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Fantasy Debate: Pavel Datsyuk

Nov 21

Posted by EB in Fantasy, News | No Comments

The beginning of the NHL season has been a unique one to say the least. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers were leading the league while other teams seemed to falter. One such team, the Detroit Red Wings, left many fans to wonder if this will be the season that their playoff streak ends. Have no fear as both Toronto and Edmonton begin to drop while the Red Wings slowly climb the Western Conference Standings. Despite the Red Wings recent success, a question arises for fantasy owners, what to do with Pavel Datsyuk?

Pavel Datsyuk is one of the best players in the game with takeaways and dangles that few players can match. But 19 games into the season, will Datsyuk put up big numbers to help your fantasy team?

Some may argue that he has 15 points in those 19 games, a respectable tally for any player. But currently on pace for 64 points, a point total that fantasy owners expect to be nearer to 90, some owners might want to look at their options. Factor in Datsyuk has nearly a quarter of his total points in the last 2 games, it may be time to dump the Datsyuk.

On the flip side, to cast more confusion in your Datsyuk debate, Pavel is still one of the top players in the league. Coming off of a 2 game, 4 point performance, perhaps the dam has finally broken. Surely Datsyuk will not keep up a two point night, but Datsyuk has yet to let any of his fantasy owners down. Last year he was out for part of the season, only playing 56 games and he still put up 59 points. The 2009-2010 season saw him take a dip, only to 70 points, but the 4 season previous he did not fall below 87 points.

Well, what to do what to do? Datsyuk could be his dependable self, or perhaps he is slowly declining in his point production. As a fantasy owner you need to make a decision soon on what to do. If you so choose to make a trade offer, now is the time, coming off of a good couple of games, a point total respectable to the amount of games played, and the Red Wings are starting to win again. But if you so choose to hold onto him, the future is unknown, but hope for bluer skies red lit lamps.

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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Get Him While You Can

Oct 17

Posted by Eddie in Fantasy | 2 Comments

Only four months ago, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the first overall pick in the NHL draft. And just like fellow No. 1 pick and teammate Taylor Hall, Nugent-Hopkins has entered the NHL with a splash. He’s played four games this young season and he has four goals. Granted, three of those came in a hat trick performance came in a loss against the defending Western Conference champs Vancouver, but it quite impressive none the less.

Nugent-Hopkins is 18 years old and has already put three pucks past one of the best goalies in the world in Roberto Luongo. That’s something Team USA struggled with in the 2010 gold medal game. Standing at 6’1″ and 175 pounds (very similar build to yours truly) , Nugent-Hopkins entered the NHL via the CHL-Juniors route just like six of the previous seven No. 1 overall draft picks (Erik Johnson in 2006 is the only exception). He played the last two-plus seasons with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League. He is no stranger to lighting the lamp as he scored 31 goals and recorded 75 assists last season. He took a team that missed the playoffs in the two seasons before he arrived to two playoff appearances during his time there. Last season, the Rebels won the division title before losing in the second round of the playoffs.

Now that you have a little background information, check back at my season preview when I said he could be NHL ready at 18. I also said he would spend time on the second line and he’s doing just fine anchoring the young talent the Oilers possess. Only if they can get Ales Hemsky back because he suffered a shoulder injury Thursday night and will be out a couple weeks.

In your fantasy league, he could be available. According to some simple research, he is available in 75 percent of Yahoo! Fantasy Hockey leagues. He was still available in the Hockey World Blog fantasy league myself, Chris and EB participate in and I had a difficult decision to make. I was pretty set at the Center position as I have John Tavares, Ryan Getzlaf, Logan Couture and Steve Ott. I picked up Ott because Mike Fisher is on IR and I’m still hoping he can produce when he returns to the lineup. I might regret it, but I dropped Couture because he has not started off the way I thought he would be.

Check out this video of his hatty from the Vancouver game.

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Fantasy hockey players who could make an unexpected impact

Oct 7

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | 3 Comments

Looking to make a few tweaks to your Fantasy Hockey lineup or compensate for unexpected injuries? Take a look at your waiver wire to see if some of these players might be available.

