Every Sunday I begin work on this column. By Monday I’m at least half done with the rough copy. It is somewhere around late Monday or early Tuesday that some ridiculous bit of hockey news will surface forcing me to scrap everything I had and write about the new tidbit of maddening information. With the exception of last week’s mascot piece, this has happened every week. We were supposed to hear about Marty Brodeur this week. Then it became a split piece with Brodeur sharing the article with my feelings on the abundance of boarding penalties so far this season. But… well… screw all that.
Does anyone remember the very first 2 Minute Minor? I hope so, it wasn’t that long ago. Anyway, I made fun of the Islanders. Badly. Not just for being the worst, but mainly for their amusing attempts to sell tickets. I don’t want to take anything away from how dumb the Islanders buy-one-get-one-free-maybe deal is so go back and read it if you forgot.
(Read it here http://breakingthetrap.blogspot.com/2008/10/two-minute-minor-las-vegas-islanders.html)
The Islanders are no longer the silliest team with too many unsold tickets left over. They’re not even in 2nd place. This also proves that the Islanders can’t even be the best at being the worst. Anyway, there have been some other silly attempts to sell tickets around the league and some of them are so silly, I decided to forego what would have been an almost serious article.
I’ll start with the Florida Panthers. This one is really simple. Anyone who rides a bicycle to certain games gets in for free. Just like that. So dust off that old Schwinn, Panthers fans within riding distance of the BankAtlantic Center, but leave your wallet at home!
Am I the only one who sees the stupidity in this? How many people will really be able to take advantage of this promotion? The vast majority of bicycle commuters ride to work alone. I work in the bicycle industry. TRUST ME ON THIS. Most of them ride to and from work alone. So this means the majority of them are expected to ride to the arena alone. Now, let me ask you… you expect them to go to a game alone? Only serious fans go to games alone and if they were serious, they’d already have a ticket. Season ticket holders go to games alone. And if you’re a season ticket holder, you know most of the people in your section anyway so you’re never really there alone. This guy on a bike is someone who wasn’t going to the game anyway. Good chance he’s not going to the game tonight cause he has no one to go with… even though it’s free.
My nearest arena is the Izod center (former home of the NJ Devils) and that arena is NOT safely accessible by bicycle. I’m not saying it can’t be done. Maybe a seasoned commuter wouldn’t have a problem with it, but the average person trying to bring a bike to a game for a free ticket will be saying over and over to him or herself “I’m never doing this again, I’m never doing this again, I’m never doing this again…” as semi after semi passes by within inches of their elbows. Don’t expect someone to get their bike out of the shed and attempt a ride to an arena. Again, I don’t know how easily accessible the BankAtlantic is by bicycle, but if it’s anything like the Izod, I’d be scared to get there any way other than a car or a bus.
Ever go for a bike ride with a little kid? It takes forever just to go around the block. You’d have to set like 2 hours aside to ride the family to the arena to catch a game. Then hope you child doesn’t get run over by a car, bus, or truck. Then listen to them whine and complain the whole time that they’re tired cause how many miles can a little kid pedal for? And then when it’s all finally done… you have to do it all again… in the dark. NO.
I also feel I should point out the obvious loophole. Drive to the arena, take your bike out of the trunk, bring it to the window and get your free ticket. All you’d pay is parking.
I like their attempt at going green. It’s a novel concept and it’s a great PR move. But it falls short when you figure out how many people will really take advantage of it.
Think that was bad? Wait till you hear this.
The St. Louis Blues officially have the craziest scheme ever to get people to games. EVER! The team announced Monday that at every remaining Saturday home game beginning Nov. 29, the organization will call the seat number of a fan and pay that person’s mortgage or rent for four months, up to $4,000 total.
WHAT?
This is one of those situations where I don’t know if I should even make a joke about it because I’m not confident I can write a joke that is funnier than the truth.
Seriously… how bad is your team? How undesirable are your tickets… that you need to pay people’s rent for 4 months? Do you think they’re going to take all that extra money and go to more hockey games? Look, maybe they will. Then again, maybe they won’t. It’s a gamble. A few grand is nothing to a professional sports franchise so who cares if it works. It’s just… wow. Really. Wow.
In case you were wondering, the Blues (at the time of my writing this) have 11 points. That’s 1 more than the Islanders and the same as the Panthers. All are last in their divisions. Noticing a trend here? Are last place teams required to do stupid things to get people to come watch their teams play last place hockey? I have a great idea. It will work. People will come see you play. PLAY BETTER HOCKEY! Start there! Enough with the gimmicks! I could buy a hockey ticket for $25 and I might get free rent for 4 months. I can also buy a lottery ticket for $1 that might get me free rent FOREVER in my new mansion while I watch the game on TV at home on my gigantic new screen.
