If I lay here...
If I just lay here....
Will you "day to day" me and just forget your team...
Paul Kariya will NOT be playing tomorrow in Buffalo and may not be playing on Friday either. They are disclosing that Kariya's injury was too one of his feet and that he wasn't at practice on Monday.
Cory Stillman, recovering from a concussion, will be returning to practice this week and hopefully to the ice by the end of the week beginning of next week.
Pascal Leclaire returned to practice on Monday but is expected to be given at least practices to warm up before he sees in game action. Steve Mason is on a two game winning streak but still, to my eyes, looks shaky. Regardless, Hitchcock won't rush Leclaire so long as Mason is getting them victories.
Jonathan Cheechoo is sidelined with the deadly "upper body injury." If you are looking for a replacement winger there are at least three wingers more fantasy worthy then Cheechoo on his own team.
Good news for Devils fans, apparently Brian Rolston is inching closer to getting back on the ice after the injury to his left ankle. It might just be a lost season for the Devils anyway with Martin Brodeur, Bobby Holik, Paul Martin, Bryce Salvador and Brian Gionta all currently sitting out with injuries this is a tough time to be a fan of the horned one.
The Sharks are taking their time with Nabakov's leg injury but he was running through drills in practice on Monday.
and finally...
Marain... Gaborik... IS... SKATING No timetable yet but Gaborik has taking his first step towards a return. This likely can't come soon enough for many fantasy owners, for whom Gaborik was a high round draft pick, but I imagine Minnesota is a little reluctant to mess with the chemistry that currently sees them one point out of first in the Northwest Division with two games in hand over the Canucks. Don't expect Gaborik to be rushed.
Thats all for now. Come back a little later for Shooting Percentage... where I take shots at myself
Showing posts with label Minnesota Wild. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Minnesota Wild. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
BTT Injury Update 10/28/08
- As reported here yesterday Danny Briere (who, mystifyingly, overnight went from Daniel to Danny in all official press) will miss the next month recovering from surgery to repair two tears in his abdominal wall. What this means for you fantasy wise is uncertain. Philly was just starting to roll so how they will respond to Briere's abscence is anyone's guess. If you are a Jeff Carter owner rejoice as he is likely to see more ice time both at even strength on the powerplay.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have now officially placed Pascal Leclaire on the Injured Reserve with an ankle injury. Leclaire has a history of ankle problems, and consequently a history of bouncing back from them. I'm not the biggest Fredrik Norenna fan in the world but he filled in adequately for Leclaire last year and is only two seasons removed from a 24 win year. Don't pick him up for SV% or GAA, but he's a decent stop gap if there are no other options in your league.
- Joni Pitkanen will miss a month as a result of a knee injury suffered in the Hurricanes game against the Islanders on Saturday. That wasn't the most concerning injury of the evening. What was you ask? Um... that'd be this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhepQWlvQKs.
Anybody get the number of that Doug Weight? Seriously I thought Weight was kind of a fancy lad when it came to the rough stuff. To me that looked like a hit with intent to injure but I digress. The good news is that Brandon Sutter is out of the hospital. The bad news is that he suffered a concussion... at the age of 19. You never like to see anyone get injured but this kind of injury to such a young player is heart breaking. As we all know from watching guys like Pat LaFontaine and Eric Lindross each concussion shaves years off of your career. Here's hoping Sutter is back on the ice soon.
- Marian Gaborik was officially placed on the Injured Reserve over the weekend. Worried yet Gaborik owners? You should be if your league doesn't have an IR spot. If it does let him hang out there until Minny finds some space on their roster. I wouldn't be surprised if, given their recent success, Minny lets Gaborik sweat it out for a while when he's once again healthy enough to play. He'll be great when he's healthy... but even Daniel Alfredsson went from being a consistent injury disappointment to an Iron Man eventually. What is it gonna be Maid Marian? Miehtinen is playing great isn't he?
