Post#685 » by RoyceDa59 » Fri Aug 28, 2009 3:17 am
I’d like to preface this by saying that the competition is VERY close, and every team (and I mean every single team) has a shot at the playoffs, and a shot to win it all. This is a very even, and very competitive league, which should make for a really fun season. I apologize for any glaring errors, as there was a lot of data to siff through. Some of you will appreciate the rankings, others will despise them, but none the less, someone has to be first, and someone has to be last, and this was not easy to do in such a tight league. I’ve broken every team down by projected points, forward analysis, defensemen analysis, goalie analysis, overall team analysis and projected Pre-Season Ranking. These are just my humble opinions, so please read with caution. Best of luck to everyone this season, should be a good one! See you in the Yahoo forms, you f*ckers are all goin’ down!
wreckedangular
C - Marc Savard – 25 G / 60 A / 80 PIM
C - Olli Jokinen – 35 G / 40 A / 70 PIM
C - Derick Brassard – 20 G / 45 A / 60 PIM
LW - Alex Ovechkin – 65 G / 50 A / 70 PIM
LW - Michael Frolik – 25 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
RW - Devin Setoguchi – 35 G / 35 A / 30 PIM
RW - Brian Little – 35 G / 25 A / 40 PIM
W - Claude Giroux – 15 G / 40 A / 40 PIM
Util - Vaclav Prospal – 15 G / 35 A / 25 PIM
Util - Steve Ott – 25 G / 25 A / 120 PIM
D - Shea Weber – 20 G / 35 A / 90 PIM
D - Sergei Gonchar - 10 G / 45 A / 60 PIM
D - Victor Hedman – 10 G / 25 A / 70 PIM
D - Zach Bogosian – 10 G / 30 A / 80 PIM
BN - T.J. Oshie – 20 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
BN - Steve Downie – 15 G / 20 A / 90 PIM
BN - Tomas Fleischmann – 20 G / 30 A / 20 PIM
BN - Mike Smith – 20 W / 2 SO
BN - Chris Mason 30 W / 4 SO
G - Semyon Varlamov – 35 W / 4 SO
G - Cristobal Huet 35 W / 4 SO
TOTAL: 400 Goals / 600 Assists / 1065 PIM’s / 100 Wins / 10 Shutouts
Team Analysis:
Huge Potential. Ovechkin and Savard are as good of a 1-2 punch as you will find. Wrecked did a nice of job surrounding the best player in fantasy hockey with well rounded forwards. This team is stacked with young talented players who have the ability to break out and at the end of the season wrecked will have some very nice options to choose as keepers. With young talent always comes the potential for a monsterous season, but also the volatility of a risky collapse. The sophomore slump is not for everyone but it is certainly a reality for some players. Only time will tell who can overcome but one thing is for certain, Wrecked with Wreck on offense. Players to watch out for: Giroux, Brassard, Frolik and Oshie.
Forward ranking: 2nd
Solid D-core: On the blue line, Weber and Gonch are as good of a combo as you will get. One is a proven vet, the other is an up and coming goal scorer. Bogosian was a nice late round pick, and should fill the roll of 4th D-man. My only concern with Wrecked’s D-core is I’m not sure where Hedman fits into the strategy. He’s a great prospect but I don’t expect more than 35 points from him this season, and as a keeper, Weber is as good as they come. None the less, very good D-core to compliment to forwards.
D-core ranking: 5th
Goalie Depth: Drafting 1st overall has its pros and cons. A pro is that you grab an Ovechkin type forward for years to come. A con is that you get the last stab at elite goal tenders. All things considering, I think wrecked did a great job with late value picks to fill out a solid goalie rotation. Huet and Varlamov aren’t elite goal tenders, but they play for elite teams and will rack up wins. Smith and Mason will also each get 50+ starts, and if managed accordingly Wrecked should be able to support his powerful offense with timely goal tending.
Goalie ranking: 8th
Final thoughts: Wrecked’s team combines powerful offense with very solid and deep goal tending. There isn’t a weakness to be seen, and this team is oozing with potential. Pretty much as good of a fantasy team as you can hope for to start the season.
Team potential: 1st – 6th.
Pre-Season Ranking: 2nd
Type1DIABEETUS
C - Evgeni Malkin – 45 G / 70 A / 75 PIM
C - David Krejci – 20 G / 40 A / 20 PIM
C - Stephen Weiss – 20 G / 40 A / 40 PIM
LW - Daniel Sedin – 30 G / 50 A / 40 PIM
LW - Alex Burrows – 25 G / 25 A / 120 PIM
RW - Jamie Langenbrunger – 25 G / 30 A / 80 PIM
RW - Brian Gionta – 20 G / 35 A / 35 PIM
W - Kris Versteeg – 20 G / 35 A / 70 PIM
Util - Ray Whitney – 25 G / 40 A / 50 PIM
Util - Brooks Laich – 25 G / 25 A / 35 PIM
D - Andrei Markov – 10 G / 50 A / 40 PIM
D - Niklas Kronwall – 5 G / 50 A / 50 PIM
D - Chistian Ehrhoff – 5 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
D - Marek Zidlicky – 15 G / 30 A / 75 PIM
BN - Joffrey Lupul – 30 G / 35 A / 60 PIM
BN - Matt Cooke - 10 G / 25 A / 90 PIM
BN - Dan Cleary – 25 G / 25 A / 50 PIM
BN - Brayden Schenn – 15 G / 20 A / 70 PIM
BN - Scott Clemmensen – 15 W / 2 SO
G - Ryan Miller – 35 W / 5 SO
G - Jose Theodore 15 W / 2 SO
Totals: 370 Goals / 665 Assists / 1060 PIM’s / 65 Wins / 9 Shutouts
Team Analysis:
Any team that starts and ends with Malkin is going to have a chance to win every week. He’s that good. Type1 did a nice job of finding and selecting ‘what you see is what you get’ talent to support him. This was a safe strategy and should work well for him. Sedin, Langenbrunner, Gionta and Whitney are proven wingers who will get top line and top PP minutes. This team has a nice balance of vets and youth, and Type1’s offense could surprise you. He may need to find another goal scorer, but this team will have no problem racking up assists.