I know the economy is rough right now, so being the best team in the league still might not fill seats if your fans just don’t have the extra cash to go to games. But come on, I know we can do better than this. Atlanta (2nd to last in their division, just 3 points up on the Panthers) has it figured out. Look at this: http://thrashers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=26637
That’s a good deal! That’s a really good deal. You get 4 pricing options and free dinner (that is a step above your typical fast food). All the options are really good deals. Except that you have to watch a thrashers game.
I do feel that it is somewhat irresponsible of me to do all this complaining without offering any solutions. Here you go, crappy teams. Try these!
1. Alexander Ovechkin Cutout Night. Don’t act like you wouldn’t go. You would either go, or be sad you missed it. Who wouldn’t want a cutout of him firing a shot at the net, or celebrating another goal with those troll-under-a-bridge good looks, huh? I’m so there.
2. For the Islanders, I suggest “Play for the team” night. The first 5 fans to show up dress as the Islanders 4th line. Because really, how much worse could it be, and you honestly never know. Let the 5 lucky fans keep their uniforms, too.
3. I know this is a joke list, but this one I might actually be serious about. Free beer night. Does it really need explanation? It certainly has potential for complete disaster, but if someone found a way to do it right, it would work. Plus, if you get them drunk, they might not notice how bad the team is that they’re cheering for. Just a thought.
4. Gary Bettman wig night. Yes, you too can lack the very same charm as our commissioner if you are one of the first 5,000 fans to show up tonight! Dismiss, criticism with ease! Sidestep hard hitting questions! Take completely self-serving photos with the Conn Smythe winner and Stanley Cup winning team captain every single year as you make the fans watch and wait in agony for their celebration. Sell out to Reebok! Get booed in every arena you set foot in! Talk in circles! Yes, you can do it all with the Gary Bettman combover wig! Yours FREE with admission! (Offer applies to the first 5000 fans under the age of 15.)
5. Ryan Hollweg inaction figure night. This inaction figure is not poseable, he remains in a seated position wearing a suit as he watches yet another game from the stands while serving his umpteenth suspension of the year. While this would in fact bring no one to games… in fact it might actually keep people away… it could be used to throw at Sidney Crosby should it be during a Pittsburgh game. You gotta find the silver lining, kids. It’s always there somewhere.
Look, I know times are tough, but don’t be afraid. Gary Bettman has once again said that the fundamentals of the NHL's economy are strong. Another blanket statement referring to TV revenue and not Ticket sales. So I guess all those league-wide empty seats are nothing to worry about after all. Thanks, Gary. Good thing we have you around to cover up the problems for us or we might really start to get nervous. Nice hair.
See you next week.
Showing posts with label Florida Panthers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida Panthers. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
BTT Injury Roundup
Just a few quick injury updates. I'll be doing this every Tuesday:
-Daniel Alfredsson is a fast healer and has already played two games since recovering from his knee injury. Though it was originally expeccted that Alfredsson would miss two weeks after doctors removed a bone chip from his knee Alfredsson was on the ice less then a week later. In his first two games back he has 1 goal and 2 assists.
-Marian Gaborik has missed the last two games with a "lower body injury" which we specualte is code for "wonky groin." Gaborik has had groin problems in the past and usually misses 10-20 games a year because of it... and yet Minnesota is reportedly offering him 8 million per. Keep him on your bench for now unless you have open roster spots.
-Kevin Bieska is ready to return the Vancouver lineup after suffering a bout of "Back spasms." And so the first Vancouver lost d-man games have occurred. Can they beat their NHL record 144 last season?
-Henrik Zetterberg, who missed the last two days with a sore groin says he should be ready to play in Wednesday's game. On a side note... isn't this silly? There must be something we can do to stop this. More and more players go down with groin injuries every year? Is it the skates or are the collissions just that much harder now?
-The Florida Panthers have placed Bryan McCabe on the injured reserve. It is expected that he will miss at least another week with a back injury.
-Brian Rolston had a scary moment on Thursday when he went skate first into the boards after losing an edge and came up holding his right ankle. Apparently there was no break revealed by an MRI and X-ray taken over the weekend and Rolston will sit while he recovers from a sprain. Ankle sprains are tricky business and Rolston could miss a month or more if this one is severe enough.
-Daniel Alfredsson is a fast healer and has already played two games since recovering from his knee injury. Though it was originally expeccted that Alfredsson would miss two weeks after doctors removed a bone chip from his knee Alfredsson was on the ice less then a week later. In his first two games back he has 1 goal and 2 assists.
-Marian Gaborik has missed the last two games with a "lower body injury" which we specualte is code for "wonky groin." Gaborik has had groin problems in the past and usually misses 10-20 games a year because of it... and yet Minnesota is reportedly offering him 8 million per. Keep him on your bench for now unless you have open roster spots.
-Kevin Bieska is ready to return the Vancouver lineup after suffering a bout of "Back spasms." And so the first Vancouver lost d-man games have occurred. Can they beat their NHL record 144 last season?
