Some quick injury news and notes...
Marc Andre Fleury is day to day with a lower body injury. Its difficult to know what this is going to mean for Pittsburgh beyond the short term without knowing the severity, location, etc of the injury but for now Dany Sabourin will get the start in net. The Pens are not a spectacular defensive team, even with the addition of Philippe Boucher, and Sabourin is not a shutdown netminder. If Flery is out for any stretch of time don't expect Sabourin to be a Conklin.
Andy McDonald, one the real feel-good comeback players of the year is going to miss the next 8 weeks or so with a broken leg suffered in St. Louis' shootout loss to Montreal on Sunday. McDonald slid feet first into the boards in the first period and fractured his left leg. St. Louis is looking less and less like a playoff contender this year so expect the team to show extreme patience with McDonald's injury. He, and the also injured Paul Kariya, will not be rushed back. Look to Lee Stempniak, Patirk Berglund and Davod Perron to step it up in their abscence.
Joe Sakic is skating again with the Avalanche but will reportedly sit tonight against Calgary. It does look like Sakic is close though, so take heart Burnaby Joe owners.
An undisclosed upper body injury sidelined the league's second leading scorer Alexander Semin in Saturday night's game against the Devils. We'll keep our eye on this for you.
Kevin Bieska, who has been spectacular for Vancouver when healthy, will miss another two weeks with a broken foot. Mattias Ohlund and Sami Salo should step up to fill the offensive voide in Bieska's abscence and might be a good short term add.
Showing posts with label St. Louis Blues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Louis Blues. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Ice Fishing: Melrose and Delilah
The Tampa Bay Lightning management have tossed back the biggest piece of their rebuilding effort in new head coach Barry Melrose. He should have never cut the mullet. With it went the source of all of his power.
Barry. We hardly knew you. Its a tough call to fire a guy when you give him a team made up of individuals who had never played together before this season. Sure they looked great on paper... until you got to the defensemen. That was the problem with this team from beginning, they were a decent fantasy team but no one could tell whether that would translate to success on the ice. It didn't, and Barry paid the price for the GM's incompetence. Poor Barry.
What's the moral of this? Actual teams are already starting to adjust their rosters, trim the fat, and take their best shot at undoing the damage they did to their own teams in the offseason. Its time for you to do the same.
Keep 'Em:
Kris Versteeg
RW, Chicago
Okay... last time I'm saying this. Versteeg now has 15 points in 16 games this season. He has three goals in the last four games and has scored 7 points in 6 games in the month of November. The window for delay on Versteeg is shrinking and the talented rookie is showing no signs of slowing down.
Joe Pavelski
C, San Jose
You missed out on Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau in the draft. You took some bad advice from some blogger not named Richard O'Brien and drafted Jonathan Cheechoo way too early. And, of course, you didn't listen to me and pick up Devin Setoguchi or Ryan Clowe when I told you to. Now every time you look at the standings and realize that San Jose has scored more goals then anyone else in the league (73) by a wide margin (the next closest is Detroit with 64) you feel like you missed out on the party. Well, you're in luck because Joe Pavelski is probably still available in your league. Pavelski has 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points through the first 20 games. Of those 16, 6 points (2 goals and 4 assists) came over the course of the last week and 8 (3 goals and 5 assists) have come on the powerplay. He is averaging a little over 3 shots a game and is a +1. As centers go he's kind of average, but he would make a great util player in most leagues. Grab him before you miss out entirely on the Shark Party.
Cam Barker
D, Chicago
Still the subject of widespread trade speculation, Cam Barker has responded with terrific play on the ice. Barker has 9 points in 8 games with the big club this year, with 6 of those points coming on the man advantage. Those 9 points are good for second amongst Hawks D-men with only Brian Campbell above him with 12. This showing becomes even more impressive when you consider that he has played in half the games that the rest of the team has played. The former third overall draft pick is doing a bit of everything, including getting a fighting major in the November 14th 4-3 loss to St. Louis. Grab him now.
Weigh 'Em:
Jordan Staal
C, LW Pittsburgh
You have to love the way Jordan Staal is playing right now. Staal, who had a tremendous rookie season in which he notched 29 goals, has been on something of a slide over the last year or so. This slide came to an abrupt halt this past week as Stall put up 5 goals and an assist over the last three games for the Pens. What you have to like is not only the tallies but the way in which he scored them. Down 5-3 against their Stanley Cup tormentors the Detroit Red Wings, Staal rallied and scored three even strength goals in the last 12 minutes to force overtime. Then, in the overtime period Staal assisted on Fedotenko's overtime winner. He followed this up later in the week with a strong 2 goal performance against the cooling Buffalo Sabers to bring his totals for the season up to 7 goals and 4 assists. Those may not seem like overly flashy numbers, but if this is the beginning of his reemergence then you want to get in on the ground floor.
David Perron, Lee Stempniak
LW, RW St. Louis
With Kariya and McDonald both down to injuries Perron and Stempniak have really stepped up over the last week to provide scoring in their absence. As St. Louis soldiers on through these injuries expect scoring to come from secondary sources. It might be worth a bench slot to try and catch a streak from one of these talented players. Stempniak in particular shoots the puck a ton and has seen some significant time on the powerplay.
Philippe Boucher
D, Pittsburgh
The acquisition of Boucher was a necessary one by the Pens despite his shoddy play thus far this season on the Dalls Stars. Boucher provides a seasoned veteran to man the point on the powerplay. More importantly, it gives the Pens a RIGHT HANDED shot on the point, something that they were lacking during Gonchar and Whitney's injuries. I like this acquisition by the Pens for a number of reasons. For one, it frees up Evgeni Malkin to be a bit more free wheeling on the man advantage. The Pens have given up some heart stopping short handed opportunities in the last few games when opposing forwards pressured Malkin on the point. Malkin has been the Penguins offense so far this year, but he still doesn't know how to skate back and play D as the pointman on the man advantage. Boucher will take care of that and should help with some scoring punch from the point.
