Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles

GMG’sMARKETBUZZ
September2012
Volume3/Edition1

Table of Contents – September 2012 Edition
GMG’s Introduction Gates Imbeau 2
Top 100 Roto Keepers – Extended Categories Gates Imbeau 3
Market Buzz : Combo Ranks & Player Profiles Gates Imbeau 8
Featured guest contributions :
How to win a Hits & Blocked Shots League Pengwin7 12
Lockout Ready : Players Edition Tim Lucarelli 20
The Benefits to a Lockout Austin Wallace 22
Making the Transition : Rebuilding to Contending Doran Libin 25
Vets -r-us Brandon Cheung 29
2012-13 Odds and Ends Anthony Lancione 31
Quick Hits – 30 Teams Brandon Landry 35
30 team breakdown by the Black Aces’ team coverage crew and DobberHockey forums :
Anaheim Ducks Eric Daoust 40
Boston Bruins Tim Graveline 41
Buffalo Sabres “Bomm Bastic” Will 42
Calgary Flames Chad Pottruff 45
Carolina Hurricanes Derek Reese 47
Chicago Blackhawks Steve Laidlaw 49
Colorado Avalanche Marty Kwiaton 51
Columbus Blue Jackets Trevor Finlay 53
Dallas Stars NoWayOut 54
Detroit Redwings Eric Daoust 56
Edmonton Oilers Axeman33 57
Florida Panthers Steve Laidlaw 60
Los Angeles Kings uofmehockey 62
Minnesota Wild Ross Palmer 63
Montreal Canadiens Eric Daoust 65
Nashville Predators uofmehockey 66
New Jersey Devils Gainerama 67
New York Islanders Gainerama 69
New York Rangers Brandon Landry 71
Ottawa Senators Evan Hotham 72
Philadelphia Flyers Kevin Schulmeister 74
Phoenix Coyotes Keith Veronese 76
Pittsburgh Penguins Derek Reese 78
San Jose Sharks Tim Graveline 80
St. Louis Blues Keith Veronese 81
Tampa Bay Lightning “sixhands” David 83
Toronto Maple Leafs Tyler Kerdman 85
Vancouver Canucks Ryan Goddard 87
Washington Capitals Eric Daoust 91
Winnipeg Jets Anthony Capocci 92
Final Words…
Closing Remarks – A Game within the Game Gates Imbeau 95
Who Are the Black Aces? Gates Imbeau 96

GMG’s Introduction – September 2012 Edition
The highly anticipated PDF has finally arrived – welcome to Volume 3.0! What better way to kick it off by
including work from 28 well respected members of the DobberHockey community for a combined tally
of 35-plus articles. This is by far the biggest collaboration to be featured in the Roto PDF Exclusive.
Bottom line, if there is to be a lockout, might as well go out in style.
As noted in the updated roto legend and Top 100 disclaimer, the goal of this list is to push poolies to
realize the current Trade Value (TV) and Potential Roto Value (PRV) of the Top Roto Keepers in leagues
that feature your standard six categories (goals, assists, power play points, plus/minus, shots on goal,
penalty minutes) as well as the extended categories of hits and blocked shots. To accomplish that goal,
the following changes have been made to the Top 100:
Removed: colored tiers under roto focus, current roto score and potential roto score tabs (CRS / PRS).
Added: numbered system under roto focus, trade value and potential roto value grading tabs (TV / PRV).
Updated: legend and disclaimer / additional information. Second month column & the Black Aces’ page.
Also added are two additional Top 25 combo ranks (this month: G/SOG and Hits/Blocked Shots) along
with player breakdowns for highlighted performers and do not forget to check out the closing remarks.
Big congratulations to the newest batch of graduates from the Black Aces program. Joining the
DobberHockey crew for the 2012-13 season are Eric Daoust (Capped), Mac Vincent (Frozen Forensics)
and Brandon Landry (IR report). All the while, Michael Amato slides into his new Wild West role, Russ
Miller returns to his Eastern Edge roots, and Brad Wilson begins his journey as the new Dobber Nation
podcast host. With that news, Ryan Ma will be returning to his bi-weekly Maaaasquito Bites feature and
we wish the best to Tim Lucarelli, our first forum graduate, in his future hockey writing endeavours.
Are you interested in joining the NHL Team Coverage crew? Phoenix, Tampa Bay and Los Angeles are
currently available. Positions are also open for the DobberHockey Frozen Newsfeed as well as Studs &
Duds for the 2012-13 season. Check out other Dobber Sports job opportunities here. We are always
looking for new content. Do not hesitate to send me an email at the contact information below.
If you would like a high quality printable version of this document, do not hesitate to ask.
Gates Imbeau
Assistant Manager - DobberSports.com
Writer - Fantrax.com
Email: gates@dobbersports.com
Twitter: @gm_gates
2

GMG’s Top 100 Roto Keepers
Roto Legend
Categories – G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG, Hits & Blkd shots
Roto Focus: (Top three strongest categories per player)
No symbol allocation = Average // Hash tag (#) = Monster
4 – Consistently puts up massive numbers in this stat.
3 – Consistently puts up great numbers in this stat.
2 – Consistently put up above average numbers in this stat.
MOV – Movement // LM & 2M – Previous monthly rank.
TV & PRV: (current worth vs. should & could be worth)
Trade Value – Grade influenced by perceived value.
Potential Roto Value – Two season peak performance.
M = Monster trade value / Monster roto potential. (Top 10)
A = Very High trade value / Massive roto potential. (Top 25)
B = High trade value / Great roto potential. (Top 50)
C = Decent trade value / Good roto potential. (Top 75)
(Top) = Potential finish in the stated rank in a two season span.
(R) = Youth/Rebuild – room for growth
Disclaimer / Additional Information
This is not a player to player draft guide, simply because
the flow of draft, positions required and many other needs
come into play. The goal of this list is to push poolies to
realize the proper trade value and potential value of the
Top Roto Keepers, using the Roto Rank as the foundation.
The Trade Value (TV) grade reflects what the player’s
perceived worth could be currently at the trade table.
This can help determine overrated vs. underrated players.
The Potential Roto Value (PRV) highlights a two year peak
performance. The higher the player is ranked on the roto
list, the more likely they are to reach their PRV. If used
correctly, this could enhance your return on investment.
** If you are looking for a calculated and true numbers
game, Frozen Pool and Fantasy Hockey Geek (FHP) of the
Dobber Sports Network are two very valuable resources.
Salary and positional requirements do not affect rankings.
Roto
Rank
Skaters
Name / Position / Team
TV PRV Roto Focus
(Strongest Categories)
MOV LM 2M
1. Alex Ovechkin, LW – WSH M M SOG : # G : 3 Hits : 3 Even 1 1
2. Sidney Crosby, C – PIT M M G : 3 A : 3 PPP : 3 Even 2 2
3. Evgeny Malkin, C – PIT M M A : 3 G : 3 SOG : 3 Even 3 3
4. Steven Stamkos, C – TBL M M G : # PPP : 3 SOG : 3 Even 4 4
5. Zdeno Chara, D – BOS B+ M +/- : # Hits : 2 A : 2 Up 10 5
6. Corey Perry, RW – ANA A+ M G : 3 PIM : 3 SOG : 2.5 Up 9 9
7. Claude Giroux, C/RW – PHI A+ M A : 3 PPP : 3 G : 2 Dn 5 5
8. Nicklas Backstrom, C – WSH A+ M A : 3 PPP : 3 +/- : 2.5 Even 8 8
9. Scott Hartnell, LW – PHI A- M PIM : 3 Hits : 2.5 G : 2 Up 12 13
10. Dustin Brown, RW – LAK B+ M Hits : # +/- : 2.5 SOG : 2 Up 17 20
3

11. David Backes, C/RW - STL B+ M Hits : 3 PIM : 2.5 +/- : 2.5 Up 16 12
12. Shea Weber, D – NSH A+ M Hits : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 G : 2 Up 13 12
13. (R) Gabriel Landeskog, LW – COL A M Hits : 3 SOG : 2.5 G : 2 Up 24 33
14. Zach Parise, LW – MIN A+ A+ SOG : 3 G : 2.5 A : 2 Dn 6 6
15. Daniel Sedin, LW – VAN A A+ G : 2.5 PPP : 3 +/- : 3 Dn 7 7
16. Henrik Sedin, C – VAN A A+ A : # PPP : 3 +/- : 3 Dn 11 11
17. Kris Letang, D – PIT A- A+ A : 2.5 +/- : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 Up 23 40
18. James Neal, LW – PIT B+ A+ G : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 Dn 13 16
19. Dion Phaneuf, D – TOR B+ A+ Hits : 3 PIM : 2.5 BS : 2 Up 31 35
20. Patrick Sharp, C/RW – CHI B+ A+ SOG : 3 G : 2.5 +/- : 2.5 Up 22 15
21. Milan Lucic, LW – BOS A- A+ PIM : 3 Hits : 2.5 +/- : 2.5 Dn 20 31
22. Anze Kopitar, C – LAK A- A+ A : 3 PPP : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 Up 29 39
23. Ryan Callahan, C/LW – NYR B+ A+ Hits : # SOG : 2 G : 2 Dn 19 22
24. Ryan Kesler, C – VAN - IR B M G : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 Up 40 25
25. Jamie Benn, LW – DAL A- A A : 2.5 G : 2 SOG : 2 Up 26 17
26. P.K. Subban, D – MTL A- A PIM : 3 SOG : 2 BS : 2 Up 34 27
27. Alex Pietrangelo, D – STL A- A A : 2.5 PPP : 2 BS : 2 Up 32 44
28. Dustin Byfuglien, D – WPG B+ A SOG : 3 PIM : 2 G : 2 Dn 20 32
29. Erik Karlsson, D – OTT A+ A A : 3 PPP : 3 G : 2 Dn 21 29
30. Steve Ott, RW – BUF B- A PIM : # Hits : # A : 1.5 Dn 25 42
31. Ryan Getzlaf, C – ANA A- A A : 3 PPP : 2.5 Hits : 2 Dn 15 24
32. Jonathan Toews, C – CHI A- A +/- : 3 A : 2 G : 2 Up 37 29
33. Eric Staal, C – CAR A- A- SOG : 3 G : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 Dn 27 19
34. John Tavares, C – NYI A A- G PPP SOG Dn 28 37
35. Drew Doughty, D – LAK A- A- A : 2 Hits : 2 PPP : 2 Up 47 46
4

36. Alexander Edler, D – VAN B A- A : 2.5 BS : 2 +/- : 2 Up 49 48
37. Jeff Carter, C/RW – LAK B A- SOG : 3 G : 2.5 PPP : 2 Up 35 23
38. Alex Burrows, LW/RW – VAN B A- +/- : 3.5 G : 2 PIM : 2 Up 41 34
39. Evander Kane, LW – WPG A- A- SOG : 2.5 Hits : 2 G : 2 Dn 36 28
40. Pavel Datsyuk, C/LW – DET A- B+ A : 2.5 +/- : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 Dn 30 18
41. Phil Kessel, RW – TOR A- B+ SOG : 3 G : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 Up 50 56
42. (R) Logan Couture, C – SJS B+ B+ SOG : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 G : 2.5 Up 57 67
43. Dany Heatley, RW – MIN B- B+ PPP : 2.5 G : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 Up 44 43
44. Mike Richards, C – LAK B+ B+ A : 2 PPP : 2 PIM : 2 Dn 42 36
45. Bobby Ryan, LW – ANA B+ B+ G : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 A : 2 Dn 33 26
46. Ryane Clowe, LW – SJS B- A- PIM : 2.5 Hits : 2 A : 2 Up 59 62
47. Dan Girardi, D – NYR C+ A- BS : # Hits : 3 +/- : 2 Up 86 82
48. Dan Boyle, D – SJS B A- A : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 BS : 2 Up 79 74
49. Joe Thornton, C – SJS B+ B+ A : 3 PPP : 3 +/- : 2.5 Up 75 83
50. (R) Marcus Foligno, LW – BUF C+ B+ Hits : 2.5 PIM : 2 A : 2 Up 91 New
51. Henrik Zetterberg, C/LW – DET A- B+ SOG : 3 A : 2.5 G : 2 Dn 38 30
52. Joe Pavelski, C – SJS B+ B+ SOG : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 A : 2 Dn 45 49
53. Ryan Suter, D – MIN B+ B+ +/- : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 A : 2 Up 67 65
54. Rick Nash, RW – CBJ B+ B+ SOG : 3 G : 2.5 A : 2 Up 56 55
55. Max Pacioretty, LW – MTL B B+ SOG : 2.5 G : 2 A : 2 Up 60 80
56. Mike Green, D – WSH B B+ PPP : 2 G : 2 +/- : 2 Up 62 57
57. Ilya Kovalchuk, LW/RW – NJD A- B SOG : 3 G : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 Dn 39 41
58. Alex Semin, LW – CAR B- B G : 2 +/- : 2 A : 2 Even 58 58
59. Marian Gaborik, RW – NYR - IR B- B G : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 A : 2 Up 71 69
60. Marian Hossa, RW – CHI B- B G : 2 A : 2 SOG : 2 Dn 51 50
5

61. Brad Richards, C – NYR B- B A : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 Up 63 84
62. Keith Yandle, D – PHX B B A : 2 PPP : 2 SOG : 2 Dn 48 47
63. (R) Kevin Shattenkirk, D – STL B B A : 2 PPP : 2.5 BS : 2 Up 78 73
64. (R) Nail Yakupov, RW – EDM A B Hits : 2 SOG : 2 G : 2 Up 89 88
65. Brent Seabrook, D – CHI C B- Hits : 3 BS : 2.5 +/- : 2 New
66. Michael Del Zotto, D – NYR C B- Hits : 2 BS : 2 A : 2 Up 99 97
67. Dennis Seidenberg, D – BOS C- B- BS : 3 Hits : 2 +/- : 2 New
68. Jarome Iginla, RW – CGY B B- G : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 SOG : 2.5 Dn 54 53
69. Patrick Marleau, LW – SJS B- B- SOG : 2.5 G : 2 A : 2 Up 61 59
70. Johan Franzen, RW – DET C+ B- +/- : 2.5 G : 2 SOG : 2 Up 76 71
71. Jason Spezza, C – OTT B+ B- A : 2.5 G : 2 PPP : 2 Dn 55 54
72. Mikko Koivu, C – MIN B B- A : 2.5 PPP : 2 +/- : 2 Dn 70 68
73. Kevin Bieksa, D – VAN C B- +/- : 3 PIM : 2 Hits : 1.75 Up 80 75
74. Patrice Bergeron, C – BOS C+ B- +/- : 3 A : 2 SOG : 2 Up 77 72
75. (R) Taylor Hall, LW – EDM A B- G : 2.5 A : 2 PPP : 2.5 Dn 43 38
76. Jeff Skinner, C/RW – CAR B+ B- G : 2 A : 2 SOG : 2 Dn 64 60
77. Patrick Kane, C/RW - CHI A- B- A : 2.5 SOG : 2 G : 2 Dn 46 45
78. Duncan Keith, D – CHI B B- A : 2 PPP : 2 BS : 2 Dn 68 66
79. Tyler Seguin, C – BOS A B- +/- : 3 A : 2 G : 2 Dn 52 51
80. (R) Ryan N-H., C – EDM A B- A : 2.5 PPP : 2.5 G : 2 Dn 69 64
81. Joffrey Lupul, LW/RW - TOR B- B- PPP : 2.5 A : 2 SOG : 2 Dn 72 70
82. Brandon Dubinsky, C – NYR B- B- Hits : 2 PIM : 2 A : 2 Up 85 81
83. Martin St. Louis, RW – TBL C+ B- A : 3 PPP : 2.5 G : 2 Up 97 95
84. Jordan Staal, C – CAR B C+ A : 2 +/- : 2 G : 2 Dn 73 86
85. Daniel Briere, C/RW – PHI C C+ A : 2 SOG : 2 PIM : 2 Up 96 94
6

86. Blake Wheeler, RW – WPG B- C+ A : 2.5 SOG : 2 Hits : 1.5 Up 87 99
87. Mike Ribeiro, C – WSH C C+ A : 2.5 PPP : 2 SOG : 1.5 Up 90 89
88. Chris Kunitz, LW – PIT C C+ Hits : 2 +/- : 2 A : 1.75 Up 74 87
89. Brad Marchand, C/LW – BOS B- C+ +/- : 3 PIM : 2.5 G : 1.5 Up 81 76
90. Mark Giordano, D – CGY C- C BS : 2.5 PIM : 2 A : 2 New
91. Niklas Kronwall, D – DET B C BS : 3 A : 2 PPP : 2 New
92. David Clarkson, RW – NJD C C PIM : 3 Hits : 2 G : 2 Dn 65 63
93. Brent Burns, D – SJS B C A : 2 BS : 2 SOG : 2 New
94. Ryan McDonagh, D – NYR C- C BS : 3 +/- : 3 Hits : 2 New
95. T.J. Oshie, C/RW – STL B C- +/- : 2.5 A : 2 Hits : 1.75 Dn 82 77
96. Travis Hamonic, D – NYI C- C- BS : 2.5 Hits : 2 PIM : 2 New
97. Wayne Simmonds, RW – PHI C- C- PIM : 2.5 Hits : 2 G : 1.5 Dn 93 91
98. Tomas Plekanec, C – MTL C C- A : 2 SOG : 2 PPP : 2 Dn 92 90
99. Thomas Vanek, LW – BUF B C- G : 2 SOG : 2 PPP : 2 Dn 83 78
100. Loui Eriksson, RW - DAL B C- A : 2.5 +/- : 2.5 SOG : 2 New
A GMG MARKET BUZZ PRODUCTION – 2012
Gates Imbeau serves as the assistant manager of the Dobber Sports
Network (dobbersports.com). On the 15 th of every month, he releases the Top
100 Roto Players PDF and he runs the Black Aces, otherwise known as the
DobberHockey farm team. Gates also pens a weekly Studs and Duds report at
Fantrax.com and appears as a guest on The York Report via nextsportstar.com.
Born and raised in Sudbury, ON, now resides in Hamilton, ON. Gates holds a B.A
in Communications specialized in Advertising and can be found on twitter
(@GM_Gates) or in his “Office” via the Dobber Sports forums. He can also be
reached by email at gates@dobbersports.com.
7

Combo Ranks : G / SOG
Combo Ranks : Hits / Blocked Shots
Rk Player G SOG RK Player Hits Blk S
1 Steven Stamkos 55 285 1 Daniel Girardi 205 210
2 Alexander Ovechkin 50 330 2 Luke Schenn 260 145
3 Evgeni Malkin 50 300 3 Matthew Martin (F) 345 40
4 Phil Kessel 40 300 4 Josh Gorges 135 245
5 Corey Perry 40 285 5 Brooks Orpik 235 135
6 Rick Nash 35 300 6 Greg Zanon 165 200
7 Zach Parise 35 290 7 Brent Seabrook 205 155
8 Eric Staal 35 280 8 Matt Greene 240 115
9 Ilya Kovalchuk 35 280 9 Mark Fistric 225 130
10 Patrick Sharp 35 280 10 Ryan Callahan (F) 265 80
11 James Neal 35 270 11 Dion Phaneuf 220 120
12 Jarome Iginla 35 270 12 Ladislav Smid 175 165
13 Sidney Crosby 40 225 13 Travis Hamonic 175 160
14 Daniel Sedin 35 245 14 Alexei Emelin 240 95
15 Bobby Ryan 35 240 15 Dustin Brown (F) 295 35
16 Jeff Carter 30 280 16 Dennis Seidenberg 160 170
17 Matt Moulson 35 230 17 Francois Beauchemin 145 B5
18 Max Pacioretty 30 270 18 Cal Clutterbuck (F) 295 32
19 John Tavares 30 265 19 Eric Brewer 165 160
20 Evander Kane 30 260 20 Brian Boyle (F) 235 85
21 Patrick Marleau 30 260 21 Mark Stuart 170 150
22 Logan Couture 30 250 22 Shea Weber 195 125
23 Gabriel Landeskog 30 265 23 Ryan O'Byrne B0 140
24 Patric Hornqvist 30 245 24 Jared Cowen 215 100
25 Henrik Zetterberg 25 280 25 Stephane Robidas 195 120
2012-13 projections based on blended results from FantasyHockeyGeek, DobberHockey and GMG’s Market Buzz.
8

Player Profiles
Moving up : Zdeno Chara, Dion Phaneuf and Gabriel Landeskog
Moving down (& out) : Jordan Eberle, Matt Duchene, Shane Doan
Zdeno Chara, D – BOS
Seems strange to profile Chara as if he needs it, but this is simply a
reminder to keep things in check. Sexy names like Karlsson, Subban,
Pietrangelo and Weber may sway draft selections away from Chara.
Let them. Know that Chara remains the blue line king when it comes
to rotisserie leagues. In addition to his back-to-back plus-33 markers,
“Z” will reach into all categories and put up respectable production.
If you want to win, Chara is a major asset to own.
Last month – 10 th This month – 6 th Z-best D, period.
Dion Phaneuf, D – TOR
List your top five roto defensemen. Does it include Dion Phaneuf?
It should. Fact is, any player that puts up 200 hits, 200 SOG, 120
blocked shots and 90 PIMs, deserves to be recognized. Phaneuf
easily fits that bill and his point production is an added bonus. Draft
appropriately, and Dion could be a big part to your team’s success.
Last month – 31 st This month – 19th Fully loaded and engaged.
Gabriel Landeskog, LW – COL
In case you were sleeping last season, the Calder Cup winner has
quickly emerged as a fully loaded weapon in extended roto leagues.
After smashing home 219 hits, 270 SOG and a plus-20, his 52 points
and 51 PIM complete the full serving. Colorado’s newest captain is a
fantastic rotisserie recipe, and poolies should definitely want to dip
into a second helping. This kid is a stud and will end up sitting among
roto’s best heart and soul players ala Backes, Callahan, Lucic and
Brown. If he can keep his plus/minus high, slap on the monster label.
Last month – 24th This month – 14th Roto-stud family welcomes you.
9

Jordan Eberle, RW – EDM
This is a big drop for Eberle, who was sitting just shy of the top 50
last month. A big reason for that change is due to the fact that
Volume 2.0 of the Roto Guide blended the trade value of a player
into the roto score. This allowed for players like Eberle and
Duchene (below) to have a boost in roto rank. This time around,
these well-liked players have tumbled.
If this was a points-only league, Eberle would be a sexy pick, heck, even standard roto he would be ok.
Though in extended roto, beyond goals (tier 2), assists (2), PPP (2), and SOG (1.75), Eberle provides
nothing else. He lacks in PIM, plus/minus and doesn’t hit or blocks shots. Note that even though he
doesn’t score well in the overall roto department, which this list is based on, if you can build around his
strengths, Eberle can and will be a valuable piece to any team’s puzzle. Especially if there are positional
requirements.
His trade value is still very high (tier A), but will never be among rotisseries best unless he manages to
put up consistent plus-10 (or more) player and throw his body around more. He has the potential to
crack the list (C), but has some work to do, as mentioned above.
Last month – 53 rd This month – N/A Valuable if built around strengths.
Matt Duchene, C – COL
Copy and paste the same reasoning as Jordan Eberle’s above.
Duchene, like Eberle, is another sexy pick that had good value last
edition because of his high trade value (A). But when placed in
separate columns, his roto weaknesses arise. Unfortunately points
and power play points just don’t cut it. Experienced roto poolies will
be able to build around Duchene without hesitation, but to the new
guys signing up in rotisserie leagues – buyer beware.
Last month – 66 th This month – N/A Buyer beware. Play on strengths.
Shane Doan, RW – PHX (UFA)
Here is a name that has been thrown around in rotisserie leagues
over the years. But with a decade of dominance comes an inevitable
decrease in production. While Doan is no longer a roto stallion, he
can still be a serviceable winger that will produce moderate numbers
across the board. Hits (tier 2) are his highlight, along with PIM (1.5)
SOG (1.5) and points (G : 1.5, A : 2). So if you temper those
expectations and draft wisely, you will not be disappointed.
Last month – 95 th This month – N/A Moderate roto numbers across the board.
10

