My top 10 keeper lists seem to generate a lot of feedback - so far I have covered LW, D, prospect forwards, and prospect defensemen. Still to come - RW, C, PIM/combo players, G. I am open to other suggestions as well. I have gotten some people who are wondering if I can [...]
Justin Goldman has gone big time on us! He has another gem of a piece over at NHL.com Sidney Crosby suffered a bit of a setback last week. I think he'll be fine with a full summer to recover, but no one knows for sure right now. Jack Adams finalists - Bylsma, [...]
The thinking process that goes in to selecting the Prime Cuts roster is similar to Pierre McGuire’s “Monsters” team on TSN (I promise that is the first and only time I will compare my thinking process to Pierre’s). Since this is a fantasy hockey site, the selection process favors players that have had strong seasons on the score sheet, obviously. However, not just goals and assists are weighted – perhaps a player has started to shoot the puck more, or play better defensively. Intangibles like heart, grit, and determination factor in to the selection process as well. It is far and away my favorite article to write each year, and I hope you will all enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
The final part of the series will name the top two lines.
The Expert Panel is back for round two! Dobber and a few others led the way going 7-for-8. The consensus went 7-for-8 as well.
Dobber: My picks on Puck Daddy can be found here. Quick breakdown of my series predictions: WSH in 4 - Tampa Bay has a great goaltender, but their defense is too slow to contain Washington's deep attack. The Bolts barely survived against a decimated Penguins squad. BOS in 7 - I [...]
Left wing is arguably the most difficult position to fill in the game of fantasy hockey. I have experimented with all the different strategies to deal with the scarcity at the left wing position. Name a strategy, and I guarantee I have tried it. The conclusion I've come to is that no strategy is foolproof. The only way scratch out the best left wingers (and best team for that matter) is to make very smart decisions when stuck between two players. The position is too scarce to waste a pick. That brings me to this week's cage match.
This week - hopefully today, perhaps as late as Friday - I will put the Fantasy Prospects Report, the Keeper League Pack and the Ultimate Pack C up for sale in the shop and rev up the hype machine for that work of art. Stay tuned for that. Not yet - I will post [...]
Continuing with the next set of recap columns from the pre-season, this week I’ll carry my 9-0-1 record from last week and review my Undervalued and Underappreciated column from back in September.
Goldie Says: Now that LA has been eliminated, I can publish a scouting report on Jon Quick that I provided to the Sharks prior to Game 1. Pay attention to Quick's play in the second period. It is his Achilles heel. Regardless, JQ is going to be an elite goalie sooner rather than later - he can still get better. [...]
For the second straight season, Chicago’s backup goaltender exceeded all expectations, took advantage of ample opportunities and played their way right into a starter’s role for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Back in October, Corey Crawford was considered as nothing more than a serviceable backup. He thrived as a minor-leaguer after traveling the long-winding journey from Moncton (QMJHL) to Norfolk and then Rockford of the AHL. He had also played more than enough AHL games in order to develop the mental toughness, poise and skills needed to succeed at the NHL level…he just needed the chance.