Alex Goligoski
D, Pittsburgh
On the flips side, the Boucher acquisition probably puts a bit of a halt on Goligoski's development. Despite his recent scoring streak, Goligoski will more then likely see his powerplay time diminish rapidly. If you still have him on your team you might want to consider benching him for a few games to see how this plays out. If it plays out as expected I foresee his availability skyrocketing in most leagues.
Toss 'Em Back:
Andrei Kostitsyn
LW, Montreal
I've been holding off on this one but with 6 points through 14 games I might have finally given up on Kostitsyn the greater. Montreal is in a bit of funk right now, which will happen even to great teams in their best years. Even taking that into account, Kostitsyn has barely shown any signs of life as of late with long stretches of mediocrity punctuated by one or two point streaks. Put simply, Kostitsyn doesn't deliver enough in the intangible categories to keep him on your team if he isn't scoring, and right now he isn't scoring. Take that as you will.
Erik Cole
RW, Edmonton
Rough times in Edmonton. Cole, The Oilers big offseason acquisition, has only put up 5 points through the first 18 games with his new club. He has been a relatively quiet presence and hasn't even provided much in the way of shots of PIM. I was high on Cole preseason; thinking him a good sleeper pick because of his gritty play and his tendency to rack up the shots, PIM and points. It seems that there have just been one too many injuries for Cole and that his best years of hockey are now behind him as a result.
Matt Carle
D, Philadelphia
Carle was once thought of as an impressive young prospect. Since then he has been moved twice in one year, first from San Jose as the lynch pin of the deal that brought Dan Boyle to the future Stanley Cup Champions (what? Thats right, I'm calling it. Its happening.) and then, less then a quarter of a season later from Tampa to Philly for Steve Downie. Until Carle shows something, anything, resembling offensive skill with his new team I'd leave him right where he belongs; on waivers.
Barry. We hardly knew you. Its a tough call to fire a guy when you give him a team made up of individuals who had never played together before this season. Sure they looked great on paper... until you got to the defensemen. That was the problem with this team from beginning, they were a decent fantasy team but no one could tell whether that would translate to success on the ice. It didn't, and Barry paid the price for the GM's incompetence. Poor Barry.
What's the moral of this? Actual teams are already starting to adjust their rosters, trim the fat, and take their best shot at undoing the damage they did to their own teams in the offseason. Its time for you to do the same.
Keep 'Em:
Kris Versteeg
RW, Chicago
Okay... last time I'm saying this. Versteeg now has 15 points in 16 games this season. He has three goals in the last four games and has scored 7 points in 6 games in the month of November. The window for delay on Versteeg is shrinking and the talented rookie is showing no signs of slowing down.
Joe Pavelski
C, San Jose
You missed out on Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau in the draft. You took some bad advice from some blogger not named Richard O'Brien and drafted Jonathan Cheechoo way too early. And, of course, you didn't listen to me and pick up Devin Setoguchi or Ryan Clowe when I told you to. Now every time you look at the standings and realize that San Jose has scored more goals then anyone else in the league (73) by a wide margin (the next closest is Detroit with 64) you feel like you missed out on the party. Well, you're in luck because Joe Pavelski is probably still available in your league. Pavelski has 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points through the first 20 games. Of those 16, 6 points (2 goals and 4 assists) came over the course of the last week and 8 (3 goals and 5 assists) have come on the powerplay. He is averaging a little over 3 shots a game and is a +1. As centers go he's kind of average, but he would make a great util player in most leagues. Grab him before you miss out entirely on the Shark Party.
Cam Barker
D, Chicago
Still the subject of widespread trade speculation, Cam Barker has responded with terrific play on the ice. Barker has 9 points in 8 games with the big club this year, with 6 of those points coming on the man advantage. Those 9 points are good for second amongst Hawks D-men with only Brian Campbell above him with 12. This showing becomes even more impressive when you consider that he has played in half the games that the rest of the team has played. The former third overall draft pick is doing a bit of everything, including getting a fighting major in the November 14th 4-3 loss to St. Louis. Grab him now.
Weigh 'Em:
Jordan Staal
C, LW Pittsburgh
You have to love the way Jordan Staal is playing right now. Staal, who had a tremendous rookie season in which he notched 29 goals, has been on something of a slide over the last year or so. This slide came to an abrupt halt this past week as Stall put up 5 goals and an assist over the last three games for the Pens. What you have to like is not only the tallies but the way in which he scored them. Down 5-3 against their Stanley Cup tormentors the Detroit Red Wings, Staal rallied and scored three even strength goals in the last 12 minutes to force overtime. Then, in the overtime period Staal assisted on Fedotenko's overtime winner. He followed this up later in the week with a strong 2 goal performance against the cooling Buffalo Sabers to bring his totals for the season up to 7 goals and 4 assists. Those may not seem like overly flashy numbers, but if this is the beginning of his reemergence then you want to get in on the ground floor.
David Perron, Lee Stempniak
LW, RW St. Louis
With Kariya and McDonald both down to injuries Perron and Stempniak have really stepped up over the last week to provide scoring in their absence. As St. Louis soldiers on through these injuries expect scoring to come from secondary sources. It might be worth a bench slot to try and catch a streak from one of these talented players. Stempniak in particular shoots the puck a ton and has seen some significant time on the powerplay.