- Manny Legace did this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nyFkdyjM8c. So Legace owners and Blues fans will officially all be voting Obama on the 4th. Tough to say what to do here. St. Louis' options in net aren't spectacular with Legace out unless they bring Chris Mason up from the minors. If Mason comes up look for him to make a play for the starting job. None of St. Louis' other options in net are particularly attractive however. Afer all its not like its been the goaltending that has gotten St. Louis off to its current start.
That's all for now. Today's shooting percentage, in which I debate whether I should be allowed to write Breaking the Slump anymore, should be available a little after lunch time.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have now officially placed Pascal Leclaire on the Injured Reserve with an ankle injury. Leclaire has a history of ankle problems, and consequently a history of bouncing back from them. I'm not the biggest Fredrik Norenna fan in the world but he filled in adequately for Leclaire last year and is only two seasons removed from a 24 win year. Don't pick him up for SV% or GAA, but he's a decent stop gap if there are no other options in your league.
- Joni Pitkanen will miss a month as a result of a knee injury suffered in the Hurricanes game against the Islanders on Saturday. That wasn't the most concerning injury of the evening. What was you ask? Um... that'd be this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhepQWlvQKs.
Anybody get the number of that Doug Weight? Seriously I thought Weight was kind of a fancy lad when it came to the rough stuff. To me that looked like a hit with intent to injure but I digress. The good news is that Brandon Sutter is out of the hospital. The bad news is that he suffered a concussion... at the age of 19. You never like to see anyone get injured but this kind of injury to such a young player is heart breaking. As we all know from watching guys like Pat LaFontaine and Eric Lindross each concussion shaves years off of your career. Here's hoping Sutter is back on the ice soon.
- Marian Gaborik was officially placed on the Injured Reserve over the weekend. Worried yet Gaborik owners? You should be if your league doesn't have an IR spot. If it does let him hang out there until Minny finds some space on their roster. I wouldn't be surprised if, given their recent success, Minny lets Gaborik sweat it out for a while when he's once again healthy enough to play. He'll be great when he's healthy... but even Daniel Alfredsson went from being a consistent injury disappointment to an Iron Man eventually. What is it gonna be Maid Marian? Miehtinen is playing great isn't he?
- Manny Legace did this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nyFkdyjM8c. So Legace owners and Blues fans will officially all be voting Obama on the 4th. Tough to say what to do here. St. Louis' options in net aren't spectacular with Legace out unless they bring Chris Mason up from the minors. If Mason comes up look for him to make a play for the starting job. None of St. Louis' other options in net are particularly attractive however. Afer all its not like its been the goaltending that has gotten St. Louis off to its current start.
That's all for now. Today's shooting percentage, in which I debate whether I should be allowed to write Breaking the Slump anymore, should be available a little after lunch time.
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.
Ice Fishing: Keepers and Tossers of the Week
Let me come right out and apologize for not getting this up yesterday. I sustained a severe Rock Band 2 injury(my GM has asked me not to disclose the specifics but I am allowed to say that it is an upper left hand injury) and my typing was suffering as a result. I'm still not at 100% but the swelling has subsided enough that I've been cleared to surf the net and engage in some short article typing. I'm a gamer though so I'm going to bring it to you today until I literally cannot do it anymore.
You'll notice the title of the add/drop column has changed to a slightly more creative and undeniably more fanciful title. I like it. The content is the same however. Let's have a look at which players are good pickups this week in your fantasy hockey league, and which you should just throw back.
Grab 'em:
Todd Bertuzzi
LW, Calgary
Don't look now but big Bert is scoring goals again. His shot totals and +/- are ugly but his 10 PIM and 5 goals in 5 games make up for it. He's also seeing significant powerplay time. I'm not sure if this is going to keep up but for now Bert's a good add.
Milan Hejduk
RW, Colorado
Holy crap is it 2001 in here this week? Well, looking at Hejduk's career this WOULD be the time for him to have a 70+ point season. Hejduk is also seeing powerplay time, 3 PP goals in 6 games, and has been the biggest beneficiary of a healthy Paul Stasny so far this season. The Stasny/Hejduk/Smyth line is red hot and Hejduk is probably the only one on it who MIGHT have gone undrafted. If you are in need of a RW, or if you just want to bench Selanne for a while, he's worth a look.