Roto Exclusive :
Guest Contributions and Featured Articles
How to win a Hits & Blocked Shots League Pengwin7 12
Lockout Ready : Players Edition Tim Lucarelli 20
The Benefits to a Lockout Austin Wallace 22
Making the Transition : Rebuilding to Contending Doran Libin 25
Vets -r-us Brandon Cheung 29
2012-13 Odds and Ends Anthony Lancione 31
Quick Hits – 30 Teams Brandon Landry 35
11

Mastering a Hits & Blocked Shots League
by Pengwin7
You can win a fantasy hockey league that includes hits & blocked shots.
You can do it by 1) making defensemen your key strategy 2) by thinking backwards.
Dan Girardi isn’t a sexy name. Neither is Mark Stuart or Ladislav Smid.
Neither is François Beauchemin. (well… maybe… that’s pretty sexy).
But these are the guys that will win you your pool.
François Beauchemin… sexy?
Salary cap leagues are all about getting more value out of your players than what you pay them.
In the NHL, Stanley Cups are won by getting more value out of your players than what you pay them.
~ When Detroit won their last Cup, Datsyuk & Zetterberg were still on final years of cheap contracts.
~ When Pittsburgh won their Cup, Crosby & Malkin were still on entry-level contracts.
~ When Chicago won their Cup, Toews, Kane & Keith were all on final years of entry-level contracts.
Even in one-year leagues, you have a « salary cap ».
Every team has a 1 st round pick, a 2 nd round pick, a 3 rd round pick… and a last round pick.
Winning the league is getting more value out of your picks than any other team.
12

Knowing this, I typically tend to invest in the safer guys in the first 2-3 rounds. If I have #1 pick, I am
taking Steven Stamkos. Second round, I am perfectly happy with Martin St.Louis or a consistent guy like
Eric Staal. This said, let’s shift to the part of the draft where you are most likely to win a Hits & Blocked
Shots league :
i) The Middle Rounds
ii) The Last 5 Picks
Let’s start by considering a standard 12 team league :
*3C/3LW/3RW/4D/2G (Bench: 5, likely as 1C/1LW/1RW/1D/1G)
*Skater categories: G,A,+/-,PIM,PPP,SOG… Hits, BkS
We are going to compare two strategies:
1) Team A : The typical “slow-balance” strategy
vs.
2) Team B : The “Defensemen-last” strategy
With the “slow-balance” strategy, teams are consistently monitoring their positions.
If they have 1C & 1LW & 0 RW, they are thinking about getting 1RW.
If they have 2C & 2RW & 0 LW, they are thinking about getting 1LW, maybe 2 in back-to-back rounds.
Once a team has 2 at any position… they start to focus on any position with 0.
They don’t want to get too far behind in collecting at any one position.
*This manager is also more focused on getting offensively-skilled defensemen.*
With the “D-last” strategy, you will prepare yourself to take almost all of your defensemen in the last
rounds. It is a good consideration to take one “rock” to anchor your D-group. I’d grab a solid all-around
defenseman somewhere in rounds 6-9. No earlier. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, go for it.
And then… you aren’t drafting another defenseman for a long, long time. In this example, we’ll use Dan
Boyle as the team “rock”.
*This manager is focused on drafting those late defensemen for PIM/Hits/BkS.*
13

To visualize the two teams, let’s start by making the first 9 draft picks, for both teams, identical:
Team A : Balanced
1. Perry, Corey (RW)
2. Nash, Rick (LW)
3. Bryzgalov, Ilya (G)
4. Backstrom, Nicklas (C)
5. Miller, Ryan (G)
6. Boyle, Dan (D)
7. Moulson, Matt (LW)
8. Bergeron, Patrice (C )
9. Lupul, Joffrey (RW)
Team B : D-Last
1. Perry, Corey (RW)
2. Nash, Rick (LW)
3. Bryzgalov, Ilya (G)
4. Backstrom, Nicklas (C)
5. Miller, Ryan (G)
6. Boyle, Dan (D)
7. Moulson, Matt (LW)
8. Bergeron, Patrice (C )
9. Lupul, Joffrey (RW)
2C/2LW/2RW/1D/2G
2C/2LW/2RW/1D/2G
We are also going to consider that some other picks are exactly the same:
Team A : Balanced
13. Theodore, Jose (G)
14. Stewart, Chris (RW)
15. Dupuis, Pascal (LW)
Team B : D-Last
13. Theodore, Jose (G)
14. Stewart, Chris (RW)
15. Dupuis, Pascal (LW)
20. Boyle, Brian (C)
1C/1LW/1RW/0D/1G
2C/2LW/2RW/1D/2G (First 9 rounds)
20. Boyle, Brian (C)
1C/1LW/1RW/0D/1G
2C/2LW/2RW/1D/2G (First 9 rounds)
Going into round #10, both teams will be looking at empty starting as: 1C/1LW/1RW/3D/0G
Team A balances his starting slots constantly and will look to draft 1F/2D in the next 3 rounds.
Team B has resolved to get his defensemen late and will draft 3F in the next 3 rounds.
14

So, here’s where things get different in the middle rounds (10-12):
Team A : Balanced
10. Del Zotto, Michael (D)
11. Koivu, Mikko (C)
12. Johnson, Jack (D)
1C/2D
Team B : D-Last
10. Semin, Alex (LW)
11. Koivu, Mikko (C)
12. Carter, Jeff (RW)
1C/1LW/1RW
Going into round #16, Team A has empty starting spots: 1D (+4 bench players, 1C,1LW,1RW,1D)
Going into round #16, Team B has empty starting spots: 3D (+2 bench players, 1C/1D)
And here’s the other change of drafting, in late rounds (16-19):
Team A : Balanced
16. Zidlicky, Marek (D)
17. Dubinsky, Brandon (LW)
18. Erat, Martin (RW)
19. Liles, JM (D)
2C/2LW/2RW/1D/2G (First 9 rounds)
1C/1LW/1RW/0D/1G (Rounds
10,11,12,20)
1C/2D
1LW/1RW/2D
Team B : D-Last
16. Seabrook, Brent (D)
17. Seidenberg, Dennis (D)
18. Girardi, Dan (D)
19. Stuart, Mark (D)
2C/2LW/2RW/1D/2G (First 9 rounds)
1C/1LW/1RW/0D/1G (Rounds
10,11,12,20)
1C/1LW/1RW
4D
Team A & Team B have completed their drafts.
Of the 20 drafted players, Team A & Team B have 14 players the same.
Team A & Team B have 6 players drafted differently: 1LW/1RW/4D.
15

Comparing the statistics of these players will identify the difference in value :
Team A’s Draft Picks (Rounds 10, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19) - Balanced
Player G A +/- PIM SOG PPP Hits BkS
Del Zotto (D) 10 35 +15 40 125 18 150 100
J.Johnson (D) 15 30 -15 40 200 20 110 130
Zidlicky (D) 5 30 +5 35 100 15 75 75
Dubinsky (LW) 15 30 -10 110 150 10 200 50
Erat (RW) 20 40 +10 30 150 17 55 45
Liles (D) 8 22 -10 20 115 15 70 120
TOTAL = 73 187 -5 275 840 95 660 520
*All values above are rough projection/estimates for the sake of comparison. Use at your own risk!*
Team A (Balanced) went after two skilled D puck-movers.
• Grabbing Del Zotto cost them the overall points & better SOG that a forward could get at this
slot.
• Grabbing J.Johnson cost them the overall points & better +/- that a forward could get at this
slot.
• Later in the draft they had to make up Hits by taking Dubinsky (whose +/- and general points will
be low).
If you only have one defenseman after 9 rounds, are you taking Del Zotto or Semin?
16

Team B’s Draft Picks (Rounds 10, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19) :
Player G A +/- PIM SOG PPP Hits BkS
Semin (LW) 25 40 +5 50 200 25 30 20
Carter (RW) 25 35 +5 30 220 20 20 20
Seabrook (D) 8 25 +20 30 150 5 200 150
Seidenberg (D) 5 20 +20 40 180 10 150 150
Girardi (D) 5 25 +15 25 120 10 200 180
M.Stuart (D) 5 15 -5 100 60 0 200 180
TOTAL = 73 160 +60 275 950 70 800 700
*All values above are rough projection/estimates for the sake of comparison. Use at your own risk!*
Team B (D-Last) went after forwards first, leaving Hits/BkS defensemen to the very end.
• Grabbing Semin represents a sacrifice on Hits/BkS… but that can be made up with the late D.
Semin is a point-booster and PPP/SOG booster over most D at this spot.
• Similar to Semin, Carter doesn’t get any Hits/BkS… but he does give you an upgrade over D in
Points/SOG and probably PPP.
• Seabrook quickly restocks Hits/Bks, helps +/-. He has a poor PPP. 33pts is not bad.
• Seidenberg restocks the low Hits/BkS. He’d good for +/-.
• Girardi is a great Hits/BkS player who has a chance to fill into some NYR PP time.
• Mark Stuart really helps in two categories AND PIM, at the expense of a poor SOG total… but
you are hoping that what you stocked in your mid-round forwards can balance that out.
• Defensemen drafted for Hits/BkS/PIM are also very replaceable. You may find that you want to
switch out Mark Stuart (if Winnipeg plays 2 games in week) for Theo Peckham (if EDM plays 4
games in a week). If your league allows it, streaming in defensemen to take advantage of
scheduling can be a significant benefit.
17

Now compare the category totals :
Team G A +/- PIM SOG PPP Hits BkS
Team A – Balanced 73 187 -5 275 840 95 660 520
Team B – D-Last 73 160 +60 275 950 70 800 700
2: Goals/PIM are two very even categories.
2: Team A has a distinct advantage in Assists & PPP. + 2 categories for Team A.
4: Team B has a distinct advantage in +/-, SOG, Hits & BkS. + 4 categories for Team B.
Beyond this, let’s break these totals down by dividing them by 22 weeks of H2H schedule.
Team A: G=3.3, A=8.5, +/- = -0.2, PIM=12.5, SOG = 38, PPP = 4.3, Hits = 30, BkS = 24
Team B: G=3.3, A=7.3, +/- = +2.7, PIM=12.5, SOG = 43, PPP = 3.2, Hits = 36, BkS = 32
Anybody who is in a league with SHP as a category knows that just 1 SHP might win the week.
Lower quantity categories are more likely to result in weeks where the lesser-stat team might steal the
win.
Here, Assists would be won in a typical week by Team A by a score of 8.5 to 7.3.
But in any week, the assist totals of these players on either team may fluctuate by 0-3 assists.
Meaning… Team B is likely to win some weeks… maybe 30%-40%.
PPP would be won in a typical week by Team A by a score of 4.3 to 3.2.
But in any week, the PPP totals of these players may fluctuate by 0-2 PPP.
The same is true of Team B’s +/- difference.
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The two most secure categories to win consistently are the highest-quantity categories: Hits/BkS.
In my one-year league last year, I finished the 22 H2H weeks as 20-2-0 & 21-1-0 in these two categories.
Despite having a team of underperforming early forward draft picks (Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf, Jeff
Carter) I was able to finish 3 rd in a 12-team league.
As a summary, if Team A played Team B 22 times, the victories each week could land around:
G: Team A 11 wins, Team B 11 wins
A: Team A 14 wins, Team B 8 wins
+/-: Team A 8 wins, Team B 14 wins
PIM: Team A 11 wins, Team B 11 wins
SOG: Team A 8 wins, Team B 14 wins
PPP: Team A 16 wins, Team B 6 wins (PPP is Team A’s biggest strength 95/70 = +35%)
Hits: Team A 6 wins, Team B 16 wins
BkS: Team A 4 wins, Team B 18 wins (BkS is Team B’s biggest strength 700/520 = +35%)
Totals:
Team A: 80-96 = 45.5%
Team B: 96-80 = 54.5%
Planning to win a Hits/BkS league is not difficult. The tack-on categories (Hits/BkS) are still two
categories. A category is a category, whether it is goals or BkS. Never forget this. If you can dominate a
category by taking players late in your draft, do it. This strategy is the value over investment that wins
championships. Since defensemen are the only position that really rakes in the Blocked Shots in large
quantities, you need to draft those players to stock that category. And once that’s your strategy, focus
on getting any other categories to make those late D picks well-rounded. The best BkS defensemen can
also be found with big hit totals, good +/-, or substantial PIM. Grab ‘em late and use your middle rounds
to stock forwards. Let everybody else worry about filling out their empty D slots. You’ll make up
Hits/BkS at the end of your draft… and you’ll do it well.
D is for Domination.
~ Pengwin7
19

Lockout Ready : Players Edition
(who can benefit from a lockout)
by Tim Lucarelli
Alex Burmistrov
Burmistrov is a very skilled forward, but he has struggled to produce consistently. Anyone who has
watched the Jets can attest to the fact that Burmistrov has flashes where he looks like an elite, skilled
forward who can compete with the best of them. But then a few games go by and he fades back into the
player who is still finding his way. Thanks to the free agent acquisitions that Winnipeg has made, if the
NHL season were to start today, Burmistrov would likely end up stuck on the third line with the same
developmental barriers he has been seeing. Whether he plays in St. John’s – where he is eligible to play –
or for a KHL team in his homeland Russia, Burmistrov would benefit significantly in the case of a lockout.
Cam Fowler
Fowler had an impressive rookie campaign, but definitely hit a sophomore slump scoring only 29 points
in year two. Like most young players, Fowler has specifically struggled in his own end, posting a minus-
53 rating in his short career. With a year left on his entry-level contract, Fowler will have the opportunity
to fine-tune his skills in Norfolk with guys like Emerson Etem, Kyle Palmieri, and Sami Vatanen.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins/Taylor Hall/Jordan Eberle
OK, it’s not one player, but these three go together. All three are AHL-eligible, and they would probably
all be fine playing in the NHL next year. Now, it’s one thing to dominate in the AHL for a year and then
re-join the rest of your teammates who have been training elsewhere. It’s another thing to dominate in
the AHL with both of your linemates. Just imagine the confidence these three will bring once NHL action
resumes.
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Nino Niederreiter
Niederreiter had an atrocious year, posting only one measly
point and a minus-29 rating in 55 games. Islanders’ coach Jack
Capuano has still had positive things to say about him, but the
fact of the matter is that Niederreiter is not ready to skate at
the NHL level. Last year the Islanders chose to keep him
around to gain NHL exposure despite the poor performance,
but if there were to be a lockout, Nino would have the luxury
of regrouping at the level he should. Additionally, the
frustrating year will just add motivation.
Derek Stepan
Stepan has progressing well, but to get to that next level, he needs to find his offensive touch once
again. During the last lockout, Jason Spezza and Eric Staal dominated the AHL, which led to a very
successful NHL campaign once the lockout was resolved. Stepan might have a lower ceiling, but some
added confidence could do marvels for his development.
Ryan Johansen
Johansen has a ton of potential, but he was most concerned with just keeping his head above water in
his rookie year, where he posted a respectable 21 points and minus-two rating for the team who
finished statistically worst in the standings. One thing you never want to do is instill an acceptance of a
losing attitude, which is why it probably wouldn’t hurt for Johansen to get some time in for another club
before re-joining the Blue Jackets.
Chris Pronger
It is possible that Pronger’s career is over, but it is also possible that a full
year of rest (which he likely needs even if there isn’t a lockout) he would
be able to return to NHL action after all. It might be a longshot, but the
combination of rest and lack of media spotlight may just do wonders for
Pronger’s career.
Marcus Johansson
Johansson is another player who would benefit largely from a lockout, specifically because he already
has NHL experience and knows the level of effort and talent required to be a successful NHL player. He is
also in that developmental stage where it is one thing to know what needs to be done, but it’s another
thing to actually carry it out and be a consistent performer. Getting some confidence back in the AHL or
even a European league should translate to a more confident and consistent Johansson once the NHL
resumes play.
~ Tim Lucarelli
21

The Benefits to a Lockout
by Austin “austeane” Wallace
In any article, anywhere, anytime anyone in anyway states that a full year lockout is a good thing for
____ (insert NHL player or team), it is a relative term. Anyhow (there goes my last "any"), there are
definitely players, teams and leagues that are hurt less than others. In fantasy, this is what we should be
concerned about. It doesn't matter if your players all hit career lows in power-play points if that was due
to a massive reduction in penalties called throughout the NHL, as you will likely not be at a disadvantage
in relation to the other teams. The same is true here.
Will the Edmonton Oilers be hurt by a year lockout?
No. A precious year of their ELC induced magic window will have been sacrificed. Any possible chemistry
between the last three first overall picks will almost certainly be set back by a year. If the past is any
guide, they would probably have a better chance at landing Nathan Mackinnon or Seth Jones if the
season was played out rather than by a lottery.
Will the Oilers be hurt by said lockout in relation to other teams?
No. They do not lose a year of a championship window. Players such as Yakupov and Shultz will have
time to play and possibly dominate in a pro league before being thrust into the spotlight. They have
relatively few veterans who will deteriorate with age. And despite reports that Ryan Whitney is healthy,
any rest is good rest for him.
With those differences out of the way, let us look at some players in leagues that will benefit from a
lockout. A quick note: You can read more about this topic in other parts of this Roto guide as well as
multiple superb pieces from Jeff Angus at his blog Angus Certified on the way that specific teams will be
affected. If you are in a knowledgeable, competitive league, the chances that you are the only one of
your league mates reading this is slim. Thus, I will try to give you an advantage by showing you the tools
with which you can find your own gems.
Leagues with players who will benefit (relatively) from a lockout:
Unanimous #1 (voting conducted by Austin Wallace and I):
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The NHL
Partial lockout benefit (assuming that the lockout ends in early December, just enough time to
appease HBO and the owner's pockets [which are obviously starved of cash]): 10/10
Full lockout benefit: 7/10
That's right. The NHL will be the league that most benefits from a lockout. Notable members should
include Brodeur, Kelser, Quick and many others. The No Hockey League is for National Hockey League
players to take some time off and rest due to age or injury. The chances that Kesler would come back
too soon from another labrum surgery are about the same that DiPietro will (not) play a few games in
this league in the next couple months, and not necessarily of his own volition.
Take a look around for established fantasy producers who have been rehabbing an injury this summer or
for those that will likely not play elsewhere due to age. If you project a significant, partial year, lockout,
then rankings that do not will underrate these players. I have been looking into this a bit and I believe
that there is a causal relationship between training time (versus rehab or playing time) in the offseason
and fantasy production. Not only will Kesler and company be basically forced to properly rehab their
injury, they will have time to return to top form.
However, if you project a full year lockout, then older players fall down a notch as father time will take
his toll, whether Jagr is tearing up European leagues or sitting on his couch, watching junior hockey.
The AHL
Partial lockout benefit: 9/10
Full lockout benefit: 7/10
The AHL stands to be the (real) league in which its players will most benefit from a partial year lockout.
Players who may not be entirely fantasy relevant in one year leagues without a lockout, may get a boost
in value from playing in the AHL. Players in that league will face a game that is most similar to the NHL's
than any other league and should, theoretically, be best suited to jump to.
If Derek Stepan dominates the AHL, he could have the necessary
confidence to jump right onto the top line of the Rangers or at least
1b and bypass any fantasy predictions that a guide might make.
If your league allows transactions during the lockout, closely follow
players that excel against AHL-plus competition and don't be afraid
to take a chance on someone lighting it up against NHL players,
even if the general opinion is dim on that player.
In keeper leagues, there are a multitude of prospects for whom the best level of competition and
opportunity for them developmentally lies between the AHL and what is available to them in the NHL.
Eddie Lack is possibly the best goalie in the world to not have appeared in an NHL game. He has also
excelled against NHL competition. However, he won't play in the NHL until one of the two franchise
goaltenders ahead of him moves on and he proves that he can be relied on in pressure situations against
23

exceptional completion. When you can't go to the talent, the next best thing is having the talent come
to him. By playing against more (and higher quality) NHL shooters, Lack should be able to hone his skills
and confidence enough that he is guaranteed the backup role for the Canucks, after a certain trade has
finally been made.
Any player/prospect in the AHL whose spot on the depth chart is not negatively affected has a chance
during the lockout to wow us and their teams and to fast track their development.
The KHL
Partial lockout benefit: 6/10
Full lockout benefit: +/- 8/10
Of the three leagues presented here, it is likely that many Russian players will play in the KHL, given that
Russian players are more welcome than other NHL imports. It is also likely that the vast majority of them
will come back to play in the NHL. However, there is always a risk that an NHL player, Russian or not, is
poached to that league, at least for the rest of the season. It is considered to be second to only the NHL
in terms of skill level. However, from all accounts, the KHL has a significantly different playing style than
the NHL. In the case of a partial season lockout, it may take players, who are now used to the KHL,
longer to reacclimatize to the NHL rink and style.
If there is a full season lockout, that is another story. In that case, an NHL player could enjoy success, the
playoffs and good competition while still having time to train for the next NHL season. However, NHLers
who sign in the KHL for a full year could potentially be lured back for more of the stardom that they
experienced. If there is any hint of the NHL lockout going for more than one season, there could be a
veritable flood of talent from all nations to the KHL. Thus the plus/minus sign in front of the KHL's full
year lockout rating. Although a player may develop more in the KHL than the AHL, it does not mean that
success (or their new language) will translate to the NHL.
~ Austin Wallace
24

Making the Transition from Rebuilding to Contending
by Doran Libin
At the end of the 2006-07 season, the Atlanta Thrashers acquired Keith Tkachuk and Alexei Zhitnik in
order to make themselves contenders. In doing so, The Thrashers gave up a promising young
defenseman in Braydon Coburn for Zhitnik, while their 18 game rental of Keith Tkachuk cost them Glen
Metropolit, a first and third round pick in 2007 and a second in 2008. Tkachuk contributed nearly a point
per game for the Thrashers and returned to the Blues the next season. Zhitnik went on to tally 22 points
over the next 83 games before leaving for the KHL before the 2008-09 season, while Coburn has become
a staple on the Flyers blueline. The Thrashers ended up losing in the first round that year in four games
and did not have another winning season before they moved to Winnipeg. It can be argued that this
failed transition went on to cost them Ilya Kovalchuk after the 2009-10 season.
The Thrashers had a strong 2006-07 season but given what
happened the following seasons it really begs the question as to how
well they evaluated their team and the state of their organization. The
following year Kari Lehtonen got injured, and regressed a little, Tkachuk
left as a rental, Marian Hossa missed 20 games, and the team ended up
with little scoring punch outside of Ilya Kovalchuk. The premature push
the Thrashers made to become contenders resulted in a return to
another five years of struggling and rebuilding. Now, as the Jets, the
franchise seems to be taking a more measured approached to
rebuilding and it will be intriguing to see how they approach this
transition the second time around.
Many fantasy hockey teams face the same dilemma when trying to make the leap from
rebuilding to contending. Timing and price play such a huge role in this decision, and as the example of
the Thrashers shows, that if it goes astray it can reset a rebuild or leave a team mired in mediocrity.
Rebuilding is often a long and painful experience that is made all the worse
when it becomes a constant. To avoid being relegated to a constant rebuild, or
to the purgatory that is the middle, the process of a realistic evaluation of three
factors related to the rebuilding team is immensely important. The first factor is
an evaluation of the team in question, both coming off last season and looking
forward. Second, evaluate the state of the rest of the league. Finally, an analysis
of what needs to be added to the team in order to become a contender and it is
imperative to follow the advice of Timothy Oliphant, in The Girl Next Door, and
ask whether “the juice is worth the squeeze?”
25