Players to Watch Out for: Weiss, Lupul and Versteeg.
Forward Rankings: 9th.
On the blue line, Type1 did an excellent job of making value picks throughout the draft. Markov is a stud, and should finish amongst the league leaders in scoring for defensemen. Kronwall will continue to improve and his roll should increase as Lindstrom and Rafalski age. Ehrhoff plays for a great team and is your classic 40 pt D-man, very solid. Zidlicky I think was the steal of the draft for defensemen, he’s poised for a 45-50 point season with huge PPP and PIM’s. Without Zidlicky I’d call this D-core very good, but with Zidlicky I’ll have to call it great.
D-core ranking: 3rd
The only weakness I see on this team is goal tending. Miller is a great net minder, and will get plenty of starts, he’s solid between the pipes. However, Clemmensen and Theodore are entering the season as projected back-ups. They do both, however, have a fighting man’s chance to earn the starting roll, so either could become a huge sleeper. But for now, I think Type1 may need to look towards improving his goal tending as the season progresses. As great as Miller can be, he won’t be able to carry the entire load.
Goalie Ranking: 11th
Final Thoughts: A very strong D-core and a well balanced forward group should give Type’s offence a chance to compete every week. A weakness in goal tending, if not addressed, could prove to be an Achilles heel.
Team Potential: 6th – 10th
Pre-Season Ranking: 10th.
OldNo7
C - Sidney Crosby – 35 G / 70 A / 75 PIM
C - Rich Peverley – 25 G / 30 A / 80 PIM
C - Jason Arnott – 25 G / 30 A / 65 PIM
LW - Slava Kozlov – 20 G / 45 A / 50 PIM
LW - Ryan Smyth – 30 G / 30 A / 65 PIM
RW - Alexander Semin – 40 G / 40 A / 80 PIM
RW - Corey Perry – 35 G / 40 A / 90 PIM
W - Johan Franzen – 35 G / 30 G / 50 PIM
Util - Ryan Kesler – 25 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
Util - Tomas Holmstrom – 20 G / 20 A / 50 PIM
D - Scott Niedermayer – 10 G / 40 A / 50 PIM
D - Mark Streit – 15 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
D - Jay Bouwmeester – 15 G / 30 A / 75 PIM
D - Mathieu Schneider – 5 G / 20 A / 40 PIM
BN - Robert Lang – 20 G / 25 A / 40 PIM
BN - Kyle Quincey 10 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
BN - Tim Connolly 20 G / 40 A / 50 PIM
BN - Christopher Higgins 20 G / 30 A / 55 PIM
BN - Ilya Bryzgalov – 25 W / 3 SO
G - Cam Ward – 35 W / 5 SO
G - Jonas Hiller 30 W / 3 SO
Totals: 405 Goals / 620 Assists / 1095 PIM’s / 90 Wins / 11 SO’s.
Team Analysis:
The ‘last’ pick of the elite forwards gives Old a superstar player to build around in Crosby, and build around him he did. Old did a great job of selecting well rounded forwards who aren’t excellent at one particular thing but they’re all really good at everything. Perry, Semin and Franzen will provide goal scoring and PIM’s from the wings, while Connolly and Kozlov will rack up assists. Arnott, Smyth and Higgins provide consist production and the potential for 30 goals. I’m unsure about Holmstrom and Lang as they are getting old and coming off injury plagued seasons. None the less, Old has a very all-round solid core of forward from which he can work with. My only real concern is that many of his key forwards are injury concerns.
Players to Watch Out for: Peverley, Kesler, Connolly.
Forward Ranking: 6th.
Old has a very well rounded, solid defensive core that starts and ends with Mark Streit. I believe Streit is the most underrated ‘elite’ defensemen in the league, and he should finish top 5 in scoring for D-men with nearly 60 points. Niedermayer is a very consistant vet who will light up the PP, and Bouwmeester should see great across the board stats with his new team in Calgary (paired with Phaneuf). Schneider is another player whom I believe is too old to play a full season, but Old made up for that with a later round steal in Quincey (who will now see PP time in Colorado). All-in-all, this is a great blue collar D-core which will steadily produce across all cats all season.
D-Core Ranking: 7th.
I really like Old’s goalies, probably more so than others. For a top pairing, Ward and Hiller are criminally underrated. Ward especially, is approaching elite status and will serve 70 games. He’s good enough to lead a fantasy team in net. Hiller is also a great up and coming goalie, and if he can fend off Giguere for the lead roll (which I believe he will), he could be in for a great season. Anaheim and Carolina are both defensive-minded playoff teams and these two goalie will see their fair share of wins with solid GGA and SV%. With just these two alone I’d be a little wary, but Bryzgalov provides a safety net as a good goalie on a crappy team who can be called upon when needed. I expect a bounce back year from Bryz, and if anything he’ll get 60 starts – with almost half coming a W’s. Solid all-round in net.
Goalie Ranking: 7th.
Final Thoughts: Crosby is good enough to lead a team and with a solid supporting cast of goal scoring tough guys. Old’s team could be dangerous if they can stay healthy. Semin will be the X-factor, as he could approach 100 pts if he plays a full season, giving Old the best pairing in the league. If anything, I expect this team to be in the playoff hunt all season with a well-balanced team lead by Crosby.
Team Potential: 4th – 8th.
Pre-Season Ranking: 7th.