Mikko Koivu
C, Minnesota
Minny is red hot right now as well, undefeated through their first four. They are scoring an uncharacteristic number of goals without Marian Gaborik's services. This won't last but I suspect that Koivu is the real deal. Think of him as a short term addition or a bench player for now, but if this keeps up you don't want to be the guy who passed on him.
Phil Kessel
RW, Bos
Kessel was the Bruins 5th overall pick in 2006. Translation he's supposed to be good. Kessel had some early setbacks in his career when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Translation he's overcome adversity. Despite all of that Kessel continued to play a gritty game upon his return. This season he is logging more ice time and has moved up to the second line with Marc Savard, who, we can all agree, dishesthe puck like few others. When I recommend guys I like to recommend guys that are supposed to be as good as they look. Kessel was always supposed to be THIS good. Enjoy him, even if he is from Boston.
Alexander Edler
D, Vancouver
He's doing a little bit of everything for the Canucks right now. In the last game he logged 20:34 of ice time. That was second only to Sami Salo. He leads the team with a +6, which is spectacular when you consider that the Canucks have only won three of their six games, giving up 20 goals and only scoring 21. Edler is playing solid D, taking shots, getting PIM and seeing powerplay time. If you are short a D-man Edler is worth a roster spot. Its only going to get better in Vancouver.
Weigh 'em:
Aaron Voros
LW, New York Rangers
9 points in 9 games is nothing to sneeze at, particularly from a big guy that will get you some PIM as well. That said he owes all of that to Dubinsky and Zherdev. Also all of those points were scored at a time when the Gomez line and the Naslund line were not clicking. Voros will slow down. (crosses fingers) Another thing to remember... the numbers may look impressive but the Rangers have played almost twice as many games as everyone in the league.
Mike Modano
C, Dallas
Modano has 6 points through Dallas' first six games. He is also playing point on Dallas' number 1 power play unit (at least until Zubov comes back) and looks comfortable in that role. Its hard to hate on a guy that literally put USA hockey on the map but Modano's time is coming to a close. He will have several bursts like this throughout the season but he is, now, a glorified third line center.
Ales Kotalik
RW, Buffalo
Buffalo is red hot. No one is hotter then Thomas Vanek. But a close second to Vanek is Ales Kotalik who has 4 goals, 3 assists, and 6 PPP to start the season. Kotalik's success is underscored by the relatively quiet seasons that are being had by Jason Pominville and Derek Roy, Buffalo's 80 point players of a year ago. Maybe Buffalo is going to trade that mantle back and forth between lines each year, but more likely Buffalo's second line is stepping up while the first line adjusts to new defenses.
Annti Miehtinen
RW, Minnesota
I'm Anti-Miehtinen. Now that I've got that out of the way... I said above that I like to recommend players that are supposed to be as good as they look. I was looking squarely at Annti here when I said that. Minnesota is not a high scoring team, but their stars will obviously do fairly well. Mikko Koivu is one of their stars. Annti Miehtinen... used to play for the Stars. He was drafted in the 7th round. In three seasons he has never put up more then 35 points and that was on Stars teams that needed wingers as badly as Minnesota does. Also, while Miehtinen is receiving top line minutes and powerplay time now, he is usually third on the depth chart to the injured Pierre Marc Bouchard and Marian Gaborik. This too will pass.
Toss 'em Back:
Chris Drury
LW/C New York Rangers
Yes its time to panic. Through nine games Drury has 2 assists. Ouch. He's still a great hockey player and is bound to have a streak or two here and there but Chris is settling into the second half of his career. He's a 60 point player at best now and its starting to look like breaking 50 might be a stretch.
David Booth
LW, Florida
Mea Culpa. Maybe I got carried away on this one. My bad.