Philippe Boucher
D, Pittsburgh
The acquisition of Boucher was a necessary one by the Pens despite his shoddy play thus far this season on the Dalls Stars. Boucher provides a seasoned veteran to man the point on the powerplay. More importantly, it gives the Pens a RIGHT HANDED shot on the point, something that they were lacking during Gonchar and Whitney's injuries. I like this acquisition by the Pens for a number of reasons. For one, it frees up Evgeni Malkin to be a bit more free wheeling on the man advantage. The Pens have given up some heart stopping short handed opportunities in the last few games when opposing forwards pressured Malkin on the point. Malkin has been the Penguins offense so far this year, but he still doesn't know how to skate back and play D as the pointman on the man advantage. Boucher will take care of that and should help with some scoring punch from the point.
Alex Goligoski
D, Pittsburgh
On the flips side, the Boucher acquisition probably puts a bit of a halt on Goligoski's development. Despite his recent scoring streak, Goligoski will more then likely see his powerplay time diminish rapidly. If you still have him on your team you might want to consider benching him for a few games to see how this plays out. If it plays out as expected I foresee his availability skyrocketing in most leagues.
Toss 'Em Back:
Andrei Kostitsyn
LW, Montreal
I've been holding off on this one but with 6 points through 14 games I might have finally given up on Kostitsyn the greater. Montreal is in a bit of funk right now, which will happen even to great teams in their best years. Even taking that into account, Kostitsyn has barely shown any signs of life as of late with long stretches of mediocrity punctuated by one or two point streaks. Put simply, Kostitsyn doesn't deliver enough in the intangible categories to keep him on your team if he isn't scoring, and right now he isn't scoring. Take that as you will.
Erik Cole
RW, Edmonton
Rough times in Edmonton. Cole, The Oilers big offseason acquisition, has only put up 5 points through the first 18 games with his new club. He has been a relatively quiet presence and hasn't even provided much in the way of shots of PIM. I was high on Cole preseason; thinking him a good sleeper pick because of his gritty play and his tendency to rack up the shots, PIM and points. It seems that there have just been one too many injuries for Cole and that his best years of hockey are now behind him as a result.
Matt Carle
D, Philadelphia
Carle was once thought of as an impressive young prospect. Since then he has been moved twice in one year, first from San Jose as the lynch pin of the deal that brought Dan Boyle to the future Stanley Cup Champions (what? Thats right, I'm calling it. Its happening.) and then, less then a quarter of a season later from Tampa to Philly for Steve Downie. Until Carle shows something, anything, resembling offensive skill with his new team I'd leave him right where he belongs; on waivers.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
2 Minute Minor: Super Discount Hockey Ticket Sale Giveaway Promotion Plan
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
BTT Injury Report: Snow Patrol
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
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
Monday, November 10, 2008
Ice Fishing: Tending Your Goal
I was just like 6 weeks early on David Booth! Booth potted goals 5, 6, and 7 of the year last night against the Anaheim Ducks. Heh. It was a busy weekend in the NHL and, as is often the case when many games are played, a lot of interesting storylines.
Booth was one of two hat tricks this weekend, the other came off the stick of the freshly signed Mark Parrish in his Dallas Stars debut. Goals 1, 2 and 3 in game 1... not bad Mark.
From momentous "goals" to momentous "goal" Sunday marked the return of Jonathan Toews to the "G" category as he scored his first goal of the season in game number 13. Those of you who have remained faithful to Mr. Toews through this slump should be relatively pleased with all the follows. Its not like he hasn't contributed in other ways as he has 9 points through 13 games.
Roberto Luongo stretched his shutout streak to three straight games. That's bound to end soon enough but consider this: This is the second time Luongo has had three consecutive shutouts while a member of the Vancouver Canucks and Luongo already has 16 shutouts in Van-city, 4 shy of the franchise record. All that for Todd Bertuzzi and some lint. Deal of the century.
Boston is tied with Buffalo for the top seed in that division... granted they've both played two more games then Montreal but wow... I mean who saw that coming.
Kevin Weekes is exactly the goalie I remember him being from his time as the Rangers starter. He will give you competent enough goaltending to ensure that you don't get blown out in any game. Devils fans we are in for a series of frustrating 1 or 2 goal losses. On the plus side, Parise owners expect him to be let off of his chain, so to speak, offensively.
In injury news, Paul Kariya's MRI was negative and he should return Wednesday, Brian Boucher is filling in for Nabakov for the foreseeable future, and Danny Briere returned to the Flyers over the weekend and scored their lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay. More on all of these situations in the BTT Injury Report tomorrow.
Speaking of Philly they traded Steve Downie and a bag of chips for Matt Carle over the weekend. Carle has looked... less then spectacular defensively this season which makes this trade a curious one to me. What Philly needs are some shutdown d-men as they are already loaded offensively speaking with Coburn and Timonen. I think this move effectively buries Carle, fantasy wise as he is now third on the depth chart for powerplay point time
All right, enough posturing, you want your adds and drops for the week, well here you go.
Keep 'Em
Bryan Little
C, Atlanta
You know that a center has to be performing spectacularly for me to suggest his addition to your team. Bryan Little is on fire (8 goals and 7 assists through 15 games) and is a former 12th overall pick... so this is the sort of thing that's expected of him. He's a plus 7 on an abysmal team. He doesn't shoot much but he is otherwise a good add to your fantasy team. I like him so much I'm not even going to make a "little" joke.