Hoser_Omega
C - Joe Thornton 25 G / 70 A / 60 PIM
C - Jason Spezza – 30 G / 55 A / 75 PIM
C - Joe Pavelski – 25 G / 35 A / 50 PIM
LW - Martin Havlat – 25 G / 40 A / 40 PIM
LW - Alexander Frolov – 30 G / 35 A / 30 PIM
RW - Jarome Iginla – 45 G / 45 A / 70 PIM
RW - Milan Hejduk – 25 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
W - Andrew Brunette – 20 G / 35 A / 20 PIM
Util - Rod Brind'Amour – 20 G / 30 A / 40 PIM
Util - Todd White – 20 G / 35 A / 20 PIM
D - Duncan Keith – 10 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
D - Paul Martin – 5 G / 35 A / 70 PIM
D - Rob Blake – 10 G / 25 A / 70 PIM
D - Bryan McCabe – 15 G / 30 A / 60 PIM
BN - Owen Nolan – 15 G / 25 A / 40 PIM
BN - Brian Rolston – 25 G / 30 A / 30 PIM
BN - Ville Koistinen – 10 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
BN - Tyler Kennedy – 20 G / 20 A / 40 PIM
BN - Ty Conklin – 15 W / 2 SO
G - Tim Thomas – 40 W / 5 SO
G - Dwayne Roloson – 10 W / 0 SO
Totals: 375 Goals / 635 Assists / 885 PIM’s / 65 Wins / 7 Loses
Team Analysis:
Hoser’s team is star heavy, with Iginla, Thornton and Spezza leading the charge, having 3 90 point forwards guarantees a huge splurge from at least 2 players every week. He did a nice job surrounding that talent with proven veterans. Havlat, Frolov, Hejduk, Brunette and Pavelski will provide plenty of support for his big guns. Havlat and Frolov especially could prove to be 30 goal, 70 point wingers. Where I see a weakness is in the depth of his forward core, I don’t think Kennedy, Nolan or Brindamour will provide much more than 40-50 points, and Hoser doesn’t have a single forward or D-man poised for 100+ PIM’s. Regardless, I think this forward group is very great at the top, and if he can improve the depth chart throughout the season, he’ll be a force down the stretch.
Players to Watch Out for: Pavelski
Forward Ranking: 7th.
Hoser has a couple of quality D-men in Keith and McCabe, and all 4 of his blue liners should provide across the board production. However, I don’t see a staple within them, as I think 50 points will be a stretch for any one of them this season. The one element of his D-core that I really like is they are all quality PIM’s guys. But overall I believe Hoser will need to make a splash for a proven D-man with 50+ point potential if he wants to stay afloat on the blue line.
D-Core Ranking: 11th
Tim Thomas is one of a select few whom I believe may finish as the best fantasy goalie in hockey this season. Boston is the best team in the East, and having Chara in front of him for 20 minutes a game will keep the GAA low. He led the league in GAA and SV% last season, and I expect a few more starts this year. Thomas is good enough to lead a team on his own. That being said, a solid backup is always needed, and I don’t think Rolston or Conklin can fill that roll. If Thomas stays healthy all season, Hoser will be able to capitalize in net, but he may find that a quality back up is needed to allow for more flexibility with his games played.
Goalie Ranking: 9th.
Final Thoughts: Hoser has a team full of superstars at the top, and some quality complimentary players. With Thomas in net, he will have a chance to win every week. However, I do believe he’ll need to put some work into adding complimentary pieces to his team (namely on the blue line and in net) in order to ensure a playoff spot.
Team Potential: 6th – 12th
Pre-Season Ranking: 9th.
gyro
C - Ryan Getzlaf – 25 G / 65 A / 120 PIM
C - Nicklas Backstrom – 20 G / 75 A / 50 PIM
C - Brad Richards – 20 G / 40 A / 20 PIM
LW - Dany Heatley – 40 G / 45 A / 70 PIM
LW - Thomas Vanek – 35 G / 35 A / 50 PIM
RW - Shane Doan – 30 G / 40 A / 75 PIM
RW - Daniel Carcillo – 15 G / 15 A / 250 PIM
W - Blake Wheeler – 20 G / 20 A / 60 PIM
Util - Jason Pominville – 20 G / 45 A / 40 PIM
Util - Teemu Selanne – 20 G / 25 A / 30 PIM
D - Erik Johnson – 10 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
D - Shane O'Brien – 5 G / 35 A / 100 PIM
D - Kris Letang – 10 G / 35 A / 50 PIM
D - Tom Gilbert – 10 G / 35 A / 50 PIM
BN - Scott Gomez – 15 G / 50 A / 40 PIM
BN - David Clarkson – 15 G / 25 A / 100 PIM
BN - Cody Hodgson – 15 G / 20 G / 60 PIM
BN - Dustin Byfuglien – 20 G / 25 A / 80 PIM
BN - Jean-Sebastien Giguere – 15 W / 2 SO
G - Marc-Andre Fleury – 40 W / 4 SO
G - Brent Johnson – 1 W / 0 SO
Totals: 345 Goals / 670 Assists / 1305 PIM’s / 56 Wins / 6 SO’s.
Team Analysis: In a nutshell, Gyro has the best forwards in the league heading into the season. Getzlaf, Backstrom, Heatley and Vanek combine for a very powerful offense. Doan, Richards, Gomez, Selanne and Pominville are excellent as far as complimentary guys go, and Carcillo should once again lead the league in PIM’s by a significant margin. Gyro may need to find some depth at forward as the season progresses, but for now he’s locked up an excellent top half. Adding another goal scorer wouldn’t hurt, but gyro should have no problem taking the league by storm with his potent offense, especially because he also dominates penalty minutes.
Players to Watch Out for: Wheeler
Forward Ranking: 1st.
