Fantasy FanHouse

Deadline Day: Are Big Deals Worth the Cost?

Jes Golbez — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Eastern, Western, Fantasy Hockey, NHL Rumors

As I grow older and more mature (stop snickering), I'm beginning to see the folly of a team, on Deadline Day, spending major assets for a playoff rental. Yes, D-Day is always hyped to the max, and gets fans drooling at the prospect of seeing their team get the likes of Marian Hossa, Peter Forsberg, or Mats Sundin to put their team over the top.

Like Tom Benjamin notes over at his blog, rarely does spending the farm on a short-term rental ever really help a team do big things. Last season, we saw the Isles give up lots for Ryan Smyth and the Thrashers do the same for Keith Tkachuk. Both teams fell flat on their asses in the first round, although some would argue that just getting the teams into the playoffs, and one round of lucrative playoff revenue, was the justification for screwing the team's future.

Think of building a house. A good house takes time to plan, and the foundation is laid early in the design choices one makes. You can't simply stick some Sears Aluminum siding on the outside of a stucco monstrosity and expect it to turn into a million-dollar mansion, can you?

Looking back at the eventual Stanley Cup winning teams reveals a noticeable trend: The great teams don't need to do much at the deadline. Great terms are built during the off-season, or earlier in the season, rather than February and March.

2007 - Anaheim: Anaheim obtains F Brad May from Colorado for G Michael Wall, obtains D Doug O'Brien from Tampa Bay for D Joe Rullier. Dealing for a 4th line thug was hardly making waves, but the Ducks already had a great team, and Burke just wanted some toughness.

2006 - Carolina: Carolina obtains veteran RW Mark Recchi from Pittsburgh for LW Niklas Nordgren, C Krys Kolanos and Carolina's second-round choice in 2007. One of the few big deals made by a deadline team, Recchi was more icing on the cake, and spent most of his time on the third line with Doug Weight.

2004 - Tampa Bay: Nothing of note. Their big late-season deal occurred on January 27th, when they acquired Daryl Sydor for a draft pick. This was 40 days before the deadline.

2003 - New Jersey: New Jersey acquires Atlanta defenseman Richard Smehlik, but he plays only five games. A black ace, nothing more.

2002 - Detroit: Detroit was quiet during the season. Its best move is trading for Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek in July.

2001 - Colorado: Nothing on deadline day. Their big deal was 20 days prior, acquiring Rob Blake and his big slapshot.

2000 - New Jersey: New Jersey Devils obtain RW Alexander Mogilny from Vancouver for C Brendan Morrison and C Denis Pederson. Finally, a truly big deal on deadline day that helped both teams (although Mogilny got only seven points in 23 playoff games that season). Mogilny helped push the Devils over the top while Morrison became a key cog between the Naslund-Bertuzzi combo. Looking at both sides, it was more than simply a rental deal, and not typical of your average deadline deal.

1999 - Dallas: Dallas reacquires Benoit Hogue a few days before the deadline, but that just adds depth. Their free agent signing of Brett Hull in the summer is the biggest transaction. Again, the Stars were already a fine team, and simply added a Black Ace.

So, I would conclude that any team that spends a vast amount of resources on Deadline Day isn't going to be significantly better than they were 24 hours prior. Hockey is a game that requires a great deal of chemistry, and plopping in a new shiny star player into a new environment is hardly a cure-all panacea. GM's need to avoid the public pressure and do what is best for the club. Sometimes, not making a significant move might be the best option.

Deadline Day: Are Big Deals Worth the Cost? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brad Isbister: Going, Going, Gone?

Jes Golbez — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:11:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Canucks, Western, Fantasy Hockey, NHL Rumors

Ask any coach of his from his checkered past, and you'll likely find out that Brad Isbister is one of the most frustrating players they have ever had the misfortune of coaching.

Blessed with great size (6'4" 222), good balance, and a blistering shot, Isbister has all the physical tools needed to be a successful power forward. It's just too bad that he seems to have none of the mental ones.

The phrase "a million dollar body and a ten cent head" is most appropriate when talking about the guy (although he is kinda pudgy), and one wonders how long he'll remain in the NHL. After the Canucks made him a healthy scratch for the third straight game, especially against a physical team like the San Jose Sharks, it's quite obvious that he isn't part of the team's plans for much longer.

The [line combination] alignment also showed that Brad Isbister has become a non-factor. For the third-straight game and 13th time this season, the winger was a healthy scratch. So, what does the future hold for a 6-foot-4, 225-pound grinder who seldom plays to his imposing size?

To describe Isbister's game, think of a big marshmallow. It's big, white, soft, and just sits there and provides little nutritional value or taste.

Isbister was given a prime opportunity to play a big role with the Canucks, a team in desperate need of both size and offensive output up front. Instead of seizing that opportunity by the throat, Isbister loafed around and put up a pathetic two goals and five assists in 30 games. All the while, Isbister rarely hit anyone, rarely broke a sweat, and spent more time hitting the local sushi buffets than working on his game.

After showing some potential with the Isles in his early days, Isbister has produced just 81 points in 224 games as he's floated between teams and between the AHL and NHL. As Isbister can't really provide much value in any facet of the game, I'd be shocked if another NHL team wants to take a chance on the guy. Good riddance to bad rubbish (I hope!).