-Henrik Zetterberg, who missed the last two days with a sore groin says he should be ready to play in Wednesday's game. On a side note... isn't this silly? There must be something we can do to stop this. More and more players go down with groin injuries every year? Is it the skates or are the collissions just that much harder now?
-The Florida Panthers have placed Bryan McCabe on the injured reserve. It is expected that he will miss at least another week with a back injury.
-Brian Rolston had a scary moment on Thursday when he went skate first into the boards after losing an edge and came up holding his right ankle. Apparently there was no break revealed by an MRI and X-ray taken over the weekend and Rolston will sit while he recovers from a sprain. Ankle sprains are tricky business and Rolston could miss a month or more if this one is severe enough.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
TEAM PREVIEWS: THE FLORIDA PANTHERS
Introduction:
The Florida Panthers were rumored to be involved in virtually every major transaction that came down the pike this offseason. In the end they were only involved in two major ones, the traded Olli Jokinen to further enhance their D and they acquired Bryan McCabe for a song.
The Panthers a much changed team. Are they playoff worthy??? I don't think that they are there yet but it will all depend on how good their D is and whether or not their trio of youngsters on the top line can perform like top line talent.
Key Departures:
Olli Jokinen
Mike VanRyn
Jokinen was quite possibly the best player this franchise has yet seen (arguments will be accepted for Jovo-Cop and Beezer). His presence will be missed. The franchise needs to think not about filling the void left by Jokinen but working around his absence and creating a new identity for itself.
Van Ryn went to Toronto as part of the package for McCabe. He became expendable with all of the other additions to this team's D. He had surgery on both of his wrists prior to the 07-08 season and never quite recovered. He would have been lost on this talented blue line.
New Faces:
Cory Stillman
Keith Ballard
Nick Boynton
Bryan McCabe
Cory Stillman should provide some good scoring depth. He was an underrated player in Carolina, loved by the fans ignored by the reporters, and should be a good fit here.
Ballard and Boynton both had excellent seasons as stay at home d-men in Phoenix and should really help reduce Tomas Vokoun's workload this season. Ballard is an intriguing addition as he already had a 39 point season under his belt at the age of 25. Though he has yet to show that offensive upside again, and likely won't be given the chance to this year, he could be a very attractive pickup say... next year when Bouwmeester leaves for colder pastures.
What else is there to say about McCabe. The guy has been a powerplay master for the last few seasons. Now how much of that is Mats Sundin is a real question. McCabe, when healthy, will spend much of his time on the point with Jay Bouwmeester on the first powerplay unit and should be a solid addition.
The Offense:
Move along. Nothing to see here. I'm kidding. Florida has a trio of top line talent and a decent supporting cast to boot.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted (or Picked Up Off Of Waivers):
Nathan Horton
David Booth
Cory Stillman
Horton is the future of this team and the heir apparent to Olli Jokinen's throne atop the offensive categories in South Florida. He's also a strong power forward, delivering on average about 80 PIM a year without sacrificing offensive number. This makes him a very attractive pick at RW.
FACT: Horton was the 3rd overall pick in the 2003 draft. Despite his high profile draft position and bright future as an NHL player he still often hears "who?"'s when he goes out to dinner.
I'm going to come right out and say it, I would not have put Booth here preseason. I would like to think I'd have at least mentioned him in the "you want to keep an eye on" section. Nevertheless this is not the preseason. In the regular season Booth has looked very very good, and has put up strong numbers playing on the top line with Horton and Booth. If he's still available in your leagues I would highly suggest that you pick him up.
FACT: He plays like Holmstrom and really digs in in front of the net. Please God don't let me say "He plays like Aaron Voros" in next year's previews.
Stillman was playing on one knee for most of last season... and he still scored 65 points and most of those before his trade to Ottawa at the deadline. Cory is an unsung hero but a hero nonetheless, look for him to put up 60-70 points from the wing position on the second line and to put in some solid powerplay time.
FACT: Cory Stillman won back to back Cups with the Lightning in '04 and Carolina after the lockout in '06.
You Want to Be Ready to Snag:
Stephen Weiss
Weiss is the third member of the Panthers dynamic first line, but, alas, he is he center and therefore has a much higher standard to be fantasy relevant. If his line continues to clip along I would wager he'd be worth a look before too much longer. As always with centers that aren't superstars he doesn't shoot much and really doesn't get you PIM so he will have to score a lot to be worth your time.
FACT: Weiss hasn't really found his NHL groove yet, scoring only 28 goals in 175 career games. Jokinen's departure opens a door however.