Forwards:

Rich Peverley: Peverley (pictured) will skate on a line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Peverley has good hands and the capability to put up good numbers. However, his time in Atlanta allowed him to fly under the radar for most Fantasy owners. He looked good in the season opener and a 50+ point season might not be out of the question if he stays on the second line.

Vinny Prospal: As expected, the veteran winger will start the season on the top line in Columbus with Rick Nash and Jeff Carter. Injuries limited Prospal to just 29 games last season, but he managed to post 23 points in that time with the Rangers. Expect a bounce back season in terms of health and production for Prospal this season – especially if he sticks on the top line with Nash and Carter.

Wojtek Wolski: Wolski was originally slated to start on the top line for the Rangers alongside Brad Richards and Marion Gaborik. However, rumors now predict that Brandon Dubinsky will have the honors, but expect coach John Tortorella to rotate Wolski in there at some point. Dubinsky is a solid second-line center. Remain cautiously optimistic that he eventually finds his way back to that role allowing Wolski to bump up to the top line.

Petr Sykora: After a season away from the NHL, Sykora went from training camp longshot to a roster player for the New Jersey Devils. In fact, Sykora will play on the top line alongside Patrik Elias and Zach Parise. Looking back, Sykora was largely ineffective during his last NHL outing with the Wild (3 points in 14 games), but the Wild played a very defensive-minded system. Sykora put up 20+ goals in each of the three seasons prior to his flirtation with the Wild. Don’t hop on Sykora right away, but monitor his play aggressively to see how he clicks in New Jersey.

Blake Wheeler: Wheeler posted 17 points in 23 games for Winnipeg (formerly Atlanta) last season after getting traded from Boston. An increase in ice time should make Wheeler relevant for Fantasy owners this season.

Rookie Watch:

Gabriel Landeskog: Not only does he have a fun name to say, but he was also largely viewed as the most NHL-ready of all the top draft picks from the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. It’s uncertain exactly where he will fit into Colorado’s lineup this season, but if he sees time in the top-six he could put up solid rookie numbers. Fifty points? Perhaps. Add him to your watch list and wait and see where he fits in.

Ryan Johanson: Johanson will be one of several rookies lacing up for Columbus opening night. He has good size and boasted huge numbers in the WHL last season with 92 points in 63 games. Columbus expects big things from him this year. You should too.

Defenseman:

John Carlson: With rumors swirling that Marc Staal could miss the first month of the season thanks to concussion symptoms, Carlson could be a solid replacement pickup. Carlson posted 37 points last season and was a plus-21. If Washington’s offense gets back up to the level fans are used to, Carlson could post 40+ points this season.

Ian White: Another defensive replacement, White scored the golden ticket this offseason by signing with Detroit and then getting paired with Nicklas Lidstrom. White was strong on the power play in the preseason and could post career highs in points. Expect big power play numbers this year.

Goaltender:

Tuukka Rask: Bruins coach Claude Julien stated earlier this week that the Bruins don’t have a number one goalie – they have two. Basically, to cut through the coach-speak, expect Julien to use Thomas a tad more sparingly this season in order to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Rinne will benefit and see more games this year and could see spurts of consecutive starts if he gets hot. He would be a solid addition to any Fantasy lineup if he’s available.

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Peter Mueller expected to return from injury

Aug 27

Posted by Chris in Fantasy, News | 1 Comment

After sitting out all of last season with a concussion sustained during the first pre-season game of the season, The Denver Post is reporting that Colorado Avalanche forward Peter Mueller appears to be healthy, fit and ready to play.

“I’m excited to be a hockey player again,” Mueller said Wednesday. “Obviously, I’ve had concussions in the past and it’s something I have to deal with, but right now everything is in the right direction. Everything is pointing forward. I’m excited that it’s all behind me.”

The 23-year-old has been skating regularly and will partake in team physicals in mid-September for on-ice clearance. As long as all goes well, Mueller should be back in the lineup for the Avs when they open their season on Saturday, Oct. 8 at home against the Detroit Red Wings.

Mueller will also take extra precautions against sustaining another concussion this season. He will sport the new Easton S19 Z-Shock, a one-piece hockey helmet that Easton claims exceeds minimum safety regulations by as much as 40 percent. Mueller will also sport a tinted visor to help minimize the effects that bright lights can have on concussion victims.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m in ‘Top Gun’ out there with the tinted visor, but it’s been great and a very comfortable helmet to wear,” Mueller said of the new Easton helmet.