3 Factors
1. Know the team
Knowing the team is the single most important factor when deciding whether to move from rebuilding
to contending. This evaluation requires asking a number of questions ranging from how true a reflection
of the team’s current potential last season of the team’s true ability to the ability to sustain a dynasty. It
is important to ask questions about both the present and the future because unless the plan is to
become the Florida Marlins of your league, occasional one shot wonders, the goal of a rebuild should be
to stay on top of the league for a prolonged period of time. Thus while the questions about the team
now will determine whether the base to compete immediately exists, the questions of the future will
determine whether the organization can pay the price to compete now and still be competitive down
the road. Being objective and realistic during this analysis will be the toughest because it is always tough
not to believe that we have built the best team. This process involves answering the following questions:
A. Was last season an anomaly?
- An abnormally large number of players having all had career years on the same team
means it is likely they will not all reach those levels again the next season. Be aware that
younger players don’t necessarily develop in a linear fashion (see Matt Duchene last
year). Some metrics can help ascertain the extent to which those career highs were
anomalies or a sign of future highs to come.
- Did one player have an abnormally good year? Be sure to get a good grasp of how likely
it is that said player will return to form. Make sure the factors that helped that player
succeed are still in play. In Mike Smith’s case the fact that Tippett and Burke remain in
Phoenix and the return of Zbynek Michalek make another strong year more likely (note:
I may be biased as I have Mike Smith)
- Is that Ray Sheppard after the 1993/94 season or Martin St Louis after 2003/04?
Catching the signs of a sell-high candidate can help avoid the crash of a regression to the
norm.
B. What development or regression is expected?
- Which prospects can be counted on to make the jump which ones are a risk. This can be
as much about the depth of the prospect’s NHL team in question as it is about the
prospect’s skill level and potential (see Brendan Smith in Detroit last year).
- It is less likely that a rebuilding team will be leaning heavily on older players nearing the
end of their careers but it may have been a couple of older players who helped push the
team toward contention but may not be around when actually making the jump.
C. How is the team set up for the long term?
- When coming off a rebuilding phase it is likely the core of the team is filled with younger
players. This should not however consist of just a couple young studs as successful
contenders have depth. The middle can be reached based on a couple young studs but
not the top.
- In leagues with prospect rosters, make sure that all the prospect depth is not already
tied up in the team. Will paying the cost to make the jump to contending completely
wipe out the prospect roster? Successful NHL dynasties like Detroit are in that situation
because they have a pipeline of talent to replenish the NHL roster. Make sure that the
potential for this exists in the organization in question as well.
26

2. Know the league
The state of the rest of the league, the competition, will be a major determining factor in choosing the
right time to transition to being a contender. How strong, or weak, the competition is will determine
how quickly it is possible to become a contender and the price to become a contender. To this end it is
necessary to be knowledgeable of the entire league, not just the top end teams. The following league
factors are important:
A. How good are the top teams?
- If there’s a large gap between the transitioning team and the top teams in the league it
may not be reasonable to assume that becoming an immediate contender is an option.
In that case it may not be the best time to make a major jump, a smaller interim step up
may be appropriate. The transition does not have to happen in one fell swoop. TIMING!
B. How many teams are rebuilding?
- The more rebuilding teams there are in the league the easier it is to trade prospects for
established players. Simple supply and demand.
- The more rebuilding teams there are the less legitimate competition there will be when
becoming a contender.
C. How many other teams are transitioning?
- If there are a lot of teams also trying to make the transition it may be harder to
successfully transition and become a contender. The state of the other transitioning
teams and whether they are ahead or behind in their rebuild should inform when to
make a move.
- A large number of transitioning teams may also mean that it makes more sense to wait
a year to transition. Teams that have not accurately assessed their situation may be
more willing to pay a very high cost to make the jump. If those teams end up like the
NHL Thrashers the assets they move will only increase in value. In this sense consider
the value proposition of taking advantage of teams over-anxious to get out of the
rebuild. TIMING!
3. Know the Cost
This summer in the NHL we saw the Minnesota Wild make two major transitional moves in
signing Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. While the Wild may not be an immediate contender before
prospects like Granlund, Coyle, Phillips and Brodin become legitimate NHLers these acquisitions will
make becoming a contender easier. Acquiring Parise and Suter cost the Wild nothing, except cap space,
something that is often not an option in fantasy hockey. Thus it is all the more important to ensure that
a plan is in place, an accurate idea exists of the pieces needed and the assets that can be moved to add
those pieces.
27

To that end an important principle of negotiating is to know your fallback position, also known
as the principle of the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA). This principle translates to
the idea of transitioning to contending in the sense that it is important to understand that if the price of
becoming a contender is too high another year of rebuilding and developing must be considered an
option. It may also be possible to take small steps and bring the team closer without actually making the
major jump. Remember the transition does not have to happen all in one season/off-season. The
smaller steps will only make it easier to make the jump the following year. The price needed to become
a contender will come from the answers to the questions asked about the state of the team and the
league. Knowing the team and the league will help to accurately assess what the team/organization
needs and what everyone else needs. It will dictate the supply and demand for players that will help in
the transition and the players that can be moved to acquire more immediate assets. Furthermore,
knowing the transitioning team will help make sure the pieces acquired will help now and make sense
long-term.
In closing, the transition from rebuilding to contending does not have to happen in one offseason
or one season. Constantly re-assessing the state of any rebuilding team/organization will inform
the decision of when to transition. A rebuilding team that is a ways from the transition stage may be
catapulted forward because of a trade, an NHL development or league developments. Keeping an open
mind will allow the smart fantasy hockey manager to take advantage of any number of these factors to
transition at the right time.
4. My Personal Example
For me, last year was supposed to be another year in the
bottom 10 of a 30 team salary cap dynasty league. During the year
I focused on consolidating some of my prospect depth and some
veteran talent for more elite NHL-ready prospects. In doing so I
acquired Mikael Granlund and Brayden Schenn. During the year
the emergence of Mike Smith vaulted me into the middle of the
league, he was a gamble that paid off much more than I had dared
to hope. When I realized the price I desired for Smith was not
forthcoming I realized I had a decision on my hands. Two teams deciding to go into rebuilding mode
helped make my decision for me. I was able to acquire Dustin Byfuglien late last season and then this
off-season I upgraded my forwards to Martin Erat, Milan Lucic, Patrice Bergeron and Erik Cole from
David Jones, Devin Setoguchi, Matt Cullen and Paul Gaustad as I needed to build on my core of Tavares,
Seguin, Jack Johnson, Hedman, Gardiner and Mike Smith. These acquisitions also mean that I do not
need Tarasenko, B Schenn, Mikeal Granlund, Leblanc, Tyson Barrie and Brendan Smith to make major
contributions. While this cost some of my prospect depth, along with some added depth, I now believe
myself to be on the verge of the top 10 in my league. I have also made sure that I still have a number of
top prospects on the way, such as Markstrom, Dumba and Joe Colborne.
~ Doran Libin
28

Veterans-r-us
by Brandon Cheung
It is an old fantasy hockey adage that most of us know well; proven
over potential. For those of you that know me, you will notice that this is a
rule I live by. It could be because I would rather win now than put myself in
a state of constant rebuild, or maybe it is simply because I do not feel
confident enough in my prospect knowledge to invest too much on
potential. Regardless, the end result is a team that is competitive to the
very end, and is typically very cost-efficient to assemble. Often times
fantasy owners will bend over backwards to obtain promising players who
have yet to break out, while completely ignoring the undervalued veteran
players that could be had for a far lower price.
The best time to target these players is the season after a perceived down-year. The anxiety
caused by an older player is much stronger, as fantasy owners begin to wonder if it is a sign of a gradual
decline. This makes them prime trade targets, as you could very well find yourself with this year’s Patrik
Elias, who scored 78 points at the age of 35. Or Zdeno Chara, who hit the highest point total of his career
at 35. Or even Ray Whitney, who finished 13 th in scoring at the age of 39. The key is to look for the
indicators of success; situational ice time, strong supporting cast, and a strong finish to the previous
season. So whether you’re a prime contender for your keeper league championship, or you’re looking
for an edge in your one-year league, this article is for you. Here is a look at some veterans that will be 35
years or older and are in good situations to prove that they still have gas left in the tank.
Jarome Iginla – Notorious for having a strong work ethic, the 35-year old Flames
captain is often said to have the conditioning of a man two or three years younger.
Despite posting only 67 points last season, owners can take comfort in the fact that
until Iginla retires or is traded, he will be leaned on to score. Iginla plays heavy minutes
on the powerplay, where the addition of Dennis Wideman should help him get back
above the 20 powerplay point mark. While Iggy only scored 12 points in his first 23
games, he turned on the jets in December to score 55 points in the remaining 59,
making him a strong candidate to bounce back to75-80 points with his usual solid
peripherals.
Martin St.Louis – At 5-9, this 37-year old has been no stranger to adversity. This past season he
experienced a ‘down-year’, scoring 74 points in 77 games. St.Louis also missed games to injury for the
first time since 2005-2006, but came back re-born. In the 50 games post-injury, St.Louis scored 51
points. The Lightning powerplay was also the sixth-worst in the league, dropping him to only 16
powerplay points, a far cry from his usual 30-40. From both a durability and production standpoint, you
can’t get much more reliable than St.Louis. For the 2012-2013 season, look for St.Louis to get back to
north of 80 points.
29

Teemu Selanne – “Forget this, I go play hockey”.
At the venerable age of 42, the Finnish Flash has
decided to play for another year. Selanne is a lock
for top powerplay minutes and will likely line once
again with fellow countryman Saku Koivu, whom
he has tremendous chemistry with. Last season,
the Ducks as a whole appeared to be snake-bitten
as they finished bottom 10 in goals for and
powerplay conversion. Look for them to improve
this year, specifically on the powerplay where Selanne does the most damage. For this season*, Selanne
should post at least 60, while having the upside for 70. Selanne also provides great roto value for
standard leagues as he tends to produce 200+ shots, 40+ penalty minutes, and 30+ powerplay points.
*Assuming there is no lockout
Dan Boyle – The Sharks’ Dan Boyle will be entering this season at the mature age of 36, but that should
not deter fantasy owners from taking a long look at him. In 2011-2012, Boyle scored 48 points ranking
him eighth among defensemen in scoring, and posted a career-high 252 shots on goal. The Sharks are
playing to Boyle’s strengths, as he logged a team-high 3:56 on the powerplay while only 1:30
shorthanded, ranking him fifth among Sharks defensemen. Note that Boyle only managed 17 powerplay
points last season, which was his lowest total since the 2003-2004 season. With a modest increase in
production on that front, Boyle could push for 50 points in 2012-2013.
Kimmo Timonen – Prior to last season it looked like Timonen was trending down. The point totals went
down as his age went up. Toss in a Chris Pronger injury, and suddenly the 37-year old made his way back
into fantasy relevance with 43 points. It’s hard to say if those two incidents were directly related, as his
ice time did not change too drastically, but the numbers showed that Timonen produced more without
Pronger. In the 63 games played without Pronger, Timonen scored 38 points, compared to only five
points in 13 games with. Given the departure of Carle and the injury to Meszaros, look for Timonen to
shoulder the load once again and hit the 45 point mark with average peripherals.
Niklas Backstrom – With the additions of Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, and Mikael Granlund to their roster,
the Minnesota Wild are set to ice one of the best squads in team history. That bodes well for their
goaltender, as despite recording an impressive .919 save percentage
and a solid 2.43 goals against average, Backstrom still ended up well
below .500, with a record of 19-18-7. Backstrom will be turning 35 in
February, and is playing for a new contract which will surely provide
some extra motivation. While durability and the presence of Josh
Harding have typically stood in the way of his success in recent years,
this season is easily the best shot Backstrom has gotten in the past
five years at returning to the 30-win plateau.
~ Brandon Cheung (aka bondon)
30

2012-13 Odds and Ends
by Anthony Lancione
Unlike the 04-05’ lockout which featured earth-shaking changes to the hockey landscape, with
monumental financial and structural differences at center stage of labor unrest, this time around you’ll
notice the apocalypse feel really isn’t there. In 2012, Its more about tweaking and fine tuning the
incumbent cap world NHL to essentially help prop up the bottom feeders, while mutually adjusting the
existing formulae to ensure the revenue sharing pot gets re-distributed to serve the greater good of
both the owners as a whole & the NHLPA relative to the first trial run (2004-2012).
Projecting league-wide totals for the parity-rich NHL is normally both a tricky proposition and an inexact
science, proving to be a daunting task for even the finest feathered odds makers in the bowels of Vegas’
top sports books. Take for instance, Yahoo Sports’ (and most of our) 2011-12 projection of a 30th place
finish for the Ottawa Senators last season, set at a 74.5 over-under point total, despite Murray’s Men
ultimately rolling out a valiant 92 point playoff campaign!
So with an impending lockout verdict all but formally announced, I venture to take a bit of different spin
on setting the stage for the 2012-13 season from a gaming perspective. There is simply no sense in
rambling off projections based on a full 82-game calendar at this point given the uncertainty of a season
length. Moreover, I’ll be classifying those clubs with any realistic shot at the big trophy into 3 valuebased
categories signifying their likelihood to succeed coupled with their likelihood to indicate where
you can unearth some good value futures.
In the Cap world NHL, it’s becoming an increasingly standard practice to hedge your risk, spreading your
eggs over a few baskets, given the number of realistic contenders in this day and age, while still allowing
you to collect some coin so long as 1 of yours hit. So I will embolden a couple franchises in each
classification for you to consider.
‘Been To The Dance’ Heavy Hitters
(This group is reserved for your cream of the crop of the NHL, the past 4 cup winners & runner-ups.)
Pittsburgh Penguins 8/1
Vancouver Canucks 10/1
Los Angeles Kings 12/1
Philadelphia Flyers 13/1
Chicago Blackhawks 14/1
Detroit Red Wings 15/1
Boston Bruins 16/1
New Jersey Devils 28/1
31

The Skinny: The glut of this group no doubt contains the deepest cores of offensive talent in the league,
with a few of them also laying claim to elite-end suffocating d-men corps. Albeit, here’s a little
perspective for you to consider: At first glance it’s clear the Pittsburgh Penguins & New York Rangers are
pegged as the top dogs heading into the season. The world’s most dangerous duo are now both healthy
to start a season for the first time in a couple years. However, the league leading 8-1 odds
accompanying them (NHL’s smallest payout offering due to highest likelihood to succeed)—is really just
a reminder at how times of changed; Specifically, how much the league-wide competition level has
tightened up in the past decade.
Moreover, in the top heavy pre-salary cap NHL, 10 years ago today, the defending champion Detroit
RedWings lay claim to title of favourite for the 2003 Cup (Ok..Well not everything in the league has fully
evolved!) However, the degree they were favoured was double as strong as the Pens & Rangers are
today with a 4 to 1 pegging by USA Today in October 2002! The fact that the odds have risen so much
throughout the league is a testament to the new heights of unpredictability resulting from this new age
of parity. On the flipside, the league worst Atlanta Thrashers, were 1,000 to 1 underdogs, whereas
today, the Bluejackets similarly sit at the bottom of the heap with only a 150 to 1 longshot odd given to
them by Vegas---Almost 8 times more likely to win the cup than the lowly Thrashers were who likewise,
were also adjudged to finish 30th. The greatest value in this sublist (not necessarily the best team) can
be found in the Boston Bruins---Double the payout of Pittsburgh, yet certainly not merely half as good!
Though greatness cannot be ignored either, so I’d hedge and lay a little coin on both the Bruins AND
Pens!
On the Cusp
(This group is set aside for those who in recent years have found themselves floundering around the Final
Four or finishing the regular season with aplomb, but not quite getting over the necessary hurdles
needed for a deep playoff run.)
New York Rangers 8/1
St. Louis Blues 16/1
San Jose Sharks 20/1
Washington Capitals 25/1
Nashville Predators 25/1
Phoenix Coyotes 40/1
32

The Skinny: With the acquisition of Rick Nash, the continual housing of arguably the world’s greatest
goaltender, the dynamism of Marian Gaborik and a depth chart on both ends of the ice that has grown
to be its most impressive since the Messier glory days, it’s time for the Blueshirts to take that next leap.
Unfortunately, despite St.Louis’ remarkable season last year, I find it hard to believe Brian Elliott; a welltravelled
journeyman for years will have an easy time replicating the ridiculous numbers he posted last
season. Although, while I expect Jaroslav Halak to fully return to prominence and return to the role of
undeniable #1 netminder in town, the Blues still figure to be a middle of the road playoff bound team,
with a one step back, two step forward possibility for 2013-14. With even more high-end young studs
seemingly ready for their debuts, in Ty Rattie & Vladimir Tarasenko, there will undoubtedly be baby
steps needed to integrate them into the top 6 full time.
Meanwhile, the East & West Conference versions of each other, San Jose & Washington, would have
remained in this grouping had I penned this piece each year since the lockout, for all SEVEN of those
seasons! With Semin departed, Mike Green still a shadow of his former self + Anti Niemi & and aging
Shark rosters at bay, I still expect both teams to stay put in this category for another season more.
(Believe me, as impartial as I am, a litany of playoff drafts past, with yours truly stating “This will be the
year…” for either the Caps or Teal sweater-ers, while yielding more of the same wasted potential each
time, has not factored into this assessment………….too much)
Fizzling in the Periphery
(This group naturally is created for the up and comers of the hockey world!)
Minnesota Wild 18/1
Carolina Hurricanes 22/1
Buffalo Sabres 25/1
Tampa Bay Lightning 28/1
Edmonton Oilers 30/1
Anaheim Ducks 40/1
Dallas Stars 50/1
The Skinny: Many of you may well point out at the Edmonton Oilers & Minnesota Wild as the logical
choices here, and you’re absolutely right! This is the glory round of futures betting. You can lay small
units spread over a few different franchises here, while still yielding high payouts if you hit one! Chaching!!
Thus on that note, I’d venture to include the Carolina Hurricanes on this list as well, with Minny
as the team to attribute the heaviest weight to; though probably not for the reasons you think.
Edmonton may yet not be ready for prime time yet, but a playoff appearance may well be in the cards if
Devan Dubnyk is truly ready to take the torch and Ryan Whitney is full recovered. The ultra-talented
youngsters are surely ready to step out of the NHL basement.
33

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes acquisitions of Jordan Staal and Alexander Semin make them
a very interesting team to watch out for this season as well, with a debut for young
blueliner Ryan Murphy also a possibility in front of elite netminder Cam Ward.
There’s no doubt Craig Leipold’s the shock double swoop of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter
was the jewel of the 2012 Free Agency period! These 2 dynamic players from either end
of the ice substantially raise the likelihood for future success in the both the short term
and long term. Although, these steals made me smirk, as even without the 2 all-stars, Minnesota was
ALREADY my sleeper team for this season as it was. Although prior to July 1st, I’ll admit they were
merely my darkhorse to make the playoffs and essentially be this year’s Ottawa Senators. However, post
July 1st, I’ve elevated them as my sleeper to shoot for a home ice advantage this for the time being and
in 1 to 2 years aiming for the big prize!
I was already sold on the looming rise of the Wild for a few reasons, but
none more influential than the impending arrival of arguably the world’s
best NHL ready prospect, Mikael Granlund. This young stud has got a
near full toolbox at his disposal with plenty of flash and speed to boot!
Beyond him though, enter into the fray the world beater duo from twotime
defending QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs, Charlie Coyle and
Zach Phillips. The experienced gained by these two with the offensive
juggernaut of the CHL in back to back League title runs, and for Phillips a
Memorial Cup Title, are invaluable. Not to mention a trio of young blueliners in Dumba, Brodin & Cuma
on the way sure to solidify the rearguard depth core behind Mr Suter in the coming years. Moreover,
the surprise return of Josh Harding as Nick Backstrom’s deputy officer, showcases the depth at all
positions, with a bounceback year from Dany Heatley only enhancing the chances further. Verdict- Think
of Minny when you disperse your budget!
~ Anthony Lancione
34

Quick Hits
by Brandon Landry
In this edition of ‘Quick Hits’, you’ll be getting a speedy tidbit of knowledge on every team in the NHL.
This includes sleepers, trends and my own predictions.
Ducks – Viktor Fasth has won the Honken Trophy two years in a row for the AIK. Hiller came 24 th in
goalies with over thirty starts for goals against average last season. The moment Hiller falters, Fasth will
be given every opportunity to take the starting gig.
Bruins – Nathan Horton is expected to be healthy for day one of training camp after the doctors cleared
him for contact in July. The Bruins scored 3.54 goals per game with Horton, and 2.69 without the former
first-round pick.
Sabres – With the departure of Derek Roy, the Sabres are now without a
number one center going into the 2012-13 season. Ennis was stapled
between Foligno and Stafford to end last season where the three ignited
the Sabres offense and Hodgson saw shifts next to Thomas Vanek. My
guess is that Steve Ott or Cody Hodgson will get the first crack at playing
top powerplay and even strength minutes.
Flames – Not much is known about Czech Roman Cervenka aside from that the Flames expect him to be
in a top-six role and that as a teammate of Jaromir Jagr and Alexander Frolov, he outpointed them both
easily. Don’t hold your breath for this Calgary Flame.
Hurricanes – The ‘Canes powerplay finished in the bottom ten last season, but have
added both Alex Semin and Jordan Staal to their weapon arsenal. The Staal brothers
aren’t expected to be in sync the level of the Sedins’, but there isn’t much else to do in
Thunder Bay, so the duo should click off the bat.
Blackhawks – Viktor Stalberg recorded the most points out of any player to not have
any on the powerplay. The likely extended hiatus of Marian Hossa and departure of
Andrew Brunette may force the Hawks brass to toss the former college standout onto
the second unit. 50 points would bring him into the Andrew Ladd, Jiri Hudler, and
Mikhail Grabovski range.
Avalanche – Could the stitching from ‘C’ to ‘A’ have that great of an impact on Milan Hejduk? The glass
half full says that he’ll have less pressure and will return to his mid-fifty point totals. The glass half
empty says that this will give Joe Sacco an easier decision in burying him on the third line.
Blue Jackets – The last time Columbus played a season without Rick Nash, Geoff Sanderson cracked the
thirty-goal mark while leading the squad with 56 points. We should look for the team leader to put up
similar totals, with a bunch of high energy young scrappy forwards driving the Jackets forward.
35