The Defense:
God its deep! For now there are only a few players with fantasy value, as only so many players can play point on the powerplay, but if injuries pile up or Bouwmeester is traded there are a few intriguing prospects in the wings.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Jay Bouwmeester
Bryan McCabe
Bouwmeester is already valuable, being the most offensively gifted D-man on this team, but could become even more valuable at the trade deadline. Bouwmeester has always possessed the tools but has yet to have a really truly spectacular breakout season. With the big contract on the line this year, I have a feeling this will be it. He also gets you a fair amount of PIM and shots.
FACT: Bouwmeester is only 24 and has 46, 42 and 37 point seasons to his credit.
Bryan McCabe is... well right now he's hurt, but he's a very very gifted D-man when healthy. The good news is that he's probably only going to miss about 2 weeks. When he comes back he will be the quarterback for the powerplay on this team and a tag team partner for Jay Bouwmeester. Should be fun to watch. McCabe also takes dumb penalties and a whole bunch of shots so he should be a nice addition to your team.
FACT: McCabe had a mohawk, which he died blue in the playoffs, while he was on Toronto. I can't wait to see what he does if the Panthers make the playoffs. Maybe he'll skin a cat and wear it as a cape around his neck.
You Want to Be Ready to Snag:
Keith Ballard
Cory Murphy
For all the reasons stated above Ballard instantly becomes interesting if by trade or injury the Panthers blue line starts to thin out a bit. He is only 25 and has tons of upside offensively as well as defensively.
FACT: Ballard led all NHL defensemen with 3 shorthanded goals in the 06-07 season. What does that tell you? Three things. He's fearless, he's fast, and he can score under pressure.
Murphy had... an interesting first NHL season. He was absolutely dominant at the start, got hurt and then never really got back to his earlier level of play. He will be in the background when he can crack the lineup this year but he will be in the mix should McCabe get injured or Bouwmeester find himself a new home during the season.
FACT: Murphy took a strange route to the NHL. Canadian born, Murphy played five seasons in Finland, garnering great offensive numbers and several trophies before being brought to the states by the Florida Panthers.
The Powerplay:
Nathan Horton
Stephen Weiss
David Booth
Jay Bouwmeester
Bryan McCabe
McCabe gives them a big shot from the point and will allow Bouwmeester to sneak up into the play to take shots from the slot and the circles. Booth will "Holmstrom it up" in front of the net and pick up the garbage of his "skilled" linemates. Should be a good unit.
The Goalie(s):
I really like Tomas Vokoun. He's one of the more acrobatic and entertaining goalies in the NHL. He's fun to watch, he'll look completley out of position and make the save anyway. He has to be a heart stopper if you are playing in front of him, but I'm not, so I'm allowed to enjoy it. Draft him with confidence as his SV% and win totals should be very respectable. The GAA could get a little out of hand, but this defense SHOULD help with that.
FACT: Vokoun led the league in saves last season with 2,033.
The Verdict:
Florida is a good but not great team. They will give everyone in their division trouble this season. Yes, even Washington. In the end I don't think they have enough weapons to get the job done, but they will make it interesting.
The Florida Panthers were rumored to be involved in virtually every major transaction that came down the pike this offseason. In the end they were only involved in two major ones, the traded Olli Jokinen to further enhance their D and they acquired Bryan McCabe for a song.
The Panthers a much changed team. Are they playoff worthy??? I don't think that they are there yet but it will all depend on how good their D is and whether or not their trio of youngsters on the top line can perform like top line talent.
Key Departures:
Olli Jokinen
Mike VanRyn
Jokinen was quite possibly the best player this franchise has yet seen (arguments will be accepted for Jovo-Cop and Beezer). His presence will be missed. The franchise needs to think not about filling the void left by Jokinen but working around his absence and creating a new identity for itself.
Van Ryn went to Toronto as part of the package for McCabe. He became expendable with all of the other additions to this team's D. He had surgery on both of his wrists prior to the 07-08 season and never quite recovered. He would have been lost on this talented blue line.
New Faces:
Cory Stillman
Keith Ballard
Nick Boynton
Bryan McCabe
Cory Stillman should provide some good scoring depth. He was an underrated player in Carolina, loved by the fans ignored by the reporters, and should be a good fit here.
Ballard and Boynton both had excellent seasons as stay at home d-men in Phoenix and should really help reduce Tomas Vokoun's workload this season. Ballard is an intriguing addition as he already had a 39 point season under his belt at the age of 25. Though he has yet to show that offensive upside again, and likely won't be given the chance to this year, he could be a very attractive pickup say... next year when Bouwmeester leaves for colder pastures.
What else is there to say about McCabe. The guy has been a powerplay master for the last few seasons. Now how much of that is Mats Sundin is a real question. McCabe, when healthy, will spend much of his time on the point with Jay Bouwmeester on the first powerplay unit and should be a solid addition.
The Offense:
Move along. Nothing to see here. I'm kidding. Florida has a trio of top line talent and a decent supporting cast to boot.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted (or Picked Up Off Of Waivers):
Nathan Horton
David Booth
Cory Stillman
Horton is the future of this team and the heir apparent to Olli Jokinen's throne atop the offensive categories in South Florida. He's also a strong power forward, delivering on average about 80 PIM a year without sacrificing offensive number. This makes him a very attractive pick at RW.