Martin Erat
RW, Nashville
Ownership sent a message over the summer by making Martin Erat the highest paid player on this team. The message was that this was now his team and he was expected to carry it with nearly every other familiar face, Arnott and the stellar D excepted, departing Erat was expected to raise his game to another level. So far he has done just that. Again, shots on goal are an issue but he seems to be raising his game in every other respect.
Mike Smith
G, Tampa Bay
Love him or hate him, Smith is the only reason Tampa has won any games this season, and they are starting to get some good gritty wins. Smith is a tough start, as on a given night he can either let up 1 goal on 52 shots or 5 goals on 26, but he balances himself out in the long run. If you are confident in your ability to play "Spot Start Roulette" then Smith is a spectacular addition as a third goalie.
Weigh 'Em
Manny Legace
G, St. Louis
Legace is a good goalie. It doesn't look that way right now because he's still rusty after returning from the "lower body" injury he suffered after face-planting on Sarah Pallin's carpet (100% dirty but also 100% factual) but I think it will bear out over time; particularly once Kariya returns to the lineup.
Niklas Hagman
LW, Toronto
I still say this has to stop eventually but you might want to consider picking him up until this streak does eventually conclude.
Alex Auld
G, Ottawa
There are and will be very few sure things on waiver as it relates to goaltenders (my recommendation of Mike Smith above should sort of prove that point). Auld might still be available in your league. He has thus far put up stellar numbers (5-2-1, 1.85 GAA and 2.36 SV %) and has looked good doing it. The only reason I'm not giving him my highest recommendation is that he probably has the lowest job security in the NHL right now. He's a roll of the dice, but a good one.
Vaclav Prospal
LW, Tampa Bay
Tampa is streaking right now and that means that that top line is coming alive. Prospal is the only member of the top line that should still be out there. He might be worth a speculative add if you've got the roster space.
Bill Guerin
RW, New York Islanders
Billy G. is one of my all time favorite hockey players. He can skate, won the fastest skater competition at the All star game, shoot, pass and score, but he also plays the gritty side of the game and isn't afraid to go into the corner with anyone. I don't think he has enough left in the tank to put together a full season of fantasy roster-worthy play but Bill still has enough in the tank to put together a streak every so often. December and January were Guerin's months last year. This season its looking like the addition of Doug Weight has brought those months early. Guerin, when he is scoring hurts you nowhere but in the plus-minus column, unlike Weight who will give you two shots a game at most. As long as the streak lasts he's worth having, but you have to be ready to let go when its done.
Toss 'Em
Vesa Toskala
G, Toronto
Despite Toronto's recent success Toskala's number remain abysmal, 6 wins 3.08 GAA and .884 SV %. Its not his fault, but that doesn't change the fact that he's barely a candidate for spot starts at this point.
Ed Jovonovski
D, Phoenix
I'm not sure but I think it might be time to panic. He's still taking shots but the PIM points and plus minus aren't there yet this season. Ballard and Boynton's departure seems to be putting a lot of the defensive pressure back on Jovo-cop. I don't know that I drop him yet but I certainly bench him.
Jose Theodore
G, Washington
I hate to say I told you so... Brent Johnson has now gotten the last 3 starts for Washington. Theodore is having trouble even getting time on the bench as the backup. I'm not saying he won't have some incredible streak at some point this season but is that really what you want out of a number 2 goalie? Bench him or drop him. There's better out there... including Brent Johnson.
Booth was one of two hat tricks this weekend, the other came off the stick of the freshly signed Mark Parrish in his Dallas Stars debut. Goals 1, 2 and 3 in game 1... not bad Mark.
From momentous "goals" to momentous "goal" Sunday marked the return of Jonathan Toews to the "G" category as he scored his first goal of the season in game number 13. Those of you who have remained faithful to Mr. Toews through this slump should be relatively pleased with all the follows. Its not like he hasn't contributed in other ways as he has 9 points through 13 games.
Roberto Luongo stretched his shutout streak to three straight games. That's bound to end soon enough but consider this: This is the second time Luongo has had three consecutive shutouts while a member of the Vancouver Canucks and Luongo already has 16 shutouts in Van-city, 4 shy of the franchise record. All that for Todd Bertuzzi and some lint. Deal of the century.
Boston is tied with Buffalo for the top seed in that division... granted they've both played two more games then Montreal but wow... I mean who saw that coming.
Kevin Weekes is exactly the goalie I remember him being from his time as the Rangers starter. He will give you competent enough goaltending to ensure that you don't get blown out in any game. Devils fans we are in for a series of frustrating 1 or 2 goal losses. On the plus side, Parise owners expect him to be let off of his chain, so to speak, offensively.
In injury news, Paul Kariya's MRI was negative and he should return Wednesday, Brian Boucher is filling in for Nabakov for the foreseeable future, and Danny Briere returned to the Flyers over the weekend and scored their lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay. More on all of these situations in the BTT Injury Report tomorrow.
Speaking of Philly they traded Steve Downie and a bag of chips for Matt Carle over the weekend. Carle has looked... less then spectacular defensively this season which makes this trade a curious one to me. What Philly needs are some shutdown d-men as they are already loaded offensively speaking with Coburn and Timonen. I think this move effectively buries Carle, fantasy wise as he is now third on the depth chart for powerplay point time
All right, enough posturing, you want your adds and drops for the week, well here you go.
Keep 'Em
Bryan Little
C, Atlanta
You know that a center has to be performing spectacularly for me to suggest his addition to your team. Bryan Little is on fire (8 goals and 7 assists through 15 games) and is a former 12th overall pick... so this is the sort of thing that's expected of him. He's a plus 7 on an abysmal team. He doesn't shoot much but he is otherwise a good add to your fantasy team. I like him so much I'm not even going to make a "little" joke.