Brad Isbister: Going, Going, Gone? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smyth Out Six to Eight Weeks

Jes Golbez — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:12:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, General NHL, Avalanche, Western, Fantasy Hockey, NHL Injuries

As if two straight losses against the lowly Phoenix Coyotes wasn't bad enough for the Colorado Avalanche, the Rocky Mountain club will now be without power winger Ryan Smyth, who will be gone 6-8 weeks with a broken ankle. This is already on the heels of captain Joe Sakic's hernia surgery, which will keep him out of the lineup for just as long, if not longer.

"The fracture was discovered following additional medical tests which included an MRI exam," Avalanche head trainer Matthew Sokolowski said yesterday in a release. "We expect him to make a full recovery."

In the ultra competitive Northwest Division and Western Conference environment, the Avs are clinging to a playoff spot by a single point. The loss of Ryan Smyth will surely help the likes of Anaheim, Columbus, and St. Louis, who are all chasing the Avs.

Without a lot of top prospects in the minors, one wonders if GM Francois Giguere will be ready to make a deal or two. While Giguere stated that he expected other Avs forwards to step up during Sakic's absence, it'll be hard to fill in the gaps left by missing TWO of the team's best offensive forwards. No other player can bring Smyth's level of strength and tenacity in the trenches, save for Andrew Brunette, a Ryan Smyth-lite. If I look at the Avs now, I see a team that is liable to lose a lot of physical battles in the offensive zone.

Gentlemen, start your rumor engines.

Smyth Out Six to Eight Weeks originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sakic to Miss 2-3 Months with Hernia Surgery

Jes Golbez — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:39:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, General NHL, Avalanche, Western, Fantasy Hockey, NHL Injuries

Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche got some very bad news yesterday as their beloved captain is going to be out a very long time with a nasty hernia.

Hopefully, the injury isn't so severe that it could mean the hastened end to Joe Sakic's illustrious career in the NHL. It's certainly not easy to recovery from a painful hernia, and Sakic is at that age where each passing month is a fight against father time to maintain a high level of physical ability.

"Joe's rehabilitation has not progressed as anticipated and upon further evaluation the decision has been made to perform surgery in order for him to fully recover," Avalanche team physician Andrew Parker said.

If Sakic misses the length of time prescribed, it will be the longest absence of his NHL career. Prior to the injury, which has kept him out 12 straight games, Sakic had played in 232 consecutive games.

Sakic was struggling somewhat this season putting just 22 points in 24 games (with a gross -6) and looking rather 'tired', and now we know why.

Amazingly, the Avalanche have gone 8-4-1 since their captain has been out of the lineup, as some of the other forwards have picked up the slack. Of course, this short-term trend is unlikely to continue, and the Avs could find themselves fighting for their playoff lives by the time Sakic gets back.

While I realize the Avs have some pretty good offensive depth in their lineup, Sakic is one of those rare players that makes others better. Guys like Andrew Brunette, Marek Svatos, and Ryan Smyth need Sakic to feed them the puck to be fully effective. In the long run, the loss of Sakic is likely going to create a huge ripple effect in the Western Conference and Northwest Division.

Sakic to Miss 2-3 Months with Hernia Surgery originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Fantasy Analysis: Is the Cheechoo Train Off Track?

Jes Golbez — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:18:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Sharks, Western, Fantasy Hockey

Poolies all over the continent must be scratching their heads about what to do with one 27-year old Jonathan Cheechoo, the spunky winger who piled up an amazing 56 goals just two seasons ago.

Once again, Cheechoo is off to an incredibly slow start, with just three points in his first eight games, and ZERO in the first five. Fans and fantasy league owners of Jon's must be wondering just WHO is the real Cheechoo?

SEASON  GP  G A PTS SOG SH%
03-04  81 28 19 47 175 16.0
05-06  82 56 37 93 317 17.7
06-07  76 37 32 69 250 14.8
07-08   8  2  1  3  22 9.1

Obviously, Cheechoo's amazing 56-goal performance, like Brady Anderson's 50-home run performance over a decade ago, was a one-year fluke where the stars in the sky aligned right and everything went right for the Sharks sniper.

So, what to make of Cheechoo? Just how much can we expect from somebody with his production curve?

1. Cheechoo's shooting percentage is abnormally low. He's still getting almost three shots per game, suggesting that he's still generating scoring chances. You can expect the goals to start going in soon enough. Somebody with a past history of burying the biscuit wont' stay dry for long.

2. Cheechoo is still playing on the same line with one Joe Thornton (after a brief demotion). Getting passes from one of the league's premier playmakers ensures Cheechoo will continue to get prime scoring opportunities.

Given Cheechoo's career path and deriving numbers from his previous production, we could expect Cheechoo to score about 32-35 goals, at least, over the rest of the season. Cheechoo's overall point totals might finish a little lower than last season, but now is not the time to panic.

Sell or Keep? Keep. Some other fantasy league GM might try to pilfer this struggling star from your hands, but all of the pieces are in place for Cheechoo to recover to his previous norms. 40-50 goals is probably a stretch, but another 35-goal season is almost a certainty.

Besides, how can you bet against a guy who can do this?