Steven Stamkos
C, Tampa Bay
Unless you are in a keeper league, Stamkos looks like he isn't going to have much value this year. Melrose is barely playing the young center, who frequently looks like the best player on the ice and relegating him to third line duty with no ice time on the powerplay. Whether this is a wise move or a foolish one it does seem to be the direction the Mullet is going. So long as that stays as is, Stamkos will be a "keep in mind for next year" kinda guy. Put him back in the pond. Let him grow.
That's all for this week. The BTT injury report and some other random news and notes will be coming your way later on today.
You'll notice the title of the add/drop column has changed to a slightly more creative and undeniably more fanciful title. I like it. The content is the same however. Let's have a look at which players are good pickups this week in your fantasy hockey league, and which you should just throw back.
Grab 'em:
Todd Bertuzzi
LW, Calgary
Don't look now but big Bert is scoring goals again. His shot totals and +/- are ugly but his 10 PIM and 5 goals in 5 games make up for it. He's also seeing significant powerplay time. I'm not sure if this is going to keep up but for now Bert's a good add.
Milan Hejduk
RW, Colorado
Holy crap is it 2001 in here this week? Well, looking at Hejduk's career this WOULD be the time for him to have a 70+ point season. Hejduk is also seeing powerplay time, 3 PP goals in 6 games, and has been the biggest beneficiary of a healthy Paul Stasny so far this season. The Stasny/Hejduk/Smyth line is red hot and Hejduk is probably the only one on it who MIGHT have gone undrafted. If you are in need of a RW, or if you just want to bench Selanne for a while, he's worth a look.
Mikko Koivu
C, Minnesota
Minny is red hot right now as well, undefeated through their first four. They are scoring an uncharacteristic number of goals without Marian Gaborik's services. This won't last but I suspect that Koivu is the real deal. Think of him as a short term addition or a bench player for now, but if this keeps up you don't want to be the guy who passed on him.
Phil Kessel
RW, Bos
Kessel was the Bruins 5th overall pick in 2006. Translation he's supposed to be good. Kessel had some early setbacks in his career when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Translation he's overcome adversity. Despite all of that Kessel continued to play a gritty game upon his return. This season he is logging more ice time and has moved up to the second line with Marc Savard, who, we can all agree, dishesthe puck like few others. When I recommend guys I like to recommend guys that are supposed to be as good as they look. Kessel was always supposed to be THIS good. Enjoy him, even if he is from Boston.
Alexander Edler
D, Vancouver
He's doing a little bit of everything for the Canucks right now. In the last game he logged 20:34 of ice time. That was second only to Sami Salo. He leads the team with a +6, which is spectacular when you consider that the Canucks have only won three of their six games, giving up 20 goals and only scoring 21. Edler is playing solid D, taking shots, getting PIM and seeing powerplay time. If you are short a D-man Edler is worth a roster spot. Its only going to get better in Vancouver.
Weigh 'em:
Aaron Voros
LW, New York Rangers
9 points in 9 games is nothing to sneeze at, particularly from a big guy that will get you some PIM as well. That said he owes all of that to Dubinsky and Zherdev. Also all of those points were scored at a time when the Gomez line and the Naslund line were not clicking. Voros will slow down. (crosses fingers) Another thing to remember... the numbers may look impressive but the Rangers have played almost twice as many games as everyone in the league.
Mike Modano
C, Dallas
Modano has 6 points through Dallas' first six games. He is also playing point on Dallas' number 1 power play unit (at least until Zubov comes back) and looks comfortable in that role. Its hard to hate on a guy that literally put USA hockey on the map but Modano's time is coming to a close. He will have several bursts like this throughout the season but he is, now, a glorified third line center.
Ales Kotalik
RW, Buffalo
Buffalo is red hot. No one is hotter then Thomas Vanek. But a close second to Vanek is Ales Kotalik who has 4 goals, 3 assists, and 6 PPP to start the season. Kotalik's success is underscored by the relatively quiet seasons that are being had by Jason Pominville and Derek Roy, Buffalo's 80 point players of a year ago. Maybe Buffalo is going to trade that mantle back and forth between lines each year, but more likely Buffalo's second line is stepping up while the first line adjusts to new defenses.