Stars – Last season, the Stars saw their powerplay rank last overall from fourteenth in the league in the
year prior. The additions of Whitney, Jagr and Roy should get them back to the NHL average. Jagr and
Whitney reached twenty powerplay points last season and Roy contributed 12, which would have tied
for the team lead in Dallas.
Red Wings – If Tomas Holmstrom decides to hang up the skates, Johan Franzen should see an infinite
rise in point totals from the extra man. Playing a somewhat similar game to Holmstrom, the Mule will
reach career highs while using his thick frame to upset the opposition shift after shift.
Oilers – The entire hockey world was pressing F5 on their computers on TSN and Twitter as Justin
Schultz knocked teams off his list. He’s had all the hype and some players with similar numbers in
college were Matt Carle, Alex Goligoski and Jordan Leopold. Goligoski hit 20 points in 45 games, Carle
managed 42 points in 77 games and Leopold reached a lowly 14 points in 58 games in their respective
rookie years in the NHL. What player’s numbers will he echo in this upcoming year?
Panthers – Florida saw a significant drop in goal totals in the second half of
last season. They averaged 2.24 goals per game in their last 41 matches while
starting the year with 2.85 goals per game in their first 27. It’s difficult to say
which totals they will revert to this upcoming season as Versteeg had just
broken out and Fleischmann first line minutes for a full season for the first
time in his career.
Kings – In the past four years, the year following a team’s Stanley Cup championship saw these teams
allow on average 23 more goals than the past season. This does not bode well for Jonathan Quick and
Jonathan Bernier owners. This would drop Jon Quick’s totals from last year to a .916 save percentage
and a 2.28 goals against average.
Wild – Last season, the Minnesota Wild led the NHL in wins and points in the month of December. The
wheels soon fell off. The Wild held a 14-23-5 record from January on and concluded the year in 12 th in
the Western Conference. This next season they’ll have Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Mikael Granlund and
Zenon Konopka in addition to the old squad. If the first half Wild shows up, could we be in for a season
to remember in Minnesota?
Canadiens – The last year that Montreal had the honour of Andrei Markov running their powerplay,
they had a success rate of 19.3%. This past season, they ranked third last in the league at 14.3%. His
healthy return should have the Montreal faithful buzzing every time they are given the extra man and
perhaps we’ll see Pacioretty reach a new level after only recording four goals on the powerplay last
season.
Predators – As one of the smallest leaders Canada has ever seen dawn the ‘C’, Ryan Ellis will have to
make the most of his opportunity this year with the recently departed Ryan Suter. The gaping hole on
the top powerplay and many even strength minutes to have, Ellis should see at least thirty points in this
next campaign. Roman Josi will be playing minutes alongside Shea Weber which will help him also reach
career highs.
36

Devils – With the Lebron-esque farewell from Zach Parise and Petr Sykora yet to be signed, the Devils
are evidently missing the depth they saw last season and will be forced to promote one of Zajac,
Henrique or Zubrus to the team’s top powerplay. My money would be on Henrique after his playoff
performance reminiscent of a young Chris Drury.
Islanders –The Islanders transferred Bailey onto the wing of Nielsen and the two were producing similar
numbers to superstar teammate John Tavares. Frans Nielsen’s vision took off with 13 assists in 18 games
and Josh Bailey showed why he was taken ninth overall in 2008 with 18 points in his last 20 clashes.
Rangers – John Tortorella pressed every button he could find on Anton Stralman last year and it paid off
unimaginable dividends. Stralman’s defensive game improved tenfold and towards the end of the
season, the Swedish defender was able to get back to his offensive ways. He was very noticeable in the
postseason with the man advantage contributing 4 points in 20 games. While these totals may not be
awe-inspiring, expect the New Jersey cut-off to produce beyond belief.
Senators – As I had posted in my weekly Injury Ward article, Latendresse is expected to receive top-six
minutes in Ottawa while playing with the recently signed pivot Kyle Turris. The one-time first round pick
has only skated in 27 games in the past two seasons, but he could make for a true sleeper after scoring
25 goals in 55 games in his last full season with Minnesota.
Flyers – "I'm very happy that the Flyers give me that opportunity to play on a top line with 'G' and
'Hartsy' but, like I say, you never know what's going to happen in the season," Voracek said during a
media conference call in July. If this plays out like Voracek thinks it will, then we should be considering
him much higher than what Yahoo! has him at 197th.
Coyotes – The ‘Yotes will be operating their 29 th ranked powerplay
unit next season without the trigger man Ray Whitney and will likely
replace him with Ekman-Larsson. We’ve all heard about Oliver
Ekman-Larsson, but I just wanted to mention one more time that
he’s going to break out next season.
Penguins – Pascal Dupuis is this century’s Rob Brown. On a line with
Mario Lemieux in the late eighties, Brown put up 115 points while
riding the coattails of Mario’s 199 point year. Following that period, he was dealt to the Whalers where
he would never come close to reaching those totals again. Last year, Pascal Dupuis reached a career high
total of 59 points while finishing the year alongside Sidney Crosby. If Dupuis sees a number of shifts with
Crosby this year, expect another Rob Brown fashioned year from the player who was once traded with a
pick for Alex Bourret.
Blues – It’s almost as if there won’t be enough ice time to go around for all the stars in St. Louis this
season. With the arrival of Russian professional Vladimir Tarasenko, Ken Hitchcock will be able to call
three lines of players who are capable of putting up over sixty points. Come draft day, this will be a
game of blindfolded darts as it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be the go-to line on opening day.
37

Sharks – The San Jose Sharks history book will tell you a story of regular season success followed by
playoff disappointment. Last season, we saw disappointment on both fronts from a fantasy perspective.
Only one Shark reached the 70-point plateau and we saw a dramatic fall in Marleau, Clowe’s and
Pavelski’s point totals. This isn’t due to effort as San Jose finished second in the league in shots, but
thirteenth in goals scored. The one player of those three that I predict to return to his old numbers is
Ryan Clowe. This is simply due to a low shooting percentage and a healthy Martin Havlat on the
opposite wing.
Lightning – Which defender has been spending the offseason practicing putting the puck on a tee? That
would be Matt Carle, who will be making his second trip to Tampa Bay. Carle is coming off three straight
35+ point seasons with minimal powerplay time. This could be his coming out party as he will likely be
the one lucky enough to be feeding Stamkos all year long.
Leafs – Matt Frattin will be joining the party in Toronto next season once he recovers fully from a knee
operation. He’s expected to start skating in two weeks and regardless of when the season starts, he’ll be
on Randy Carlyle’s watch list. With the diminished play of the Leafs second line last season, perhaps a
healthy Frattin could force the Leafs brass into demoting Macarthur or Kulemin to the team’s third line.
Canucks – As long as the Sedin’s keep starting 80% of their
shifts in the offensive zone, Edler can blast a puck and Burrows
can grind, expect much of the same from the Canucks this
season. The Sedin’s point totals dropped off significantly in the
second half last year but I won’t bet against both of them
reaching eighty points next year.
Capitals – Adam Oates will be turning the Caps into a high
intensity run and gun tempo squad in his coaching debut. This
will probably be the most a coach has even leaned on Ovechkin
with this being the weakest depths the Capitals have seen since the days prior to Ovechkin’s arrival.
This will be the time for the great number eight to put up or shut up.
Brandon Landry, author of The Injury Ward, takes a look at any and all fantasy impacts on players
sidelined and the trickle effect onto their teammates. Landry, originally from St. Catharines, is currently a
fourth-year student at the University of Ottawa studying Economics and devotes the majority of his
senses daily to the game of hockey. Brandon can be found on Twitter @thelandshock and will be
tweeting injury updates and talking puck all year long.
38

30 NHL Team Reports
Brought to you by the
DobberHockey Community
Featuring work from…
the DobberHockey Team Coverage crew,
DobberHockey writers, and well respected
members from the Dobber Sports forums
39

y Eric Daoust
Surprises
• Viktor Fasth – At first glance, it appears that Fasth will be getting
to know the bench this season when considering that starter Jonas
Hiller is coming off of a 73-game campaign. But when looking at
Hiller’s numbers, we see that last season was by far his highest
workload and led to the lowest save percentage mark of his
career. There will be more on Hiller later, but Fasth could be in for
around 20 starts this year.
• Kyle Palmieri – The AHL star is ready to make the jump and there is a hole on the second line.
With Andrew Cogliano, Devante Smith-Pelley, Matt Beleskey and Emerson Etem in the mix,
Palmieri appears to be the best suited to putting up points immediately. He is a shot-first player
who scored 62 goals over the last two seasons in the minors. Consider him a dark horse for the
Calder, especially if he starts hot and gains some confidence.
• Sheldon Souray – Out of sight, out of mind. After being banished to the AHL by the Oilers,
Souray returned to the NHL in Dallas last season and had 21 points. Some people may forget
that Souray is a two-time 20-goal scorer and two-time 50-point scorer. With Visnovsky out of
the mix, Souray has a clear path to the top power play unit. He is getting old and is very prone
to injury, but there is no reason to think Souray cannot get back able 30 points.
Disappointments
• Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry – These two guys are tied at the hip in terms of their production.
Both experienced massive drops in production last season. Coincidentally, top offensive
defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky dropped from 68 points two years ago to just 27 last season.
The duo may bounce back, but with Visnovsky traded to the Islanders, their short-term upside
takes a hit. Even with Cam Fowler maturing and Sheldon Souray in the fold, it will not be
enough to push them above the point-a-game mark. Don’t look now, but if the Ducks struggle
again as a team, these two could be traded at the deadline or shipped to another team. Stay
tuned.
• Jonas Hiller – In the three years prior to last season, Hiller
appeared in between 46 and 59 games, posting a save
percentage of .918 or better each time. Last season, his .910
is a sign that he was overused. With a new quality backup in
town, Hiller could see his workload reduced to a level that he
is more familiar with. With that in mind, he could be in tough
to even get to 25 wins. However, you should expect to see
his save percentage climb back to his career average.
40

y Tim Graveline
The Big Bad Bruins are still around folks, but they aren’t as bad as they once were. The team is still
tough, but they are such a solid all-round team with one of the best forwards groups depth-wise. They
make take poor penalties with players like Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic on the team, but those guys
are fan favorites and are good players in their own right. Like many teams Peter Chiarelli has kept his
core intact with very little movement. The biggest news has been political and that’s because of Tim
Thomas and his Facebook account.
Yet, there is much to hope for with this team for this season and the future.
Their vets may be a year older, but their youth infusion is what has me excited
about this team moving forward. Tyler Seguin is a year older and had a great
sophomore campaign where he more than tripled his rookie season numbers.
Tuukka Rask is their everyday starter and has been ready, but needed the
opportunity. I expect great things from him as he has been patiently waiting
for this moment to shine. Hopefully the wear and tear of full-time starting
duties does not throw him off his game. The other young guy coming in is
Dougie Hamilton. He is very tall, but I hesitate to say huge, because he needs to fill out his gangly frame
more for me to consider him as such. He has a ton of potential and being able to learn under Zdeno
Chara will do wonders for his development. This is exciting, but these three cannot carry the team.
The veterans are the ones that need to be counted on and
will not disappoint. Zdeno Chara will lead this team as he
has for so long and with the continued poise he has shown
so far. Then you have Patrice Bergeron who’s one of the
best centers in the league. He isn’t the guy who puts up the
most points, but they are always respectable and he’s so
sound in his own zone that he’s a big contributor to their
many wins. So expect these two guys to lead their team as
usual with the bad boys Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic. Those guys end up in the sin bin quite often,
but their intensity and style of play is so beneficial to their team’s success.
The players to watch are the three young guys I listed above and another I saved for this section. I
expect Seguin to continue his improvement and work his way to the 70 point mark. I, also, expect Rask
to be a top 10 goaltender. This is due to his skill and the defense in front of him. Hamilton is the
wildcard. He will either amaze or see a lot of nights from the press box. Either way, he’s going to learn a
ton this season as he has nothing left to learn in the OHL. The one player I have not mentioned so far is
David Krejci and that’s because I wonder about his place on the team. He’s a solid second line center,
but he’s been given first line duties ever since Savard’s career was derailed. I feel like he could be bait at
some point to bring in a center who might be better suited to this team. Chiarelli has provided a great
team as usual and there are many more stories to look out for, but this is a team that will surely make
the playoffs and could truly contend for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
41

y “Bomm Bastic” Will
This is do-or-die for both Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff. Their year to make their mark. In short, there are
no more excuses remaining in the tank for another lackluster, underachieving season for Ruff’s crew.
Regier has gone out of his way to throw his unconditional support behind his head coach - as if Ruff
goes, so goes Regier.
So what does this mean? Well, fantasy GMs can rest assured that R&R, Inc. will do everything in their
power to create an environment that breeds opportunity for success. And THAT, my dear poolies, is
reason to rejoice. Why? Because an environment such as this breeds confidence, and with confidence
comes improved production. What follows is a list of players who will benefit most from this newly
bolstered team, one to avoid, and a couple to keep on your radar.
MUST HAVES
• Steve Ott, LW/C
What’s not to like about Ott, if you are a Roto GM? This thirty year-old wily veteran comes from Dallas
with enough experience to lead a team in dire need of leadership, and enough versatility to earn himself
all the ice time necessary to make fantasy GMs rejoice.
In Dallas, Ott earned his stripes by mixing just the right blend of tenacity with an ability to create scoring
chances. In Buffalo, Ott will be counted on to continue his mean streak while ratcheting up his offensive
production. He is at the forefront of a team desperately trying to change their image from a passive,
post-lockout, emotional lot to that of a gritty sandpaper, take-no-prisoners crew. Consequently, Ott gets
the biggest bump in value. You’re not picking Ott for his plus/minus, however, he will more than make
up with 46 points, 170 PIMs, 280 Hits, and 120 SOG.
He may not play a full 82 games due to the occasional one or two game suspension, but his
contributions to your stat line are well worth any potential short-term absence.
• Tyler Myers, D
Comparisons to Zdneo Chara continue to shadow
the 6’8”, 227lb Myers, and they go beyond the
obvious physical similarities. While Myers
experienced a drop-off in offensive productivity in
the 2011-12 season - due in large part to injury and
a honing of his defensive acumen - fantasy GMs
need to remember that Chara failed break through
the 40-point barrier until his seventh season.
42

Myers is a mere pup at 22yrs, entering his fourth NHL season, and the vibes coming out of Pegulaville
could not be more positive for this future defensive linchpin.
Sabres General Manager, Darcy Regier, has recently infused this team with muscle and grit, by acquiring
the likes of the aforementioned Ott, enforcer John Scott, veritable battering ram Robyn Regehr, and the
ascension of the pugnacious power forward Marcus Foligno. These additions relieve Myers of the
burden of taking on an entire opposing team by himself. In short, he has more than able back-up,
allowing him to play his game to the fullest, without the anxiety of being taken out by some cheap shot
or gang tackle.
Myers is continuing to grow into his large frame, slowly becoming more comfortable with the physical
play as he learns just how strong he truly is, and while he will never be Chara-like in terms of overall
PIMs, Myers will acquire more than enough to keep GMs pleased. Look for a significant growth in
production across the board with 35pts, 130 Hits, and 85 PIMs. All with room to grow!
• Tyler Ennis, LW/C
“Kid Dyn-O-Mite” has a new bodyguard and space-maker in Marcus
Foligno (more on him later), and their respective styles complement
one another better than obnoxious neckwear and Don Cherry. This
duo is crazy-good on the ice, with Foligno’s ability to continual feed
pucks to his shifty centerman, and Ennis’ ability to split defenders
they are a tough tandem to reign in.
New found ice-partner aside, Ennis will also see an increase in TOI
thanks to more opportunities on the power play. The increase is largely due to two factors: (1) Ennis’
slick, water bug like moves and improved play making ability have earned him the extra time, and (2) an
increase in man-advantage opportunities generally, thanks to perennial agitators Ott and Patrick Kaleta -
opposing teams will have fits against these two.
The chemistry demonstrated with Foligno, in addition to more frequent four-on-four and power play
opportunity will result in an offensive uptick across the board. If 63pts, 220 SOG, 8PPG, and a
respectable plus-15 aren’t enough to make fantasy GMs smile then there is no hope for humanity.
• Marcus Foligno, LW
Well, you had to expect this guy would be on the list. Thirteen points in 14 games is good for any player,
but the way in which Foligno accumulated them was nothing short of inspirational. Creating space
around opposing netminders, banging the corners in order to feed the puck to the point-man, taking
opposing players out of their element with his fierce, fearless physical style are all ways in which Foligno
puts himself into the best position to create scoring chances.
43

Foligno will not begin the season on the power play, and there is a chance he may go the majority of the
season without any PPTOI at all, so his offensive opportunities will be somewhat limited. But this should
not discourage fantasy GMs, nor give them pause when deciding if Foligno is worthy of a roster spot.
Fear not, poolies! Foligno has been and will continue to be counted on to preserve leads, as well as
obtaining leads in the waning moments of games. In other words he will see more than enough ice time
paired with his pal Ennis to earn fantasy GMs much needed points. He chases the puck, he gets the
puck, he feeds the puck - that’s what Foligno does with dogged determination. He is very reliable in that
regard.
Consequently, big hits, blocked shots, PIMs will be paired with 50-point upside, much like a pungent
Gorgonzola with a Belgian lager. What fantasy GM wouldn’t want that?!?
AVOID
• Nathan Gerbe
It pains me to list Gerbe here; the kid has nothing but heart. He
truly deserves respect for the way he brings it on each and every
shift. Sabres fans should be proud to have this kid on their team.
Unfortunately, this is fantasy hockey…and at a generously listed
5’5” and 178lbs, Gerbe’s attitude is writing checks (pun intended)
his body can’t cash. Consequently, he has failed to hit the 70 GP
mark in the previous two season Point being, he gets hurt, and if
it weren’t for his toughness he would be hurt even more often (or
perhaps not even in the NHL).
Getting hurt means missing games which translates to being an
unreliable choice for fantasy GMs. Furthermore, his offensive
upside is not high enough to offset the risk of losing him at critical
points throughout the year.
FUTURE WATCH
Brayden McNabb, D - he’s buried on the depth chart for now and has to earn his ice time. But once he
does this now 6’4”, 204lb defensemen will ultimately find his way to being paired with Myers as the
team’s top D-unit. When that happens look for plenty of hits, PIMs, solid plus/minus and enough offense
to make him a valuable asset for any fantasy GM.
Zemgus Girgensons, C - In three years when this kid is centering the third line with his bruising two-way
game, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
44

y Chad “First Round Pick” Pottruff
Three Roto players to watch for from the Calgary Flames (yes, this assumes you are actually wanting to
watch the Flames play hockey) :
Curtis Glencross
This guy should be captain when Iggy gets the Ray Bourque treatment
for that shot at a Cup. Yes, it would go with the mould of Calgary being
more about work than skill, but really how can you not say good things
about this guy? He plays with an edge, gets dirty, and as you see by
the new Corsi QoC stat in the Dobber Fantasy Guide, he led the entire
LEAGUE in tough minutes played. You can't ask for more from a guy
than that. Throw in the fact that he scored 26 goals in 67 games last
year (48 points) and 62 penalty minutes, the fact he was -13 is
explained by the difficult minutes. This guy can score 30 goals, play
tough and be a leader. That's a roto guy you want. I don't believe he
stays out of the top-six for the reasons you will see below.
Jiri Hudler
questioned before about whether he could be a break through force, he came back last year and put up
51 points and solidified his top-6 status. You don't think they'll do anything they can to showcase him
this first year in Calgary? It always happens, even when Olli Jokinen struggled when first traded here the
Flames brass always put him out there... expect the same with Hudler. He is playing with a bit more of
an edge, as noticed by his jump in PIM last year. He may only get 2nd line PP duty but I would expect
him to get a spot start on the top PP line if they move Tanguay back to the point. He might not score
more than last year, but I'd be shocked if he scored less as he'll get much more PP time.
Alex Tanguay
okay, no he's not a center. No he doesn't hit much either. And penalties are pretty much nonexistent.
So why take him? He's the guy that stirs the drink in Calgary and proves that year after
year. Last year was somewhat disappointing, but it was for most of the Flames too. Some more
offensive talent to play with, Cammalleri, Backlund, Hudler, Baertschi, Cervenka, will mean more
points. If he doesn't, the Flames are in bigger trouble than people think they already are.
45

Three players to back away from:
Jarome Iginla
I hate to put him here. He's going to score 35 in a normal season, he's the leader and one of the best
guys out there. So why be low on him? Blame it on the chance the season starts later. His slow starts
have killed his seasons previously, and any chance of a lockout means a shortened training camp and
fewer games before a condensed schedule. None of those things work in Iggy's favor. Add to the mix
that Iggy does a ton of barking but rarely any fighting anymore, and he becomes a guy who might not be
the best player on his team any more.
Roman Cervenka
Everyone is putting him on a platter to succeed. That's too much to
expect from a guy who's never played an NHL game. To thrust him into
top six minutes and expect results is hopeful, but more often than not
those players do not pan out that way. While I'm not saying he'll be
the next Mats Zuccarello, I don't expect him to be as successful as Jagr
was in his return to the NHL from the same team. He'll be ok. It's just
that Flames fans will want much more than that.
Sven Bartschi
Calgary's next big hope is a wonderful kid who makes
people notice he's on the ice. However if the Flames are to
develop him nicely, they'll put him on the 3rd line and let
him get used to playing the game, while giving him good PP
time and a few shifts per game with Tanguay to really hone
his offensive game. He's a great talent but he's also not the
biggest guy out there. He looks smaller than Eberle on the
ice, and that's about the cut-off for small players being
really successful right off the get-go without going through
some growing pains. He'll be good, but wait a year to see it
take shape.
46

y Derek Reese
3UPS
Eric Staal/ Jordan Staal
Tale of the tape: C, Age 27, 6’ 4”, 205lbs/ C, Age 23, 6’ 4”, 220lbs
Brothers Eric and Jordan playing on the same team should light a fire in both of them. Both are
Centers but look for Eric to move to the wing so they can both play on the same line together. Eric is
a multi-cat stud and Jordan finally has the freedom to explode offensively.
Verdict: Look for Eric to improve on last year and a career year for Jordan
Cam Ward
Tale of the tape: G, Age 28, 6’ 1”, 185lbs
Cam Ward is a workhorse; he loves to play a lot of games and plays and seems to get better the
more he plays. Carolina’s defense wasn’t that great last year but they have an awesome group of
young defensemen in Faulk, McBain and Murphy. Whether your league counts saves or save %,
Ward is a beast and a must have.
Verdict: Look for Ward to put career high numbers this year
Justin Faulk
Tale of the tape: D, Age 20, 6’ 0”, 205lbs
Justin Faulk made the Hurricanes out of camp as a 19 year old and didn’t look out of place on the
ice. That’s impressive considering playing defense is the hardest position to play at the NHL level.
Faulk has the confidence of his coaches as he was put out in all situations. Faulk put pretty decent
numbers in his rookie season despite playing only 66 games.
Verdict: No sophomore slump here and look for him to lead Carolina’s defensemen in scoring.
47

