Jan 27
Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images
Captain Zdeno Chara and Tyler Seguin of the Boston Bruins show a little love after Chara left Seguin among the final four to be chosen in the 2012 NHL All-Star Draft. Seguin, once picked, was greeted with a smiling Chara asking, “Want to hug it out?”. One of the funnier moments of the night.
It looks to be a good lineup for both teams. Anyone else hoping for a Pavel Datsyuk / Evgeni Malkin line?
Jan 20
Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images
Toronto Maple Leaf’s Joffrey Lupul carries the puck last night against the Minnesota Wild. Toronto took down the Wild by a score of 4 – 1. Both teams have had unexpected success this year. The Wild jumped out in front early but has seen a slow and painful fall as of late, currently sitting in 9th place. Toronto has followed the same path, currently in 9th place in the Eastern Conference.
Lupul currently leads the Maple Leafs with 51 points, a combination of 20 goals and 31 assists. His career high is only 2 points away. Last night alone he had 3 assists. Rocking the Reebok swag and Easton stick, Lupul is going to break his career high point total and possibly help take the Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Jan 20
Two weeks ago, we brought you an in depth breakdown of team stats around the NHL that could help give a better indication on how your goalie may fare on any given night against any given opponent. This week we turn the tables a bit to analyze more team stats, but this time focus on the impact of these stats for forwards and defenseman.
A good Fantasy Hockey league setup has roster positions and bench positions so that on some nights, when most everyone on your team is playing, you have to make the tough decisions regarding who to bench and who to play. So as a Manager, how do you decide which players to play and which to sit?
Sometimes it comes down to a “hunch” or intuition. Obviously your star players will likely get spots because they are more likely to put points on the board. Players on hot streaks may also get the nod over someone that is slumping. Or you may choose to go by which team any given player is playing against that night.
For instance, if you’re trying to decide between two players, and one is playing against the New York Rangers while the other is playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning, you may want to consider playing your guy against Tampa Bay. Why? Because Tampa Bay averages 3.47 goals against per game while the Rangers average 1.98 goals against per game, meaning there is a greater probability that your player will score against Tampa Bay.
Here is a breakdown of the top five teams in the league with the lowest goals against averages per game:
New York Rangers (1.98)
St. Louis Blues (1.98)
Boston Bruins (2.02)
Los Angeles Kings (2.13)
San Jose Sharks (2.28)
Similarly, here are the worst five teams in the NHL with the highest goals against averages per game:
Tampa Bay Lightning (3.47)
Columbus Blue Jackets (3.22)
Carolina Hurricanes (3.17)
Ottawa Senators (3.08)
Toronto Maple Leafs (3.07)
The Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders also have averages of 3.00 goals against per game or better as well.
You can also get a good idea of how your players will fare by looking at which goalie he will face that night. And these numbers don’t always correlate with the team average.
Boston has a low enough team goals against per game average, but backup netminder Tuukka Rask actually has a lower goals against average than starter Tim Thomas. This means that your player is more likely to score on Thomas than on Rask, but the likelihood that he will score against Boston at all is slim.
Consider the Colorado Avalanche as well. As a whole, the team averages 2.85 goals allowed per game. However, goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere have basically split time, but Varlamov’s goals against average is much higher at 3.00 goals against per game than Giguere’s 2.12 goals against per game. So if Varlamov gets the start, play against him with confidence.
The Philadelphia Flyers have a similar issue with Ilya Bryzgalov (3.00) and Sergei Bobrovsky (2.42). Thankfully for Fantasy Managers, Bryzgalov gets the majority of the starts with 30 this season compared to Bobrovsky’s 14.
It doesn’t happen often when you have a full slate of games and have to make the tough choices as a manager on whom to bench and whom to play, but knowing the odds can help you make the right decision in the future. It’s not fool-proof by any means, but it’s a step in the right direction.