While news of Mueller’s imminent return should pay dividends for the young and highly talented Colorado Avalanche squad, it will also come as good news for Fantasy Hockey players looking for a quality sleeper this year.

Mueller never really seemed to live up to his full potential with the Phoenix Coyotes, who drafted him 8th overall in 2006, but he showed that potential after getting traded to the Avalanche in 2010 where he promptly posted 20 points, including nine goals, in 15 games before being sidelined with the first of two concussions that kept him off the ice for the better part of a year.

Several players around the NHL are still sidelined by concussion symptoms – most notable David Perron of the St. Louis Blues and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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Zach Parise Agrees to Terms; Top Fantasy Pick

Jul 31

Posted by EB in Fantasy, News | 5 Comments

The New Jersey Devils and winger Zach Parise have come to terms. After what seemed to be a a guaranteed arbitration hearing, both sides have agreed to a 1 year 6 million dollar contract.

The 26 year old Minnesota native was one of the hot topics of the off-season. Parise, who was a restricted free agent, had the possibility of becoming an unrestricted free agent if the bargaining between the two sides went sour. Had Parise become an unrestricted free agent, Parise could have been approached by other NHL team with contract offers. The talented young player would have definitely had his pick of the litter.

Parise is coming off of an injured 2010-2011 NHL season. He injured his knee during off-season training, opting to play through the pain. Unfortunately hockey is a rough sport, and to his disliking, Parise missed the majority of the season due to exploratory arthroscopic surgery.

The winger broke into the NHL in the 2005-2006 season with the devils and posted a respectable 32 points in 81 games played. Over the next 4 seasons, Parise totaled 303 points in 326 games. His high, only to this point in his career, was 45 goals and 49 assists totaling 94 points in 82 games played. Simply put, Parise is the real deal.

As noted earlier, the Devils and Parise have avoided arbitration and have agreed to a 1 year 6 million dollar contract. In looking at this, the length of the contract, I do not believe Parise will play with the Devils beyond the 2011-2012 season. For Parise, this means that the upcoming NHL season is a season where he needs to not only prove his worth, but play to a caliber that would warrant a big contract. For you as a fan and a fantasy player, this means Parise is going to be putting up big points, upwards of 90+ points. So who might he rival next year? Both Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and yes, Alexander Ovechkin will return to the mix of scoring leaders. Oh, one more guy would be a healthy Sidney Crosby.

Parise has one more year as a Devil and he’s jumping ship. If you are sitting in the third to seventh spot in your draft, Parise would be a good option to take.

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2011 NHL Playoff Predictions

Apr 13

Posted by EB in Fantasy, Soap Box | 1 Comment

It is that time of year, the time every hockey fan waits for; the playoffs. Here are some predictions.

Quarterfinals

Eastern Conference

1. Washington Capitals v 8 New York Rangers: 1. Washington Capitals

With Washington focusing this year on their defense and the Rangers relying too much on their netminder Henrik Lundqvist, look for the Capitals to take it in 5.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins v 5. Tampa Bay Lightning: 5. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Penguins are flying high but they still are without their two most valuable player; Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Tampa Bay on the other hand have all their pieces, enough to get pass the first round. Tampa Bay in 7.

2. Philadelphia Flyers v 7. Buffalo Sabres: 7. Buffalo Sabres

Perhaps this is more of a personal decision, but I do not like the Flyers and I cannot get myself to choose them. Factor in the loss of Chris Pronger for the first game for sure and possibly more, as well as the horrible end to their season, on-a-roll Buffalo will take it in 6.

3. Boston Bruins v 6. Montreal Canadiens: 6. Montreal Canadiens

Boston is big, Montreal is fast. This one is for you Ron, Canadiens in 7. Go Habs Go!

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks v 8. Chicago Blackhawks: 1. Vancouver Canucks

The Blachawks barely made the playoffs only to go against the best team in the NHL. It is not the same Blackhawks as last year, Canucks in 5. (On a side note, from a Wing’s fan, Chicago Sucks!)