FACT: Horton was the 3rd overall pick in the 2003 draft. Despite his high profile draft position and bright future as an NHL player he still often hears "who?"'s when he goes out to dinner.
I'm going to come right out and say it, I would not have put Booth here preseason. I would like to think I'd have at least mentioned him in the "you want to keep an eye on" section. Nevertheless this is not the preseason. In the regular season Booth has looked very very good, and has put up strong numbers playing on the top line with Horton and Booth. If he's still available in your leagues I would highly suggest that you pick him up.
FACT: He plays like Holmstrom and really digs in in front of the net. Please God don't let me say "He plays like Aaron Voros" in next year's previews.
Stillman was playing on one knee for most of last season... and he still scored 65 points and most of those before his trade to Ottawa at the deadline. Cory is an unsung hero but a hero nonetheless, look for him to put up 60-70 points from the wing position on the second line and to put in some solid powerplay time.
FACT: Cory Stillman won back to back Cups with the Lightning in '04 and Carolina after the lockout in '06.
You Want to Be Ready to Snag:
Stephen Weiss
Weiss is the third member of the Panthers dynamic first line, but, alas, he is he center and therefore has a much higher standard to be fantasy relevant. If his line continues to clip along I would wager he'd be worth a look before too much longer. As always with centers that aren't superstars he doesn't shoot much and really doesn't get you PIM so he will have to score a lot to be worth your time.
FACT: Weiss hasn't really found his NHL groove yet, scoring only 28 goals in 175 career games. Jokinen's departure opens a door however.
The Defense:
God its deep! For now there are only a few players with fantasy value, as only so many players can play point on the powerplay, but if injuries pile up or Bouwmeester is traded there are a few intriguing prospects in the wings.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Jay Bouwmeester
Bryan McCabe
Bouwmeester is already valuable, being the most offensively gifted D-man on this team, but could become even more valuable at the trade deadline. Bouwmeester has always possessed the tools but has yet to have a really truly spectacular breakout season. With the big contract on the line this year, I have a feeling this will be it. He also gets you a fair amount of PIM and shots.
FACT: Bouwmeester is only 24 and has 46, 42 and 37 point seasons to his credit.
Bryan McCabe is... well right now he's hurt, but he's a very very gifted D-man when healthy. The good news is that he's probably only going to miss about 2 weeks. When he comes back he will be the quarterback for the powerplay on this team and a tag team partner for Jay Bouwmeester. Should be fun to watch. McCabe also takes dumb penalties and a whole bunch of shots so he should be a nice addition to your team.
FACT: McCabe had a mohawk, which he died blue in the playoffs, while he was on Toronto. I can't wait to see what he does if the Panthers make the playoffs. Maybe he'll skin a cat and wear it as a cape around his neck.
You Want to Be Ready to Snag:
Keith Ballard
Cory Murphy
For all the reasons stated above Ballard instantly becomes interesting if by trade or injury the Panthers blue line starts to thin out a bit. He is only 25 and has tons of upside offensively as well as defensively.
FACT: Ballard led all NHL defensemen with 3 shorthanded goals in the 06-07 season. What does that tell you? Three things. He's fearless, he's fast, and he can score under pressure.
Murphy had... an interesting first NHL season. He was absolutely dominant at the start, got hurt and then never really got back to his earlier level of play. He will be in the background when he can crack the lineup this year but he will be in the mix should McCabe get injured or Bouwmeester find himself a new home during the season.
FACT: Murphy took a strange route to the NHL. Canadian born, Murphy played five seasons in Finland, garnering great offensive numbers and several trophies before being brought to the states by the Florida Panthers.
The Powerplay:
Nathan Horton
Stephen Weiss
David Booth
Jay Bouwmeester
Bryan McCabe
McCabe gives them a big shot from the point and will allow Bouwmeester to sneak up into the play to take shots from the slot and the circles. Booth will "Holmstrom it up" in front of the net and pick up the garbage of his "skilled" linemates. Should be a good unit.
The Goalie(s):
I really like Tomas Vokoun. He's one of the more acrobatic and entertaining goalies in the NHL. He's fun to watch, he'll look completley out of position and make the save anyway. He has to be a heart stopper if you are playing in front of him, but I'm not, so I'm allowed to enjoy it. Draft him with confidence as his SV% and win totals should be very respectable. The GAA could get a little out of hand, but this defense SHOULD help with that.
FACT: Vokoun led the league in saves last season with 2,033.