NHL Fantasy Analysis: Is the Cheechoo Train Off Track? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kings Crown Cammalleri in Arbitration

Jes Golbez — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, General NHL, Kings, Western, Fantasy Hockey

Los Angeles Kings winger and party animal (pictured, left) Michael Cammalleri was one of the league's best players that you didn't know about. Playing for a West Coast team nowhere near the playoffs, Cammalleri finished with 80 points in 81 games, good for 27th overall in the NHL point-scoring race.

His agent, Mike Gillis, seeing a big fat commission and new chrome siding for his Porsche, had his client demand $6 million per season!! This for a guy with just 220 career NHL games and only ONE very good season under his belt.

Now, I can see how they would ask for the moon, given how a guy like Markus Naslund racked in that kind of coin, and produced even less than Cammalleri. Having watched Kevin Lowe toss around $7 million for the likes of Thomas Vanek must have made Cammalleri confident that he'd score big, too!

The Kings countered with a more modest $2.8 million per season, citing the fact that Cammalleri has still not established himself as a true star. Obviously, the two sides were so far apart that no pre-arbitration agreement was going to happen.

Yesterday, the arbitrator ruled in favour of the Kings, with an award of $6.7 million over two seasons, far less than Cammalleri and his greedy agent were hoping for. Unlike the 'good old' days of NHL arbitration, the new line of arbiters seems to be heavily skewing their awards in favour of the NHL clubs, and not the players.

Unfortunately for the Kings, Cammalleri is going to be an unrestricted free agent in 2009. While the Kings will get Cammalleri at a very reasonable salary for two seasons, they may wish that they could have secured their diminutive star for a longer-term deal for an extra million or two. Knowing how Mike Gillis operates, don't expect a home-town discount any day soon.

For fantasy players, hang onto this guy! He's on an up-and-coming team with an offensive-minded coach and he's surrounded by some good talent (Frolov, Kopitar, Nagy, and Handzus). Cammalleri is a great skater and has improved at a steady rate for the past few seasons. Anything less than 65-70 points next season would be an utter shock.

Kings Crown Cammalleri in Arbitration originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ducks Allow Dustin Penner to Become an Oiler

Jes Golbez — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:04:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Oilers, Ducks, Western, Fantasy Hockey, NHL Rumors

Despite all of Brian Burke's huffing and puffing, he did not, in fact, match Kevin Lowe's offer sheet to chunky winger Dustin Penner. Hence, the 29-goal scorer is going to Edmonton with a fat-like-Louie Anderson $21.5mil contract over five seasons.

Desperate for an injection of offense that only a free agency syringe could provide, Lowe paid heavily for a young forward who has just 101 games of experience and one productive season under his hockey pants. Not only are the Oilers coughing up $4.3mil per season for an rather unproven commodity, they also have to give up three draft picks (a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounder).

I understand that Kevin Lowe wants some offense, but for that much money, and those kind of draft picks, you better be getting a star. The chances are, Penner will be a solid winger, but nowhere near the kind of assets that Lowe just pissed away. The Oilers would have been better off saving these assets for another day, rather than over-spending in a desperate attempt to get SOMETHING!

"But Jes, they need the offense just to make the playoffs!"

Right, and when they try and make improvements in the future just to make the playoffs (because they are a long way away, folks), or make other moves to strengthen their team, they'll realize that they are hamstrung because they paid so much for a 2nd-line winger.

Many Oilers fans, obviously, aren't too thrilled with having their GM pay SO MUCH for so little. Yet, despite of Lowe's fantasy GM-type moves, you'll be hard-pressed to get any game tickets in Edmonton this fall.

Ducks Allow Dustin Penner to Become an Oiler originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Year of the Rat,' One of the Worst in Stanley Cup Finals History?

Greg Wyshynski — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:42:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Islanders, Flyers, Bruins, Senators, Hurricanes, Panthers, Capitals, Blackhawks, Wings, Flames, Avalanche, Oilers, Canucks, Kings, Eastern, Western, Fantasy Hockey, Stanley Cup

Although it's one year too late -- and what former NHL player is going to give up a fishing trip for this? -- the Florida Panthers will celebrate their Cinderella run to the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals this weekend. Panthers alumni like John Vanbiesbrouck, Ray Sheppard and Bill Lindsay will join the majority of the players (sans schedule-conflicted Rob Niedermayer and Robert Svehla) who led Florida to the Finals in only the third year of the franchise, before being swept away by the Colorado Avalanche. There's a golf tournament, player appearances and an exhibition game at BankAtlantic Center on Saturday that will give hockey fans something they've long dreamed about: another chance to witness the majestic skating of Terry Carkner on NHL ice.

The Panthers, who will unveil their new uniforms at Saturday's game, have dubbed the celebration "Weekend of the Rat" after the single most significant memory from the team's Stanley Cup run. The Sun Sentinel remembers the fun:

In 1995-96, they finished third in their division (41-31-10, 92 points) and fourth in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, then beat in the Bruins 4 games to 1 in a seven-game series, the Flyers 4-2 and the Penguins 4-3 before losing to the Avalanche in four games in the finals.

Right winger Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the dressing room with his stick minutes before the home opener that season, then scored two goals that night, prompting Vanbiesbrouck to declare Mellanby's feat a "Rat Trick." Throwing plastic rats on the ice after goals soon became a phenomenon.