4. Anaheim Ducks v 5. Nashville Predators: 4. Anaheim Ducks

This will be a tough battle between two solid teams. A worry for Anaheim is their goalie’s health status. Still though, the Ducks have a talented offense that will carry them pass the first round in 6 games.

2. San Jose Sharks v 7. Los Angeles Kings: 2. San Jose Sharks

I think the Sharks and Kings worked together to have the shortest travel between two teams in the West which may pay dividends later. Star forward Anze Kopitar is out for the playoffs just like his team will be in 4.

3. Detroit Red Wings v 6. Phoenix Coyotes: 3. Detroit Red Wings

Deja vu? Last year the wings edged out the Coyotes in 7 games; this year look for it to be done in 6.

Semifinals

Eastern Conference

1. Washington Capitals v 7.  Buffalo Sabres: 1. Washington Capitals

Buffalo will come from a taxing first round while the Capitals are just getting started. Defense Mike Green will be back at game speed and meshing well with his team. Capitals in 6.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning v 6. Montreal Canadiens: 6. Montreal Canadiens

As much as I want the Lightning taking on the Capitals in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Lightning’s goalies will be the weak link in this one. Canadiens in 5.

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks v 4. Anaheim Ducks: 1. Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks were number one for a reason and will take advantage of a Ducks team who takes stupid penalties when they are frustrated. Canucks in 5.

2. San Jose Sharks v 3. Detroit Red Wings: 3. Detroit Red Wings

These two teams have a lot of history and a lot of similarities when it comes to their play styles. The Wings depth will be key, look for Modano, Helm and Hudler to be the deciding factors, as well as a healthy Henrik Zetterberg. Wings in 7.

Conference Finals

Eastern Conference

1. Washington Capitals v 6. Montreal Canadiens: 1. Washington Capitals

The Canadiens trip has finally come to an end. Sorry Ron. Capitals in 6.

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks v 3. Detroit Red Wings: 3. Detroit Red Wings

OK, you got me. I cannot root against the Wings. Despite my blind faith, the Wings have a talaneted and seasoned team. Wings in 7.

2011 NHL Final

Washington Capitals v Detroit Red Wings: Detroit Red Wings – 6 games

The Capitals are geeked, they have worked on their defense and it has taken them this far. Sorry Capitals, the Wings invented everything you are doing, and they still do it better. Wings in 5.

The NHL All-Star Game’s All-Snubbed Team

Jan 23

Posted by Eddie in Fantasy | 1 Comment

Last week the participants for the NHL All-Star game in Raleigh was announced. Yesterday, the captains for the Fantasy Draft were announced. The NHL won’t announce or promote this, but someone had to do it: The All-Snubbed team. These are six players who had the stats and possible fan votes to earn a ticket to the showcase. It could have been factors such as the NHL’s Hockey Operations Department, numbers, or injuries that kept them out of the game. I’m doing to do this a little different. I won’t attach names at the beginning, but rather at the end of this article. Provided is information such as stats and you can decide which player should be in the game rather than looking at someones name.

Left Wing

I might get a lot of flack for this one because the dreadful team already has one All-Star participant. But Player A is seventh among left wingers in points. He has 14 goals and 23 assists so far this season. He is already at a career-high in points after 44 games (he earned 31 points in 71 games two seasons ago in Buffalo). He is three goals short of tying his career-best of 14 during that 2008-09 season. Don’t get me wrong, Player B is a good player. But he’s having a down season as everyone on his team is. He’s on pace to finish with a negative plus-minus rating for the first time since 1997, when he played 17 games in the NHL. He has 10 goals, 22 assists in 44 games this season. Numbers like that isn’t All-Star worthy for a player of his caliber.

Center

For a team that was in the public eye in the month of December, I’m surprised Player C couldn’t garner more fan votes to be able to play in the game. His team struggled during the key parts of December but they are catching their stride. He has 11 goals, 30 assists, and a +9 rating. His 30 assists place him seventh among Center’s and he’s respectful in the face-off circle as he’s won nearly 54 percent of draws. Player D is good when he’s on the ice, but he’s battled injuries throughout the season. He got voted a starter, but primarily because of his name and the team he plays on. He’s played in six less games than Player C, and has seven less points than Player C.