The currently falling in the standings Pittsburgh Penguins look to be at a fork in the road. The team, who have gone 4-6-0 in their last 10, needs to muster up some confidence and chemistry if they wish to make the playoffs.
The Penguins entered the season with one of the best teams on paper. Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury and team Captain and leader Sidney Crosby. Well, they still look good on paper, and even good on the ice, yet injuries have hit the team hard. To date, Jordan Staal sustained a knee injury and will be out 4-6 weeks. Kris Letang has been diagnosed with a concussion and his return date is unknown. And Sidney Crosby is out indefinitely with concussion-like symptoms. Will the injuries ever stop?
The team has faced such adversity before as last season the team went without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for lengthy period of time. The team responded to the pressure, ending second in their division and fourth place overall within the Eastern Conference with a 106 point count. This season however, the team seems to be folding under the pressure.
Defenseman Brent Orpik, a voice of the locker room emphasizes the team’s need for accountability. ”The accountability in this room has to be a lot better. We aren’t reacting to adversity very well right now. You can’t feel sorry for yourselves.”
The team will look to rebound in the coming month of January but with a tough schedule ahead of them. The month brings games against unexpectedly good Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs; all teams who are currently in playoff spots. Surprisingly “easier” match-ups will be against the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and the still undecided Washington Capitals.
If the Penguins end this month out of a playoff spot, the long climb back might be too much for this team to handle.
This year’s Winter Classic event matched up two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and again raised the expectations of this annual event. The game featured strong play on both fronts, a come-from-behind victory by the New York Rangers and a nail-biting penalty shot save in the waning seconds of the game by Rangers goalie Henrik Lundquist to preserve the victory. It had all of the makings of a successful Winter Classic. So where does the NHL go from here?
To Detroit.
In five Winter Classic games, the Western Conference has only hosted one. That came in 2009 when the Detroit Red Wings bested the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 at Wrigley Field. The other four games have all been intra-conference matchups with Eastern Conference teams. Logically, the NHL and NBC should go back West. And Detroit would be the perfect spot to do it.
Cold, gray, and one of the most successful NHL franchises of the past two decades, Detroit would be the perfect setting for the next NHL Winter Classic. Plus, the NHL would have their pick of venues for the annual contest. If they wanted to stay within the confines of the city, Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, would be a perfect place to set up shop. However, if the NHL really wanted to go big and continue to raise the stakes, they would move west just down the freeway and take the game to Michigan Stadium where they could cram in more than 100,000 spectators while playing the game on one of the most storied football fields in college football history.
So now you have the Detroit Red Wings involved, one of the most popular NHL franchises in recent history, along with one of the biggest venues in the nation. So who does the NHL choose to bring in as an opponent for this event? While the NHL certainly has their pick of the litter, two teams immediately come to mind: San Jose and Toronto.
The Sharks have been a thorn in the side of the Red Wings for several seasons now. The teams have met in the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and both times the Sharks defeated the Wings. Both teams are highly skilled, puck-possession teams with big name talent on their rosters. Plus, finally bringing in a West-coast team could garner the game more attention from West coast fans that have thus far had no reason to really tune into the game.
The other opponent could be the Toronto Maple Leafs and, all things considered, this is the most likely. Not only would a Toronto-Detroit matchup bring together two Original Six teams for one of the biggest NHL events of the year, but it would also finally get a Canadian team involved in the matchup. Plus, Toronto is a four-hour drive to Detroit and tons of fans would be willing to make the trek. The arena would easily be just as many Maple Leafs fans as Red Wings fans.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman refuses to tip his hand as to whom the next host city and opponent could be, but what he has said might indicate that Detroit could be in the running for the game.
“My guess is it will be played in a place we have not been before,” Bettman said. “So, therefore, in the U.S., you’ve eliminated five locations. You can play with the other 25, play with geography and understand that temperature is a factor…You can eliminate some of the warmer climates. We are not probably going to go back to where we have been.”