3DOWNS
Alex Semin
Tale of the tape: LW, Age 28, 6’ 2”, 209lbs
Alex Semin has a problem, his problem is he just doesn’t care most of the time. Semin is an all-world
talent that when motivated could be one of the best players in the league, just too bad it doesn’t
happen all the time. He will no doubt start the season on the top line but after a couple of bad games
he will be taken off of it.
Verdict: Look for a 7 million dollar 50 point season
Tim Gleason
Tale of the tape: D, Age 20, 6’ 0”, 217lbs
Tim Gleason is very talented, too bad he uses that talent for defense instead of offense and he plays
against other teams top players. Gleason doesn’t much chance to play offence as he is always
playing on the penalty kill and hardly ever gets any power play time. Gleason is a forgotten member
on the Hurricanes defense as all the talk is going to the youngsters.
Verdict: Only relevant in deep leagues which count hits and blocked shots
Jeff Skinner
Tale of the tape: C, Age 20, 5’ 11”, 183lbs
Jeff Skinner is a pure goal scorer and he burst on to the scene as an 18 year old winning the Calder
Trophy as the rookie of the year. As crazy as it sounds many believe Skinner reached his peaked
during his rookie season. Skinner missed 16 games last year with a concussion. With Jordan Staal
and Alex Semin on board Skinner will play on the 2 nd line and his numbers may decline.
Verdict: Look for a 35 goals and 65 points
48

y Steve Laidlaw
In 2011-12 the Chicago Blackhawks boasted an offense that scored the 6 th most goals in the entire
league despite a power play that ranked 26 th in efficiency. In other words, the Blackhawks left a ton of
goals on the table. This is especially true when you consider that the Blackhawks boasted the 4 th most
efficient power play in the league just one season earlier. Let’s say the Blackhawks split the difference
this season and finish middle of the pack in power play efficiency. What that means is that even if the
Blackhawks even strength scoring comes back to the pack a bit the players seeing the most power play
time should receive a big kick in scoring. As such it becomes important to figure out which Blackhawks
will receive power play time to determine which players are due for their kick and conversely which
players are going to falter.
TRENDING UP
Patrick Kane –
Kane has a career average of 25.6 power play points per
season yet only recorded 12 PPP last season. It should come
as no surprise that the scoring phenom should rebound from
what was a career low 66 points last season.
Duncan Keith –
Keith may never come close to matching the career high 69 points he recorded in 2009-10 but he should
improve on last season’s meager 40. Keith led the team in overall ice time as well as power play ice time
by a defensemen and it wasn’t close in either case. Should Keith continue to see huge minutes in
Chicago then it stands to reason that by sheer luck alone his numbers will improve.
Jonathan Toews –
Toews is very quietly becoming the new Rick Nash – as in he’s a superstar player with all the talent in
the world who continually teases us with his performance but never actually scores over 80 points even
though we are already giving him credit for it. All he needs to do is submit an 80-game season and he is
a guarantee to score over 80 points. Often times a big breakout is just the result of simple luck in the
health department. Consider this a gamble on health.
49

TRENDING DOWN
Andrew Shaw –
Shaw came out of nowhere halfway through last season and posted reasonably fantasy worthy numbers
for a player who was on the waiver wire in over 99.9% of leagues just last December. Nearly a year later
everyone expects for him to build on last season’s 23 points in 37 games but I think he goes the other
direction. He is a fine player but he is really a third-liner and will likely lose the second unit power play
time he was receiving to a more dynamic player.
Viktor Stalberg –
All signs are pointing in the right direction. In three NHL seasons Stalberg has improved his scoring each
year culminating in the 22-goal, 43-point season he just submitted. The next step is seemingly the 60-
point barrier, which would make him very fantasy friendly. The problem is he has to earn more minutes.
Stalberg skated in just over 14 minutes per game last season, while receiving next to no power play
time. It would be wonderful for Stalberg owners if the Blackhawks found some space for him on even
the second power play unit but the team has a ton of depth on the wings and have no real room to
experiment with Stalberg, especially not with more intriguing prospects on the way up.
Corey Crawford –
Crawford stunk last season. Or rather he was numbingly mediocre. Just a season prior, Crawford
submitted a wonderful fantasy line that came seemingly out of nowhere. Which Crawford will show up
for 2012-13? How about none of the above. The Blackhawks are eerily well under the cap for 2012-13
and while no team has been exactly willing to press right up against the new cap given the current
situation with the collective bargaining agreement, there still remains a ton of room for the Blackhawks
to resolve their weakest link – goaltending. With Crawford signed for less than $3 million a season and
only one year left on Emery’s deal the Blackhawks have the flexibility to go after a proven starter. They
also have the prospect depth to swing such a deal. It’s no secret the Blackhawks want to make an
upgrade here and that would relegate Crawford to the bench and your waiver wire. It’s always a gamble
betting on a trade but the Blackhawks can’t consider themselves Cup contenders until they upgrade
between the pipes.
50

y Marty Kwiaton
The Landeskog Effect
To the shock of many, the Colorado Avalanche named Gabriel Landeskog team captain for the upcoming
2012-13 NHL season, and making him the youngest captain in NHL history. Anyone you talk to never
doubted for a second that when the Avalanche drafted Landeskog 2 nd overall in the 2011 NHL Entry
Draft that they were drafting a future team captain, however no one expected it after one pro season.
There were many nights last year, especially in the middle of February, as the team looked to make a
push for a playoff spot that Landeskog carried the team on his young shoulders through his
determination, compete and on-ice play. When most first year players taper off, not used to the length
and grind of the NHL schedule, he seemed to get stronger and better leading the Avs with 22 points in
the final 24 games of the regular season. Here’s a quick look at how his captaincy affects other Avs in the
upcoming season:
Milan Hejduk
Hejduk is a very quiet person who’s not a big voice in the locker room, he prefers to lead by example on
the ice. It’s obvious that the pressure of being the captain last season, and expected to do things he was
unaccustomed to in the locker room took its toll and spilled over onto the ice as he finished up the year
on the 4 th line. His leadership by on ice example couldn’t have lead his team out of a wet paper bag, let
alone into a playoff spot come April. Hejduk did not want to finish off his career captaining a young team
from the 4 th line, instead he wants one more season to prove that he’s still got enough gas left in the
tank for his 12 th 20-goal season in 13 years. With Landeskog as captain this enables Hejduk to focus on
putting the puck in the net as the Avalanche have gone five seasons without a 30-goal scorer. He won’t
score 30 this year, but re-gaining chemistry with a re-energized and healthy Matt Duchene, and lining up
with the playmaking free agent acquisition of PA Parenteau should give Hejduk plenty of opportunities
to bury the puck in the net. Also, his 8.2% shooting is well below his 14.1% career average.
51

Paul Stastny
A lot of people in Colorado thought that Paul Stastny would have been next in line to don the C,
however with his father’s public criticism of the franchise during the Chris Stewart/Erik Johnson trade,
and with back-to-back sub 60 point seasons at $6.6 million per year all but sealed his alternate captaincy
fate. Stastny began turning things around last season in the New Year as he ended up bumping his ppg
pace from 0.57 (in 2011) to 0.76 (in 2012) ppg. There appears to be some chemistry between Stastny,
Jones and McGinn and look for that line to stay together as the Avalanche are more likely to roll three
2 nd lines as opposed to a true first and second line. It’s hard to envision Stastny will return to his 70 point
ways with those wingers, however with some chemistry to build on from last season and a chip on his
shoulder look for Stastny to get back into the 60’s this season.
Ryan O’Reilly
A lot of people were calling on Ryan O’Reilly to become the next captain of the Colorado Avalanche, or
at the least be an alternate this season. His breakout season last year as two-way force saw him post a
career high 55 points while playing tough minutes against the oppositions top lines night in and night
out. Despite his iron man-like work ethic, often being the last one off the practice ice to the point where
he was found to be running the arena stairs in hooded sweatshirt disguise after home games, the fact
remains he is still without a contract and remains a RFA. By comparison at the same point in his career, a
20 year old Ryan Kesler scored 58 points in 78 games with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Former
Avalanche Kyle Quincey refers to O’Reilly as “one of the best players he’s ever played with and by far the
hardest working player he’s ever worked with”.
There is no reason why O’Reilly can’t surpass 60+ points in a season in the near
future as he had 50 points in his first 63 games last year before he slumped and
hit a wall finishing the year with 5 points in 18 games. Even without the
captaincy, O’Reilly relishes leading his team on the ice, through his play, and
despite the team retaining Stastny and Hejduk as alternates, there is reason to
believe that O’Reilly will also be rewarded for his efforts. Landeskog and O’Reilly
have quickly become really good friends and the duo will only come back
hungrier this upcoming season. Look for last season’s NHL leader in takeaways
(101), to capitalize on more opportunities as he develops offensive consistency
night in and night out. As long as he gets a contract, and we actually have an
NHL season this year.
52

y Trevor “arctic_rogue” Finlay
Buying, Selling, or Standing Pat with Blue Jackets
Regardless of an impending lockout, many keeper league GMs are always looking for the competitive
edge. There are some opportunities within the Columbus Blue Jackets organization where a GM can
make a shrewd move or two with the potential for fantastic returns. Here is a few guys with reasoning
why you should buy, sell, or stand pat.
Steve Mason - When GM Scott Howson acquired Sergei Bobrovsky from the Philadelphia Flyers, it was
blatantly clear that the Steve Mason project in Columbus was over. Not only has he lost the confidence
of his team, he has also spoiled many fantasy seasons with his highly erratic play. This may lead to most
teams dropping or selling him for very little. In many cases, this would be the correct play. However,
keeping him might prove to be beneficial.
Advice: If you can afford a spot on your roster, Stand Pat with him and see what happens. A change of
scenery may do him some good. If you cannot afford the roster spot, flip him for whatever your league’s
market will support.
Brandon Dubinsky - Dubinsky saw his point-per-game pact steadily increase, along with his time on ice,
from 2007-08 to 2010-11. Last season, when his point production took a significant hit, it shouldn’t
come as any surprise that his time on ice also took a notable drop. Compounding this, his shooting
percentage dropped from an average of 12% over the previous two seasons to just above 7% last
season. A correction of this drop alone would return 7 goals to his point output. The additions in New
York really hurt his opportunities - something that should see a full turn around in Columbus.
Advice: Aggressively Buy into Mr. Dubinsky while your league mates still have last year’s season fresh in
their head. A return to the 50 point range combined with his penalty output and hitting will provide you
with underrated roto gem.
Cam Atkinson - A small player who has had success at every level. With nearly a point per game (0.88)
pace in the AHL under his belt, Atkinson demonstrated last season that he was ready for the big time.
He was only of Columbus’ most reliable players down the stretch last season and managed to maintain a
plus rating. Rick Nash’s departure will open opportunity for him, and his track record points to his
readiness to accept the challenge. I see him taking a important role on the power play and finish the
season with 55 - 60 points.
Advice - Kick some tires with Atkinson’s GM. If the price is reasonable, most certainly Buy. If the GM is
aware of Atkinson’s potential, be sure not to overpay as most smaller players are typically boom or bust.
53

y NoWayOut
I'm going to break things down by goaltending, forwards, and defense and give you some things I'll be
watching with the Stars and a fantasy angle to watch in each area.
Goaltending – The one true bright spot last year. Lehtonen continues to get better, albeit still a BAB, and
Bachman did a great job stepping in after Raycroft's collapse. Bachman's ability to build on last year is
going to be huge. If he can that's one less worry for the coaching staff.
(G) Fantasy – Don't sleep on Bachman. Given Lehtonen's injury history I think the Stars would be wise to
give 20-25 starts to Bachman. He should build on last year and is a necessary handcuff for Lehtonen
owners and is worthy of spot starter status in all but the shallowest leagues.
Defense – While goaltending was an asset last year, defense was a liability. Unlike the forwards where
moves were made this offseason the defense hasn't seen any. The question now is can this group step
up their play? When does Joe Nieuwendyk pull the trigger on a trade? Who goes if he does? This will be
the make or break area for the Stars this season.
(D) Fantasy – Philip Larsen is the name to watch. If you’re in a
dynasty league or partial keeper with farm teams he's likely gone.
That said I think he's a good trade target. In deeper one year
leagues he may be worth drafting depending on league setup. In
shallower one year leagues he's one to watch in your free agent
pool if injuries or under-performersforce you to look to the waiver
wire for help. This year likely won't be the breakout but he should
take a big step forward and he isn't facing the stiffest competition.
54

Forwards – Lots of shakeup here. Out are fan favorites Ott and Ribiero, in are Eakin, Roy, Jagr, and
Whitney. Jagr and Whitney are acknowledged as bridges to the young guns down in Austin. They will
provide needed mentorship plus they both still have some offensive punch left.
Eakin and Roy are the bigger question marks among the new faces. How long will Roy be out and how
much will he provide when he returns? What did the Stars get in Eakin given that he's still unproven?
There's also going to be some interesting competition when camp starts as there are some young guys
that will push for time. Tomas Vincour is already up in Big D, and guys like Reilly Smith and Alex Chiasson
will get their chance to stick out of camp.
(F) Fantasy – Brenden Morrow is coming off a disappointing injury plagued
season which saw him put up a mere 26 points. As a result he likely will drop
well down on people lists this season making him a great value on draft day,
especially if your league counts hits. He still has plenty left in the tank and
will push for a top six spot again. Now that's not to say he's without risk as
he's had injury shortened seasons before, he turns 34 this season, and will
have competition for top six minutes.
Still don't sell the Stars captain short as he looks to rebound. Add in the fact
that he was rumored to be on block last season, and in spite of Joe
Nieuwendyk's statements that he doesn't intend to move Morrow, he may
find himself showcased for the benefit of potential trading partners. If he
falls on draft day you may well land a steal if you roll the dice on Morrow.
A couple more things to watch this year will be the Stars power play unit, which ranked dead last in the
league in the 2011/2012 season. The addition of Jagr, Whitney, and Roy should help add at least some
pop to the power play. Throw in a healthy Morrow and things should improve on the man advantage.
Another area to watch is how they handle back-to-back games this year. In particular the second games
of back-to-backs. They were absolutely abysmal posting a 1-13 record in those games. After missing the
eighth and final playoff spot by six points, it really points out how much that killed their playoff hopes. It
wasn't the sole reason for their playoff drought reaching four seasons, but you can also see that by just
improving to .500 would have gained them twelve points, double their deficit to the eventual Stanley
Cup Champion Kings.
Well that's my take on the Stars. Hopefully come April we'll be celebrating their return to the Stanley
Cup playoffs where they belong.
55

y Eric Daoust
Surprises
• Gustav Nyquist – The much-hyped prospect is ready for prime time.
Nyquist is going to be in Detroit this season and to his delight will see
more minutes than a lot of people think due to the Red Wings lacking in
scoring prowess on both wings. Todd Bertuzzi, Dan Cleary and Mikael
Samuelsson are all prone to injury as well. The line combinations change
but Nyquist should be able to push for 20 goals and over 40 points.
• Niklas Kronwall – The loss of Nicklas Lidstrom means that the other defensemen will get more
responsibility. The most obvious benefactor is Niklas Kronwall, who will get more opportunities
to produce offensively. His last two seasons saw him get 36 and 37 points but many forget that
he had 51 points back in 2008-09. Expect him to get back in the 50-point range.
• Kyle Quincey – Another benefactor of Lidstrom’s retirement is Quincey, who will see his best
opportunity to relive the offensive success he had in his only season in Los Angeles. His
downside is in the 20s but expect him to clear 30 points in Detroit this season.
Disappointments
• Pavel Datsyuk – Many people see Datsyuk as one of the best players in the world.
Unfortunately, in this case it does not translate to fantasy hockey. The last two seasons he
missed time due to injury and only produced at a point-per-game pace. He is still an excellent
hockey player, but his days of scoring more than 90 points are likely behind him.
• Jimmy Howard – Lidstrom’s retirement has immense ramifications on the team’s defense, and
the changes over the summer have resulted in a top-six that is good in terms of puck movement
but probably less effective defensively. While Howard has done tremendous work as the team’s
starting goaltender, it is worth noting that his 2010-11 campaign produced a sub-par .908 save
percentage, meaning that he is not immune to drops in statistics. He remains a workhorse and
will be excellent in the win column, but may disappoint fantasy owners in save percentage.
• Damien Brunner – Another prospect who has received a lot of
hype this summer, Brunner is in the right organization if he wants to
have long-term success in the NHL. However, many people think he
will produce immediately due to his advanced age of 26. Those people
should be careful because the Red Wings make their prospects earn ice
time. They may favor youngsters like Cory Emmerton, Jan Mursak,
Joakim Andersson and Tomas Tatar while Brunner earns his rank in the
organization. Remember that Ville Leino played mostly in Grand Rapids
in his first season in North America.
56

y Axeman33
Disclaimer : I have never really attempted or professed to be a writer but I am certainly passionate about
my fantasy hockey. When I saw the Oilers were available, I quickly jumped on the opportunity.
Top three surprises:
Sam Gagner
Sammy was a RFA at the end of last season, and after going back
and forth on a longer-term big money deal, both sides agreed on a
one-year $3.2m contract. This will be his third contract with the
Oilers, grabbing a 40% raise but probably not the term Gagner was
looking for. Basically with a one year contract, the Oilers are
telling him they want to see more before paying out big money on
a long term deal and I think this is the contract that Sammy does
just that. He will be centring the second line and surrounded with
more weapons then he has ever had since joining the Oilers. Sammy has averaged 44 points per season
with the Oilers and if he can stay healthy, I believe he will finally surpass the 50 point marker and quite
possibly hit 60+. I expect big things for Gagner this year and will surprise most GMs with his point
output and putting a smile on those GMs who have been patiently waiting for this type of output.
Devan Dubnyk
The Oilers actually did the smart thing with Dubnyk, their
former first round pick from 2004. They let him play a few
years in the AHL before slowly progressing his career in the
NHL. The past three years, they have increased his workload
incrementally from 19 games three years ago, and then up to
35 games the following year then getting him into 47 games
last year. In each of those years he has managed to lower his
GA incrementally as well (his first year he held a 3.57GAA, last
year it was lowered to a very respectable 2.67GAA). In the offseason,
they rewarded Dubnyk with a new two-year, $7.0m
contract, all but guaranteeing him the starter position,
backstopping an ever-improving Oilers team. Needless to say, with an increase in pay comes an increase
in expectations. I have no doubts that “Doobie” will once again improve over last year’s numbers. I can
see him getting into 50+ games this year and coming close to the 30-win total, if not exceeding it.
57

Jeff Petry
Another RFA that resigned with the Oilers in the off-season, Petry had a year of ups and downs last
season to say the least. For the better part of the first half of last year, he seemed like he was swimming
upstream. Caught out of position a lot, afraid to shoot the puck, etc. Around the mid-way point of the
season it was like someone flicked a switch. He started carrying the puck more, showed great speed to
get back if he was caught out of position. He showed he could be an offensive threat by unleashing his
rocket of a shot from the point as well. He even started blocking shots like a trooper. He went from
looking like a 6/7 defenseman to a 3/4. He was playing a lot like Tom Gilbert, only better, which
eventually made Gilbert expendable. Petry will probably never be a 50-point defenseman, but he
should be able to offer up 30+points, plus a ton of peripherals like hits, blocks and should also offer
some solid PPP. Most people this year are expecting big things out of Justin Schultz but let’s not forget,
he will be a rookie D with a ton of pressure on him and high expectations. There’s a good chance he
slips up a bit this year and if that happens to Schultz, don’t be surprised it it’s not Jeff Petry who gets the
tap to step up and take the reins.
Top three letdowns:
Ryan Smyth
Captain Canada started out last year strong. Obviously re-energized
after returning to the Copper and Blue, he scored at a point per game
pace for the first 26 games then managed to score just 20 points in the
final 56 games. Fizzle fizzle… At 36 years old, and youth being the
name of the game in the City of Champions, Smyth has simply become
a leader in the dressing room more then on the score sheet. If fantasy
hockey gave points for leadership, Smyth would rank quite high but it doesn’t. The only thing going for
Smyth is the lack of experienced depth on the left side for the Oilers. Kruger has said he plans on trying
Yakupov on the left side (if that doesn’t tell you Kruger’s thoughts of Smyth I don’t know what does) and
others. I expect Paajarvi to get a long look at training camp on the left side of the second line. Smyth is
a third liner at best these days, skating with his ole buddy Horcoff. Smyth should be good for 15-20
goals and land somewhere around 40+ points. Not bad for a third liner, but those are probably
generous expected points for Smyth. On the bright side, he will get his wish and get to retire as an Oiler.
Ryan Whitney
Whitney came to Edmonton in early 2010 and was expected to anchor the defence for years but he
suffered a season ending ankle injury in December of that same year. Coming into the start of last
season he and the Oilers hoped his injuries had healed but that wasn’t the case. His season started late
and more injuries during the year hurt his play last season. Out of the gate Renney gave him top
minutes but it was obvious he was struggling and not 100%. By the end of the season, his play had
improved but his mobility hadn’t. He has admitted this off-season in an interview I recently read that his
ankle still isn’t 100%. To me, if that ankle still isn’t 100%, then I am not expecting Whitney to be either
58

and I am expecting him to struggle once again this year. It will be interesting to see how Kruger uses
Whitney this season. He’s being paid like a top pairing but if the quality of play isn’t there, how long will
Kruger keep giving him top billing ice time. His playing partner last season was Corey Potter but with the
addition of Justin Schultz this year, I am not sure whom Whitney lines up with on a regular basis. I
expect Whitney to slide down the depth chart to a 5/6 defence at best and paired up with either Potter
or Peckham. Petry and Smid are locks to play together. I can see both Schultz’s sticking together.
A healthy Whitney is a 1/2 defenseman on most NHL teams, but unfortunately he will probably struggle
with this injury the rest of his career so that means he will have to alter his play because of it. I will be
quite surprised if Whitney scores 10 goals this year and hits 30 points. He has never been an aggressive
player; he doesn’t hit, doesn’t take a lot of PIM’s and is a moderate shot blocker at best. He will offer
some PP points but that’s about as good as it gets from Whitney.
Ales Hemsky
The fact I have this name down for a letdown really shouldn’t surprise
anyone. Personally, I am a big Hemmer fan but to own him in fantasy
hockey is tough. Hemsky has been a point per game player most of his
career so to expect 75+ points over 82 games wouldn’t be a reach.
Unfortunately, Hemsky can’t stay healthy. It’s that simple. As if staying
healthy wasn’t a big enough obstacle, a new one has surfaced for
Hemsky and his production and that obstacle is now opportunity. It’s an obstacle Hemsky has never had
to deal with before in Edmonton. Where exactly does Hemsky play this year? The right side in
Edmonton is filling up quickly with Eberle and Yakupov quite possibly taking their places on the top two
lines. As mentioned earlier in this write up, Yakupov could possibly play the left side on the second line
but he’s always played the right side. Could we see Hemsky on the left side on the second line? He’s
too good to be a third line player. Last season, when healthy, he played less PP time then he ever has
(he averaged 2:08 PP time, normally he’s over three minutes of PP time) mainly due to the wonder kids
getting the time. It’s safe to say this is yet another example of the lack of opportunities being presented
to Hemsky.
In my opinion, there are two things Hemsky needs to have a productive season. The first is obvious he
needs to stay healthy. The second would be a trade. I have no doubt the Oilers have tried to deal him
but their demands are simply too high for a player making $5M and unable to stay on the ice. If he was
able to stay healthy, $5M is a bargain for a player of Hemsky’s ability so I don’t think the contract is the
issue. It’s his health and until he can show his ability to stay on the ice, he isn’t going anywhere. If
Hemsky stays in Edmonton for the full season, I expect him to play about 55+ games and score about 15
goals and chip in 30-35 assists.
So there you have it, my top three surprises/letdowns for the Oilers. As a die-hard Oilers fan, I can only
hope my top three surprises come through and that my top three letdowns prove me wrong. I would be
more than happy to eat crow should that happen.
59

y Steve Laidlaw
The Florida Panthers were not supposed to be good last season. Most pundits had them as heavy
favourites to win the first overall selection in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. The Panthers had other ideas.
They brought in a new coach and a slew of new players. With a ton of offseason changes they didn’t just
avoid finishing in last place. They avoided the lottery altogether and even won their first division title in
franchise history. That they turned their fortunes completely around while simultaneously possessing
the best group of prospects of any team in the league was a coup. What’s interesting about Florida’s
massive year-to-year improvement is that they did so without really scoring or defending all that much
better than they did in 2010-11. In 2011-12 the Panthers scored just six more goals than they did the
previous season and similarly allowed just six fewer goals. Where the Panthers improved greatly
however was on the power play where they finished dead last at 13.1% in 2010-11. The Panthers in
2011-12 were the seventh best team in the NHL with the man advantage scoring on 18.5% of all
opportunities. The Panthers are pretty good bet to decline this season based on the fact that they held a
goal differential of minus-19 and pushed 25 games (nearly a third of their schedule) to overtime where
they could gain extra points even in the event of a loss. Still, a decline in wins and losses should have
little impact on the Panthers’ fantasy value. What bears watching instead will be the impact of the
incoming Panther rookies who may steal prime ice time from established veterans but could also give
the offense the kick in the rear it really needs. So who is due to improve and decline heading into next
season? I’m glad you asked.
TRENDING UP:
Dmitri Kulikov – Is this the year Kulikov finally stays healthy?
Through his first three seasons in the NHL, Kulikov has missed
14, 10 and 24 games respectively. Despite missing the most
games of any season of his career Kulikov still managed to set
a career high for points with 28 and has in fact improved his
point total in each successive NHL season and will almost
certainly do so again in 2012-13. He may be injury prone but
there isn’t a better candidate to improve his scoring totals in
the league this season. Kulikov has all the skills necessary and
while he is still just 21 years old, he has all the experience he
needs to break out this season.
Peter Mueller - Is this the year Mueller finally stays healthy? Wait a minute. I’m sensing a pattern here.
Yes the next upwardly trending candidate is another BandAid Boy and quite frankly a gamble. The
upside on Mueller is huge. He has all the skills to supplant Stephen Weiss as the number one center on
the Panthers (at least offensively anyhow). I don’t have much confidence in Mueller’s health but Florida
seems to be a hot destination for reclamation projects (see Fleischmann, Tomas and Theodore, Jose for
examples). If Mueller is ever going to succeed as an NHL player going forward the first step must be
taken this season.
60