When it comes to keeper defensemen, Erik Johnson is as good as it gets. I don’t expect much more than 40 points out of him this season though (due to a long surgery recovery). Gilbert and Letang are two young up-and-comers and they should lead this pack with 45 points or so a piece. The potential is there for one of them to break out in a big way. O’Brien is a solid value pick, and a multi cat stud, he adds PIM’s to a D-core that could use it. If Byfuglien earns D eligibility, this core will start to look really good. But for now, it’s missing a 50+ point anchor that is essential for any elite D-core. They will hold their own, but I suspect gyro might want to look into grabbing a better defenseman as the season progresses.
D-Core Ranking: 9th.
I think Gyro was way off the mark when he claimed goalies and goalie depth aren’t too valuable because they only account for 40% of the statistical categories in our league. In something as volatile as fantasy hockey, 40% is a very significant chunk of the battle, and to put that much stock in only 1 quality tender is far to risky. It’s a well known fact that goalies are by far the most important player in fantasy hockey. That all being said, Fleury should project himself as one of the elite goalies this season, so Gyro does have one rock between the pipes that he can consistently rely on. He’s young, talented, and poised for a career year back stopping the powerful Pittsburgh Penguins. Fleury is awesome, but there is still more than half a dozen goalies I’d rather have before him, and without a quality back up, I think goal tending is the only thing holding Gyro back from completely dominating the league. At best, Giguere will earn half the starts, and I’m not sure Johnson will even get one game in this season. Fleury should be good enough to hold fort, but I’d expect with so much offense, Gyro may be able to afford giving up a quality forward for a quality back up goalie.
Goalie Ranking: 10th.
Final Thoughts: A sickening offense with proven, superstar talent. When guys like Pominville and Gomez are far down your list of forwards, that will spell disaster for anyone trying to match up front with Gyro. However, well rounded, balanced teams typically prove to be the most successful in fantasy sports, so Gyro will need some help in D and in net if he wants to run away with the trophy. He’s a few key trades / acquisitions away from being nearly untouchable.
Team Potential: 1st – 6th
Pre-Season Ranking: 3rd.
bronxbombers07
C - Henrik Zetterberg – 35 G / 50 A / 30 PIM
C - Jonathan Toews – 35 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
C - Derek Roy – 30 G / 45 A / 40 PIM
LW - Zach Parise – 40 G / 45 A / 30 PIM
LW - Loui Eriksson – 30 G / 30 A / 20 PIM
RW - Marian Gaborik – 30 G / 40 A / 40 PIM
RW - Alexei Kovalev – 30 G / 35 A / 55 PIM
W - Mike Knuble – 20 G / 35 A / 60 PIM
Util - Chris Drury – 25 G / 30 A / 60 PIM
Util - Rene Bourque – 20 / 25 / 90 PIM
D - Zdeno Chara – 20 G / 30 A / 80 PIM
D - Chris Pronger – 10 G / 35 A / 90 PIM
D - Pavel Kubina – 10 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
D - Lubomir Visnovsky – 15 G / 35 A / 60 PIM
BN - Erik Cole – 20 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
BN - Drew Stafford – 20 G / 35 A / 40 PIM
BN - Valtteri Filppula – 20 G / 35 A / 60 PIM
BN - Scottie Upshall – 20 G 20 A / 100 PIM
BN - Jimmy Howard – 15 W / 2 SO
G - Roberto Luongo – 40 W / 8 SO
G - Chris Osgood – 30 W / 3 SO
Total: 430 Goals / 625 Assists / 1055 PIM’s / 85 Wins / 13 SO’s.
Team Analysis:
Bronx has a very sexy offense with a great mix of veterans and youth. Zetterberg, Toews, Parise and Roy are all franchise players on playoff teams, and they will provide consistant offense all season long. I expect a big season from Kovalev, and if Gaborik can stay healthy, I think Bronx’s forwards are as good as anyone’s. Using his first rounder on a goalie, Bronx had to find talent later in the draft, and he did that very well, grabbing Knuble, Filppula, Drury and Stafford in later rounds. I don’t see a forward unworthy of a roster spot, and they are all multi cat studs. There isn’t a team in the league that will score as many goals as Bronx this season, he’s just got too many 30+ goal scorers. The only concern up front is that his RW core has a history of being riddled by injuries, but if he can overcome that problem I don’t see anyone stopping this offense.
Players to Watch Out for: Eriksson, Stafford, Filppula.
Forward Ranking: 3rd.
I wasn’t especially high on the Chara pick so early, because he really will never eclipse 50 points, but as an all-round fantasy defensemen, Chara is still awesome. The same can be said about Pronger, and Kubina. Bronx has taken a strategy that is simple on the blue line, support his forwards by selecting big bruising D-men who have a rocket from the blue line, and who load up on penalty minutes. A pretty safe strategy because you know what you’ll get with each and every one of them, night in and night out. Consistency. I think the catalyst here is Visnovsky, because he’s got the potential to be a monstrous fantasy d-man. Were talking 55 points and 70 PIM’s if he plays 80 games. The problem is he rarely plays 80 games, but if coach Quinn can get the most out of Lubomir, I expect Bronx’s D-line to surprise many by continuously producing across all categories for the entire season.
D-Core Ranking: 6th.
I expect Luongo to be a top 3 fantasy goalie this season, as he is every season. He’s one of the few goalies you can rely on to play every game, because he’s always a threat for a shutout and even if his team loses, he racks up great GAA and SV%. There’s no safer goalie to build a fantasy team around than Luongo. I expect Howard and Osgood to produce similar to Osgood and Conklin last year, so great job by Bronx to select them both. They’ll win way more than they’ll lose, and although GAA and SV% won’t be amazing, they won’t hurt you in that category either. Just very solid, guaranteed W back up goalies to compliment one of the best fantasy goalies in hockey. Bronx in very solid in net, as well.
Goalie Ranking: 3rd.