That statement also leaves Minnesota, Winnipeg, Toronto, Columbus, New Jersey and several other cities in the running for the game as well. But none of those teams would be as big of a draw as the Red Wings, and none of those host cities could offer a location like The Big House where they could cram in more than 100,000 spectators – something that even Leafs forward Nazem Kadri wants to be a part of.
I think at the Michigan stadium — what does it hold, like 100,000-plus?” said Kadri. “That would be a ridiculous game to be a part of. It would be a dream come true.”
What do you think? Which matchups do you most want to see for next year’s NHL Winter Classic?
Dec 21
Colton Orr, known more for racking up the fights and penalty minutes than anything else, now has a new claim to fame. On December 20th, at Leafs Nation Fan Night, it was Colton Orr who skated in alone during the shootout competition and beat goalie James Reimer. Orr followed his goal up with one of the best celebrations of the year as he got down on one knee and “tebowed” for the fans at the Air Canada Centre. Watch the clip of Colton Orr tebowing below and leave us a comment with your thoughts on his celebration. Does it beat out the sniper Artem Anisimov?
Zach Parise may be a New Jersey Devil today, but come trade deadline or free agency, expect him to be on the move.
New Jersey Devil fans have it tough, real tough. If it is not bad enough that the Devils are currently sitting 12th in the standings in the East, young superstar Zach Parise is likely to play for another team come trade deadline or in the off-season.
The Minnesota native Zach Parise is coming into his production years at the age of 27. Playing 7 seasons with the Devils, it is time for some new scenery. With a Silver medal under his belt from 2010, Parise wants a Stanley Cup ring, that of which the Devils won’t do for quite some time.
The Devils of old were once a powerhouse team. Hard hitting defender Scott Stevens, a younger Martin Brodeur between the pipes and head coach Jacques Lemaire made every team cringe. How the years have passed, as the Devils of new are nothing but a pushover. Last year the team missed the playoffs by 12 points. To this day the team is once again sitting on the outside looking in. An argument could be that they are only 2 points back from 8th, but the Eastern Conference is a tricky beast.
My how a few acquisitions, trades and years makes a difference. The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs have surprised the hockey community as both are currently sitting in playoff spots. It seems Brian Burke’s master plan to take over the hockey world is finally taking form. (insert lightning/thunder/evil laugh now) On the flip side, the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, all three teams who made the playoffs last season, are currently on the outside looking in. The Devils competition is only going to get tougher.
Over a quarter way in, Parise has only 16 points in 25 games. His total is from a combined 7 goals and 9 assists, a rather poor total for such a player of his caliber. On top of that, Parise has a plus minus rating of negative 10, second to worst on the team, that of which belongs to Ilya Kovalchuk with a negative 11.
Devil fans enjoy the season while it lasts, despite the slow plummet to miss the playoffs yet again. Parise is on the move come trade deadline or free agency. If you are lucky another team will be offering a trade and you can get some depth and draft picks.
The rumor mill began buzzing earlier this week with word out of Anaheim that general manager Bob Murray is entertaining offers for Ducks forward Bobby Ryan. Those rumors seem to have exploded since then with every blog, news site and armchair GM contributing their opinion on what it would take for their team to acquire Ryan.
No real denials have come out of Anaheim to squash the Ryan movement rumors, leading to speculation that offers are at least being entertained. And about 29 teams around the league are currently assessing their rosters and cap situations to figure out how they could make a reasonable pitch for Ryan.
Ryan is a young, versatile player who can pretty much play any forward spot. He has three full seasons of NHL experience under his belt and has improved his point total in every season played. Ryan has scored at least 30 goals in each of those seasons and topped out at 71 points last year, arguably with room to improve. He has playoff experience, international play experience and would be a great addition to any lineup. Not to mention Ryan’s $5.1 million cap hit makes him a reasonably affordable asset.