Annti Miehtinen
RW, Minnesota
I'm Anti-Miehtinen. Now that I've got that out of the way... I said above that I like to recommend players that are supposed to be as good as they look. I was looking squarely at Annti here when I said that. Minnesota is not a high scoring team, but their stars will obviously do fairly well. Mikko Koivu is one of their stars. Annti Miehtinen... used to play for the Stars. He was drafted in the 7th round. In three seasons he has never put up more then 35 points and that was on Stars teams that needed wingers as badly as Minnesota does. Also, while Miehtinen is receiving top line minutes and powerplay time now, he is usually third on the depth chart to the injured Pierre Marc Bouchard and Marian Gaborik. This too will pass.
Toss 'em Back:
Chris Drury
LW/C New York Rangers
Yes its time to panic. Through nine games Drury has 2 assists. Ouch. He's still a great hockey player and is bound to have a streak or two here and there but Chris is settling into the second half of his career. He's a 60 point player at best now and its starting to look like breaking 50 might be a stretch.
David Booth
LW, Florida
Mea Culpa. Maybe I got carried away on this one. My bad.
Steven Stamkos
C, Tampa Bay
Unless you are in a keeper league, Stamkos looks like he isn't going to have much value this year. Melrose is barely playing the young center, who frequently looks like the best player on the ice and relegating him to third line duty with no ice time on the powerplay. Whether this is a wise move or a foolish one it does seem to be the direction the Mullet is going. So long as that stays as is, Stamkos will be a "keep in mind for next year" kinda guy. Put him back in the pond. Let him grow.
That's all for this week. The BTT injury report and some other random news and notes will be coming your way later on today.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
TEAM PREVIEWS: THE MINNESOTA WILD
Introduction:
This is another team that was making me do backflips of frustration this offseason as I tried to prepare team previews. There was much talk that Marian Gaborik, who is coming up on the final year of his contract, would be traded before the season started. Rumors include talk that Gaborik has turned down a 10 year deal estimated to pay at 8 million per and thus the Wild have no choice but to seek a willing trade partner.
Gaborik IS the best player on this team. He makes everyone who plays with him better. His presence or abscence could make or break the team. Keep that in mind as you read what follows.
Key Departures:
Pavol Demitra
Brian Rolston
and... apparently Aaron Voros
The fact that the Wild let Demitra walk speaks volumes as to their intentions with Marian Gaborik. In Demitra, Gaborik found not only a linemate but a countryman and a friend. Expect the two to try to end up somewhere together at season's end.
Rolston was a bigger loss to this team then I think they realize. His shot from the point on the powerplay will be missed and I'm not sure that Zidlicky is the answer.
New Faces:
Andrew Brunette
Marek Zidlicky
Marc-Andre Bergeron
and... apparently Antti Miettinen
At 35, Brunette's best days are behind him but he is an intriguing addition to this squad. In his second run with Minnesota expect Brunette to be more of a role player then anything else as the kids will be expected to take a bigger role.
Zids is expected to be the point man on this powerplay. He now joins Kim Johnsson, Kurtis Foster and Brent Burns as defensemen that were supposed to be the pointmen on this powerplay.
Bergeron could also join that list as his offense is significantly better then his defense. When deciding whether to be excited about Bergron consider this: He was benched by The Ducks last season, sure, but also the Islanders!
Antti Miettinen, who was a wallflower in Dallas last year, has thus far been the offensive catalyst for Minnesota. I expect him to cool down, which is why you won't find his name anywhere below, but he has already earned his place as a key addition.
The Offense:
At the moment it all begins and ends with Marian Gaborik. The supporting cast has improved over the last few years until this year when I feel it took a step backwards as I can't say that Nolan and Brunette are an improvement over Rolston and Demitra.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Marian Gaborik
Yea its a short list, largely due to injuries and uncertainty. Gaborik played nearly a full season last year. Thats nothing short of a miracle and one he isn't likely to repeat. On the plus side, Gaborik's boundless offensive potential, already warranting him to go as high as number 3 amonst RW's despite the injury problems, could be let loose in the very near future. Can you imagine Gaborik playing in a free flowing offensive system. Thats reason enough to buy the center ice package.
