Hockey Rambling

Thoughts on Zatkoff vs. Greiss, the issue of tanking, the New Jersey Devils and more …

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Back from vacation, but not really. Drance is enjoying sunny Cancun and I couldn't find a replacement for him. So with me camping with the wife and kids…I have these ramblings prepared in advance. I'm back Sunday, so the Monday ramblings will be fresh - not that you need them to be all that updated in mid-August…as if you needed my fast take on the Kyle Beach news (he signed to play in Austria).

Ah Beach. I remember having him too low on my Prospects Rankings and it drove some of the readers nuts. From age 18 to 20, he was too low and that was consistently the biggest criticism at the time. It just goes to show - these are prospects, and the ones who take the longest to make the jump are also the bigger risks. Beach, as a power forward in a deep Chicago system, was five years away at best. Easy to keep out of the Top 200 list.

Thoughts on Torey Krug, Simon Gagne, and the Pens top six   Austin Wallace here, make sure you take a look at the new prospect ramblings! Ross and I are both back from vacation and we will be puming these out more often.      If you haven’t picked up Dobber’s 2014-15 Fantasy Guide yet, [...]

  Thoughts on Ken Holland, John Carlson, and Reggie Dunlop   *   I made the mistake yesterday of letting it slip on twitter that I’ve never seen the movie Slap Shot. Now, this didn’t strike me as that BIG of an issue. There are a lot of films out there in the universe, and [...]

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Panthers possibly on the move, Eberle’s off-season thoughts, BizNasty’s ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and much more

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Dobber here. We held a contest in the forum this week, and the best ramblings would be presented here today. Here is the winner.

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I want to start by saying I think this is a brilliant idea, asking forum members to contribute to the daily ramblings.  I know for myself, the Daily Ramblings are normally one of, if not the first stop for me on the internet in the mornings.  Kudos to all who submit an entry!

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Thoughts on Draisaitl, Girardi, and what to name your cat

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I’m contemplating getting an orange tabby cat. Everyone I’ve spoken to says they are one of the best natured animals you’ll find. Friendly, affectionate, and in need of endless belly-rubs.

Assuming I get one, the next question is what would said cat be named? Something related to Nichushkin would be nice. An ode to my fanboy-like adoration of the young winger. This creates a potential issue, however. What if Nichushkin ends up as a bust? It’s not fun to think about, but he certainly wouldn’t be the first former first round pick to fizzle out. Posting 15 goal seasons, with no penalty minutes, and limited shots, before eventually leaving for the KHL at 27. This would hurt my fantasy team and leave me with some cat named after a relatively nondescript former NHLer.

Contest! Interested in writing your own Ramblings for the site? And get PAID? Now is your chance! Details here    *** More on Ryan Malone, the arbitration curse myth; disguised PDO; and “nappers”   ***   I’m back for another Tuesday Ramblings – my first time in the doldrums of August. All these years when [...]

Investigating older AHL stars and their odds of making a fantasy impact, and more…

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Last year I got a lot of emails/comments inquiring about the fantasy value of career minor-leaguer Travis Morin. After all, he just led the AHL in scoring. By a wide margin (88 points to second-place Zach Boychuk's 74 points). Morin is 30 and the odds of him getting any kind of shot on a scoring line in the NHL approaches zero. Historically, the career AHLers who lead the AHL at this age go nowhere. Think Darren Haydar, Peter White, Christian Matte, Steve Maltais, Kirby Law, Alexandre Giroux, Keith Aucoin, Jason Krog…heard of them? It just doesn't happen.

  Thoughts on Staal, Pavelski, and the growth of hockey analytics     *   If you haven’t had a chance yet, make sure to check this year’s Fantasy Hockey Guide.   *   It’s the summer, which means I’m spending most of my time reviewing hockey statistics and watching countless hours of Netflix (the [...]

More on Doan, Ribeiro, the Islanders and outdoor hockey…   *   The Fantasy Guide has been updated with information on the Timonen/Del Zotto situation as well as the inclusion of the annual PDO article.   *   I’ve heard some whispers that Shane Doan might be a real good buy-low/rebound candidate. The theory goes [...]