"We accomplished some pretty lofty things with a group of guys who were considered mediocre players at the time," Lindsay said.

"Mediocre players at the time?" Has history been that kind to Johan Garpenlov and Jody Hull? Florida Panthers fans have every right to celebrate this unexpected season of meteoric success, lest they fall deeper into the depressing reality that their franchise is now known more for losing Roberto Luongo and failing to make the playoffs in the Southeast Division than plastic rodents. But for the rest of us, this weekend begs the question:

Are the Florida Panthers the most mediocre Stanley Cup finalist of the last 25 years?

First off, this list will be limited to teams that did not win more than one game in the Stanley Cup Finals. This could eliminate some contenders; the 2006 Edmonton Oilers and the 1991 Minnesota North Stars, for argument's sake. And forget about teams like the 1983 Oilers, the 1984 Islanders, the 1988 and 1990 Boston Bruins and the 1995 Detroit Red Wings -- great teams, all of them. The 1997 Flyers and the 2007 Senators were more talented than the Panthers' Cup finalist, and were just overwhelmed in the last round. Ditto the 1993 Los Angeles Kings and the 1992 Blackhawks.

With that narrow focus, we find ourselves with:

The 1982 Vancouver Canucks, coached by Roger Neilson and 4-0 losers to the New York Islanders.
The 1985 Philadelphia Flyers, coached by Mike Keenan and 4-1 losers to the Oilers.
The 1986 Calgary Flames, coached by Bob Johnson and 4-1 losers to the Montreal Canadiens.
The 1996 Florida Panthers, coached by Doug MacLean and 4-0 losers to the Colorado Avalanche.
The 1998 Washington Capitals, coached by Ron Wilson and 4-0 losers to Detroit.
The 2002 Carolina Hurricanes, coached by Paul Maurice and 4-1 losers to Detroit.

Let's drop the Flyers from that list -- 110 regular-season points and some great goaltending. The Capitals can also come down, unless you can find two offensive players on the '96 Panthers that could carry either Peter Bondra's or Adam Oates's stick bags. The 1986 Flames beat the Gretzky Oilers to get to the Finals, and had Gary Suter and Al MacInnis on the blueline -- that's good enough for me. Which leaves us with the 1982 Canucks, the 1996 Panthers and the 2002 Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes had Irbe in goal, but Ron Francis and Rod Brind'Amour up front. The amazing Roger Neilson/Harry Neale switcheroo and the recent passing of Gary Lupul give me some nostalgia for that Canucks team, but the bottom line is that it was as devoid of star talent (leading scorer: Thomas Gradin) as the Panthers were. Which brings us to Florida.

Unlike the other two contenders, the Panthers were a blatant neutral-zone trap team, which is the reason for the franchise's quick maturation as an expansion newbie. They had one 30-goal scorer in Scott Mellanby. Their roster was filled with players who will need to buy a ticket to get into the Hall of Fame. And, in spelling out the three greatest sins of the 1996 Florida Panthers, LCS Hockey writer Michael Menser Dell explains the Rat Pack's greatest offense to hockey:

The Panthers smothered the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals, clutching and grabbing the vastly superior Birds into submission in a seven-game shocker. Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis, and Petr Nedved combined for an absurd 203 goals and 528 points in the regular season, but the Pens could only muster 15 goals total in the seven- game defeat. The Florida upset once again deprived the world of a potential Mario Lemieux- Patrick Roy Stanley Cup showdown.

In a dead-heat between the Canucks and the Panthers, this fact might provide an edge to the boys from the Sunshine State...

'Year of the Rat,' One of the Worst in Stanley Cup Finals History? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Fantasy Analysis: Sneaky Surovy Returns

Jes Golbez — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Coyotes, Western, Fantasy Hockey

Not many of you will know the name of Tomas Surovy, so it's best that you get acquainted with the Phoenix Coyotes' latest free agent signing.

Surovy, 26 years of age come next season, is an offensive-minded winger who played well in stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but spent last season in the Swedish Elitserien.

SEASON  TEAM   GP  G  A  PTS

03-04   PITT   47  11 12 23

05-06   PITT   53  12 13 25

06-07 LULEA HF 55  23 32 55

Now, you are probably asking yourself "Why the hell should I care about some obscure Slovak?"

Well, my peeps, Surovy just may be a great steal for you fantasy leaguers out there who are looking for bargains.

1. Surovy finished 4th in Swedish Elitserien scoring, a notoriously defensive-minded league. Remember Shawn Horcoff? He also had great success in this league (during the lockout), and then translated that into powerful NHL numbers.

2. Phoenix has so little offensive depth up front: Shane Doan, Mike York, and a bunch of scrap metal. Surovy, who is great on the Power Play, should get an incredible chance for lots of ice time in prime offensive situations.

Given Surovy's development last season, the fact he's in his prime age, and the fact that Phoenix has nobody else to provide offense, Surovy just may be the late-round steal that you are looking for. I'd certainly take the risk. You'd have to figure he's worth at least 40 points, if not more.

NHL Fantasy Analysis: Sneaky Surovy Returns originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sat, 14 Jul 2007 11:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Fantasy Analysis: Can Keenan Convert to "Kristianity"?