FACT: Want me to define boundless for you. Boundless; adj.; In 2005-2006 he was limited to 65 games... he still scored 38 goals. Also Without Bounds
You Want to Be Prepared to Snag:
Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Mikko Koivu
Andrew Brunette
PMB is a good hockey player with injury problems out the yin-yang. Bouchard was limited in the preseason due to a sore back and now has already missed his first game of the season due to back problems. He has plenty of potential and would be a worthy addition to most teams if healthy despite his low shot total.
FACT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a94J5apTJn0 Cool huh?
Koivu was on his way to a career year last year before beaking his leg. He finished the season with 42 points in 57 games and will have to improve on that number if he is to break through the depth at center to make himself fantasy worthy, agains considering his low shot total, lack of PIM's and Lemaire-system discipline. He will be Gaborik's center for as long as Gaborik is on the team so he is worth at least a look every now and again.
FACT: Yes, he is Saku's younger brother... making him, I suppose, Koivu the lesser.
Why Brunette? Because two years ago he 83 points and thats something we shouldn't lose sight of. Watch his line combinations and powerplay time. If the numbers start piling up the grab him.
FACT: He's got a goal and two assists so far but check out these numbers 69, 49, 63, 83, 59. Those are his point totals over the last 5 seasons. 2 of those are worth having despite his low SOG and PIM totals. The rest are not. Add accordingly.
The Defense:
This is a strong defensive team with multiple options on the point for the powerplay... however this team has a habit of swallowing talented pointmen.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Brent Burns
Marek Zidlicky
If Burns keeps up his PIM total of a year ago and even comes close to delivering the same number of points then he was worth whatever pick you used on him. A speedy, hard hitting, gritty defensemen that gets powerplay time. What more could you want.
FACT: Burns used to play forward, but had more points as a defensemen in one season then he did in two seasons playing forward for the Wild.
Zidlicky is an interesting acquisition. Marek had some great years with Nashville and some terrible ones. What can you expect this year? I'd say about 40 points and 70 PIM with some powerplay time. That makes him fairly valuable in most leagues.
FACT: Kim Johnsson had less points in 76 games with the Wild then he did the season before that in 47 games with Philly. I'm just saying...
The Powerplay:
Marian Gaborik
Mikko Koivu
Andrew Brunette
Brent Burns
Marek Zidlicky
This is not a particularly inspiring unit. Brunett played well on the powerplay in Colorado, grinding it out in front of the net so I suppose he adds another dimension to this powerplay (one that was apparently already there in Aaron Voros) and Gaborik is always capable of doing something spectacular and impressive. Zidlicky should adequately replace Rolston on the point as well. It isn't going to be a team-changing unit, but it will probably get the job done.
The Goalie(s):
Niklas Backstrom is probably one of the more criminally underrated goalies in the league. For the last two seasons he has put up stellar GAA and Sv% numbers. Injuries are his problem but if he goes dow Harding has proven himself a capable, though not yet spectacular backup. To be safe if you draft Bakstrom you should probaby also have Harding on your roster.
FACT: Backstrom led the league in GAA and SV% in 06-07. Those numbers dipped slightly when he became the full time starter in 07-08... but only slightly.
The Verdict:
It is hard to say what this team will be until the Gaborik situation resolves itself. On paper they are a contender in the Northwest division, though still too weak for the Cup I feel. How will that paper look after Gaborik is gone? No one can know.
This is another team that was making me do backflips of frustration this offseason as I tried to prepare team previews. There was much talk that Marian Gaborik, who is coming up on the final year of his contract, would be traded before the season started. Rumors include talk that Gaborik has turned down a 10 year deal estimated to pay at 8 million per and thus the Wild have no choice but to seek a willing trade partner.