Right Wing

Player E is one of the old-timers of the game. He probably wanted to chose the extra weekend of rest to give him the energy to finish the rest of the season. He could also have been a numbers casualty because he has two teammates selected to the game as well as one selected to the rookie challenge. He has 14 goals, 27 assists this season, but his +/- could be better as it is currently at Even. He has better numbers than Player F, who played in five more games than Player E and has worse statistics. Player F does have a better +/- , as he sits at +14.

Defense

After comparing players for defensemen, I think the staff at the NHL simply put names on a dart board and whomever they hit, they picked for the All-Star game. Player G, not selected for the game, has 8 goals, 32 assists, and a +6 rating. His 40 points places him third among d-men, and he’s second in assist. Player H plays on a bad team, has a -16 rating and has less points than player G has assists. How is Player G not selected for the All-Star game? Hopefully if there is a injury this week he will be selected because it is a travesty if he doesn’t make it to Raleigh.

Goalie

My first reaction when I saw the lineup of goalies was “The East can’t be that much better than the West. Why the heck are there give goalies from the East and only Jonas Hiller from the West?” I’m not being picky and saying there has to be three from each conference, but having a second goalie from the West would make the game much more appealing and more balanced. My goalie whom I think was snubbed  is one you might not think initially. It’s not the guy from my hometown team, despite Jimmy Howard having 23 wins, his GAA is 2.9 and his save percentage is a shade north of .900. The goalie whom I think was snubbed is a two-time All-Star, one of the best at his position, has a 21-8-6 record while leading his team to one of the top records in the league. He may stumble in the playoffs, but he gets it done in the regular season. It could be possible he declined a spot in the game as his wife just gave birth to their second child in December and wants to spend time with them before going back on the road with his team.

In comparison, Player J carries a 20-14-5 record. He has a 2.67 GAA and could have been selected to the All-Star game because of the team he plays on. Not to mention statistically he’s the weakest East goalie chosen for the game.

Snubbed and Replaceable Players Revealed

Player A Snubbed- Clarke MacArthur (LW, TOR)

Player B Replaceable- Patrik Elias (LW, NJD)

Player C Snubbed- Nicklas Backstrom (C, WAS)

Player D Replaceable- Evgeni Malkin (C, PIT)

Player E Snubbed- Teemu Selanne (RW, ANA)

Player F Replaceable- David Backes (RW, STL)

Player G Snubbed- Lubomir Visnovsky (D, ANA)

Player H Replaceable- Erik Karlsson (D, OTT)

Player I Snubbed- Roberto Lulongo (G, VAN)

Player J Replaceable- Cam Ward (G, CAR)

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Fantasy Hockey owners should take advantage of Marc Savard’s promotion

Dec 23

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

In nine games this season with the Boston Bruins after returning from the long-term injury reserve with post-concussion symptoms, Marc Savard has only managed to tally three points. Add in his minus-4 rating and it isn’t tough to see why Savard is owned in only 28 percent of Yahoo’s Fantasy Hockey leagues.

What you may not know about Savard, however, is that he is more than capable of producing at a point-per-game clip when he is healthy. And he is getting healthy. After being away from the game for several months, Savard returned to the Bruin’s lineup on Dec. 2 where he centered the third line. Savard has been there since as he works to get back up to speed and regain his timing. And now is the time to take advantage of his free agency status in 72 percent of the Yahoo leagues because things are set to turn around for Savard quite soon.

The Bruins currently sit 8th overall in the Eastern Conference and are just four points out of a playoff spot. The team is 5-3-2 over their last 10 games and have struggled to score goals at times, which has prompted coach Claude Julien to promote Savard to the top line where he will center Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic – the two leading goal scorers for the Boston Bruins. This promotion should significantly impact Savard’s point production and Fantasy value if he remains with this unit.

Savard is one of the best playmaking centers in the league when he is healthy. In four of his past five NHL seasons, Savard has recorded 60 or more assists and reached the 80-point plateau in three of those five seasons. Last season, despite only playing in 41 games, Savard still managed a decent 33 points, including 23 assists. But what’s really impressive is that half of his points came on the power play that season where he had six goals and 11 assists with a man advantage. Needless to say, with Savard still available in almost three-quarters of all Yahoo Fantasy Leagues, it would be a worthy investment for you to pick him up if you have room available at center and need a boost in assists and power play points.