Kris Versteeg – Last season was looking like his breakout campaign but then the All-Star Game
happened. Before the All-Star Game Versteeg had scored 43 points in 47 games but the well dried up
afterwards as Versteeg scored just 11 points the rest of the way and also missed 11 games due to injury.
Versteeg has typically been a healthy player thus far in his career so fewer missed games will help his
cause. More than that Versteeg stands to benefit from some improved luck. Through the season’s first
47 games last year Versteeg scored seven goals and eight assists on the power play, combined with just
two goals and one assist in the final 24 games. Many of these games were without Kulikov, an important
part of the Panthers’ power play. A healthy Kulikov should help Versteeg maintain his power play
production for the full season. Moreover, Versteeg could simply benefit from a few bounces that allow
him to record a few more assists than he was able to muster during that stretch run.
TRENDING DOWN
Brian Campbell – Campbell is a fairly solid regression candidate for this season. Simply put, the
fluctuation in defenseman scoring is too volatile to depend on any defenseman fully. Yes Campbell is
arguably the most important part of the Panthers’ offense and yes he will receive as much prime ice
time and as many touches as possible but he still had to get fairly lucky to rack up 49 assists last season.
There is no major reason other than general fluctuation to expect Campbell to regress but consider that
Campbell’s 31 power play points (30 of which were assists) made for a career high. The regression in his
power play production alone could kill some of his value.
Jose Theodore – Roberto Luongo wants to go to Florida, the Canucks want to trade him there and the
Panthers like the idea of this trade as well. Sooner or later a deal is going to get done, whether it makes
any sense or not but even if it doesn’t Theodore and his owners are still in for a rude awakening. Last
season was Theodore’s best in four seasons and even then it wasn’t very good. He only won 22 games,
which I guarantee is fewer than you thought he won, while
his goals against average and save percentage were merely
league average. Any regression by the Panthers as a whole
will most certainly reduce Theodore’s value even further.
The fact is that Theodore is highly mediocre and there is a
very good chance that his backup is actually the superior
goaltender and that doesn’t even mention the fact that the
best goalie prospect in the game is lurking on the Panthers’
AHL affiliate.
Filip Kuba – Last season Kuba got to ride shotgun on Erik Karlsson’s magical breakout season. Kuba does
deserve some credit for being providing the sort of dependable, defensive minded approach that a
player of Karlsson’s ilk needs to be successful but that doesn’t mean he will find himself in as good a
position again this season in Florida. So Kuba can kiss goodbye to the 30+ points and plus-26 rating that
Karlsson helped him to last season. There’s always a chance that he fills a similar role next to Campbell
or Kulikov this season but even then it’s a reasonable bet that both Campbell and Kulikov will fail to
score as many points as Karlsson did last season on his own.
61

y uofmehockey
Every season the same question is proposed to the Stanley
Cup Champs – Can they repeat? Well history is certainly
against them especially in this salary cap era of perpetual
equality. There has only been one repeat champion in the
past 20 years. This was accomplished by the 1998 Detroit Red
Wings. Detroit also was the last team to make back to back
Stanley Cup appearances when they accomplish this feat in
2009. So while history does not favor a repeat performance,
there are quite a few factors that favor a strong repeat
performance.
First of all, there is normally a lot written about a short off season with a small recovery period. Yet the
Kings have no off-season or long-term injuries from which they are recovering from. They also only
required only 20 playoff games to win their first Stanley Cup Championship. This quick work along with
what appears to be a delayed start to the upcoming season due to the expiring CBA should ensure that
they are all well rested.
The Kings are also bringing back the entire core of players from last season as all UFAs and RFAs have
been resigned with the exception of Scott Parse. Thus the team that was finalized after the trade
deadline and that gelled under new coach Darryl Sutter will be returning intact. The addition of Mike
Richards and Jeff Carter has shown that GM Dean Lombardi is willing to work the trade market when a
need is apparent. Those deals were accomplished without sacrificing elite assets from their farm
organization. The Kings still have high quality prospects (Tyler Toffoli, Andrei Loktionov, Jake Muzzin,
Tanner Pearson) as well as all their picks through 2015 except their 2013 1st rounder, which is part of
the compensation for Jeff Carter. Those prospects might be ready to contribute to the 2012/13 LA Kings
or could be a part of a trade. The Kings currently sit mid pack with 24 players signed and just over 7.8
million in cap space on the expiring salary cap picture. How they look exactly once we resume hockey is
up in the air, but they should be in a fairly comfortable situation.
The final and perhaps most important reason the Kings are well prepared
to defend their championship lies in the net. Jonathan Quick has proven
himself to be among the league’s elite and at 26 years old will be
backstopping the Kings for the long haul. The Kings tight defensive
system and Jonathan Bernier complement Quick extremely well and will
ensure the Kings meet the challenge well prepared.
62

y Ross Palmer
The Minnesota Wild lead the league in points for a brief period in the first half of last season, due to a
good combination of grit and skill throughout their line-up. They had 11 wins last November, a franchise
record, only to be knocked off the top of the league due to injuries. Their talent pool only strengthened
this summer as the Wild made the biggest splashes this offseason, signing Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.
GM Chuck Fletcher has done a great job in procuring young talent, which was a large part of why Parise
and Suter chose Minnesota as their new club. They also added more grit by signing Zenon Konopka,
whose toughness will surely make him a fan favourite among their followers. The Wild are close to the
salary cap, with just 1.35 million in cap space and 23 players signed to their roster, but there are too
positives in the organization to be worried about their cap situation just yet.
Leadership:
the signings of Parise and Suter have huge implications to the club, and perhaps the most important
aspect is the leadership they bring to the ice and locker room. Parise is the former Devils’ captain and
alternative captain, while Suter is a former Alternative captain of the Predators. With a lot of young and
impressionable talent in the franchise, to have these two players locked up long term will have a great
flow downstream throughout the organization. They join Mikko Kiovu (C), Dany Heatley (A), and Matt
Cullen (A), to boast one of the strongest, if not the strongest leadership cores in the entire league. Coach
Mike Yeo should be a very happy man.
Youth:
Mikael Granlund – Center, shoots left, HIFK Finnish SM-liiga, 20 years old, drafted 9th overall by the
Wild in 2010. Touted as the best player outside of the NHL by some, he should step into the 2nd line
center role when he hits the NHL ice. With a strong top six around him, look for Granlund to challenge
for the rookie lead in scoring, as well as the Calder trophy. Here’s hoping to Setoguchi and Bouchard to
have strong seasons, should the Wild decide to roll with the top line of Parise, Kiovu, and Heatley.
Charlie Coyle – Center/Right Wing, shoots right, Saint John Sea Dogs QMJHL Boston University, 20 years
old, deafted 28th overall in 2010 by San Jose, acquired in Brett Burns-Devin Setoguchi trade. Expect him
to be the first call up when a forward gets injured. QMJHL teammate of Zach Phillips. They both have the
benefit of being part of a stacked junior team to joining what is appearing to be a very competitive NHL
club. Coyle spent a lot of time playing alongside Huberdeau and some even Phillips in junior, as their
lines were tweaked a lot. Some say his talent level is just behind Huberdeau’s.
Jared Spurgeon – Defense, Minnesota Wild, shoots right, 22 years old, drafted 156th overall by the
Islanders in 2008 and went unsigned only to be invited to the Wild’s training camp in 2010, was then
signed to a 3 year entry level contract. Will be the second half of Ryan Suter’s defensive pairing this
upcoming season. 3 goals and 20 assists in 70 games last season. Expect these numbers to improve as he
is paired with Suter.
63

Matt Hackett – Goalie, Houston Aeros, AHL, 22 years old, drafted 77th overall in the 3rd round in 2009.
After a stint in Minnesota last season, he looks to be destined for the NHL in due time.
Zack Phillips – Center shoots right Saint John Seadogs, QMJHL. Drafted 28th overall in 2011, in a pick
acquired from the San Jose Sharks in the Brett Burns-Devin Setoguchi trade. Junior teammate of Charlie
Coyle. They both have the benefit of being part of a stacked junior team to joining what is appearing to
be a very competitive NHL club.
Matthew Dumba – Defense shoots right Red Deer Rebels, WHL. Big hitter will be a fan favourite when
he eventually makes the jump to the NHL.
Jason Zucker (right) – Left Wing, University of Denver, shoots
left, 20 years old, 2 assists in 6 games last season for the Wild.
Upcoming Free Agency
Pierre Marc Bouchard and Matt Cullen are UFAs after this
season, while Cal Clutterbuck is a RFA after this season. Jared
Spurgeon, Marco Scandella and Justin Falk are RFAs after this
season. Niklas Backstrom is an UFA after this season.
Here’s Hoping:
• Niklas Backstrom stays healthy.
• Josh Harding stays healthy.
• Dany Heatley gets 80 points and there is an influx of interview parodies on Youtube.
• The slick PM Bouchard stays healthy. If not, Coyle should be the call-up to the big club.
• Spurgeon gets 40 points.
• Harding and Hackett display their talent allowing Backstrom to be traded before he goes UFA.
• They acquire the missing piece needed for an extended playoff run.
• Konopka and Cluttebuck become known as the Terrible Two as they keep the competition in
check (ba-dum che).
Editor’s note : Ross’ computer crashed midway through the article. Though, maybe his computer
crashing coincided with the posting of our beloved forum’s 1,000,000 th entry.
64

y Eric Daoust
Surprises
• Brian Gionta – The captain returns after missing most of last
season due to injury. In 31 games, he posted a disappointing 15
points. Looking back, Gionta neared 30 goals and 50 points in
each of the prior two seasons. It would not be wise to expect 30
goals once again due to the lack of top-line opportunities
present, but 25 goals and 45 points is reasonable.
• Louis Leblanc – This is a bit of a hit-or-miss projection, but if Rene Bourque’s lack of consistent
work ethic lands him into trouble, the team lacks players with true talent to take Bourque’s spot
in the top-six. By the time Bourque falls out of favor, rookie Alex Galchenyuk could already be
back in junior. Enter Leblanc, who may begin the season in Hamilton. His level of energy and
sound two-way play could give him opportunities sooner rather than later.
• Alexei Emelin – The hard-hitting defenseman surprised many with a very successful rookie
campaign in Montreal. In addition to the physical play, Emelin also brings excellent skating
ability and a hard shot from the point. He is certainly capable of more than the seven points he
posted last season. If he can round out his game and earn more ice time, there is potential for
him to push his point total over 15 points, which would add to his value in multi-category
leagues where his elite hits total already makes him a decent contributor.
Disappointments
• Alex Galchenyuk – A lot of fans would like to see him in the NHL this year. While it may happen,
the team already has 13 forwards signed to one-way contracts which make the possibility more
unlikely. He missed the vast majority of his draft year due to injury and may be better off in
junior where he can dominate. Do not expect more than nine games from Galchenyuk.
• Rene Bourque – He has a lot of talent but tends to disappear for
long stretches. The team paid a good coin to acquire Brandon Prust
and has some talented players in Galchenyuk and Leblanc who are
chomping at the bit. If Bourque falters, the coach will try other
players in his spot. Should someone catch fire, his slumps could
prove costly. His season is already off to a rough start, as he will
miss the first month or two of the season after abdominal surgery.
• Tomas Kaberle – The (hopeful) full-time return of Andrei Markov will do a lot of harm to
Kaberle’s offensive production. Despite his obvious struggles on the ice, Kaberle was still able to
get a respectable 31 points in 72 games. Do not expect a repeat of that total if he is stuck on the
second power-play unit and away from the team’s top trio of forwards.
65

y uofmehockey
As everyone who follows hockey is quite aware this has been a significant off-season in projecting the
future direction of the Nashville Predators. While everyone’s major focus has been directed toward the
blue line, the other changes should not be disregarded. Perhaps the most overlooked change is the loss
of Jordan Tootoo and the physical presence he brought day in and night to the Preds. Now is the time to
take a look and see who is likely to fill his role.
First of all who is Jordan Tootoo? Drafted by the Preds in
2001, the 5’9” 199 lb played the better part of eight seasons
for the Preds. Last season he produced a career high 30
points, a team leading PIM (92) and the team’s second
highest hits (151) with an average ice time of only 13:09.
Those numbers guaranteed him a decent raise for the
upcoming season and ironically pushed him out of cost
conscious Nashville and to division rival Detroit where he
signed a three year, 5.7 mil contract. Tootoo has been a fan
favorite in Smashville based upon his energy level, resounding hits and willingness to defend his
teammates. Although he will be missed, the Preds have an uncanny knack of coming up with
complementary players to replace departing ones.
Candidates who should benefit most by the departure of Tootoo should include foremost Brian Yip and
Brian McGratten. The 6’ 1” 195 lbs Yip was claimed off waivers this past January and in the 25 games he
played for the Preds recorded 37 hits and scored 7 points. Over an 82 game season that equates to 121
hits and 23 points. With a salary of 0.750 million for next season, Yip easily fits into the Preds’ future
game plan for this season.
McGratten at 6’ 4” 235 lbs is mostly considered a journeyman bruiser who gets limited ice-time. He
doesn’t have much of a history of a scorer but can certainly defend his teammates and will make up part
of the PIM shortfall. It is also, however, interesting to note that McGratten was given a one way 0.600
mil contract on July 1st. In addition, McGratten was quoted in a recent Jim Diamond article as “I’ve had
good talks with Barry and he wants to play me in some different situations next year, That kind of puts
the onus on me a little bit to be in the best shape I can and to be as ready as I can for an opportunity
that could be there. I am looking forward to the challenge and hopefully get some more games and
some different situations than I did last year.”
Other dark horse candidates who could emerge out of
camp include Austin Watson and Daniel Bang. Other players
likely to benefit with increased ice time and production
include Craig Smith and Matt Halischuk.
66

y Gainerama
Up :
David Clarkson
Looks like Clarkson finally came out of the roto closet last season by
posting impressive numbers like 228 SOG, 169 Hits, 138 PIM and 46
points to boot. He’s never going to be a high draft pick in any
anybody’s fantasy draft, but he’s going to be underrated for what he
brings if you can find him in the middle to later draft rounds. With the
dearly departed Parise long gone, that top 6 opening is just screaming
his name for another breakout. We could possibly be seeing the
emergence of Hartnell-lite, the age is about right too.
Adam Larsson
This kid survived the trial by fire as a rookie last season and posted respectable numbers. There’s no
denying that he’s got the elite talent and it’s only a matter of time before he takes the top spot away
from Zidlicky either this year or next. Look for Larsson to improve on his points and maybe double it in a
full regular season, and his respectable hits and blocked shots will also go up in correlation as he is used
more in all situations this year.
Anton Volchenkov
This guy is always going to be gold in leagues that use hits and blocked shots for scoring as he will come
close to leading both categories for his team in a full season. Because he’s a defensive defenseman, he
will usually always be available in the later rounds of most fantasy drafts, and becomes incredibly
valuable in leagues where you use his skills on defense and save your forward rosters for pure scoring
cats. As NJ plays more defensively without Parise, look for even more Volchenkov than normal this
season.
Patrik Elias (down)
It is very likely he will still play with Kovalchuk this season and will still put
up very respectable numbers. However after an unexpected season like
last, odds are he’s going to come back down a bit and won’t be able to
maintain that type of offense going forward. Elias is a great player but the
fact is that he is going to be almost 37 years old when hockey likely
resumes and opposition defenses are going to give him more attention
now that Parise is gone. Old age + less decoys = not good!
67

Down (cont.) :
Adam Henrique
I am a huge fan of Henrique and I’m a firm believer he will be a solid player in the
league, however he’s going to have a harder time this year. Any time you end up
losing an elite PPG line mate, it’s probably going to hurt a bit especially when there
isn’t many scoring options to begin with. Look for Henrique to still be Mr. Clutch
when all the chips are on the table but with Parise gone, he may be assigned to play
more of a defensive role than offensive as the team will tighten up as a whole.
Marek Zidlicky
When I see Zidlicky, I see another Pavel Kubina. They both had their glory days but the sad reality is that
Zidlicky is just a temporary band aid until Larsson takes over and Zids becomes another forgotten
memory. He seemed to have lost a step or two in quickness that will affect his offense, and he’s not the
type to make very many hits so he is kind of limiting and on the decline. His age and size also makes him
an injury risk at this point in his career.
Gainer’s Final Comments:
I never doubt a Stanley Cup Final’s goalie, but Brodeur is now 40 and that cannot not be ignored. He’s
done a great job of hiding his age but it’s only a matter of time now. Further concern is the fact that NJ
has no long term contingency plan to replace him in their pipeline, so I guess they better hope for a
miracle soon. The face of the roster may also change drastically as the following are on contract years
and may not be with the team later: Elias, Zajac, Zubrus, Clarkson, Josefson, Henrique, Janssen, and
Zidlicky. Every year I expect NJ to fail, and every year they surprise me. I wouldn’t be surprised if they
did a minor rebuild after this season, and it’s about time too.
68

y Gainerama
Up :
Andrew MacDonald
An effective defensive defenseman and often under-rated and under-used for his offense. I believe
there is a strong possibility of Visnovsky getting injured during the season if not traded out of New York
completely (see Wisniewski), which will allow MacDonald to regain similar numbers to 2 seasons
ago. He’s always good for blocked shots and some hits and is good value in deep drafting rounds.
Kyle Okposo
Everyone knew he was supposed to be the missing link on the 1 st line 2
seasons ago, now he will finally get his chance to prove his quality. He has
put up reasonable offence in the past 2 seasons as a secondary scorer and
only lacked opportunity thanks to Parenteau. Okposo comes with lots of
talent and high acumen, and can develop into the playmaking version of
Moulson on the top line. Garth Snow trusts him enough to lock him down
for 4 more seasons so the offensive potential cannot be ignored. Expect
Parenteau like numbers from him next full season.
Travis Hamonic
The total package on defense in Long Island, and the possible successor to Streit if he is lost to free
agency after this next season. Hamonic is a beast for Hits and Blocked Shots and has the offensive
potential to run with the PP. He has put up respectable offensive numbers so far but everyone expects
the 40 pt seasons sooner than later from this young stud. He’s a more developed version of Jared
Cowen and a good compliment to Streit or Visnovsky.
Josh Bailey (down)
Finishing the final 19 games of the season with 17 pts is
cool, however starting the first 61 games with just 15
pts is not cool. He finished hot but the risk is just too
great in my opinion considering how crappy he was early
on, playing center or not. I hope I’m wrong about him,
but he is extremely expendable with Strome and
Niederreiter in the system and he could be this year’s
version of Blake Comeau.
69