Final Thoughts: A very powerful offense, combined with a very consistent defense and an awesome goalie tandem. This team is oozing with potential. Bronx has done a great job of finding value picks at the right time and I expect him to easily make the playoffs, assuming no major injuries.
Team Potential: 1st-6th
Pre-Season Ranking: 1st
CollangeloHatesAlbinos
C - Jeff Carter – 40 G / 40 A / 70 PIM
C - Henrik Sedin – 20 G / 60 A / 55 PIM
C - Travis Zajac – 20 G / 45 A / 35 PIM
LW - Simon Gagne – 25 G / 30 A / 40 PIM
LW - David Booth – 30 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
RW - David Backes – 25 G / 35 A / 180 PIM
RW - Michael Ryder – 25 G / 25 A / 30 PIM
W - Alexei Ponikarovsky – 20 G / 35 A / 50 PIM
Util - Daymond Langkow – 25 G / 30 A / 60 PIM
Util - Jason Blake – 20 G / 35 A / 40 PIM
D - Kimmo Timonen – 5 G / 35 A / 40 PIM
D - Anton Babchuk – 15 G / 25 A / 20 PIM
D - Marc-Edouard Vlasic – 10 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
D - John-Michael Liles – 10 G / 30 A / 30 PIM
BN - Patrik Berglund – 20 G / 30 A / 20 PIM
BN - Andrew Ladd – 20 G / 30 A / 40 PIM
BN - Antoine Vermette – 20 G / 40 A / 40 PIM
BN - Francois Beauchemin – 10 G / 20 A / 80 PIM
BN - Jonathan Quick – 25 W / 2 SO
G - Miikka Kiprusoff – 40 W / 5 SO
G - Pekka Rinne – 35 W / 5 SO
Total: 360 Goals / 605 Assists / 930 PIM’s / 100 Wins / 12 SO’s
Team Analysis:
After Carter and Sedin, there isn’t another superstar talent in Albino’s forward core, but that isn’t to say he wont produce offense. He’s got very nice depth up front, and he should be able to earn his fare share of offensive categories. Zajac, Booth, Backes, Ryder, Langkow, Berglund, Ladd and Vermette are all players that I believe will have good years. So there is certainly promise for a strong forward core. Besides Backes, this team won’t get much PIM support, but in general, I expect Albino’s to get consistent scoring from his forward core, enough so to have a chance to win every week.
Players to Watch Out for: Berglund, Vermette, Ladd
Forward Ranking: 12th.
Timonen, Babchuk, Vlasic and Liles are all PP quarterbacks who will see lots of ice time. None of them are superstar caliber talent, but they’ll do a good job of holding down the fort on the blue line. I see about 40 points from all of them, with lots of PPP. Beauchemin is there to provide PIM’s and depth, and he’ll chip in the other cats as well. In general, Albino’s has a pretty solid D-core with room for potential but it’s unfair to expect dominance from the blue line. They’ll simply hold their own.
D-Core Ranking: 10th.
Kipper should return to near-elite status this season with the addition of Bouwmeester and a new coach. 40+ wins and 5 shutouts is a lock. Good enough to hold his own, but on Albino’s team, he won’t have to. Rinne is a very intriguing prospect this year, and I expect him to earn 55+ starts and prove himself as one of the best up and coming goalies in the league. He’s on a defensive minded team with a great D-core in place, and at 6’4, 210, Rinne should put up great stats across the board. Quick is a great 3rd goalie, as he may or may not take over full time in LA. If he does, he’ll be playing behind a great offense and an improving defense. All in all, this is a very good goalie core which will should prove to be Albino’s strong point all season long.
Goalie Ranking: 5th.
Final Thoughts: Pretty solid all-round offense with a pretty solid all-round defense to compliment an awesome goalie tripod. Albino should be in the fight for a lower playoff seed all season.
Team potential: 6th – 12th
Pre-Season Ranking: 12th
MGD24
C - John Tavares – 30 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
C - Patrick Marleau – 30 G / 35 A / 30 PIM
C - Paul Stastny – 30 G / 45 A / 50 PIM
LW - Sean Avery – 25 G / 25 A / 160 PIM
LW - Scott Hartnell – 30 G / 30 A / 150 PIM
RW - Patrick Kane – 25 G / 50 A / 40 PIM
RW - Brad Boyes – 40 G / 25 A / 30 PIM
W - J.P. Dumont – 15 G / 45 A / 30 PIM
Util - Fabian Brunnstrom – 20 G / 25 G / 30 PIM
Util - Kristian Huselius – 25 G / 35 A / 40 PIM
D - Brian Rafalski – 5 G / 45 A / 30 PIM
D - Dennis Wideman – 15 G / 35 A / 40 PIM
D - Tomas Kaberle – 5 G / 40 A / 25 PIM
D - Ryan Suter – 10 G / 35 A / 70 PIM
BN - Jared Boll – 10 G / 25 A / 120 PIM
BN - Sam Gagner – 20 G / 35 A / 40 PIM
BN - Jakub Voracek – 20 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
BN - Dave Bolland – 20 G / 35 A / 60 PIM
BN - Erik Ersberg – 15 W / 2 SO
G - Steve Mason – 35 W / 8 SO
G - Henrik Lundqvist – 40 W / 5 SO
Total: 375 Goals / 635 Assists / 1055 PIM’s / 90 Wins / 15 SO’s.
Team Analysis:
By selecting goalies early, MGD had to make some savvy forward picks to make up the slack, and he did a great job of grabbing keepers while doing this. Kane, Stastny and Tavaras may not break out for 90 this season, but 2 years from now, they’ll all be consistently putting up 80+ with a chance at 90. MGD doesn’t have any superstars at the moment, but this team has some very good young forwards and lots of ‘almost’ superstars to make up the difference. I expect career years from Boyes, Brunnstrom, Huselius, Gagner, Voracek and Bolland. Surely a few of them will exceed expectations (my guess would be Gagner and Voracek). This forward group is just oozing with potential, and although it may not be seen early in the season, I expect as the youngsters get more comfortable in their rolls, MGD will get the type of production needed to compliment his goalies.
