects the general psyche of a goaltender. So instead of looking behind us and recapping 2010, I want to look ahead and help you prepare for what could be a 2011 stuffed to the brim with goalie prospects.
(Dobber's Note: If NHL teams can call up a player from the minors to fill in for an injury/absence, why can't we at DobberHockey do the same thing? Some great hockey minds contribute to the PG Advised and Dub's Take. So when we need content due to a sick or absent columnist, we pluck a recent one from the forum. This is an excellent audition for any up-and-coming writers who think they have the insight and skills to get into this business. Contribute, get noticed, and who knows? Perhaps we'll call you up from the minors next!)
I can stay silent no more! This kid has been teetering on the brink of being my next prospect profiled ever since I finished up my bit on Jaden Schwartz. Actually, he's a guy I've been tracking since before Schwartz ever got onto my radar. I started looking at this kid when he was still playing in college last year but as an undrafted free agent was seeking an NHL contract. There's been an influx of undrafted NHL talent from the college ranks in recent years and with the instant success of guys like Tyler Bozak I've been searching for the next big thing. Well Gustafsson was touted in the top 10 of the available college free agents from last spring so naturally he was on my radar and with such an acumen for offense it was clear there was only one way he was getting to the NHL.
2010 was one of the better years in recent memory in terms of hockey. We had the Winter Olympics, where the stars came out to play over an unforgettable two weeks in February. John Carlson became an American hockey legend with a gold-medal winning overtime goal in the World Juniors. We had the Windsor Spitfires, stacked to the brim with future NHL talent, run through the CHL en route to a second-consecutive Memorial Cup title. We also had the deep, young, and exciting Chicago Blackhawks capture the greatest trophy in professional sports, the Stanley Cup.
In the fantasy hockey world, a lot happened as well. The “big three” (Crosby, Ovechkin, and Malkin) became the “big four” (Stamkos) for a while, but that was quickly replaced by the “big one,” as Crosby took the Penguins on his back for a wild 25 game ride. The Sedin twins showed that not all players are finished developing in their late 20's by taking the leap to superstardom at the age of 29. We saw a rise in the number of teams opting to go with the two-headed goalie attack. Ilya Kovalchuk was the story maker of the 2010 offseason, and the fallout has been an interesting saga to say the least. Let’s get to it…
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.
Elliotte Friedman’s weekly 30 Thoughts column on the CBC website is currently the best read in hockey. Friedman is insightful, articulate, knowledgeable, fair, and most importantly, interesting. He has sources and contacts in the hockey world that most could only dream of. He has an ability which is rare in this day and age - providing a balanced and reasonable opinion on the league, the players, and all 30 of the clubs.
Each week I will post my own observations (I couldn’t completely steal Friedman’s idea so I’ll pick a number other than 30) – with a heavy emphasis on the fantasy side of hockey, of course. Prospects, goalies, sleepers, busts, it will all be covered each week.
Fantasy Impact: The New York Islanders have traded defenseman James Wisniewski to the Montreal Canadiens for a second- and fifth-round draft pick.
We’ve all heard of the phrase “the numbers don’t lie”, but there is always room for statistical anomalies that make each and every one of us scratch our heads. This week we’ll take a look at 18 statistical anomalies that have occurred so far this season along with my thoughts on whether the numbers will re-align itself or are they good for the long run.
The biggest key to a goalie’s success in the World Junior Championships is making the first few saves in their first game. Accomplishing this can not only set a positive tone for the opening game, it can also dictate the pace of their entire tournament. And in such a pressure-filled event comprised of so many elite players, a goalie’s confidence can make or break a trip to the medal round, and ultimately a spot on the podium.