Down (cont.) :
Brad Boyes
It’s no secret that NYI heavily play favorites toward their internally drafted and developed
players. Boyes is on the outside looking in will probably be treated more like a contractor than an
employee. I expect him to be moved all over the place and finish in the bottom 6 as a forgotten plug
since there’s no real commitment on him yet. Apparently Buffalo thought he was garbage and cut him,
just like Connolly.
Evgeni Nabokov
Nabokov is 36 and is showing more consistent signs of age and injury taking over
his game. The one year contract from Snow tells me the team is not committed
with him and they will continue to play musical chairs with their goalie by
committee. I expect continual risk of injury, lost starts, and even trade for this
poor unfortunate soul.
Gainer’s final comments:
By now, most of you are smart enough to understand that there is a definite “Buyer Beware” warning
with all things associated with the Islanders. I feel this is a team that is content with mediocrity and has
no intentions of competing with the better teams in the league. Their lack of commitment for bringing
in veteran leadership & mentoring for their youngsters, and absolutely no attempts to invest in quality
long term goaltending from any source basically shows me that Garth Snow and Charles Wang just don’t
give a damn about winning. There is a black cloud over Long Island, Derek did say that “no legitimate
superstar in their prime would ever be stupid enough to sign with the Islanders”. On that note, it’s
going to be a lonely road for Tavares.
70

y Brandon Landry
Top Three Surprises
1. Brian Boyle – The Boston College graduate will see an upgrade in line mates, likely seeing shifts
with Pyatt and Hagelin this year compared to seeing the majority of shifts the past few years
with Fedotenko and Prust. He is coming off a tremendous postseason and end of the year run.
Boyle was the MVP of the Senators series and finished the regular season with five goals in his
last nine games.
2. Chris Kreider – Another former Boston College Eagle will have the opportunity to start the year
with top-six minutes next to the talent of Brad Richards, Rick Nash, Ryan Callahan and Derek
Stepan, with Marian Gaborik being on the shelf. The Rangers rookie uses his blazing speed and a
quick release to defeat the opposition on most plays, which will play as the perfect complement
to Brad Richards creative playmaking.
3. Marc Staal – After returning halfway through the season last year, Marc’s offensive
totals saw a significant dip, as did his play in the defensive end. After suffering a
concussion, a player is unable to commit to a strict cardio and workout plan, which
was likely a great reason for Staal’s off-year. However, in the last month of the
season and into the playoffs, the Thunder Bay defender played smart hockey in his
own end and put up six points in 20 postseason games. Not overwhelming totals, but
his increase in confidence was evident each and every time he touched the puck.
Top Three Letdowns
1. Carl Hagelin – Looking as if he was shot out of a cannon each time he skates down the wing, the
speedy Swede saw plenty of time in the Rangers top six last season while virtually coming out of
nowhere. He showed a sharp mentality, years beyond his age, making him an easy play in any
role. Because of this, Hagelin will likely see the majority of minutes in an energy role with the
abundance of offensive talent in New York. The addition of Nash and emergence of Kreider will
make it very difficult for the sophomore to repeat his rookie totals.
2. Marian Gaborik – Coming off his second forty goal campaign in New York in three years, Gaborik
suffered a shoulder injury late in the playoffs and will need at least until December to return. As
a player who loves to snap off wristers from all over the ice, it may be difficult to squeak through
any goaltenders pads with a loss in velocity for at least the first few months of his return.
Although, his powerplay totals should see a slight rise when he returns, due to the Rangers
having a second source of firing the rubber in Rick Nash.
3. Martin Biron – Not much should be expected from a backup goaltender, but Biron’s totals last
season were above and beyond anyone’s expectations. The former Buffalo Sabres starter came
off to a scorching start with seven wins in his first eight starts, but finished the year off with
some troubling totals. Biron’s last nine starts accumulated a 3-4-2 record, .874 save percentage
and a 3.22 goals against average.
71

y Evan Hotham
The 2011-2012 Ottawa Senators season was one filled with many surprises. Virtually every player on the
roster exceeded the expectations set out for him before the campaign began. With basically no player
underachieving last year, the odds suggest that there will surely be some letdowns in this year’s
campaign. Even then, there will always be players who overachieve, which is always a plus for fantasy
managers looking for value picks.
In this piece, I hope to predict which players may surpass expectations during 2012-2013, and which
players may leave some fantasy managers with a sour taste in their mouth at season’s end.
Surprises
Jared Cowen - D
While Cowen had a great rookie year playing in a defensive role
next to Sergei Gonchar, I would expect him to have a larger impact
offensively this season. With the departure of Filip Kuba, Cowen has
the potential to play with Norris winner Erik Karlsson on the first
line or on the PP. If there is a shortened season, Cowen will get
huge minutes down in Binghamton to further develop his game and
dominate offensively. I do not think a 30 point season is out of the
question if he gets a boost in offensive minutes.
Mika Zibanejad - LW/RW
It may not seem like a surprise to expect the sixth overall pick from 2011 have a nice rookie season, but I
feel he is being overlooked due to the huge seasons enjoyed by fellow prospects Jakob Silfverberg and
Mark Stone. With his combination of size, speed, and NHL-ready shot, I would not be surprised to see
him post 15 goals and 15-20 assists in his rookie campaign if he makes the team out of camp. In
addition, Zibanejad would contribute very nicely to the shots -- he averaged 6 shots per game at the
WJC and loves to shoot from anywhere on the ice -- and hits categories.
Zack Smith - C
Recently signed to a four-year contract extension, Smith is virtually locked into the #3 center position
and should see an increase from the 26 points he put up last season. During the first three months of
2011-2012, Smith was producing at a clip of 0.5 points per game before hitting a wall offensively in the
second half. This was likely due to the fact that he played over 100 games combined in the NHL and AHL
in 2010-2011. With a longer off-season, Smith should become more consistent offensively, especially if
he gets some better wingers to play with. I see Smith as having 40 point upside one day, which may
come as early as this season if all goes better than expected.
72

Letdowns
Colin Greening - LW
The big Newfie had a solid rookie season in 2011-2012, putting up 37 points while playing on a line with
Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek. With top prospects Zibanejad, Silfverberg, and Mark Stone all on the
cusp of making the roster, Greening’s spot on the Sens’ top line is most likely short-lived. Greening will
likely play on the third line with Zack Smith and one of Chris Neil or Erik Condra this season, which
should see his point totals stagnate or drop from the previous campaign. He’ll still contribute in the hits
category, however.
Jakob Silfverberg - LW/RW
The 2011-2012 Swedish Elite League regular season and playoff MVP will surely make the team out of
camp, however some people have put unfair expectations on the 21-year old Swede for his rookie
season. Yes, he may play with Jason Spezza right out of the gate and his shot and intelligence make him
a prime candidate to become a very solid offensive player down the road, however the transition to NHL
hockey will not be without its hiccups, especially for a player who isn’t very physical and has gotten used
to the slower-paced, less intense brand of hockey in the SEL for the last four years. I expect Silfverberg
to have a good rookie campaign but anything above 40 points would be gravy.
Erik Karlsson - D
While I do not see the reigning Norris trophy regressing any
time soon, I think the 78 points he put up in 2011-2012 will
be very hard to duplicate. Last season, it was basically the
Karlsson-Spezza show at even strength and on the power
play. This year, with the incoming crop of rookies and the
expected improvement of overall team play, I think the
points will come from a wider range of players, resulting in
less points for Karlsson overall as the team will not have to
rely on him for all their offense. I would expect him to post
60-65 points or so, which may be considered a letdown for
some fantasy managers.
73

y Kevin Schulmeister
RISERS
Jakub Voracek
This may be the easy one as he has been given his largest opportunity simple by Jagr moving on. He now
gets first crack to produce alongside Giroux and there’s no reason to believe that he won’t roll with it as
he already started to improve his numbers. Last season, he had a career high in goals and shots on goal
to go along with 49 points. Voracek then followed it up by posting 10 points in 11 playoff games, good
for third on the team. Five could be Jakub’s magic number as he will be entering in his fifth year and is
ready to break out big time. Bank on 60 points, but don’t be surprised to see 70.
Luke Schenn
With back to back 22 point seasons, Schenn is another candidate for
a breakout season. He will probably be lined up with Timonen or
Coburn on the second unit. While he is a defensive player first, he
makes a solid first pass and has a good shot. He is going to be relied
upon to contribute, especially while Meszaros is out. Fact is, Philly
traded a big piece in JVR to get him and it is no secret that they are
looking for another defenseman. Until that happens, Schenn can
and will be a large part of this team. He may also be a bit happier
playing on the same team as his brother but I doubt that makes
much of a difference. I’d think 35 points is not out of reach for
Schenn, along with good peripherals for those in roto leagues.
Ilya Bryzgalov
Bryzgalov really didn’t have that bad of a season. The media blew it out of proportion, and obviously his
playoff stint was a mess. His GAA was actually a bit better than his career average, and 33 wins to boot.
He played fewer games than he was accustomed to and getting a few more starts should translate to
more wins. Philadelphia is still a very strong team and even on off nights, Brizzy should be able to steal
some wins. Note that Bryzgalov faced about four fewer shots per game than he is used to, and that
doesn’t always make it easier. Sometimes goalies that face a ton of rubber face the same number of
quality shots against and the extra shots improve save percentage. That being said, Philly has some work
to do on the defensive end and until Meszaros comes back, Bryzgalov will probably be facing some
higher quality shots.
Bryzgalov may slip in a lot of drafts this fall as his name took a beating last season. Philly fans wanted,
and thought they had, a stud goalie. He should now be acclimated to the fans and media, and just worry
about stopping the puck. The HBO series last year was a major distraction for him. I’d expect his save
percentage to be his biggest increase and also get a few more wins.
74

FALLERS
Danny Briere
He had his lowest point total since 2001, other than his career low
29 game season in 2009. The success of a few younger guys could
start to nipp at Briere’s ice time, but don’t think he will be
demoted to anything less than the second line. The 35 year old
might not fall that many points from last year, but when a guy has
averaged .915 points per game since the lockout, you tend to
expect a bit more than 49 points. Draft him like a 45-50 point guy
and you shouldn’t be disappointed. If your league counts playoffs
then disregard this paragraph as Briere has shown time and time
again he is a beast in the post season.
Matt Read
Read was an undrafted player that had a really impressive rookie season. He led all rookies in goals and
was top four in points. Before the season started, a lot of poolies didn’t even know who he was. While
he will probably be penciled in on the third line with guys like Couturier and Fedotenko, the emergence
of some of the young guys will hurt his chances of moving up. He scored 18 points in 28 games when
Schenn wasn’t in the lineup and then slowed to 29 points in his other 51 games. This could easily be
coincidence, but it seems to me that Schenn will be moving ahead faster than Read. Read was a 25 year
old rookie as he was older when he took the college route to the NHL, so he really was a man competing
against boys in the rookie race. He should have been much more NHL ready than a young kid, but that
doesn’t mean he has the upside as some of the 18 and 19 year olds he was competing with. He had a
15.5 shooting percentage which was the highest of any rookie in the top 10. That also seems a bit high
to me. I’d guess a real decline in points this year as other prospects steel more of his opportunities.
Bottom line, I would put him at 35 to 40 points.
Scott Hartnell
Hartnell had a career season with 37 goals and 30 assists for 67
points which was second on his team. In 2008-09 he had 30 and
30 for 60 points, so he is capable of putting up good numbers,
but his 15.9 shooting percentage may not be sustainable. His
career average is 11.3. A lot of that might have to do with
playing alongside Giroux and an underrated passer in Jaromir
Jagr. He again will ride shotgun with Giroux, but I doubt he
replicate that 15 percent shooting percentage. Hartnell may
not drop too many points but his goals total will go down. Don’t
expect 67 points again, I’d shoot for 55-60 points where he has
averaged in his last four campaigns.
75

y Keith Veronese
In this roundup of Phoenix’s fantasy capabilities during the 2012-2013 season we will talk about players
you hate and old girlfriends. It will all make sense, I promise. Phoenix is an enigma – the offseason has
been filled with rumors of a move to Quebec and dispersal drafts. On the ice, the Coyotes are an
offensively liability, with the loss of Whitney and (possibly) Doan creating an offensive vacuum. Let’s
look at a couple guys who might step up, as well as a few to avoid.
Three Up :
Radim Vrbata
Vrbata will need to play a bigger role in the offense with the
departure of Ray Whitney and the possible absence of Shane Doan.
He will be shooting the puck more, and that’s excellent, as he had a
15% shooting percentage last year on 232 shots in a season that led
to 35 goals. Vrbata often falls in leagues as many GMs think he’s a,
letting him slide into the late rounds of your draft.
Keith Yandle
Will he play for Phoenix this year? Who knows. The Yandle to Detroit rumors have trickled in all
summer, but a change of scenery will only help his stats. This formerly coveted fantasy d-man is at a
relative low right now and often overshadowed in dynasty leagues by teammate Oliver Ekman-Larsson,
so grab Yandle on the cheap if you get the opportunity. He’ll put up 45 points and command a
powerplay in whatever sweater he puts on next season.
Antoine Vermette
Antoine, how I love thee, but for all the wrong ways. If you are in a league that counts face-off wins,
Vermette is the sh*t. Antoine put up 645 face-off wins last year and he qualifies as a left winger in many
leagues. Vermette also hits (120+ the past two seasons) and puts up 40 points. Phoenix will be looking
for someone to fill in a scoring void, making Vermette one hell of a sleeper that will go late in your draft
or could be snagged off the waiver wire in most leagues.
76

Three Down :
Mike Smith
Remember when he was the backup goalie of the future in Dallas?
The average Joe in Tampa? Mike Smith had a stellar season last year,
but you can bet league officials will crack down on his rough play and
opposing scorers will begin to figure out his weaknesses. In many
keeper and one-year drafts, Smith is going higher than established
veterans like Ryan Miller, Jimmy Howard, or Carey Price. Don’t throw
too much confidence in one good season. If you are a GM that
owned Smith as an up and comer, don’t turn him into the girlfriend
that you dumped, but now want back.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Don’t get me wrong – I like OEL. I just think he will be extremely overvalued after his playoff
success. The hits he puts up (150+ this year) are nice, but there are a plethora of other defensemen that
put up similar stats without the premium and pedigree.
Shane Doan
If he comes back to Phoenix, his numbers will continue to diminish over the next three seasons. Doan is
a much better fantasy pick if he lands in Vancouver, but there is too much liability inherent in an aging,
physical player. I see Doan putting up Phoenix-like numbers in NYR, Nashville, and Buffalo (other teams
in the Doan sweepstakes), so steer clear if he signs with them as well.
77

y Derek Reese
3UPS :
1. James Neal
Tale of the tape: LW, Age 25, 6’ 2”, 208lbs
James Neal is the real deal. Coming off the
magical 4 th year breakout, Neal showed all of us
why he will be a fantasy hockey stud for a long
time setting career highs in almost every
statistical category. Neal has a permanent
position playing alongside NHL scoring leader
Evgeni Malkin, so you know his production will
not be going down anytime soon.
Verdict: Expect another 40 goal season
2. Kris Letang
Tale of the tape: D, Age 25, 6’ 0”, 180lbs
Kris Letang battled injuries for most of last year including a concussion, but Letang is healthy
now. Letang is an offensive minded defensemen playing on a high scoring team and is the power
play QB that includes the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. Look for Letang
to put up career highs all across the board.
Verdict: Could lead the league in points by a defenseman.
3. Sidney Crosby
Tale of the tape: C, Age 25, 5’ 11”, 200lbs
Sidney Crosby is arguably the best player in the NHL unfortunately for him he has battled a
concussion and a mis- diagnosed neck injury the last two years. That is all behind him now and
look for Crosby to explode this year. Crosby, a Hart Trophy winner can do it all by scoring goals
or setting up team-mates. Very good on faceoffs.
Verdict: Will finish in the top 3 in league scoring
78

3DOWNS
1. Marc-Andre Fleury
Tale of the tape: G, Age 27, 6’ 2”, 180lbs
Marc-Andre Fleury had a career high 42 wins last year
but many feel it was his worst season in the NHL and
his horrible playoff performance added to argument.
The Penguins seemed to have lost all faith in Fleury as
they brought in Tomas Vokoun as insurance in-case
Fleury falters again. Look for Fleury to play fewer
games to try to keep him fresh.
Verdict: Average goalie that plays on a great team
2. Pascal Dupuis
Tale of the tape: RW, Age 33, 6’ 1”, 205lbs
Pascal Dupuis erupted last year with a career highs in Goals, Assists , Points +/-, SOG and GWG
all while being at ripe old age of 32. There is no doubt that Dupuis probably helped the few
GM’s who had him on their rosters win, but having a career year at 32 is very rare and repeating
it is even more rare.
Verdict: Back to a season of fantasy irrelevant stats
3. Matt Cooke
Tale of the tape: LW, Age 33, 5’ 11”, 205lbs
Matt Cooke is one of the most hated players in NHL history. After his last suspension Cooke
decided that it was time for a change in style of play. Cooke put up a career high in goals and
SOG but unfortunately due to this style in play his PIM and hits went down, which were the only
fantasy relevant stats that he contributes to.
Verdict: At 33 look for all his stats to take a hit across the board
79

y Tim Graveline
Murky Waters and Feeding Grounds
The San Jose Sharks are in a very weird place. This is a complete understatement considering
the lack of activity that has taken place this off-season. The owners and Doug Wilson spoke about
change in the air. So far, they have signed Brad Stuart, which was rumored and expected for quite some
time and they signed Adam Burish for grit and depth. Nothing big has happened like the fans expected
after the owners vowed to be aggressive. The fans are confused and left wanting so much more. Murky
waters, indeed.
Fans have been clamoring for the trade of Patrick Marleau. He has been the scapegoat and I
admit that I am in that camp. He is an excellent player, but there really isn’t a great place for him. He
doesn’t fit well with Thornton, and he has had chemistry with Pavelski and Clowe, but those two have
better chemistry with Martin Havlat (when he’s healthy). So it makes sense to many that he’d be traded
for depth, draft picks (which the team sorely needs), or a different top 6 forward who would mesh
better with the rest of the team or bring more grit to the top six. Marleau and the rest of the Sharks are
entering feeding grounds this season. How this team starts and enters December will dictate the fate of
the core.
So what to expect this year then as long as there is not a
full lockout? A couple things. The Sharks are probably a better
team than they were. They have more depth behind the
blueline. They have some more flexibility to make some trades
due to that. Do not be surprised to see this team start off with a
bang. Everyone is healthy at the start this season and guys like
Couture and Pavelski want to win. This team will either start a
fire sale in February or be on the hunt for another playoff berth.
The top players to watch this season are Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, and Dan Boyle. I think
Couture will take another step in the right direction. Expect him to hit 70 points this season. Marleau is
either going to have the quietest 75 point season or is going to be traded. Dan Boyle has been in trade
rumors this summer and I even feel like he is the most lucrative piece they have that they might be
willing to trade. He is getting old, but the guy can lead and still is a number one defenseman. They have
Burns to take over and if he does this year, expect Boyle’s names to circulate the rumourmonger blogs
all season long. This truly is a pivotal year for the Sharks as their core contracts are ending soon. Will
the Sharks begin an overhaul this season or make one last push for that elusive Cup and be the third and
final Californian team to win the cup in the last decade?
80

y Keith Veronese
As I write this, I am falling into mild depression as I don't own David Backes in any leagues. His 200-plus
hits while putting up 100-plus PIMs and 50-60 points year in and year out are what he is known for, but
his 200-plus shots are nice too. The 658 faceoff wins from someone who has eligibility at RW is an
absolute plus, as well as the smattering of shorthanded points and a 20 power play points he will put up
over the year. Backes’ goal totals have fluctuated greatly over the past three seasons - I'd expect him
closer to the 20-25 goal level this year than the 30-35 due to his shooting percentage. If you’ve got a
chance to draft or trade for Backes at the right price in a Roto league, do it. Backes is the Mike Trout of
Fantasy Hockey - every time he plays he will do helps out your fantasy team. Or is Mike Trout the David
Backes of Fantasy Baseball? Hmm...
Man Up
1. David Perron
Perron could go late in your league due to his injury history, but the 24 year-old almost led the Blues in
points last season despite playing in only 57 games. Perron's playing style will not net you significant
secondary roto-cats like hits or PIMs, but that's ok as long as he stays healthy. The Blues invested in
Perron in a big way this off-season with a four year, $15.25 million dollar contract, so the organization is
convinced Perron will continue to flourish under Hitchcock.
2. Kevin Shattenkirk
Can't afford Pieterangelo? Get Shattenkirk. Shat puts up very similar stats in points, hits, blocked shots,
and shots, but he'll cost half the price of Pieterangelo. That’s value.
3. T.J. Oshie
Oshie puts up similar point totals to Berglund (who I will
dog later), but Oshie outshines Berglund when you realize
he missed a chunk of games in two seasons. Oshie plays a
physical game which will get you hits, but the style will also
leave him a little banged up. Go ahead and factor in the
time he will be on the IR, and keep an eye on the waiver
wire to pick up someone on a heat streak while Oshie is
down. Oshie could very well explode this year, and if he
does, this might be the last year he’s affordable. Oshie is
also a known commodity, with owners drooling over him in
multi-cat leagues, making him trade bait thanks to his
perceived upside.
81

Man Down
1. Patrik Berglund
Berglund confuses the hell out of me. 47 points one year, then 26, then 52, then 38. Is he the new Vinny
Prospal ? If Berglund follows his current trend, next year will be an up year, but trends mean nothing. In
the end, Berglund is a “meh” player - there are just too many guys in the league like him out there.
Berglund will never win you a fantasy championship, so do something else with this pick.
2. Chris Stewart
Something has to give. Stewart will either nab 60 points and pull down 100+ hits in a full season under
Kevin Hitchcock or he'll be shipped out. I would guess the latter, but any relocation will help him
improve on the totals he put up last year. Will he hit the 30 goal plateau again? Not likely in St. Louis,
but maybe on another club.
I’m spreading the hate - I’ve got two #3s to poop on.
3a. Brian Elliott
Do you honestly think he’ll repeat his stats from last year?
Hitchcock has a history of turning lower end goalies into
superstars, but at some point the Blues brass will lean on Halak.
3b. Vladimir Tarasenko
The rookie has an enormous amount of hype around him, but I’m
concerned how he will react under Kevin Hitchcock’s system. Avoid at first.
See how he plays, and once the hype fades (it will), make a play for him if
you like what he brings.
82

y David “sixhands”
The Lightning have only won the Stanley Cup once, back in 2004, and have only been to the playoffs a
total of three times since then. Tampa Bay was also unable to defend the Cup, due to the lock out, but
they did make the playoffs in the following two consecutive years. It would be another four years of
basement dwelling before making the post season. In 2011 the Lightning finished with 103 points,
finishing 5 th in the Eastern Conference. Tampa made an exceptional run that culminated with a loss to
the Boston Bruins in the Conference Final. If you are a Lightning fan things are starting to look up in
Florida.
And here’s hoping it doesn’t involve anymore 1-3-1 tactics! (For those of you that don’t get the
reference, the Lightning players will sometimes wait for the opposing team to bring the puck up the ice
instead of pressing in the offensive zone). That said, some of the best players in the league are with
Tampa Bay. So can I really criticise the likes of Stamkos, Lecavalier, St. Louis et al? Nope, I’ll just sit here
at home hiding behind my computer and tell you who I think will improve or decline in the upcoming
season.
Improver :
Teddy Purcell
This undrafted workhorse has been on my radar since first reading about
him in the Dobber fantasy guide. I picked him up off waivers in my fantasy
league when he was still with the Kings and he bounced around my farm
and main teams before I dropped him for a regular NHL player. Needless
to say a savvy GM in my league plucked him off waivers and I think he
enjoyed his career season last year more than Teddy did.
The Tampa Bay right wing has played consecutive 82 game seasons with 51 and 65 points respectively.
He uses his height and weight to his advantage which certainly makes puck possession and protection
easier when you’re 6’2” and over 200lbs.
Purcell also increased his goals from 17 to 24 over the past season and doing this while taking 44 less
shots on goal. Even though his shots on goal decreased, his shooting percentage almost doubled from
8.7 to 15.8 which means he is finding the net with a little more ease.
Purcell is only 27, which means he is starting to enter his prime, and I would not be surprised if he
becomes a point per game player within the next two years.
Now Teddy won’t win you any leagues that count PIM or Plus/Minus but if you are in a points only
league that places an emphasis on goals, power play points and game winners then Purcell will be your
guy.
My recommendation – Points only, keeper and one-year leagues. ~ Expect 32G 43A 12PPG 7GWG
83

Decliner :
Martin St.Louis
Let me start by saying that I really didn’t want to put Martin
under this heading but I think age may finally start to hamper
his play. I know he is only 37 and several other successful
players have had careers well into their 40’s but how many
of them are only 5’8”?
Speaking of height, or should I say lack thereof, until last
season Martin had 8 consecutive 80pt seasons. Impressive to
say the least and even last year’s 77 games is nothing to
sneeze at but I think you will see that total get lower as each
season wears on.
If you’ve been reading this so far and are thinking … “Wow, this guy must be on another planet. Don’t
worry when my passport expires I’ll return” but my point is this. I have never owned him and I never
will, not in a keeper league anyway.
With that being said do I think he will drastically reduce next year, probably not but once you have him
on your roster it will be extremely tough getting good value for him in a trade.
Like Purcell, you won’t get many PIM or a decent Plus/Minus rating out of St.Louis
My recommendation - Points only, one-year league ONLY. ~ Expect 19G 47A 6PPG 1GWG
With new additions to mentor the extremely talented young core of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and a
beast of a goalie in Anders Lindback (I think he’s the starter before too long), the Bolts will be back in the
playoffs. They may even secure another Stanley Cup before Stamkos can grow a proper playoff beard.
84

y Tyler Kerdman
Following a disappointing end to the 2011-12 NHL season, the expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs
in the standings aren’t all too high. However, a lack of wins does not consequently make players on the
Buds statistically worthless. In fact, many players on the Leafs are intriguing options for any fantasy
hockey team in 2012/13. Let’s look at the which Toronto Maple Leafs you should look towards heading
into the new season. One is fairly obvious, one is a risk, and the two others are perfect candidates to
acquire before they bounce back to form:
Count on Kessel
Despite receiving an unhealthy amount of criticism last season for no apparent reason, Phil Kessel is
without a doubt Toronto’s top player and fantasy contributor. Kessel has scored 30 goals in each of his 3
years in the blue and white, and broke the elusive 80-point mark late last season. For the upcoming
season, Kessel should score goals at just under a 0.5 ppg mark, and should record points at an average
of about 1 every game.
However, Kessel is not a dynamite player in all fantasy situations. Aside from his awful +/- (due to
playing in Toronto), Kessel never hits and barely takes penalties. He also can go on cold streaks with few
goals in few games, which can be very infuriating to fantasy owners in head-to-head leagues. Aside from
that, Kessel is a reliable fantasy option who can help even the smallest of teams in the smallest of
leagues.
85