The Verdict:
Florida is a good but not great team. They will give everyone in their division trouble this season. Yes, even Washington. In the end I don't think they have enough weapons to get the job done, but they will make it interesting.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Ice Stock: Pickups of the Week
So the first few days of NHL action have brought with them some surprises (St. Louis and Toronto can score), some things that were expected (St. Louis and Toronto can't play defense) and a few disappointments (Chicago, Calgary and Anaheim... I'm looking squarely at you). So with a few games under most team's belts who looks worthy of being added and who needs to be dropped? Lets have a look.
Pickups of the Week:
Keith Tkachuk:
LW, St. Louis
Apparently Keith has a reserve tank in there somewhere because here we are at the beginning of the third season that was supposed to be the one where he finally petered out and Tkachuk has 4 goals (all of them on the powerplay) through 3 games. The St. Louis Powerplay is absolutely tearing it up right now and if Paul Kariya or Brad Boyes are still available in your leagues you should grab them as well.
David Booth:
LW, Florida
Long expected to be entering "a breakout campaign" Booth is showing early signs that this may actually be the year. He and fellow first linemates Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss have accounted for 9 points through 2 games. Booth is the hottest of the trio with 3 goals and one assist. Booth is the only one getting the mention here as Horton is already owned in most leagues and Weiss doesn't generally take enough shots to penetrate the depth at center. All 3 are worth a look but Booth is the most interesting.
Devin Setoguchi:
RW, San Jose
Setoguchi is enjoying his time on Joe Thornton's wing. With 2 goals, 1 assist and 12 shots through 2 games he is an attractive pickup, particularly at the low-depth RW position. My only concern is his lack of powerplay time. If that changes he could be a stud.
Keep an Eye On:
Kyle Turris:
C, Phoenix
The forgotten candidate for rookie of the year preseason put in a strong "for your consideration" bid in his first weekend of NHL action. In two games Turris has a goal and 2 assists and 2 PP points. Turris is not a shooter, yet, but as his ice time and powerplay time expands he could increase in value. Keeper leaguers should grab him now, all other leagues should definitely take note.
Steve Bernier:
RW, Vancouver
Bernier IS the third wheel on the Sedin line and will accumulate points just by being on the ice with them. Bernier also has 7 PIM through 3 games. His potential for performing across many fantasy categories depends upon his continued presence on this line however. As a result I'm still preaching caution.
Don't Believe the Hype:
Sergei Kostitsyn:
LW, Montreal
It was a strange night against Toronto, with Tanguay and Kostitsyn the lesser cleaning up on the powerplay. I preach caution for now as Montreal's expected scorers have really yet to get rolling, and S. Kostitsyn only managed 1 shot on goal in Montreal other game, a 2-1 loss to Buffalo.
Filip Kuba:
D, Ottawa
I see tough times ahead for the Ottawa Senators. 2 weeks without their captain and spiritual leader Daniel Alfredsson could make times very difficult on the offense. While Kuba DOES appear to be the heir apparent to the powerplay throne, his plus/minus could more then offset any offensive gains he gets for you. Don't rush on this one.'
News and Notes:
Rick Dipietro continues to dress as the backup for the New York Islanders, however they are opting to start Joey MacDonald right now as Dipietro continues to have swelling and liquid buildup around his surgically repaired left knee. Don't worry Islander fans, if he misses the season you'll get to draft John Tavares! Its probably the best thing he could do for the organization actually
The Buffalo Sabres have had a strong start to the season, defeating Montreal 2-1 and, at the time of this writing, dominating the New York Islanders 7-1 through 2 and 3/4 minutes of play. Star players, Derek Roy, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek are all rolling, and they are getting strong play from the supporting cast members like Ales Kotalik and Maxim Afinogenov. If you are looking for causes of concern though the injuries are already starting to pile up. Tim Connoly has officially missed his first game with a hairline fracture to one of his vertebrae and Jochen Hecht left today's game with an undisclosed "upper body injury."
Manny Legace appears to be the starting goalie for the St. Louis Blues. He has looked good so far but not great. If you need wins he may not be a bad option. That said Monday's win against the Maple Leafs was one of the most entertaining games of all time as both team's offenses were playing run and gun for the entirety of the 60 minute tilt. Be aware, there will be blowouts.
Finally, on a sad note, our condolences to the family of New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov. The 19 year old died of a heart attack while sitting on the bench in a game for his KHL squad Avangard Omsk. Cherepanov was selected 17th overall by the Rangers in the 2007 draft and had more points in his rookie season in the KHL then Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and Ilya Kovalchuk.
Well that's all for now, Check back later today for more team previews (getting silly now I know) and more news, notes and rumors.
Pickups of the Week:
Keith Tkachuk:
LW, St. Louis
Apparently Keith has a reserve tank in there somewhere because here we are at the beginning of the third season that was supposed to be the one where he finally petered out and Tkachuk has 4 goals (all of them on the powerplay) through 3 games. The St. Louis Powerplay is absolutely tearing it up right now and if Paul Kariya or Brad Boyes are still available in your leagues you should grab them as well.