So which teams might actually put together a reasonable pitch for Ryan? Rumors put Buffalo, Toronto, Philadelphia, and both New York teams in the mix. Nashville could also take a swing and some dreamers have Columbus making a straight up Carter-for-Ryan swap. Boston, Dallas and Edmonton have also been floated as possible destinations as well. Needless to say, almost anyone needing an impact forward is in the running.
The most intriguing destination in this list is Boston. Ryan would provide the team an offensive boost and he would fit their system well as he plays responsibly at both ends of the ice. The price would be hefty though. David Krejci, a restricted free agent, could be part of a possible trade package. A defenseman and perhaps a prospect or draft pick or two would also likely be included. Anaheim has holes in their roster and Krejci alone would not be enticing enough.
The two roll-your-eyes-at-the-obviousness teams on that list are the Rangers and Flyers. Seriously guys, you can’t have every player worth having in the NHL on your roster. However, both teams do have some depth forwards and some d-men that they could package together to entice Anaheim. Perhaps New York would be willing to part with Dubinsky and Del Zotto? Philadelphia may consider flipping Simmonds, shipping Van Riemsdyk or even including Matt Carle in some capacity.
The most likely destination would have to be Toronto. With Brian Burke calling the shots on Toronto, he would definitely pounce to get Ryan, the player he drafted second overall in 2005. Besides, Burke has adamantly stated over the past two years that he wants another top-six scorer – something that he hasn’t been able to secure (unless you want to count Tim Connolly as that, but we don’t). Joffrey Lupul has been a significant surprise, but having Ryan on board would certainly solidify Toronto’s top two lines. And after several poor seasons, the Maple Leafs have the prospects to trade away as well. Nazem Kadri could be included, as could Nikolai Kulemin, Luke Schenn or Carl Gunnarsson. However, Toronto has zero cap space to work with this season, so the trade would have to be tit-for-tat salary wise in order for this to work for Toronto.
Whether a trade actually happens remains to be seen, but the Ducks need to make something happen if they plan on digging themselves out of the 6-13-4 record they currently have, and Ryan seems to be the disposable piece of the puzzle. I guess we should forget about a Selanne return to Winnipeg for Enstrom straight up, eh?
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.
For those who have been following the recent success of the Toronto Maple Leafs, you’ll know that they have been on a tear thanks to Phil Kessel, the current NHL point leader. Kessel’s 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists) in only 5 games have pushed the typically struggling Maple Leafs to a 4-0-1 start this season.
Does Kessel really have what it takes to continue this type of play, leading Toronto to a spot in the playoffs? Or is he destined to sink once again, letting down fans and the management team who traded for him?
Let’s keep in mind that Kessel is still young, he turned 24 a few weeks ago. He has not even entered the prime of his career, which typically occurs between age 26-31. His career production thus far has been modest, averaging about 60 points per season over the past three seasons, but the potential cannot be denied.
Kessel’s history may haunt him, however. Leafs fans won’t forget a similarly hot start last season. The team began October with a 4-0-1 record while Kessel picked up 6 points in those games. From there, the trainwreck began. The Leafs managed only 3 victories in the month of November, with Kessel tallying only 5 points in those 13 games. The Maple Leafs never recovered, and missed the post-season by 8 points.
Now, Kessel has another season under his belt. He’s got another year of experience, he is a stronger and more mature hockey player. It’s showing already through his early season production. This year will be different for Kessel. He’s good enough to battle through brief lulls in production, and will easily beat his career high in points.
His production, as we’ve seen so far, often translates into wins and points for the Leafs. The team has a better foundation, a solid netminder, and behind the leadership of Kessel, could be poised to make a post-season run. If Kessel leads this team back to the playoffs, their first since the 2003-04 season, he will be placed on a pedestal as the savior Toronto’s management thought he would be when they traded for him in 2009. Any future failures on his part and fans will be calling for his head. But if the production continues, and playoff appearances continue, Phil Kessel goes from your average highly regarded prospect, to the face of a franchise and a legend in the city of Toronto.