Martin Erat
RW, Nashville
Ownership sent a message over the summer by making Martin Erat the highest paid player on this team. The message was that this was now his team and he was expected to carry it with nearly every other familiar face, Arnott and the stellar D excepted, departing Erat was expected to raise his game to another level. So far he has done just that. Again, shots on goal are an issue but he seems to be raising his game in every other respect.
Mike Smith
G, Tampa Bay
Love him or hate him, Smith is the only reason Tampa has won any games this season, and they are starting to get some good gritty wins. Smith is a tough start, as on a given night he can either let up 1 goal on 52 shots or 5 goals on 26, but he balances himself out in the long run. If you are confident in your ability to play "Spot Start Roulette" then Smith is a spectacular addition as a third goalie.
Weigh 'Em
Manny Legace
G, St. Louis
Legace is a good goalie. It doesn't look that way right now because he's still rusty after returning from the "lower body" injury he suffered after face-planting on Sarah Pallin's carpet (100% dirty but also 100% factual) but I think it will bear out over time; particularly once Kariya returns to the lineup.
Niklas Hagman
LW, Toronto
I still say this has to stop eventually but you might want to consider picking him up until this streak does eventually conclude.
Alex Auld
G, Ottawa
There are and will be very few sure things on waiver as it relates to goaltenders (my recommendation of Mike Smith above should sort of prove that point). Auld might still be available in your league. He has thus far put up stellar numbers (5-2-1, 1.85 GAA and 2.36 SV %) and has looked good doing it. The only reason I'm not giving him my highest recommendation is that he probably has the lowest job security in the NHL right now. He's a roll of the dice, but a good one.
Vaclav Prospal
LW, Tampa Bay
Tampa is streaking right now and that means that that top line is coming alive. Prospal is the only member of the top line that should still be out there. He might be worth a speculative add if you've got the roster space.
Bill Guerin
RW, New York Islanders
Billy G. is one of my all time favorite hockey players. He can skate, won the fastest skater competition at the All star game, shoot, pass and score, but he also plays the gritty side of the game and isn't afraid to go into the corner with anyone. I don't think he has enough left in the tank to put together a full season of fantasy roster-worthy play but Bill still has enough in the tank to put together a streak every so often. December and January were Guerin's months last year. This season its looking like the addition of Doug Weight has brought those months early. Guerin, when he is scoring hurts you nowhere but in the plus-minus column, unlike Weight who will give you two shots a game at most. As long as the streak lasts he's worth having, but you have to be ready to let go when its done.
Toss 'Em
Vesa Toskala
G, Toronto
Despite Toronto's recent success Toskala's number remain abysmal, 6 wins 3.08 GAA and .884 SV %. Its not his fault, but that doesn't change the fact that he's barely a candidate for spot starts at this point.
Ed Jovonovski
D, Phoenix
I'm not sure but I think it might be time to panic. He's still taking shots but the PIM points and plus minus aren't there yet this season. Ballard and Boynton's departure seems to be putting a lot of the defensive pressure back on Jovo-cop. I don't know that I drop him yet but I certainly bench him.
Jose Theodore
G, Washington
I hate to say I told you so... Brent Johnson has now gotten the last 3 starts for Washington. Theodore is having trouble even getting time on the bench as the backup. I'm not saying he won't have some incredible streak at some point this season but is that really what you want out of a number 2 goalie? Bench him or drop him. There's better out there... including Brent Johnson.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Shooting Percentage: Breaking the Slump Does Just That? ALSO! Goalies and Stuff
WTF Breaking the Slump?
The life of a fantasy blogger is unpredictable. Some weeks you have a shooting percentage like Mike Ribiero's last year (an insane 25.2) and sometimes... well sometimes you tell people to bench an entire team the same day that that team finally breaks out of a season long slump.
So... let me start by saying that I'm sorry and that I too believe that ...
Breaking the Slump Last Week Was An Unmitigated Disaster:
I told you to drop Mike Ribiero... the same day that he scored 5 points. To be fair though I probably did less damage by telling you to drop him then I would have by telling you to bench him. Why you ask? Well let me explain.
BTS went up before rosters would have locked for the night, so if I told you to bench him you would have missed out on those points. However, if I told you to drop him THAT CHANGE wouldn't have been reflected in your line up until the next day... so instead of missing Ribiero's five point night you would have gotten a nice farewell present.
So for now I've backed down from my suggestion of dropping him, HOWEVER I do think that there are better options likely on your waiver wire as we speak. Mikko Koivu, Patrice Bergeron and Andy McDonald are all players who will put up similar numbers, if not better ones, to Ribiero while taking more shots and, in some cases, scoring more goals. Don't be married to the roster you drafted. It will come back to bite you.
As to the Ducks... well I told you to bench their stars the weekend they all finally broke out. You could take this two ways. One you could be very mad at me for telling you to miss those points...OR... you can be thankful that my harsh words broke them out of their slump. I'll be on the lookout for your torches and pitchforks.
Cristo-BAD!
I said this about Huet when I ranked him 13th among NHL netminders for this season "I want to put him higher, because I believe that he is a starter and not a member of a platoon. However, all of the rhetoric coming out of the windy city... well I guess not all of it but all of the hockey related rhetoric... suggests otherwise. I expect that Khabibulin will be moved at some point this year, but until he is Huet will be at least splitting some time with the Bulin Sieve." There are so many things wrong with that statement that I don't know where to begin.