Gaborik IS the best player on this team. He makes everyone who plays with him better. His presence or abscence could make or break the team. Keep that in mind as you read what follows.
Key Departures:
Pavol Demitra
Brian Rolston
and... apparently Aaron Voros
The fact that the Wild let Demitra walk speaks volumes as to their intentions with Marian Gaborik. In Demitra, Gaborik found not only a linemate but a countryman and a friend. Expect the two to try to end up somewhere together at season's end.
Rolston was a bigger loss to this team then I think they realize. His shot from the point on the powerplay will be missed and I'm not sure that Zidlicky is the answer.
New Faces:
Andrew Brunette
Marek Zidlicky
Marc-Andre Bergeron
and... apparently Antti Miettinen
At 35, Brunette's best days are behind him but he is an intriguing addition to this squad. In his second run with Minnesota expect Brunette to be more of a role player then anything else as the kids will be expected to take a bigger role.
Zids is expected to be the point man on this powerplay. He now joins Kim Johnsson, Kurtis Foster and Brent Burns as defensemen that were supposed to be the pointmen on this powerplay.
Bergeron could also join that list as his offense is significantly better then his defense. When deciding whether to be excited about Bergron consider this: He was benched by The Ducks last season, sure, but also the Islanders!
Antti Miettinen, who was a wallflower in Dallas last year, has thus far been the offensive catalyst for Minnesota. I expect him to cool down, which is why you won't find his name anywhere below, but he has already earned his place as a key addition.
The Offense:
At the moment it all begins and ends with Marian Gaborik. The supporting cast has improved over the last few years until this year when I feel it took a step backwards as I can't say that Nolan and Brunette are an improvement over Rolston and Demitra.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Marian Gaborik
Yea its a short list, largely due to injuries and uncertainty. Gaborik played nearly a full season last year. Thats nothing short of a miracle and one he isn't likely to repeat. On the plus side, Gaborik's boundless offensive potential, already warranting him to go as high as number 3 amonst RW's despite the injury problems, could be let loose in the very near future. Can you imagine Gaborik playing in a free flowing offensive system. Thats reason enough to buy the center ice package.
FACT: Want me to define boundless for you. Boundless; adj.; In 2005-2006 he was limited to 65 games... he still scored 38 goals. Also Without Bounds
You Want to Be Prepared to Snag:
Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Mikko Koivu
Andrew Brunette
PMB is a good hockey player with injury problems out the yin-yang. Bouchard was limited in the preseason due to a sore back and now has already missed his first game of the season due to back problems. He has plenty of potential and would be a worthy addition to most teams if healthy despite his low shot total.
FACT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a94J5apTJn0 Cool huh?
Koivu was on his way to a career year last year before beaking his leg. He finished the season with 42 points in 57 games and will have to improve on that number if he is to break through the depth at center to make himself fantasy worthy, agains considering his low shot total, lack of PIM's and Lemaire-system discipline. He will be Gaborik's center for as long as Gaborik is on the team so he is worth at least a look every now and again.
FACT: Yes, he is Saku's younger brother... making him, I suppose, Koivu the lesser.
Why Brunette? Because two years ago he 83 points and thats something we shouldn't lose sight of. Watch his line combinations and powerplay time. If the numbers start piling up the grab him.
FACT: He's got a goal and two assists so far but check out these numbers 69, 49, 63, 83, 59. Those are his point totals over the last 5 seasons. 2 of those are worth having despite his low SOG and PIM totals. The rest are not. Add accordingly.
The Defense:
This is a strong defensive team with multiple options on the point for the powerplay... however this team has a habit of swallowing talented pointmen.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Brent Burns
Marek Zidlicky
If Burns keeps up his PIM total of a year ago and even comes close to delivering the same number of points then he was worth whatever pick you used on him. A speedy, hard hitting, gritty defensemen that gets powerplay time. What more could you want.
FACT: Burns used to play forward, but had more points as a defensemen in one season then he did in two seasons playing forward for the Wild.