Players to Watch Out for: Gagner, Bolland, Voracek
Forward Ranking: 10th.
Rafalski is a great D-man to build around, and he should approach close to 60 pts this season. Wideman also is due for a career year, along with Suter as well. Kaberle was a steal so late in the draft, and besides PIM’s, he’ll get you 50 points and lots of PPP. I thought Suter was also a steal so late in the draft, and he’s good for 45 points this season. The only weakness on his blue line is not much PIM’s coming from a position where PIM’s are essential. However, offensively, they’ll match up to anyone’s D-core, and they’ll do a good job complimenting a deep forward core.
D-Core Ranking: 4th.
There is not much that needs to be said about MGD’s goalies as they are clearly the best in the league. He’s the only team with 2 legitimate ‘Ace’ goalies, and he should have no problem picking and choosing when to earn his wins. One plays on a playoff team in the East, and the other on a playoff team in the West so the versatility is also a plus. Not only are they both elite, but they’re young and still improving. Anything from Ersberg is just icing on the cake.
Goalie Ranking: 1st
Final Thoughts: This team is poised to be dominant in the future, and with a well rounded forward core, a well rounded d-core and by far the best goal tending in the league, I think MGD will have as good a chance at anyone at making the playoffs. I’d like to reiterate that you should never underestimate goal tending in fantasy hockey.
Team Projection: 4th – 10th
Pre-Season Ranking: 6th
qmclafferty82
C - Pavel Datsyuk – 30 G / 65 A / 30 PIM
C - Anze Kopitar – 35 G / 45 A / 40 PIM
C - Phil Kessel – 30 G / 20 A / 20 PIM (60 games)
LW - Rick Nash – 40 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
LW - Dustin Brown – 30 G / 35 A / 65 PIM
RW - Bobby Ryan – 30 G / 35 A / 70 PIM
RW - Ales Hemsky – 20 G / 50 A / 30 PIM
W - Milan Michalek – 25 G / 35 A / 40 PIM
Util - Mikhail Grabovski – 25 G / 25 A / 75 PIM
Util - Nik Antropov – 25 G / 40 A / 25 PIM
D - Drew Doughty – 10 G / 30 A / 60 PIM
D - Cam Barker – 5 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
D - Mike Komisarek – 5 G / 25 A / 100 PIM
D - Steve Montador - 5 G / 20 A / 100 PIM
BN - Peter Mueller – 25 G / 35 G / 50 PIM
BN - Matt Duchene – 15 G / 25 A / 40 PIM
BN - Nikita Filatov – 25 G / 25 A / 40 PIM
BN - Kyle Turris – 20 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
BN - Vesa Toskala – 30 W / 2 SO
G - Carey Price – 35 W / 3 SO
G - Jonas Gustavsson – 15 W / 2 SO
Totals: 400 Goals / 620 Assists / 955 PIM’s / 80 Wins / 7 SO’s
Team Analysis:
This team has some really good forwards to lead the pack. Datsyuk is always a top 10 fantasy forward, and Nash and Kopitar should compliment him well. Qm82’s got some very promising young wingers with the potential for big numbers. Ryan, Hemsky, Michalek, Kessel and Mueller are all poised for career years (although Kessel will miss some games). Turris, Filatov and Duchene are probably still a few years away, but to see one of them explode for 60 is not out of the realm of possibility. Looking from top to bottom, there is not a weakness on this forward core, and it should be amongst the league leaders all season.
Players to Watch Out for: Kopitar, Mueller, Filatov.
Forward Ranking: 4th.
The most glaring weakness on Qm’s team is defense, where he doesn’t have a superstar, or even a really good D-man, amongst them. Cam Barker has the potential for huge numbers, especially on the PP, but his ceiling in my estimate is still only 50 points. For all that offense that will come from the forwards, it will be somewhat neutralized by a weak showing from the blue line. The one saving grace is that Qm’s D-core will provide PIM’s which will is always expected from that position. Qm will probably need to make a move for a better D-man during the season.
D-Core Ranking: 12th.
Price is a very interesting youngster with oodles of potential, but I don’t expect him to be anymore than a solid, middle of the pack goalie this season. Montreal isn’t good enough defensively, and Price has yet to show any signs of consistency. If things go really astray, Halak may even take the reigns for a while. The Toronto tandem will probably have decent GAA and SV%, but using 2 roster spots to lock up the goal tending on one of the worst teams in the league is a little inefficient. None the less, the Leafs tandem will at least provide consistency and security to the back end. With such a powerful forward core, QM might look to make a move at upgrading his goal tending.
Goalie Ranking: 12th.
Final Thoughts: A very powerful offense will take you a far way, but without a complimenting D-core and goal tending, there is a ceiling on Qm82’s potential. QM has done an excellent job accumulating valuable players that can be used as trading chips, and if he manages them wisely to balance out his squad, he could be one of the best teams in the league.
Team Projection: 6th – 12th
Pre-Season Ranking: 11th.