That Platoon thing looks like a reality now. In fact, Huet owners will be lucky if he doesn't lose the job to Khabibulin altogether. Whatever the case Chicago HAS to move a goalie before the end of the year, and sooner rather then later. Cam Barker, who was also the source of many pre-season trade rumors, made his first appearance of the season last night for the big club so perhaps they are trying to showcase him as well.
In almost certainly completely unrelated news... I'm hearing a lot of things out of Ottawa about a possible move involving Spezza...
Hey I'm a Psychic!
When I ranked Manny Legace 22nd amongst NHL netminders the very first line of my ranking was "Manny is going to get hurt." Now could I have predicted that he'd do this tripping over a carpet put out for Vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin? No... we should check Nostradamus and see if that's one of the signs of the apocalypse though "And lo an Icy Mother shall come and injure the Keeper of the Twine, the Minder in the Mask, the Legace of Manny."
While on the subject of goalies I pretty much called another situation going on right now. In ranking Alex Auld 35th amongst NHL starters I said "I feel like he has the best combination of talent and situation. You can win the starters job away from Gerber as long as you have a pair of pads and a pulse (so tell your Mom to go buy some pads!)." And last night there he was, starting his second consecutive game against what WAS one of the two teams that had yet to suffer a regulation loss. This is not the end of Ottawa's problems (Witness: Buffalo started former-Senator Goat Patrick Lalime against them) but its a decent start and a nice story.
Then again...
Mike Modano continued to be hot this week scoring another goal and adding three assists and while I remain "Anti-Miettinen" he's now up to 6 goals and 3 assists and spending time on the powerplay, despite the return of Pierre Marc Bouchard.
So... it wasn't the best week for my predictions, though my pre-season stuff is still looking like it will hold up. The rest of it... well... tough week. Here's what I recommend. Do you have a fantasy player that you want desperately to break out of a slump? E-mail me at breakingthetrap@gmail.com and I will tell everyone to drop him in Breaking The Slump thus causing his spectacular break out. Sigh...
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.
Friday, October 17, 2008
TEAM PREVIEWS: THE ST. LOUIS BLUES
Introduction:
Don't look now but the team that most talking heads (a designation which I grudgingly accept as applying to myself now) had pegged as the worst team in the West is leading their division... you know the one with Chicago and Detroit. Do I think that will hold up? No. Do I think that St. Louis is a playoff team? Probably not. With Erik Johnson down St. Louis probably doesn't have the D to get it done.
What it does say is two things: a) The rebuilding started under John Davidson is beginning to work and b) say what you will about the rest of the team, but the offense can score.
Key Departures:
Erik Johnson
He's not gone but he might as well be for the purposes of discussing this season. If Johnson really does miss the entire season as a result of his freak knee injury you can bet the golf carts will be burned in effigy throughout St. Louis. The team is riding high, playing with what they have right now, but eventually the lack of D and the lack of Johnson's steadying presence on the point will cost them.
New Faces:
Chris Mason
Mason is "Legace's body" insurance. Unfairly run out of Nashville for crimes he didn't commit Mason will be a fine backup for Legace (who was unfairly run out of Detroit for crimes he didn't commit) and should be able to spell him for stretches if it becomes necessary. A good move for the organization.
The Offense:
So... they aren't the flashiest names and they don't put up the greatest stats but St. Louis has a good mix of veteran talent, skilled castoffs and young high draft picks. They have great ambassadors for the game, veteran leadership, and the future all in one place, that's how you build a team.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Paul Kariya
Brad Boyes
Keith Tkachuk
We said this about Kariya when we ranked him as the 13th Left Winger, "He's an amazing talent even now. Don't let last season or his age convince you otherwise." So far BTT has been correct. Through 4 games Paul Kariya has 8 points and is skating like a player half his age and running the powerplay like a grizzled veteran. That may eventually slow but it certainly is encouraging. A top tier second LW option almost every league.
FACT: One more time for good measure, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51xq5G6053A
Boyes is off to a great start, picking up right where he left off last season. He has 4 goals and 2 assists through the first 4 games and looks strong in all aspects of the game. Boyes, one of the castoffs I mentioned above, Boyes doesn't get you PIM but he is a decent shooter and should be active on the powerplay all season.
FACT: Brad played several seasons of roller hockey for his hometown team, the Mississuaga Rattlers.
Last year was supposed to be the last season that Tkachuk was able to contribute. He had 58 points and 70 PIM. Now this is supposed to be the last season he can contribute. He has started the season with 5 goals and 8 PIM. Tkachuk won't keep this pace for the entire season, but when he stops scoring he will still contribute in other ways. He is a fine player to have on your bench as he is valuable in your lineup even when he isn't on a hot streak.
FACT: Keith Tkachuk was the first American born player to lead the NHL in goals, scoring 52 in 1996-97.
You Want to Be Prepared to Snag:
Andy McDonald
David Perron
Patirk Beglund
McDonald had a disgusting year after two great ones with Anaheim Ducks. If he returns to those heights, 85 and 78 points respectively, then he would be worth a roster spot.
FACT: Speedier then you might think, McDonald won the fastest skater competition at the 2007 NHL all star game.
Perron and Berglund are both low first round draft picks and, along with TJ Oshie, make up a trio of young talent that have really stood out for the Blues early this season. Perron and Berglund are receiving significant ice time, a good amount of it with Paul Kariya, and are really contributing to this club at a high level. Now when reality catches up with the Blues it is likely the rookies that will be the first to be affected but nevertheless their production should be watched carefully. Unexpected production from players no one else has heard of but you is where fantasy leagues are won and lost. Take heed.
FACT: 7. That's the number of first round draft picks St. Louis currently has playing offense for them.