David Booth:
LW, Florida
Long expected to be entering "a breakout campaign" Booth is showing early signs that this may actually be the year. He and fellow first linemates Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss have accounted for 9 points through 2 games. Booth is the hottest of the trio with 3 goals and one assist. Booth is the only one getting the mention here as Horton is already owned in most leagues and Weiss doesn't generally take enough shots to penetrate the depth at center. All 3 are worth a look but Booth is the most interesting.
Devin Setoguchi:
RW, San Jose
Setoguchi is enjoying his time on Joe Thornton's wing. With 2 goals, 1 assist and 12 shots through 2 games he is an attractive pickup, particularly at the low-depth RW position. My only concern is his lack of powerplay time. If that changes he could be a stud.
Keep an Eye On:
Kyle Turris:
C, Phoenix
The forgotten candidate for rookie of the year preseason put in a strong "for your consideration" bid in his first weekend of NHL action. In two games Turris has a goal and 2 assists and 2 PP points. Turris is not a shooter, yet, but as his ice time and powerplay time expands he could increase in value. Keeper leaguers should grab him now, all other leagues should definitely take note.
Steve Bernier:
RW, Vancouver
Bernier IS the third wheel on the Sedin line and will accumulate points just by being on the ice with them. Bernier also has 7 PIM through 3 games. His potential for performing across many fantasy categories depends upon his continued presence on this line however. As a result I'm still preaching caution.
Don't Believe the Hype:
Sergei Kostitsyn:
LW, Montreal
It was a strange night against Toronto, with Tanguay and Kostitsyn the lesser cleaning up on the powerplay. I preach caution for now as Montreal's expected scorers have really yet to get rolling, and S. Kostitsyn only managed 1 shot on goal in Montreal other game, a 2-1 loss to Buffalo.
Filip Kuba:
D, Ottawa
I see tough times ahead for the Ottawa Senators. 2 weeks without their captain and spiritual leader Daniel Alfredsson could make times very difficult on the offense. While Kuba DOES appear to be the heir apparent to the powerplay throne, his plus/minus could more then offset any offensive gains he gets for you. Don't rush on this one.'
News and Notes:
Rick Dipietro continues to dress as the backup for the New York Islanders, however they are opting to start Joey MacDonald right now as Dipietro continues to have swelling and liquid buildup around his surgically repaired left knee. Don't worry Islander fans, if he misses the season you'll get to draft John Tavares! Its probably the best thing he could do for the organization actually
The Buffalo Sabres have had a strong start to the season, defeating Montreal 2-1 and, at the time of this writing, dominating the New York Islanders 7-1 through 2 and 3/4 minutes of play. Star players, Derek Roy, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek are all rolling, and they are getting strong play from the supporting cast members like Ales Kotalik and Maxim Afinogenov. If you are looking for causes of concern though the injuries are already starting to pile up. Tim Connoly has officially missed his first game with a hairline fracture to one of his vertebrae and Jochen Hecht left today's game with an undisclosed "upper body injury."
Manny Legace appears to be the starting goalie for the St. Louis Blues. He has looked good so far but not great. If you need wins he may not be a bad option. That said Monday's win against the Maple Leafs was one of the most entertaining games of all time as both team's offenses were playing run and gun for the entirety of the 60 minute tilt. Be aware, there will be blowouts.
Finally, on a sad note, our condolences to the family of New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov. The 19 year old died of a heart attack while sitting on the bench in a game for his KHL squad Avangard Omsk. Cherepanov was selected 17th overall by the Rangers in the 2007 draft and had more points in his rookie season in the KHL then Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and Ilya Kovalchuk.
Well that's all for now, Check back later today for more team previews (getting silly now I know) and more news, notes and rumors.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
McCabe to Panthers for Van Ryn
Bryan McCabe as rumored elsewhere and reported here, has been traded to the Florida Panthers along with a fourth round draft pick for Mike Van Ryn. This deal makes the Panthers better and frees up even more cap space in Toronto... for... god knows why. Kidding aside I also think it makes the Maple Leafs a better team as it gives Kaberle and Kubina defined roles and adding to the overall defensive depth. Van Ryn is a more responsible defender then McCabe ever was and McCabe joins a glut of talented two way d-men making his defensive short comings less of an issue. Florida Team Preview will be up tomorrow.
Friday, August 22, 2008
LIGHTING THE LAMP: Florida Panthers
Lighting the Lamp, until I come up with a better name for it, is going to be our rumors and speculation feature. Our very first one (unless you include the untitled discussion of the still viable Khabibulin trade from week 1) will focus on the Florida Panthers and will serve as a bit of a place holder until their team preview is written.
There are constantly rumors swirling in the NHL, but when I've thought one is viable and will have a big effect on a team I have tried to avoid their team preview (the reason that amongst others I have thus far skipped over Ottawa, Vancouver, Chicago, Toronto, Colorado, et al). Earlier this week a pretty big trade rumor came down the pike and was reported in several major outlets.