LarryBonds
C - Mike Richards – 30 G / 50 A / 70 PIM
C - Vincent Lecavalier – 40 G / 50 A / 60 PIM
C - Steven Stamkos – 30 G / 30 A / 40 PIM
LW - Patrick Elias – 30 G / 35 A / 30 PIM
LW - Milan Lucic – 20 G / 30 A / 150 PIM
RW - Patrick Sharp – 35 G / 35 A / 60 PIM
RW - Tuomo Ruutu – 25 G / 25 A / 80 PIM
W - Chris Kunitz – 30 G / 30 A / 75 PIM
Util - Daniel Briere – 30 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
Util - Andy McDonald – 20 G / 50 A / 35 PIM
D - Brent Burns – 15 G / 30 A / 60 PIM
D - Alexander Edler – 10 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
D - Joe Corvo – 10 G / 35 A / 30 PIM
D - Tobias Enstrom – 5 G / 40 A / 60 PIM
BN - Ryane Clowe – 25 G / 30 A / 40 PIM
BN - Petr Sykora – 25 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
BN - Evander Kane – 20 G / 20 A / 40 PIM
BN - Evgeny Artyukhin – 10 G / 20 A / 30 PIM
BN - Pascal Leclaire – 20 W / 2 SO
G - Nicklas Backstrom – 35 W / 7 SO
G - Marty Turco – 30 W / 3 SHO
Totals: 410 Goals / 610 Assists / 1060 PIM’s / 85 Wins / 12 SO’s
Team Analysis:
Larry did an excellent job selecting value picks continuously throughout the draft, and it shows in his forward core. Richards, Lecavelier, Stamkos, Briere and McDonald make up a very deadly Center rotation, which is clearly Larry’s strong point. His centers should produce enough to carry the load offensively, and he’s got some nice complimentary wingers. I do feel this team is a little thin on the wings, and is lacking star power from that spot, but Sharp, Lucic, Kunitz, Sykora and Clowe will certainly hold their own across the board. I like this forward core up front, but it may need a little tweaking to balance the scoring load later in the season.
Players to Watch Out for: Lucic, Sharp, Kunitz.
Forward Ranking: 5th.
I expect bounce back years from Burns and Enstrom, which should bode well for Larry this season. Burns especially I think will rack up goals and PIM’s from the blue line, which is always a bonus. Corvo is a great PP quarterback, and Edler is one of the best up and coming D-men in the league – he should produce across all cats this season. This D-line isn’t spectacular, but it will certainly hold its own and has the potential for more.
D-Core Ranking: 8th
Over the past two season, Backstrom has earned himself the right to be considered an elite goalie. He can carry a fantasy team for long stretches, and he’s a great top goalie to lead the charge in net. Turco is due for a bounce back year, and he was once an elite goalie. I’m being modest with the prediction, as Dallas and Turco could storm back with a vengeance this season. He’s an excellent 2nd goalie. I’m not sold on Leclaire, but I could be dead wrong, and he could have a big year in Ottawa. Either way, Larry has plenty of quality options in net, and it should be one of his team’s strong points this season.
Goalie Ranking: 5th.
Final Thoughts: A very good forward core, with solid defense and good goal tending. That’s a recipe for success in most fantasy scenarios. I think Larry has positioned himself nicely for the season, and if he manages his team properly, I think he’ll be well in the playoff hunt all season.
Team Potential: 1nd – 6th.
Pre-Season Ranking: 4th.
RoyceDa59
C - Eric Staal – 40 G / 45 A / 60 PIM
C - Nathan Horton – 35 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
C - Mikko Koivu – 20 G / 45 A / 60 PIM
LW - Paul Kariya – 20 G / 55 A / 30 PIM
LW - Brenden Morrow – 30 G / 35 A / 120 PIM
RW - Marian Hossa – 25 G / 30 A / 30 PIM (60 GP)
RW - Martin St. Louis – 30 G / 50 A / 20 PIM
W - Patrick O'Sullivan – 20 G / 45 A / 40 PIM
Util - Pierre Marc Bouchard – 15 G / 45 A / 30 PIM
Util - Ryan Malone – 25 G / 25 A / 100 PIM
D - Mike Green – 25 G / 50 A / 60 PIM
D - Dion Phaneuf – 20 G / 40 A / 130 PIM
D - Dan Boyle – 15 G / 40 A / 50 PIM
D - Ryan Whitney – 10 G / 35 A / 70 PIM
BN - Steve Sullivan – 25 G / 35 A / 50 PIM
BN - Andrei Kostitsyn – 25 G / 30 A / 40 PIM
BN - Shawn Horcoff – 20 G / 40 A / 40 PIM
BN - Matt Niskanen – 10 G / 35 A / 60 PIM
BN - Tomas Vokoun – 30 W / 5 SO
G - Evgeni Nabokov – 45 W / 5 SO
G - Ray Emery 35 W / 3 SO
Total: 400 Goals / 710 Assists / 1060 PIM’s / 110 Wins / 13 SO’s
Team Analysis:
This team is lacking in superstar power up front, which should make it hard to have dominating weeks. But what it lacks in superstardom is makes up for in depth. There isn’t a forward on this team that won’t push for 55+ points, and I’m expecting a lot of bounce back seasons from guys like Kariya, Sullivan, Kostitsyn, Horcoff, Horton and Morrow. The depth is there at every position, but without star power this team will have to rely on consistent play and across the board production to get ‘er done. Besides Staal, St. Louis and Hossa (when healthy), there isn’t another forward that will push for point per game pace. This is a team that was built from the back end outward, and so the job of these forwards is too support the strong defense and goal tending. The problem with no star power and all depth is that it’s a lot easier to replace depth than it is to acquire star power. This forward core will be consistent, but it won’t be dominant.
Players to Watch Out for: M. Koivu, O’Sullivan, PM Bouchard, Horton.
Forward Ranking: 11th.