The Defense:
Without the presence of Erik Johnson there isn't a whole lot to talk about here. Ultimately this will be St. Louis's problem this year (as it almost was the other day against the Maple Leafs of all teams). They are incapable of providing adequate protection for Manny Legace so if he is forced to leave a rebound he's kinda toast. If someone emerges here I'll be sure to let you all know.
The Powerplay:
Paul Kariya
Keith Tkachuk
Brad Boyes
Andy McDonald
Eric Brewer
Its a good unit that is going to miss Johnson's poise. Kariya is still aces at setting the table though as his 6 powerplay assists attest to.
The Goalie(s):
Legace is the starter here, but without D his numbers are going to suffer a bit this season, as likely will Mason's if he's called upon to spend any significant amount of time in the crease. Neither is a bad pickup as a spot starter but you certainly shouldn't place your hopes of a championship upon either.
FACT: Legace made the all star game last year. I know right?
The Verdict:
The Blues will be an exciting team to watch this year as they take another step towards becoming the dominant team they were in the 80's and 90's.
Don't look now but the team that most talking heads (a designation which I grudgingly accept as applying to myself now) had pegged as the worst team in the West is leading their division... you know the one with Chicago and Detroit. Do I think that will hold up? No. Do I think that St. Louis is a playoff team? Probably not. With Erik Johnson down St. Louis probably doesn't have the D to get it done.
What it does say is two things: a) The rebuilding started under John Davidson is beginning to work and b) say what you will about the rest of the team, but the offense can score.
Key Departures:
Erik Johnson
He's not gone but he might as well be for the purposes of discussing this season. If Johnson really does miss the entire season as a result of his freak knee injury you can bet the golf carts will be burned in effigy throughout St. Louis. The team is riding high, playing with what they have right now, but eventually the lack of D and the lack of Johnson's steadying presence on the point will cost them.
New Faces:
Chris Mason
Mason is "Legace's body" insurance. Unfairly run out of Nashville for crimes he didn't commit Mason will be a fine backup for Legace (who was unfairly run out of Detroit for crimes he didn't commit) and should be able to spell him for stretches if it becomes necessary. A good move for the organization.
The Offense:
So... they aren't the flashiest names and they don't put up the greatest stats but St. Louis has a good mix of veteran talent, skilled castoffs and young high draft picks. They have great ambassadors for the game, veteran leadership, and the future all in one place, that's how you build a team.
You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Paul Kariya
Brad Boyes
Keith Tkachuk
We said this about Kariya when we ranked him as the 13th Left Winger, "He's an amazing talent even now. Don't let last season or his age convince you otherwise." So far BTT has been correct. Through 4 games Paul Kariya has 8 points and is skating like a player half his age and running the powerplay like a grizzled veteran. That may eventually slow but it certainly is encouraging. A top tier second LW option almost every league.
FACT: One more time for good measure, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51xq5G6053A
Boyes is off to a great start, picking up right where he left off last season. He has 4 goals and 2 assists through the first 4 games and looks strong in all aspects of the game. Boyes, one of the castoffs I mentioned above, Boyes doesn't get you PIM but he is a decent shooter and should be active on the powerplay all season.
FACT: Brad played several seasons of roller hockey for his hometown team, the Mississuaga Rattlers.
Last year was supposed to be the last season that Tkachuk was able to contribute. He had 58 points and 70 PIM. Now this is supposed to be the last season he can contribute. He has started the season with 5 goals and 8 PIM. Tkachuk won't keep this pace for the entire season, but when he stops scoring he will still contribute in other ways. He is a fine player to have on your bench as he is valuable in your lineup even when he isn't on a hot streak.
FACT: Keith Tkachuk was the first American born player to lead the NHL in goals, scoring 52 in 1996-97.
You Want to Be Prepared to Snag:
Andy McDonald
David Perron
Patirk Beglund
McDonald had a disgusting year after two great ones with Anaheim Ducks. If he returns to those heights, 85 and 78 points respectively, then he would be worth a roster spot.
FACT: Speedier then you might think, McDonald won the fastest skater competition at the 2007 NHL all star game.
Perron and Berglund are both low first round draft picks and, along with TJ Oshie, make up a trio of young talent that have really stood out for the Blues early this season. Perron and Berglund are receiving significant ice time, a good amount of it with Paul Kariya, and are really contributing to this club at a high level. Now when reality catches up with the Blues it is likely the rookies that will be the first to be affected but nevertheless their production should be watched carefully. Unexpected production from players no one else has heard of but you is where fantasy leagues are won and lost. Take heed.
FACT: 7. That's the number of first round draft picks St. Louis currently has playing offense for them.
The Defense:
Without the presence of Erik Johnson there isn't a whole lot to talk about here. Ultimately this will be St. Louis's problem this year (as it almost was the other day against the Maple Leafs of all teams). They are incapable of providing adequate protection for Manny Legace so if he is forced to leave a rebound he's kinda toast. If someone emerges here I'll be sure to let you all know.
The Powerplay:
Paul Kariya
Keith Tkachuk
Brad Boyes
Andy McDonald
Eric Brewer
Its a good unit that is going to miss Johnson's poise. Kariya is still aces at setting the table though as his 6 powerplay assists attest to.
The Goalie(s):
Legace is the starter here, but without D his numbers are going to suffer a bit this season, as likely will Mason's if he's called upon to spend any significant amount of time in the crease. Neither is a bad pickup as a spot starter but you certainly shouldn't place your hopes of a championship upon either.
FACT: Legace made the all star game last year. I know right?
The Verdict:
The Blues will be an exciting team to watch this year as they take another step towards becoming the dominant team they were in the 80's and 90's.