The rumor was that Toronto's Bryan McCabe would be traded to the Florida Panthers for Mike Van Ryn. Other players would be involved in the deal ultimately but its unclear as to who they would be at this particular moment. So lets look at the salary dump ...er trade as it stands currently.
McCabe is talented... at feeding the puck to Mats Sundin on the powerplay and getting stupid penalties... which means that you should have loved him fantasy wise for the last couple of seasons. That said he has DEFINITELY worn out his welcome in Toronto, making this a personality dump as well. With no obvious Sundin in Florida, Nathan Horton maybe, and competition from Jay Bouwmeester for powerplay time McCabe could see his numbers take a serious dip.
The deal isn't particularly great for Van Ryn either. With no Sundin in Toronto anymore, we think, Van Ryn is going find the powerplay up there significantly less welcoming then it was to McCabe. He would also find himself third on the depth chart behind Kaberle and Kubina.
The reason the deal has been delayed, so goes the story, is that McCabe is waiting to OK it until after Toronto has paid his 2 million dollar signing bonus for the season. I'm sure that's actually one of Florida's conditions and not McCabe's but I'll trust the media on this. So we won't know for sure whats going on until the date for that arrives, which is reported to be the 15th of September. I'm going to attempt to not preview either team, until we know for sure what is going on with this situation. I'll keep you informed.
There are constantly rumors swirling in the NHL, but when I've thought one is viable and will have a big effect on a team I have tried to avoid their team preview (the reason that amongst others I have thus far skipped over Ottawa, Vancouver, Chicago, Toronto, Colorado, et al). Earlier this week a pretty big trade rumor came down the pike and was reported in several major outlets.
The rumor was that Toronto's Bryan McCabe would be traded to the Florida Panthers for Mike Van Ryn. Other players would be involved in the deal ultimately but its unclear as to who they would be at this particular moment. So lets look at the salary dump ...er trade as it stands currently.
McCabe is talented... at feeding the puck to Mats Sundin on the powerplay and getting stupid penalties... which means that you should have loved him fantasy wise for the last couple of seasons. That said he has DEFINITELY worn out his welcome in Toronto, making this a personality dump as well. With no obvious Sundin in Florida, Nathan Horton maybe, and competition from Jay Bouwmeester for powerplay time McCabe could see his numbers take a serious dip.
The deal isn't particularly great for Van Ryn either. With no Sundin in Toronto anymore, we think, Van Ryn is going find the powerplay up there significantly less welcoming then it was to McCabe. He would also find himself third on the depth chart behind Kaberle and Kubina.
The reason the deal has been delayed, so goes the story, is that McCabe is waiting to OK it until after Toronto has paid his 2 million dollar signing bonus for the season. I'm sure that's actually one of Florida's conditions and not McCabe's but I'll trust the media on this. So we won't know for sure whats going on until the date for that arrives, which is reported to be the 15th of September. I'm going to attempt to not preview either team, until we know for sure what is going on with this situation. I'll keep you informed.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Why Nathan Horton and Thomas Vokoun Should Fire Their Agents
Or the preview for
The Florida Panthers
The Panthers traded their Captain, hope for the future, all their scoring, and most genuinely exciting player Olli Jokinen. In return they received two solid stay at home defensemen in Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard. Ballard and Boynton are very good Defensemen, but they will only be on your fantasy radars for how they will help Vokoun's numbers... other than wins.
The Panthers only singnificant addition this offseason was Cory Stillman. When healthy and on a good team Stillman has been a high 60 low 70 point player. This however is not a great team. If you want to take a flyer on him I suppose someone has to do the scoring that Nathan Horton, David Booth and Stephen Weiss don't do, and maybe Cory is that guy. Just remember he's 34 and not playing with Eric Staal or Vincent Lecavalier for the first time since 2003.
Thats about all there is to say about the Panthers. While they have been relatively quiet, the next team has been anything but...
The Florida Panthers
The Panthers traded their Captain, hope for the future, all their scoring, and most genuinely exciting player Olli Jokinen. In return they received two solid stay at home defensemen in Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard. Ballard and Boynton are very good Defensemen, but they will only be on your fantasy radars for how they will help Vokoun's numbers... other than wins.
The Panthers only singnificant addition this offseason was Cory Stillman. When healthy and on a good team Stillman has been a high 60 low 70 point player. This however is not a great team. If you want to take a flyer on him I suppose someone has to do the scoring that Nathan Horton, David Booth and Stephen Weiss don't do, and maybe Cory is that guy. Just remember he's 34 and not playing with Eric Staal or Vincent Lecavalier for the first time since 2003.
Thats about all there is to say about the Panthers. While they have been relatively quiet, the next team has been anything but...
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