Eaves Dealt to Boston for Ward
Carolina has traded Patrick Eaves and a fourth round pick in 2010 to Boston for defenseman Aaron Ward.
Top Shelf Eastern Talent – Part 2 of 3
In this, the second of three installments, I’ll give you my take on Eastern Conference teams top six talent and guys that might challenge for a spot this season.
With that role comes ice time and often power play opportunities, two things that are the key to fantasy success. I focused more on who should actually play in the top six and not so much on actual line combinations, so don’t read too much into where I put the six.
Isles Sign Martin Biron
The New York Islanders have signed goaltender Martin Biron to a one-year deal worth $1.4 million.
Summer Sleeper Series – Rich Peverley
Every Wednesday this summer, I will bring you a sleeper to watch for the 2009-2010 season (and potentially beyond). Released in no particular order, I will refrain from picking sleepers that have already shown glimpse of breaking out in the past – the obvious candidates. Time to go beneath the surface for some sleepers that you may have not thought about…
Radim Vrbata Traded Back to Phoenix
The Lightning have acquired forward Todd Fedoruk and defenseman David Hale from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for forward Radim Vrbata
Earmarked for Success Part II
It boils down to optimal playing time. A top-line player will get the best of everything, while a top-six player will receive decent even strength/second unit power-play ice-time. A bottom feeder will most likely receive checking line ice-time and thus less optimal ice-time, which will hamper their scoring ability during the season. Their big break will only come if there are injuries or big slumps from their team’s top-six.
Skill vs. Opportunity
Remind me to let Dobber Nation choose the lesson plan more often. All of the requests were quite astute, so rest assured I’ll be doing this more often. Now a few of you posed the same question: who will be this season’s breakout goalie? You thirst for that answer because it could turn your entire season around. But alas, that question is my topic for Dobber’s upcoming fantasy guide, so I chose another question that would act as a perfect prelude to the answer which so many of you seek.
How should a fantasy GM weigh skill level (talent & ability) versus opportunity? This is a great question (WTG, Sentium) and an interesting one because it’s completely unique to all fantasy managers. Every goalie is different and every team has different dynamics when it comes to dishing out the minutes played. So what, exactly, should fantasy managers focus on in order to find the goalie poised to be the next Hiller or Clemmensen? Which one matters more?
Pittsburgh, Washington, Chicago…and?
At the end of 2005-06, the Pittsburgh Penguins finished with a dismal 58 points. However, with Sidney Crosby about to be joined by Evgeni Malkin it was easy to see that great things were about to happen. Astute poolies had already stocked their teams with Pens and have seen nothing but dividends ever since. In 2006-07, the team that made the biggest strides was Pittsburgh. While they jumped from 58 to 105 points, the Washington Capitals floundered to just 70.
Once again, astute poolies knew that Alex Ovechkin could only be held back for so long and stocked up on his teammates. In 2007-08 they jumped to 94. That same year, the Chicago Blackhawks showed signs of life with 88 points. In 2008-09 they made it 104. Three years, three talented teams, three giant steps. In every case, poolies who saw it coming stocked up on the players for that particular team had it made in the shade – especially if they are in keeper leagues with a postseason component. So who is the team to watch in 2009-10? Here are the nominees…
Russian Roulette
Russians are being taken lower and lower in the draft since they peaked at seven first rounders in 2000. Have they fallen too far?
2010: Wingin’ It
The 2010 Draft is one hockey season away; while everyone knows about the star forward at the top of the class, how do the other wingers compare?