Jes Golbez — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Flames, Western, Fantasy Hockey, NHL Gossip, NHL Rumors

Back when Kristian Huselius was a member of the Florida Panthers, coach "Iron Mike" Keenan made it a point to put the Swedish sniper in his permanent doghouse. Despite Huselius' slick stick-handling skills, boyish looks, and crisp play-making abilities, his game never got off the ground during his time in Florida.

Huselius earned a fresh start in Calgary and made the most of it. Those fantasy players who saw how Kristian came out of his shell as a member of the Flames were most pleased that their investment finally paid off.

Now that Mike Keenan is the new bench boss for the Flames, is the second go-around of this relationship going to go sour, too?

SEASON TEAM GP G A PTS +/-
03-04 FLA 76 10 21 31 -6
05-06 FLA 24 5 3 8 -11
05-06 CGY 54 15 24 39 +2
06-07 CGY 81 34 43 77 +21

As you can see, Huselius' pre-Calgary numbers were horrible. Only after the trade did Huselius produce like he was expected to when he came over from Sweden.
It can't be understated just how much Keenan can ruin the confidence of certain players that don't fit into his 'mold'. Ask Trevor Linden, Martin Gelinas, Tony Amonte, or Stephen Weiss just how fun Keenan was to play for.

After putting together a solid rookie season with the Panthers, Huselius was basically a broken man when Keenan was through with him. Keenan even put Kristian on waivers, twice (no takers), in order to get rid of him.

When the trade to Calgary was made, Huselius got a phone-call from Iron-Mike. Keenan said: "I have moved you to Calgary - good luck man", and then hung up. Nice guy, eh?

It is well known that Keenan had a very high level of disdain for Huselius, and the feeling was mutual. I find it hard to believe that the feelings will have just evaporated all of a sudden. If you were fired from one company where the boss was a tyrant, went to another company, got your career on the fast-track, and then your old tyrant boss was suddenly your new boss? Yeah, you'd be pretty sullen, too.

For fantasy leaguers, especially those without reserve spots, NOW is the time to sell Huselius. While Keenan will try and paint a public rosy picture, one or both of the parties will still harbor ill will towards the other. Huselius will very likely experience a drop in production until Keenan is fired and/or Huselius is traded. Some bumbling GMs will think that Huselius can earn the trust of Keenan and keep producing. Get those suckers to bite!

Jes's Prediction: 45 points.

See also: Huselius Bringing "Kristianity" to Calgary

NHL Fantasy Analysis: Can Keenan Convert to "Kristianity"? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coyotes Dig Mike York from Free Agent Trash Heap

Jes Golbez — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: Phoenix, General NHL, Coyotes, Western, Fantasy Hockey

The Phoenix Coyotes finally got in on the free agent frenzy by signing the versatile Mike York to a 1-year $1mil contract. This has been their ONLY significant NHL-level signing this off-season, in which their competitors continue to get better while Gretzky continues to vacation.

Not too long ago, $1mil would have been seen as an absolute steal for Mike York. Now? He's got a lot to prove after a horrendous season.

SEASON TEAM  GP G A PTS +/-

03-04 EDM  61 16 26 42 +18

05-06 NYI  75 13 39 52 -9

06-07 PHI/NYI 66 10 11 21 -18

Known as a very reliable 2-way forward, York struggled in all aspects of the game last year in his short tenures with the Flyers and Islanders. At 29, it was hard to figure out why York was doing so poorly, given his past history and completeness of his game. Why did York suddenly 'lose it'?

For the Coyotes, this is definitely a shrewd signing. One would have to figure that York can have a bounce-back season and return to his form of 'old'. If not, the Coyotes have ventured very little, and can easily pawn him off for picks at the trade deadline.

For fantasy players in deep leagues, this is the perfect time to get stock in York. He'll get loads of Power Play time and offensive ice time, in general. His line-mates won't be great, but York has tended to play with the lesser lights throughout his career. At his age, he shouldn't be in a permanent decline just yet.

Jes's Prediction: 65GP 12G-32A-44PTS

Coyotes Dig Mike York from Free Agent Trash Heap originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canucks Dish Out Dough for 'D'

Jes Golbez — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Canucks, Western, Fantasy Hockey, NHL Rumors

With the Vancouver Canucks struggling to score more than two goals per game last season, GM Dave Nonis decides to go out and spend big bucks on ... defensemen?

Yes, Nonis was busy giving out contracts yesterday to veteran Aaron Miller (1 year/$1.5mil), and Kevin Bieksa (3-year extension for $11.25mil).

With the signings, the Canucks have an extremely strong and deep defensive corps.

Ohlund-Mitchell
 Bieksa-Salo
 Miller-Krajicek
 Edler-Bourdon

Now, with the Canucks left with only about $3-4mil to sign a couple of wingers, many folks have begun speculating that a trade is in the works. The Canucks are either going to go into next season with a team that is based solely on winning 2-1 games, or somebody is going to be dealt.

Sami Salo? He just signed an extension.
Kevin Bieksa? Ditto.
Lukas Krajicek? Extension, and he's cheap.
Willie Mitchell? He's got a no-trade clause.

This leaves, of course, 30-year old Mattias Ohlund, the veteran who makes $3.5mil a season.