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.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Drafting Your Defense Just Got Tougher
A couple of quick injury notes:
Erik Johnson to miss entire season with torn ligaments. Golf Carts To Be Hunted as Criminals in St. Louis.
Erik Johnson, THE future of the St. Louis Blues tore the ligaments in his knee stepping out of a golf cart at a team sponsored event. Holy shit. That has to rival Theodore injuring himself slipping on a patch of ice outside of his house... not in the irony department but definitely in the randomness one. St. Louis President John Davidson when asked for a comment said, "Whoa Baby!" We agree John. This one hurts.
Johnson is expected to miss the entire season so obviously don't draft him unless you like having inactive players on your bench. I don't know maybe you're weird. Masochists play fantasy game too right? In fact it's arguable whether anyone BUT masochists play fantasy games but...
Sergei Gonchar dislocates shoulder... recovery time uncertain.
It now appears that Gonchar's mysterious injury in the Penguins first preseason game was a dislocated shoulder. The Penguins have been quiet about it up until now as there was too much swelling to determine whether surgery would or would not be necessary. Now according to Pens GM Ray Shero, Gonchar is considering surgery. A dislocated shoulder is a strange injury in the NHL. Malkin missed just four game from a dislocated shoulder in the preseason last year... but Malkin was 20 and Gonchar is well into his 30's. Of course it all depends upon the severity. I would move Gonchar down several spots in your draft. He will miss the beginning of the season even under the best case scenario and could be out until December under the worst.
With Whitney out until at least December the Pens powerplay situation becomes murky at best. Expect everyone with a pulse on that team to be trying their hand at the point for the first few games of the season. The early edge looks to go to Daryl Sydor (experience) or Alex Goligoski (potential).
This is a gut check for Pittsburgh. Their depth is being tested ad every weakness is being exploited. Rememer this is still the team that held onto their division lead without Crosby... but with Hossa... and Malone... and Whitney and Gonchar. Uh oh. I'd say the Rangers and Flyers odds in Vegas just went up. In related news this is apparently video of the most recent Penguins practice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0paUfGmB-Q
Erik Johnson to miss entire season with torn ligaments. Golf Carts To Be Hunted as Criminals in St. Louis.
Erik Johnson, THE future of the St. Louis Blues tore the ligaments in his knee stepping out of a golf cart at a team sponsored event. Holy shit. That has to rival Theodore injuring himself slipping on a patch of ice outside of his house... not in the irony department but definitely in the randomness one. St. Louis President John Davidson when asked for a comment said, "Whoa Baby!" We agree John. This one hurts.
Johnson is expected to miss the entire season so obviously don't draft him unless you like having inactive players on your bench. I don't know maybe you're weird. Masochists play fantasy game too right? In fact it's arguable whether anyone BUT masochists play fantasy games but...
Sergei Gonchar dislocates shoulder... recovery time uncertain.
It now appears that Gonchar's mysterious injury in the Penguins first preseason game was a dislocated shoulder. The Penguins have been quiet about it up until now as there was too much swelling to determine whether surgery would or would not be necessary. Now according to Pens GM Ray Shero, Gonchar is considering surgery. A dislocated shoulder is a strange injury in the NHL. Malkin missed just four game from a dislocated shoulder in the preseason last year... but Malkin was 20 and Gonchar is well into his 30's. Of course it all depends upon the severity. I would move Gonchar down several spots in your draft. He will miss the beginning of the season even under the best case scenario and could be out until December under the worst.
With Whitney out until at least December the Pens powerplay situation becomes murky at best. Expect everyone with a pulse on that team to be trying their hand at the point for the first few games of the season. The early edge looks to go to Daryl Sydor (experience) or Alex Goligoski (potential).
This is a gut check for Pittsburgh. Their depth is being tested ad every weakness is being exploited. Rememer this is still the team that held onto their division lead without Crosby... but with Hossa... and Malone... and Whitney and Gonchar. Uh oh. I'd say the Rangers and Flyers odds in Vegas just went up. In related news this is apparently video of the most recent Penguins practice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0paUfGmB-Q
Sunday, July 27, 2008
I Don't Get the Blues
St. Louis Blues
St. Lou is in hardcore rebuilding mode. About all they added this offseason was Nashville's goaltending controversy. Legace will be the number 1 goaltender at the start of the season, and he will put up fine numbers (because Manny Legace is a fine regular season goaltender). He will get hurt though... maybe more then once. That's when Mason will try to assert himself. He may do it. He may not. Either way Mason's arrival basically makes neither of these goaltenders a sure thing. If you're thinking of drafting the Blues goalie then one of three things are true:
1. You think Legace is a really cool name.
2. You missed out on a goalie run or two.
3. Its late in the draft and you want to take a flyer
If you insist on drafting a goalie from the Blues then, like Colorado, you probably need both.
And with that our offseason wrapups are complete. (Exhales).
Stay tuned for Offseason Awards...
St. Lou is in hardcore rebuilding mode. About all they added this offseason was Nashville's goaltending controversy. Legace will be the number 1 goaltender at the start of the season, and he will put up fine numbers (because Manny Legace is a fine regular season goaltender). He will get hurt though... maybe more then once. That's when Mason will try to assert himself. He may do it. He may not. Either way Mason's arrival basically makes neither of these goaltenders a sure thing. If you're thinking of drafting the Blues goalie then one of three things are true:
1. You think Legace is a really cool name.
2. You missed out on a goalie run or two.
3. Its late in the draft and you want to take a flyer
If you insist on drafting a goalie from the Blues then, like Colorado, you probably need both.
And with that our offseason wrapups are complete. (Exhales).
Stay tuned for Offseason Awards...
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