Potential, but Just Very Risky
The most shocking move of the Leafs’ offseason to date was swapping top draft choice Luke Schenn for
top draft choice James Van Riemsdyk. Van Riemsdyk, otherwise known as JVR, had a short stint in
Philadelphia with glimmers of promise sandwiched by unfortunate injuries. But those glimmers of
promise were very exciting to watch. JVR looked strong in the offensive zone with a wicked shot and
good vision, qualities which attracted the Leafs to the 23-year-old forward.
In Toronto, JVR is lined up as the number 1 centre on the depths chart. This would slot him in between
Kessel and Lupul, the two most efficient Maple Leafs last season. If Van Riemsdyk (who has not played
centre since entering the NHL) is able to find his niche down the middle, his numbers could skyrocket.
The worst case scenario is that he is “demoted” to second line winger and plays beside Mikhail
Grabovski. If JVR can stay healthy (which is a very big “if”), he will put up great numbers in the blue and
white.
The Buy-Low Candidate
On the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, there is one player that can be a fantastic addition to many
fantasy teams for a cheap price (due to his underwhelming campaign last season). That player is forward
Nikolai Kulemin, who saw his goal total drop from 30 to 7 in one year. On the surface, it seems that the
30-goal year was merely an outlier and a fluke. However, Kulemin is an extremely gritty and talented
forward who, unfortunately, just got really unlucky last season. Posts were hit, shots were robbed, and
pucks seemed to bounce off of his stick throughout the 82 game season. The highest indication that he
can return to form is by looking at his shooting percentage. It regressed from 17% down to 6%. If
Kulemin can take higher percentage shots and pick his corners, he could be a fantastic addition to even
the shallowest of hockey pools. He can be picked up for dirt cheap, making him a very low risk selection
with high potential.
86

y Ryan Goddard
One thing that stands out for the Vancouver Canucks is how they can benefit from a lockout. Yes,
they’re more than a year removed from their long haul to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals.
But with the weight of a “contender” title on their shoulders and a rushed return for Ryan Kesler after
off-season shoulder surgery, it was clear the team was playing a catch-up game throughout the season.
With plenty of time to rest after a first round playoff loss to the eventual cup winners (has to be
mentioned, it makes me feel better) a few of the players have taken a new approach to their off-season
preparation. I was lucky enough to sit down with a couple Canucks and ask them how they spent their
summers putting so much heartbreak behind them and how they’ve managed to plan for an inevitable
cut to their salaries.
“It’s tough,” stated Daniel, from a hazy corner of the Amsterdam café he has been employed at since
late May.
“Dealing with glaucoma, I mean” he says with a slightly devilish grin and a quick wink that could easily
be mistaken for a twitch.
“No, I yoke, but it has been tough trying to forget that we lost the cup. It was ours. I feel, and my
brother Henrik does too, that the cup really belonged to us that day. It was tough to recover, physically
and mentally, and find the desire to score so many goals to get to the cup finals again. I actually decided
I was going to score a few less goals this year and share some with my brother, Henrik, and even Ryan
Kesler, who I play on the same team with. I think I messed up a bit though, because I forgot to tell them I
was sharing, and so they didn’t score so many – and I think they should have. I don’t really think I should
have had to tell them either. I am not a coach, I am a goal shooter. I am not a GM either, so I cannot
find new players to score goals. Mike does that, and he really kinda…” Daniel giggles a bit nervously
here, and gazes out the through the condensation on the picture window of the quaint café.
“Well,” he continued “he really kinda fucked that up with David. We heard David likes shooting, like me,
and I thought I would like him a lot. Really, though, he’s kinda strange and I think he thinks when he
shoots in summer time it’s the only time he needs to be accurate.” Daniel shakes his head solemnly. He
sighs, and stares intensely at the server as she passes by our table.
“Henrik would have known that meant I wanted a bacon pannenkoeken.” Daniel stares down at the
table. “I miss Henrik,” he says.
This appears to be an invitation so I ask him about Henrik. “Hey, Daniel?” I say.
His response was heavy and lacked personality. “Yes?”
“Where is Henrik Sedin, your brother?”
Daniel sits up from his slouched position and a little bit of light seems to shine behind those icy-blue
eyes.
87

“At our farm!” he exclaims.
“Farm?” I ask curiously.
“Yes! Our farm!”
He sits back and crosses his arms over his concave, hairless chest.
“We know we may have to lose money when the new CBA comes. This is sad to me and to my brother
Henrik too. We won’t let it stop us though - from being rich I mean. From being rich and living like kings,
but not showing it because that’s how we do. So we came up with a plan.”
Daniel, at this point, has lit up like an Amsterdam customer.
“We invested our money into a stor (stor is the Swedish word for “big”) carrot farm! We love carrots. I
think, and my brother Henrik thinks, that all the people in the world will always eat carrots. It feels very
safe to us, and so we invested money, along with our good friend, Ryan Kesler, into very nice carrot
farms in California!” Daniel pounds his fist into the massively thick wooden table we sit at and stares at
me in a sort of defiant “we did it” type gaze. At this point I feel like I’ve lost an argument to my younger
sister over something she doesn’t even understand.
“You did this with Ryan Kesler?” I ask.
“Yes. Our teammate, Ryan Kesler. Since he didn’t want to share so many
goals with me last year, we thought it would be nice to learn sharing and
have his money, my money and my brother Henrik’s money invested all
in one place!”
Daniel puts his hands to his temples and makes a low gurgling sound.
“Daniel?” I ask.
“Yeesss?” Daniel hisses through gritted teeth.
“Are you O.K.?”
At this point, Daniel stands up, shakes his head slightly and shuffles off to the kitchen muttering
something about a headache. Realizing I wasn’t about to get any more from Daniel today, if ever, I figure
that the best way to continue would be to find Ryan Kesler and talk a bit with him about his business
endeavours, relationship with the carrot-farming twins and how he’s spent his summer.
So I’m in California. And I’m on a beach. Not really what I expected, but I guess Ryan Kesler did just have
surgery – again.
“Hi, Ryan Kesler.”
“Hi,” Ryan grins, lying on a giant towel depicting Jesus taking a wrist shot on Dan Cloutier from center
ice. His body is taut, and glistens from a half-bottle of Coppertone tanning lotion that lies, cap open,
beside him.
88

“So, is this how you generally spend your off-season?” I ask.
“Yea, I love beaches. I’ve always loved beaches. Wanna know what I love about beaches?” Without
waiting for a reply he continues. “There are so many different kinds of beaches. They come in all
different shape, sizes and colors. I love to lie on beaches. Sometimes I cover my entire body in sand and
just let the damn beach lie on me.” He grins again and places his hands behind his head, completely
relaxed.
“God, I love me a good beach. Have you ever seen the movie Phat Beach? One of my faves, dude. Check
it out. I actually own it on VHS and DVD. You can’t borrow it though, really, just ‘cus I like it so much. I’d
be pissed if something happened to it.”
At this point I’m wondering to myself if I’m actually doing an interview or if I’m just going to end up
sitting and listening to Ryan Kesler talk.
“I’m going for a swim,” Ryan states all of a sudden. “Wanna come? I’m just going out to that dock for a
bit.” I follow the finger he’s pointing with and my eyes rest upon a dock, about 50 feet out, teeming with
bodies.
“I’ll watch,” I say.
“Pussy,” sneers Ryan.
“Do you like diving off the dock?” I ask mockingly as I allow a half-smile to creep onto my face.
“Pffffft,” he sprays as he heads down the beach “I get people to push me. I like it when people push me
off and I fall in the water.” He takes off towards the dock and leaves me sitting on the beach, watching
while 6 and 7 year old kids scream and giggle as they effortlessly toss Ryan Kesler off the dock over and
over again.
“So,” says Ryan as he dries off and re-oils after his escapade in the water, “I heard you were talking to
Danny? He called. I let it go to voicemail, though, but he told me he told you about the carrot farms we
invested in to make sure we have prosperity in the future. We try to keep it on the D.L., but if he trusted
you I can trust you a bit too… I guess.” Ryan sits up, leaning on one elbow, and looks at me over top of
his Ray-Ban sunglasses.
“You see, it’s pretty lucrative. The carrot business – have you ever heard of someone, or met someone,
who’s in the carrot business? Doubt it. We are, though. We think it’s gonna be pretty good for us. Best
part is, so many carrots are farmed in California. You might think other places, but that’s just not the
case. Here. California. Cal-eee-phone-ya.” Ryan does his best Schawrzenegger impression and laughs so
hard that spittle begins to cake my forehead. I wipe it away with my forearm.
“Hot, isn’t it?” questions Ryan, though he really isn’t looking for an answer. “You’re sweating… here,”
and he hands me a dried-up, somewhat crusty bandanna in the form of the American flag. I take it
politely, but cast it aside as Ryan lies back down.
“Can I ask you a question, Ryan Kesler?” I say as I shuffle my butt a few feet away from Ryan’s blanket.
89

“Sure, dude”
“Well, with all due respect, I’m just a bit curious as to how you will approach the up-coming season,
what with another surgery and all the talk that GM Gillis thinks you may be able to come back earlier
than expected.”
I watch Ryan’s face carefully and see a frown begin to crease his
forehead.
“There is speculation that, maybe, you came back a little bit early last
year and that hurt your production – namely your wrist shot,” I
continue.
“You don’t like my wrist shot?” Ryan retorts accusingly.
“Um, no, actually I love your wrist shot. I’m just wondering what you’re going to do to make sure it’s
going to come back.”
“Well, do you know anything about hockey?” Ryan asks. “It’s like riding a bike, dude. My wrist shot will
be just fine. You ask weird questions.”
“O.K., well, do you have some sort of plan or training strategy that will make sure you come back 100%,
and at the right time?”
Ryan Kesler sits up and appears to stare at me through those ultra-dark Ray-Ban sunglasses. “Yes,” he
says, “I do.” He stands, rolls up his giant towel - which takes approximately two and a half
uncomfortable, awkward minutes, and turns to face me. “It was great to meet you,” he says, his voice
dripping with sarcasm. He sticks out his right hand and before I can meet his with mine, he gives a quick
air-shake and turns to leave.
“I’m going to find me a beach that doesn’t talk so much.”
90

y Eric Daoust
Surprises :
• Nicklas Backstrom
Only two seasons removed from scoring 101 points, Backstrom is
primed for a return to form. With new coach Adam Oates in the
mix, Backstrom stands to benefit and has a strong foundation to
work from considering that he had 44 points in 42 games last
season. The concussion does present a small risk though.
• John Carlson
Many poolies have been waiting for the day that Carlson delivers on the hype surrounding his
name. His first two full seasons produced 37 and 32 points, both very respectable totals.
However, talent will eventually take him to the next level and there is a good chance that he
takes a step forward this season. There is too much talent up front for him not to benefit.
• Roman Hamrlik
Last season, Hamrlik scored just 13 points but in the four prior campaigns in Montreal he
averaged about 30 points per season. He is getting older but still has good hockey left in him.
With a lot of talent at forward and a renewed emphasis on scoring, it will be interesting to see if
Hamrlik can revisit the 30-point plateau.
Disappointments :
• Alexander Ovechkin
It is very reasonable to assume that Ovechkin will improve upon last season’s
(relatively) poor 65 point output. However, some people could be banking on
a return to 60 goals and 110 points. It would be wise to be a bit cautious
because there are fewer goals in the NHL today than there were a few years
ago and a player’s confidence does not necessarily return overnight.
• Mike Green
Much like Ovechkin, Green is in a great position to relive some past glory this upcoming season.
But again, confidence is not always regained immediately and the emergence of youngsters
Carlson and Dmitri Orlov could mean that there are fewer points to roll around. A 40-point
season is a safer projection until he proves that he can stay healthy.
• Braden Holtby
Last spring’s playoff hero enters this season projected to be the team’s starting goaltender.
However, players and especially goaltenders experience bumps in the road during their
development. Holtby will not be immune to such growing pains. He will be effective, but Michal
Neuvirth is a very capable goaltender himself and will earn a lot of starts. Expect a split in
playing time, with Neuvirth perhaps winning out this season.
91

y Anthony Capocci
The Winnipeg Jets will be, if not already, a very deep team for fantasy purposes in 2012-13 and years
beyond. Goals, assists, points, and other important categories are covered. The Jets have and will have
players ranging from top goal scorers to top playmakers. Their talent and depth makes the Jets one of
the most promising young teams in the NHL.
If you’re looking for the next best player, you might find him coming out of Winnipeg. If you’re looking
for the next big sleeper that everyone will be trying to nab, you might find him coming out of Winnipeg.
And if you’re looking to dig deep in a deeper league on a desperate attempt to fill the void of an injury,
trade, or any type of replacement, well you might just find that diamond in the rough coming out of
Winnipeg.
Regardless of how your league is structured, whether it is a one-year league or a multi-year league, the
Jets have players suited for everyone. From the 12-team leagues to the 30-team leagues, no matter how
far you have to dig, the Jets will be one of the teams to keep an eye on this season.
With all the good coming out of Winnipeg, there are bound to be some letdowns as well. And a letdown
might not occur because that player is considered “bad”. Some players just don’t fit in right now or it
may not be their time just yet. In this article, I’ll tell you who you must have, who to keep an eye on, and
who to avoid in the coming season.
MUST HAVES
Evander Kane
Don’t let the contract negotiations discourage you. Evander Kane will still be Evander Kane when the
season starts. The young power-forward is one of the up-and-coming elites. The 21-year-old has only
just begun to get his feet wet.
Kane has progressed each season and topped previous season totals in each of his three seasons. After a
30-goal performance last season, look for Kane to make his way up the ranks as a mid to high 30 goal
scorer in 2012-13.
Blake Wheeler
If you think Blake Wheeler is a one-year wonder, you need to think again
and again until you buy into his game. Wheeler was arguably the most
impressive Jets forward last season with a career-high of 64 points. From
his offensive game to his defensive game, to his speed, size, and frame,
Wheeler is one of the most dominant players on the Jets roster.
Ever since he was acquired by this franchise in 2010-11, Wheeler found a home on a line with Andrew
Ladd and Bryan Little. Look for the same combination to occur this season. Look for Wheeler to build off
of last season as he becomes a year older and a year wiser.
92

Dustin Byfuglien
The most valuable position to own a superstar as far as fantasy owners are concerned is defense. With
that, Dustin Byfuglien is as superstar as it gets when it comes to fantasy hockey. In a season in which he
missed 16 games due to injury, Byfuglien was still able to put up 12 goals and 53 points last season. The
defense may not be there just yet, but the offensive side of his game should never be questioned.
No, his 2011-12 season with the Atlanta Thrashers wasn’t a fluke. Byfuglien posted 20 goals and 53
points that year and than many people jumped ship the following season thinking it wasn’t going to last.
However, it lasted, and Byfuglien would have set a new career-high in points with ease if he didn’t miss
the 16 games. There is no doubt that Byfuglien will still be one of the best fantasy defenseman in the
entire league.
LETDOWNS
Alex Burmistrov
This one is tricky. Alex Burmistrov is a very talented young center with skills to become a nice fantasy
player one day. But for now, it seems the Jets are relying on Burmistrov to be more of a defensive-type
center even though he’s already shown glimpses that he can be a great one. There’s no questioning his
ethic and his desire to compete. I’d like to think there’s no questioning the potential he has on the
offensive side of things, but I have to question it based off of management decisions.
Until Burmistrov is seeing time with capable players around him, he’ll have to be written off for fantasy.
It’s not a knock on him or the players that he’s playing with, but let’s face it, Burmistrov is not going to
excel as a threat on the third and fourth line. For his first two seasons as an NHLer, Burmistrov’s put up
decent numbers. But until the Jets figure out with they’re going to do with him, he can’t be trusted as a
fantasy producer.
Zach Bogosian
Kyle Wellwood
Kyle Wellwood had a very impressive season in 2011-12 setting a careerhigh
in points with 47, and tying his career-high in goals with 18. However,
if you have any expectations for him to match or succeed what he did last
season, you’ll be in for quite the disappointment. Wellwood is a capable
NHLer, but unless he really found himself in the past year, he’ll go back to
being a 20-25-point player at best.
Just as it looked like things were starting to come along, Zach Bogosian will be sidelined for at least four
months after a successful surgery on his wrist just a couple of weeks ago. When Bogosian eventually
returns to action at some point down the road, there will be the “unknown” factor. And many fantasy
players dislike the unknown.
This doesn’t mean to give up on Zach just yet. To be honest, Bogosian still has plenty of time to live up to
his potential of a third-overall draft pick. It just won’t come this season, unfortunately. Bogosian was
coming off of a 30-point season which was a new career-high for him.
93

SURPRISES
Paul Postma
If you’re looking to dig deep in an attempt to find the ultimate sleeper, you may have just found him.
Paul Postma is going to see plenty of ice time this season for him to become an offensive machine
especially with Zach Bogosian missing time. For those who don’t know, Postma is known for his
offensive prowess at the defensive position. The challenge will be for him to convert his production to
the NHL level.
Postma was a seventh-round draft pick in 2007. However, he was drafted from the Swift Current
Broncos of the WHL after coming off of a 24-point season. It wasn’t until he was traded to the Calgary
Hitmen the following year which propelled him to break out. Postma scored 14 goals and 42 points in his
first year with the Hitmen. In the ensuing year, Postma set single-season team records for goals and
points by a defenseman, scoring 24 times and posting 84 points. He’s been a consistent 40-point getter
in the AHL as well as 12 to 15 goals a season.
Bryan Little
I don’t know how much of a surprise it would be because Bryan Little is an already established player,
even when it comes to fantasy hockey, but expect a solid season here. Little is a one-time 30-goal
scorer, and last season, Little found his way back into the 20-goal territory for the first time in two years
as he netted 24 goals. For the past two seasons, Little’s been hovering around the high 40s in terms of
points.
Little’s overshadowed by other players on his line and team, but he cannot be forgotten about. If there
were to be a surprise 30-goal scoring coming out of Winnipeg, look for it to be Little.
Ondrej Pavelec
Is this the year Ondrej Pavelec becomes a full-fledged fantasy stud? He’s usually a part-time stud with a
good stretch of games here and a good stretch of games there. But he’s always a full-time competitor
and anchor for the Jets. His compete level cannot be questioned even if the numbers don’t add up. It’s
not exactly a great situation as far as defense goes in Winnipeg. Many times Pavelec had to be up to the
task with little help in front.
When looking at his numbers, they don’t resemble
that of even a fantasy starter let alone a top-20
fantasy goalie. It’s an odd situation because
Pavelec is one of the promising young netminders
in this league. He won’t be able to do it all by
himself, but with never really having any help in
front, he’s groomed to be a goalie without much
reliance on defense. Obviously, he’s going to need
some help, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see
Pavelec take the next level in 2012-13, especially
after signing a new contract in the offseason.
94

GMG’s Final Words
A Game Within the Game…
When dealing with fellow GMs, there is much more to assets than their pound to pound value. The
initial reaction poolies get when looking at a certain player dictates a strong percentage of their net
worth. That worth is surely different to every GM. It is your duty to find your asset’s true value. Now
place them at the center of balanced scale. When the trade game comes up, and it will, you should
know without hesitation if the offer at hand topples the scale in either direction. Act accordingly.
In essence, perceived value holds a lot more weight than production value. Winning GMs can build their
dynasties simply by playing the game within the game. It is an underlying art that can make or break
fantasy teams. In order start carrying out a sound offensive game, a strong defensive foundation needs
to be established first. No exceptions.
In each following editions of the Roto Guide, this section will delve deeper into helping poolies become
better fantasy GMs by 1) strengthening a vulnerable defence and 2) eventually tackle various offensive
strategies with detailed scenarios. If you are new to the game, or looking to join a keeper league, take
note. As for the most seasoned of veterans, use it as a refresher course. Little nuggets of information
may leave you thinking differently about certain situations when challenged at the trade table. If
anything, it is always beneficial to build upon the book of fantasy hockey knowledge and beyond.
Oh and the Roto PDF mailbag is now open! Send in your keeper league rotisserie questions, comments
or concerns and potentially have them answered in next month’s PDF Exclusive.
Lastly, I would like to express my thanks to all of the contributors who made this Volume 3.0 kick off a
smashing success. I am very fortunate to have a group of guys that have stepped up and delivered more
than what I could have asked for. This PDF was truly built by the DobberHockey community. Hope
everyone enjoyed this massive edition of the Roto Guide. With good feedback, future projects and
collaborations with this stellar crew may become reality.
Best,
Gates Imbeau
Assistant Manager - DobberSports.com
Writer - Fantrax.com
Email: gates@dobbersports.com
Twitter: @gm_gates
95

Who are the Black Aces?
NHL Team Coverage -
Shakedown - Chicago Blackhawks
TK12555 - Toronto Maple Leafs
littleranger - New York Rangers
donions - Edmonton Oilers
Big Ev - Ottawa Senators
ericdaoust - Montreal Canadiens
dmvincent - Detroit Red Wings
Vincent Vega – New York Islanders
Flyer Fan - Philadelphia Flyers
AtlantaSportsFan - Winnipeg Jets
tgraveline - San Jose Sharks
Bomm Bastic - Buffalo Sabres
ridinryan44 - Vancouver Canucks
newper - New Jersey Devils
4T2 - Boston Bruins
mapletreemarty - Colorado Avalanche
jeffl97 - Anaheim Ducks
First Round Pick - Calgary Flames
Keytolife - Florida Panthers
mounD – Pittsburgh Penguins
uofmehockey –Nashville Predators
InnocentBystander - St. Louis Blues
Fast Tony DeNiro - Columbus Blue Jackets
Fighting Emu – Carolina Hurricanes
NoWayOut – Dallas Stars
sixhands – Washington Capitals
Ross the Boss Palmer – Minnesota Wild
T.B.D / Open - Tampa Bay Lightning
T.B.D / Open - Los Angeles Kings
T.B.D / Open - Phoenix Coyotes
2011-12 DobberHockey Studs & Duds Crew -
Regular Season
Steve Laidlaw - @SteveLaidlaw
Eric Daoust - @DH_EricDaoust
Mac Vincent - @MacVincent1
Brandon Cheung - @b0ndon
Tyler Kerdman - @T_Kerdman
Michael Amato - @amato_mike
Brandon Landry - @thelandshock
2012-13 DobberHockey Studs & Duds Crew -
T.B.D
Studs & Duds Weekly Recap via Fantrax.com -
Gates Imbeau - @GM_Gates
2011-12 Pengwin7’s Depth Charts
Interested in joining the NHL Team Coverage,
Newsfeed and/or Studs & Duds crew for the 2012-
13 season? Send me an email at the contact
information below.
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