Zidlicky is an interesting acquisition. Marek had some great years with Nashville and some terrible ones. What can you expect this year? I'd say about 40 points and 70 PIM with some powerplay time. That makes him fairly valuable in most leagues.
FACT: Kim Johnsson had less points in 76 games with the Wild then he did the season before that in 47 games with Philly. I'm just saying...
The Powerplay:
Marian Gaborik
Mikko Koivu
Andrew Brunette
Brent Burns
Marek Zidlicky
This is not a particularly inspiring unit. Brunett played well on the powerplay in Colorado, grinding it out in front of the net so I suppose he adds another dimension to this powerplay (one that was apparently already there in Aaron Voros) and Gaborik is always capable of doing something spectacular and impressive. Zidlicky should adequately replace Rolston on the point as well. It isn't going to be a team-changing unit, but it will probably get the job done.
The Goalie(s):
Niklas Backstrom is probably one of the more criminally underrated goalies in the league. For the last two seasons he has put up stellar GAA and Sv% numbers. Injuries are his problem but if he goes dow Harding has proven himself a capable, though not yet spectacular backup. To be safe if you draft Bakstrom you should probaby also have Harding on your roster.
FACT: Backstrom led the league in GAA and SV% in 06-07. Those numbers dipped slightly when he became the full time starter in 07-08... but only slightly.
The Verdict:
It is hard to say what this team will be until the Gaborik situation resolves itself. On paper they are a contender in the Northwest division, though still too weak for the Cup I feel. How will that paper look after Gaborik is gone? No one can know.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Wildly Alarming
Minnesota Wild
"Oh God what happened? Where's Rolston? Where's Demitra? Oh crap... is that Owen Nolan and Andrew Brunette? Those has beens? Who the heck is James Sheppard? He was on my team all of last year? Huh. Who knew? I'll be right back."
Those were Marian Gaborik's thoughts upon looking at Minnesota's roster. If Doug Wisebrough is found dead tomorrow it was Gaborik with the hockey skate in the Trainer's room. Just an educated guess.
I don't want to count Minnesota out because, well, I've done it before and this team has always pushed on. Anyway that's not what we're doing here right now. Team previews in August. Tell your friends. Right now... offseason additions!
Zidlicky is the most significant addition. Freed of the crowded blueline in Nashville I'm willing to say that playing point for Gabby nets him 40-ish points this season... that is unless he, like Kim Johnsson before him, has all of his offensive talent sucked away when he puts that Wild jersey on. I think he stands a better chance of prevailing then, say... now journeyman defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron... you know come to think of it maybe this blue line is kinda crowded.
And I know I joked about Brunette... but he'll probably be playing with Gaborik, at least that's what this line combination generator is telling me. ; ) In that position, despite has been status he'll probably be good for close to 60 points like last year... but not close to 83 like the year before.
"Oh God what happened? Where's Rolston? Where's Demitra? Oh crap... is that Owen Nolan and Andrew Brunette? Those has beens? Who the heck is James Sheppard? He was on my team all of last year? Huh. Who knew? I'll be right back."
Those were Marian Gaborik's thoughts upon looking at Minnesota's roster. If Doug Wisebrough is found dead tomorrow it was Gaborik with the hockey skate in the Trainer's room. Just an educated guess.
I don't want to count Minnesota out because, well, I've done it before and this team has always pushed on. Anyway that's not what we're doing here right now. Team previews in August. Tell your friends. Right now... offseason additions!
Zidlicky is the most significant addition. Freed of the crowded blueline in Nashville I'm willing to say that playing point for Gabby nets him 40-ish points this season... that is unless he, like Kim Johnsson before him, has all of his offensive talent sucked away when he puts that Wild jersey on. I think he stands a better chance of prevailing then, say... now journeyman defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron... you know come to think of it maybe this blue line is kinda crowded.
And I know I joked about Brunette... but he'll probably be playing with Gaborik, at least that's what this line combination generator is telling me. ; ) In that position, despite has been status he'll probably be good for close to 60 points like last year... but not close to 83 like the year before.
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