Ohlund has seen a slight decline in play since the lockout, and his value will only continue to decrease. His lack of quickness is noticeable some nights, and he seems to be the best trade bait available for the Canucks to relieve salary pressure AND secure a good scoring winger.

Of course, I won't claim any insider knowledge. Nonis might very well be happy to stick Bourdon in the AHL and go into the season with the defense as it stands right now.

As an aside, don't pick Miller in your office pool. He hasn't scored a goal since BEFORE the lockout (138 games!).

Canucks Dish Out Dough for 'D' originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dallas Drake Does Detroit

Jes Golbez — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:06:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, General NHL, Wings, Blues, Western, Fantasy Hockey

It didn't take "Dirty" Dallas Drake long to find work after being bought out by the St. Louis Blues.

His new destination? Detroit Red Wings, the division rival with which he started out his long NHL career.

"He's a very physical player who will add grit to our lineup and make our team even more difficult to play against," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said in a statement. "He's a veteran player, and you can never have enough experience and leadership on a team."

At this point in his career, Dallas Drake is an absolute zero on offence.

SEASON TEAM GP G A PTS
03-04 STL 79 13 22 35
05-06 STL 62 2 24 26
06-07 STL 60 6 6 12

The benefit? Dallas Drake can still kill penalties (he led Blues' forwards in PK time last season), get under the skin of opposing players, and generally be a pain in the ass.

Detroit has always been extremely good at bringing in tossed-away players (Larry Murphy, Joey Kocur, and Daniel Cleary, for example) and getting the most out of them in specific roles. Just don't expect more than 10-15 points.

Dallas Drake Does Detroit originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Fantasy Analysis: Is Ladislav Nagy Worth the Risk?

Jes Golbez — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:16:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Stars, Kings, Coyotes, Western, Fantasy Hockey

Ladislav Nagy has long teased coaches and fantasy GM's alike with his immense talent. Sadly, injuries and other factors have kept Nagy from being a true scoring star, and have relegated him to the B or C-classes in fantasy leagues.

I, myself, have taken the risk a few times, only to get burnt or end up disappointed as I didn't get the expected point payoff.

Now that Ladislav has found a new home in Los Angeles, with former Blues teammate Michal Handzus, is the little punk worth taking a chance on, once again?

SEASON TEAM   GP G A PTS
 03-04 PHX    55 24 28 52
 05-06 PHX    51 15 41 56
 06-07 PHX/DAL  80 12 43 55

For the most part, Nagy has been a pretty productive player the past few seasons, except for the fact that ...

1. D00d is often injured. Last year's 80 games was the most, by far, that he had since 2002-03.

2. Coaches don't seem to like him. Even though Nagy was Phoenix's most offensively talented player, Wayne Gretzky, who ought to appreciate offense, never liked the guy. Why else would Gretzky bench Ladislav and relegate him off of the Power Play?

3. He can be lazy and soft. Thanks to some of his injuries, Nagy tends to sit around the perimeter, looking for plays to make. Gretzky and Tippett tried to get Nagy to break a sweat more often, but he wouldn't oblige often enough.

So, what makes Ladislav worth the risk this season?

1. A fresh start with the Kings. Ladislav will be in a place that HE wants to be, rather than an organization that is sour on him (Phoenix), or a place he was traded to unwillingly (Dallas).

2. Marc Crawford loves an up-tempo offensive style of game. Nagy is very offensive-minded, and the Dallas Stars' passive style did not suit Nagy in the least. If there is a coach who can utilize Nagy's talents, it's Crawford.

3. Nagy will have superior linemates. In Phoenix, Shane Doan was the only player who had any offensive skill whatsoever. In Dallas? He was playing with the corpse of Eric Lindros, and a bunch of generic Finns. In LA, he'll have the likes of Frolov, Cammalleri, Kopitar, and Handzus.

At the very least, Nagy ought to return to his point-a-game days, and should be counted on for at least 50 points. Most fantasy GM's will be sour on Nagy, so be sure to scoop him up and take the risk. This year? It should be worth it.

Jes's Prediction: 22G-50G-72PTS in 69 games.

NHL Fantasy Analysis: Is Ladislav Nagy Worth the Risk? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Kevin Lowe Ready to Poach Again?

Jes Golbez — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 11:21:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Sabres, Oilers, Eastern, Western, Fantasy Hockey, NHL Rumors

After Oilers GM Kevin Lowe was rebuffed in his attempt to make a large RFA offer to Thomas Vanek, he may very well have his sights set on other shiny objects that belong to others.

Lowe has found it near impossible to attract high-end free agents to Edmonton, despite a willingness to overspend in some cases, and he's already burned up valuable assets such as Jason Smith and Joffery Lupul going the trade route to improve the team.

So this becomes a classic case of desperate times calling for desperate measures.

The Sabres matched the offer, meaning the Oilers still have a need to fill, and there are other players available. There's Zach Parise in New Jersey, Mike Cammalleri in Los Angeles, Dustin Penner in Anaheim and Lee Stempniak in St. Louis.

Given how poorly the Oilers treated heart-and-soul Ryan Smyth, and the kind of bush league tactics they employ, is it any wonder why the Oilers can't attract free agents? Even the ones they managed to make a nice offer to, such as Michael Nylander, bolt elsewhere at the first chance.

