Following up last week’s column about buy-low trade targets, I’mfocusing on sell-high players this week. Those players who are off to hot starts, but who are bound to slow down dramatically in the coming weeks. If you wait too long to see if they are for real, you’ll lose the window of opportunity to sell high so don’t be a wimp and act now!
If you have not already noticed, the Columbus Blue Jackets are sitting pretty at 8-3-2 in this young season. And it would have been really hard to miss the heroics of goaltender Pascal Leclaire, who has already posted five shutouts. But the play of a particular whipping boy may have slipped by even the keenest observer.
In the blink of an eye, the NHL season is more than one month old and you might have dropped and signed more goalies than you did all of last year. Just take a look at the goaltending situation for each team and there are many “starters” giving way to their “backups”. Whether it’s due to their team severely lacking in the scoring department, nagging injuries or their own troubles between the pipes, this season is quickly turning into the backup goalie revolution.
You may not agree with the order- I don't either- but get that pen and paper handy. It's time for another mock of a mock draft, Bugg Bytes-style.
I’ve heard that dogs can smell fear. The same is true of great fantasy hockey owners. Are you that shivering nervous little Chihuahua, afraid to make a move for fear of getting eaten alive by the big bad dogs of your pool? Top dogs can sniff out a potential meal. You need to be able to swiftly identify those players that are under-performing and go after them. Here are some early season morsels to chew on from the Eastern Conference.
Dobber's out of town for a week, and he left El Buggo in charge. So what's my first act of mischief? Why, an obscenely early 2008 mock draft using this week's standings, of course! Usual Thursday contributor Jim Gunther is on the IR, so enjoy a weekday edition of Bugg Bytes.
Ten games into the season and the Penguins are averaging three goals per game. That’s one goal per game less than where they should be, given their talent level.
Think about it. With 10 more goals this season, there would be 25 more points - give or take - to go around. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin would likely have a few more points each, but the main beneficiaries would be the secondary offense. The fact players such as Ryan Malone, Colby Armstrong, Jordan Staal and Erik Christensen have yet to record their fourth point of the season is the very reason Pittsburgh has 10 less goals than they should.
I received a question this week from Steve Emmert asking me which players are on my buy low list, and which are on the sell high. So this week I’ll focus on buy low candidates and next week I’ll address the sell high side. Some of the buy low targets might actually be free agents in some leagues, so if that’s the case, just consider them nice pick-ups instead of trade targets.
Those of you who wondered if Chicago rookie Patrick Kane would need a couple of years to acclimate himself to the speed and power of the NHL game can rest easy now, you have your answer.
He doesn't.
Some random thoughts from the first few weeks of the season...also, the Angus Prime Cut for the past two weeks, something you definitely don't want to miss!