There isn’t much that needs to be said here, this team has by far the best defense in the league, and it’s not even close. Green is a fantasy d-man of a lifetime, and should put up 15+ more points than any other D-man. Phaneuf was taken too early, but he’s a 55+ point, 130 PIM D-man, and there isn’t another blue liner who will produce across the board stats as well as Phaneuf. Boyle is another top 10 d-man, with 15 goal, 55 point potential on a great team. He would be the best D-man on half the teams in this league. Ryan Whitney is a former 60 pt D-man who’s finally healthy and in a fresh environment. Playing with Niedermayer and on the PP with Getzlaf and Perry will serve him well – I think 45 points and lots of PIM’s is in order. Niskanen is a solid 5th D-man, and as the only PP quarterback on Dallas, this youngster is poised for 40+ points. You have to live in the house you’ve built, and so this team will need to lean heavily on it’s D-core for production.
D-Core Ranking: 1st
Nabokov is in the category with Brodeur, Luongo and Thomas as he can carry a team pretty much on his own. With no back up to be seen, Nabokov is due for another elite year with 40+ wins and 5+ SO’s. Vokoun is a very good goalie on a pretty good team, he should earn 30 wins and about 4 SO’s with good numbers this season. Emery is a question mark, but I feel he fits in perfectly with the culture in Philly. It’s a contract year and Philly is an excellent team. I expect a lot of wins from Emery this season. A superstar goalie with 2 very good back ups, goal tending should not be a problem for this team.
Goalie Ranking: 2nd
Final Thoughts: What this team lacks in top end talent, it makes up for in depth, a godly D-core and great goal tending. I think 1st seed in a little out of reach, but don’t be surprised if this team sneaks into the playoffs. I always build my teams this way, and they always seem to overcome adversity with consistent play. This team is built to prey on the weak and stay afloat against the strong.
Team Projection: 5th – 10th
Pre-Season Ranking: 8th.
JCREP44
C - Daniel Alfredsson – 30 G / 45 A / 40 PIM
C - Mike Ribeiro – 25 G / 60 A / 40 PIM
C - Jordon Staal – 25 G / 25 A / 70 PIM
LW - Ilya Kovalchuk – 45 G / 40 A / 50 PIM
LW - Michael Cammalleri – 35 G / 40 A / 50 PIM
RW - Mark Recchi – 15 G / 25 / 40 PIM
RW - Todd Bertuzzi – 15 G / 30 A / 65 PIM
W - Alex Tanguay – 15 G / 50 A / 25 PIM
Util - Saku Koivu – 20 G / 35 A / 55 PIM
Util - Pavol Demitra – 25 G / 30 A / 50 PIM
D - Nicklas Lidstrom – 10 G / 45 A / 40 PIM
D - Sheldon Souray – 15 G / 30 A / 70 PIM
D - Kevin Bieksa – 15 G / 30 A / 80 PIM
D - Brian Campbell – 5 G / 45 A / 50 PIM
BN - Ed Jovanovski – 10 G / 30 A / 80 PIM
BN - David Moss – 20 G / 25 A / 60 PIM
BN - Mike Modano – 20 G / 30 A / 40 PIM
BN – Steve Bernier – 20 G / 25 A / 60 PIM
BN - Jaroslav Halak – 10 W / 1 SO
G - Martin Brodeur – 45 W / 7 SO
G - Nikolai Khabibulin – 30 W / 3 SO
Total: 365 Goals / 640 Assists / 965 PIM’s / 85 Wins / 11 SO’s
Team Analysis:
Kovalchuk, Cammalleri, Alfreddson and Ribeiro is a great way to start any forward core and JCrep has done a good job of grabbing top end goal scoring wingers early in the draft. Those types of players are hard to come by, and it should bode well for him in any match up. Although his top forwards can match up with anyones, but I feel there is a lack of depth in the forwards group. Not many 60-70 point guys to compliment the superstars. I’m not sold on Recchi, Bertuzzi, Moss, and Bernier, but I’m sure a few of them will certainly prove me wrong. And like I mentioned earlier, it’s a lot easier to find depth guys than it is to find top end talent (especially goal scoring talent on the wings), so Crep has done a good job of positioning himself to have a very good forward core by the end of the season.
Players to Watch Out for: Staal, Tanguay
Forward Ranking: 8th
This defense starts and ends with Nick Lidstrom, which should bode well for Jcrep. Lidstrom up until last season was the best fantasy d-man in the world. He’s slipped a bit since then, but at 39 years young he should still flirt with 60 points. Souray and Bieksa are very similar is that they have a rocket on the PP, they rack up the PIM’s and both struggle to stay healthy. I predict one of them will have a healthy / monster season and the other will miss some time. Either way, both are very good across-the-board D-men. Brian Campbell is another under the radar later round pick whom I believe will flirt with 50+ points this season. Jovanovski is your average every day 40 point, 80 PIM d-man that every team could use on their depth chart. All in all, JCrep found value picks on the blue line throughout the draft, and he has one of the best D-cores to show for it.
D-Core Ranking: 2rd.
Martin Brodeur is still the best fantasy goalie in hockey, period. He will play 70 games, earn 45 wins, rack in 6+ shutouts with great GAA and SV%. Any team with him in net has a chance to win every week, he’s that effective. Khabibulin was a very solid pick later in the draft, as he will surely be the main man in Edmonton. 30 wins and 3 shutouts is a great way to compliment Marty. Halak is a solid flyer pick, and he may be traded or even earn the starting roll in Montreal if Price falters. Worst case scenario you drop him and pick up something of value. But either way, JCrep has one of the best goalie cores in the L.
Goalie Ranking: 4th.
Final Thoughts: A well structured team with the potential to be great. Elite forwards, very good defense and Martin Brodeur will give JCrep a shot at the playoffs. If he can add some forward depth to compliment his superstars, he could surprise this league.
Team Potential: 2nd – 7th
Pre-Season Ranking: 5th.
FINAL PRE-SEASON RANKINGS:
1. Bronx
2. Wrecked
3. Gyro
4. Larry
5. Jcrep
6. MGD
7. OldNo7
8. Royce
9. Hoser
10. Type1
11. GMClaff
12. Albinos
Go Raps!!