Now, making RFA offers is a very expensive proposition, for both clubs. In order to make a player sign an offer sheet, the dollar figure has to be quite high. This, in turn, increases the level of compensation one would have to pay if they got the player.

OFFER $660,000 or below Over $660,000 to $1 million Over $1 million to $2.0 million Over $2.0 million to $3.0 million Over $3.0 million to $4.0 million Over $4.0 million to $5.0 million Over $5 million	COMPENSATION None Third-round choice Second-round choice First-round and third-round choice First-round, second-round and third-round choice Two first-round choices, one second- and one third-round choice Four first-round choices

As you can see, anything over $2mil, which is takes to get most any decent player, costs at least a first round draft pick.Are any of the free agents on the market worth the price Lowe would have to pay?

Zach Parise, 22: 82GP 31-31-62PTS
Mike Cammalleri, 25: 81GP 34-46-80PTS
Dustin Penner, 24: 82GP 29-16-45PTS
Lee Stempniak, 25: 82GP 27-25-52PTS

I have no personal problem with the fact that Lowe used the RFA offer sheet to Vanek as a tool to try and improve his own club. It's within the rules, and shouldn't be frowned upon to use it legitimately.

The real problem is that Lowe's offer was just insanely high. Is Vanek worth $7mil a season AND four 1st-round picks?

If you believe the Sabres, the Vanek offer was made with the knowledge that the Sabres would match.

"It was always going to be a match situation," Regier said during a news gathering in Buffalo, "and they were well aware of it last night. I suppose you have to assume they thought we were bluffing. What this amounted to was an exercise in futility."

"If there's an opportunity for us to put an offer sheet on a player, as long as we're alive, we'll be very comfortable doing that," managing partner Larry Quinn said. "They can expect it if it's in our best interest."

The RFA system was designed to make it an undesirable system to use. With the younger UFA age, it's almost not even necessary to use the system and spend valuable draft picks, along with cash, to acquire talent. Only the most desparate GMs, such as Lowe, will take to using such offer sheets.

Is Kevin Lowe Ready to Poach Again? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sat, 07 Jul 2007 11:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Fantasy Analysis: The Return of Dick Tarnstrom

Jes Golbez — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:24:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Oilers, Western, Fantasy Hockey

The Edmonton Oilers, desperate for some offence from their defense, brought back Dick Tarnstrom from his exile-for-family-reasons in Switzerland. Unlike a lot of players, Dick seemed to actually note hate playing in Edmonton:

"I liked my time there in Edmonton. It's a good hockey town," said Tarnstrom, when reached in Sweden on Sunday. "And they showed their interest pretty early, so I was interested in going back."

Once upon a time, Dick Tarnstrom was one of the deadliest Power Play QB's in the league, even leading his team (The 03-04 Penguins) in total scoring. Then, after the lockout, Tarnstrom seemed to lose all of his offensive ability, and was a shell of his former self.

SEASON TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PPP
 02-03  PIT 61 7 34 41 -11 25
 03-04  PIT 80 16 36 52 -37 38
 05-06  PIT 33 5 5 10 -10 7
 05-06  EDM 22 1 3 4  -5 0

Tarnstrom is an interesting would-be steal for fantasy players, knowing that he has put up some monster PP numbers in the past, and will get all the offensive time-on-ice he desires with the Oilers. Those who do their research will be licking their chops to draft this ace-in-the-hole in the late rounds, now that his family problems are well sorted out.

Just beware that ...

1. Tarnstrom is a career -75 in 258 NHL games, and that will hurt you if your league uses that stat. The Oilers will give up a lot of goals against, and Tarnstrom is weak defensively.

2. The Oilers PP is going to lack a lot of firepower with Smyth, Sykora, and Lupul (not that he did much) all gone.

Then again, when Tarnstrom led the Penguins in scoring a few years back, the team was just as weak, if not worse, than today's Edmonton Oilers.

Jes's Prediction: 10GP-28A-38PTS and -20.

NHL Fantasy Analysis: The Return of Dick Tarnstrom originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Los Angeles, Kings of the Free Agent Frenzy

Jes Golbez — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:26:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Kings, Western, Fantasy Hockey

While the Rangers and Capitals have made the big headlines, the Los Angeles Kings have quietly had a great summer on the free agent market.

Instead of going ape-crap over the big name free agents and signing albatross contacts, the Kings went after some good, lesser known talent, with mid-range contracts that are reasonable in length and amount.

Brad Stuart (pictured) - 1 year at $3.5mil per

Tom Preissing - 4 years at $2.75mil per

Michal Handzus - 4 years at $4mil per

Ladislav Nagy - 1 year at $3.75mil per

Kyle Calder - 2 years at $2.75mil per

Jaroslav Modry - 1 year at $1.2mil per (Re-signed)

On the flip side, the Kings haven't lost very much in the way of key players. Other than goaltender Mathieu Garon going to Edmonton, none of the other Kings UFAs are really going to be missed severely.

With about $43mil in cap commitments, the Kings still have to address the one issue that hurt them last year: Goaltending. Dan Cloutier is eating up $3.1mil in salary cap space, and was one of the worst in the league last season. Giving him another chance is just folly. Buying him out and using the cap space to find another goalie would be the smartest solution.

Still, Kings fans can be happy that their team has had a great off-season adding offensive oomph and defensive depth without hurting their team in the long run.