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Several players will get opportunity to step up in place of Modano

Dec 1

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

With only two goals and six assists in 20 games on the season, Detroit Red Wings forward Mike Modano was by no means a Fantasy Hockey stud before his injury over the weekend against the Columbus Blue Jackets. But his injury, which is expected to sideline Modano until close to playoff time, could allow some other Red Wings players to step up and shine both on the ice and on your Fantasy roster. Here are a couple players that might be look a second glance in the coming weeks if you’re in need of an offensive boost.

Justin Abdelkader will see significantly more playing time as he steps in to center the third line with former 20-goal scorers Jiri Hudler and Dan Cleary on his wings. With seven points in 13 games, most of which came as a fourth line grinder, Abdelkader has the skill set to play in the top-6 and seems to get better every game. He will get ample opportunity to create offense and help fill Modano’s shoes on the third line. Abdelkader also excels in hits and shot block categories if your league rewards for those stats.

Dan Cleary, who is already off to an impressive start with 10 goals and five assists in 21 games, will also be looked upon to shoulder the load and help carry the offense. He might be worth a look if your league is deep and he hasn’t been snatched up already.

One real anomaly on the team is Jiri Hudler. In his first stint with the Wings before defecting to Russia for last season before rejoining the team this year, Hudler managed to increase his scoring production in each season he played and finally topped out at 23 goals and 57 points in 2008-09. However, Hudler has struggled to find his way this year and only has six points in 18 games and has often found himself the odd man out as a healthy scratch. However, Hudler replaced Modano on the point of the second power play unit this past Sunday against Columbus. With a bomb of a shot and excellent play making abilities, Hudler could see a lot more power play time this season as a point man which will give him more ice time and hopefully help increase his sluggish production.

The Wings currently boast the second best goals per game average in the league and the 10th best power play percentage. Some of these players may be worth keeping an eye on if your league is deep and you need options for players with the possibility to have breakout campaigns. At least stash them on your watch list and see how things pan out over the next few weeks. Abdelkader seems to have the most room to benefit and will finally see steady ice time for the first time in his young career. He has been a workhorse this season and continues to get rewarded for his stellar play and his work ethic.

While no exact timetable has been given for Modano’s return after suffering a severed tendon and some nerve damage in his right wrist, the team hopes that Modano can make it back in time to get back up to speed before the playoffs roll around in April.

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Tuesday’s Take: Milan Hejduk

Nov 2

Posted by EB in Fantasy, Soap Box | No Comments

Milan HejdukPerhaps some of you happen to know a guy by the name of Milan Hejduk who plays for the Colorado Avalanche. Kind of a goofy looking fella, stands about 6’0″ and weighs about 190 pounds. He is currently tearing it up this season. In 11 games played he has 12 points. The combination is 4 goals and 8 assists – a good ratio indeed. Oh yeah, two of those goals came from the power-play and 5 of his assists have come from the power-play as well. Plus he is on a hot streak with 11 point in the last 6 games.

So why am I talking about him? Simple, only 45 percent of Yahoo fantasy players own him. I happen to fall in the category of not owning him, but I continue to look at his stats and question why have I not jumped on him yet.

Hejkduk may not be known for his scoring in recent years, but he is a solid player. When healthy, Hejduk puts up numbers of 60+. Last season, in 56 games, he posted 44 points.

Perhaps you might know another guy by the name of Matt Duchene. You know, the rookie last year who posted 55 points in 81 games played? Yeah, that guy who is off to another good start with 2 goals and 7 assist in 9 games.  Consider him broken in this year. Hejduk and Duchene, yep, they are line mates.

So what am I getting at here people? Simple, drop your middle tier guys or at least your lower tier guys who you think will eventually turn it around, drop them and pick up Hejduk. Colorado is a young, fast, fun team to watch that is sitting 1st in the Northwest. Yes, the Northwest who have the weak  Calgary Flames, young Edmonton Oilers, and the oh-so-horrendous Minnesota Wild (offer still stands). Hejduk will continue to get you good points and if he stays healthy, look for about 50 points this season if not more. He’s a steal right now, go pick him up already before someone else does.