Los Angeles, Kings of the Free Agent Frenzy originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Michael Nylander Story Isn't Over Yet

Jes Golbez — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:29:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Capitals, Oilers, Eastern, Western, Fantasy Hockey

This Michael Nylander signing/not-signing story has quickly become the soap opera of the summer for the NHL.

First, reports indicated that Michael Nylander had signed with the Edmonton Oilers. No financial details were released, but nobody thought anything of it. It seemed that the Oilers finally signed an actual free agent.

Then, out of left field, the Washington Capitals locked up the Swedish center to a contract.

Obviously, Oilers GM Kevin Lowe was pissed about the whole ordeal, and now we're starting to find out that is was more than simply being outbid.

"On Sunday, July 1, 2007, Kevin Lowe, Oilers general manager, and Mr. Mike Gillis, certified agent for Michael Nylander, negotiated and agreed to a multi-year NHL Standard Players Contract, starting in 2007-08. Mr. Gillis confirmed same to the Oilers in writing," the Oilers' statement read Tuesday.

"The Oilers then proceeded with preparations to announce Mr. Nylander's contract agreement on July 2, and concurrently continued with the process of negotiating with other free agents based upon Mr. Nylander being an important roster ingredient for the future.

"However, while the Oilers were expecting the returned signed agreements from Mr. Nylander and Mr. Gillis, the Oilers discovered through public announcements made mid-afternoon on July 2, that Mr. Nylander had subsequently entered into a long-term contract with the Capitals.

Wow! I can't remember the last time something like THIS happened in the NHL. Agents don't usually bait-and-switch quite that blatently.

Without knowing the contents of the document the Oilers received, we can't quite tell if Nylander's agent agreed to an actual contract, or agreed that the money was satisfactory. I'm sure we'll find out more in the near future as this soap opera gets juicier.

I'm also sure that the NHL will 'fix' the ordeal by forcing Nylander's contract with the Capitals to stand, by hook and by crook. There is no way that Bettman will allow Nylander to go to the Oilers, nor would the Oilers want an unhappy camper on their hands.

How much is the NHL gonna pay to get out of this one?

The Michael Nylander Story Isn't Over Yet originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Fantasy Analysis: Preds Cement Mason as their #1

Jes Golbez — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, Western, Fantasy Hockey

After the Nashville Predators dumped Tomas Vokoun to the Florida Panthers in a surprising trade, they took steps to ensure that their new #1, Chris Mason, wasn't about to flee from the fire sale burning down the town.

The Nashville Predators have signed goaltender Chris Mason to a US$6-million, two-year contract extension.

Mason would have been an unrestricted free agent after next season. He will earn $3 million a year in the new deal after making $1.25 million next season.

Chris Mason has put up some exceptional numbers the past few seasons when given the chance, with a sweet 92.1SV% in 84 career NHL games as the Preds backup keeper. Surely, this is a guy deserving of a shot as a #1.

However, as commenter Eric Purdy mentioned previously, Mason's numbers last season were poor against the better teams in the league.

Against playoff teams: 4W-7L-2T 3.21GAA 89.7SV%
Against non-playoff teams: 20W-4L-2T 1.98GAA 93.8SV%

Of course, all goalies will fare better against poorer competition, but that kind of discrepancy is a bit of an eye-opener.

For fantasy players, Mason can represent a super steal, but also blow up right in your face. With all of the changes that have happened to the Preds, the talent in front of Mason won't be as good as it was last season. This can mean a lack of wins and a lower SV% than you'd expect, given his previous numbers.

NHL Fantasy Analysis: Preds Cement Mason as their #1 originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 17:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nonis Goes Bargain Hunting, Finds Junk

Jes Golbez — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:23:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Canucks, Western, Fantasy Hockey

The smarter GMs around the NHL have waited for the suckers and big spenders to lock themselves into expensive, albatross contracts with the biggest names. Why not sign an old guy with a creaky back (Ryan Smyth) to a 5-year deal, huh?

Now is the time when the bargain hunters come out to play, and try to find the Dumb and Dumber DVD stashed amongst the Pauly Shore VHS tapes in the clearance bin.

Unfortunately, Canucks GM Dave Nonis took the Pauly Shore movies, instead of looking for something of higher quality.

Nonis could have re-signed Jan Bulis, or perhaps went for a skilled guy like Jason Allison.

Nope, he went for Byron Ritchie and Brad Isbister.

Sure, the terms are not disclosed, but the Canucks certainly overpaid for crap. As if the Canucks need more forwards who can't score.

Brad Isbister - He spent most of last season in the AHL because, well, he's an AHL-caliber player. He doesn't work hard, he can't score, his defense sucks, and he's just a warm body. Just check out his scouting report:

Takes far too many nights off, and has yet to shake the tag of chronic underachiever. Doesn't use his size nearly enough to maximize his potential

 SEASON TEAM GP G A PTS
 2006  NYR 19 1 4  5
 2005  BOS 58 6 17 23
 2003 NYI/EDM 66 13 15 28

Ritchie? He's a puny center with a whopping 31 points in 159 games the past three seasons. He's not all that great defensively, either.

It's gonna be another long, tiring year for Luongo ...

Nonis Goes Bargain Hunting, Finds Junk originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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