Selanne a Duck Again

Anaheim - Teemu Selanne's signing for the remainder of the NHL season, does one of two things; it gives the Ducks yet another veteran weapon without actually giving up any assets, and it announces to the rest of the league that the Ducks full intend on defending the title; ferociously. The Ducks look poised to make some noise over the last 30 games of the season.

Fantasy Impact: we anticipate that it will take Selanne a few weeks to get his timing before he begins to make an impact. Look for him to be paired with Bertuzzi and Weight on a very good 2nd line.

More league rumblings

Tampa Bay - how much longer coach John. T. holds his job will depend on how well his team comes out of it's latest slump. Their goaltending has not been very good again, but the bigger concern is the teams' defence - which is practically non-existent. Almost every game the 'Ning are falling behind in games forcing them to play their big 3 a ton of minutes. Soon to be returning Dan Boyle should help, but the team may be too far down the standings to make a push for the playoffs. With Vinnie Lecavalier a pending RFA, and rumors are already heating up that Montreal will gladly pay the 5 draft picks to sign him, Tampa is really up against. Look for them to try and move either St. Louis or Richards if things don't improve for a goalie and some defence help.

Calgary - the Flames watched like many a GM last month at the performance of Curtis Joseph. So much so, that they signed the veteran netminder to a remainder one-year deal. CuJo comes in to back up Kippersuff and gives the team a little more depth between the pipes should they need to call on their back-up. He won't put up huge numbers, but he should see a few more starts in the 2nd half as the Flames ready themselves for the playoffs.

Ottawa - is rumored to be combing teams in the Western Conference looking for a veteran forward that could play in their top 6. With Phoenix playing so well, the 'Yotes won't be parting with Sahne Doan any time soon. In LA, Michal Handzus and/or Kyle Calder could be had, but the real question would be if either of those players could help the Senators. Columbus Blue Jackets are set to welcome Fredrik Modin back from a season long back injury, and it may be to showcase him.

Toronto - now that the Leafs have lost a number of games, the team is reportedly looking to gas GM John Fergsuon Jr.. In the meantime, JFJ is said to be shopping under-achieving Jason Blake, but to no one's surprise there are very little takers for him and his $15M over the next 4 years still owed, as well as $2.5 for this season. The Canucks were reportedly interested in looking at Blake, but they're wouldn't be much coming back to the Leafs in return for the salary dump.

Around the League and the Latest Rumblings

Toronto - with the Leafs actually playing better hockey over the last 12 games, the banshee's have stopped the screeching for the head(s) of GM John Ferguson Jr. and/or coach Paul Maurice. Quelled is one of the hottest rumor around the league that the Red Wings have a standing offer for Leafs star Mats Sundin. Headed to the Leafs would be Jiri Hudler, Valterri Fillipula and Nik Kronwall, back to the wings would go Sundin and Darcy Tucker. The wings have been smoking hot lately, but as happened last year, the playoffs are another story. Landing Sundin would be huge.

Pittsburgh - the Penguins are a mere rumored two more straight losses before coach Michel Therrien gets the axe. The team has under-achieved to date: poor goaltending and defensive zone coverage have been the major down-falls, but watch for Therrien to get fired before the All-Star break. If that does happen, whomever is the new guy is likely to unite Crosby and Malkin together to begin to generate some offense and immediately look for some defensive help up front with the formation of a 3rd "shut-down" line.

Atlanta - Marian Hossa has been playing better, but even the arrival of veterna Mark Recchi may not be enough to prevent the team from shipping him out to get something prior to him becoming an UFA. The rumored suitors are many, but the strongest package appears to be from the Oilers who are ready to move youth for Hossa. Headed to Atlanta would be Andrew Cogliano, Matt Greene and Robbie Schrempf in exchange for the rental of a bona fide top 10 player.


More to follow.

Sell, Sell, Sell…a Mike Comrie Special Addendum to the Quarterpole Review

There are some pundits who like to react early in the season…you know the people we mean. The ones who think that after a couple of games that players are going to hit their career highs. Or the ones who will go out on a limb to and project 10-20% increases in projections after an impressive week.

That was the case with the Islanders back in early October. After white hot start, there were fantasy prognosticators fitting them for Stanley Cup rings and calling guys like Bill Guerin, Ruslan Fedotenko and especially Mike Comrie to mow down their previous statistical highs.

It is for this reason that we rarely change our projections in October unless there is a trade, injury or significant call-up. It’s too easy to get caught up in the hype. Why spend an entire summer slaving over numbers only to second guess yourself after a few games?

The poster boy for this is Mike Comrie. Here’s a guy who had 4 goals and 6 points after his first two contests. All around the fantasy world owners scrambled to pick him up and “experts” heralded a new era for the diminutive Edmontonian.

But wait, what have we heard of him and his Islander teammates lately? Did we miss the news release with the Stanley Cup parade route?

Nope, Comrie and the rest of his Islander teammates have come back to earth. After 6 points in his first two games and 6 points in a 4 game streak between October 18 and November 1st, he has tallied 6 points in the other 12 games. This is hardly a ringing endorsement for Mike. And more importantly, when you run the numbers again using his first 18 games, it quickly becomes apparent to us that we’re happy sticking with our 55 point projection.

If we were you, we’d look for a taker and trade Comrie as quickly as possible.

Quarterpole Article 3 - D-men and Goaltending Surprises

There have been some amazing goalie and d-men surprises. Here's the list and what you should do with them.

Paul Ranger - TB - There are few that would have seen him as being the eighth best scorer at the quarterpole...and his +11 makes him even more valuable. All that said, we think that you'd be crazy to at least not look for a trading partner given that the majority of his production has come due to the absence of Dan Boyle. And while Boyle is likely out for another month, once he gets back Ranger will likely slow.

Ed Jovanovski - PHX - Many are surprised that he's actually upped his production...we're not. He's a quality guy who has struggled due to injuries and a poor supporting cast. We expect these numbers to continue as long as he stays healthy. We say hold onto him.

Chris Campoli - NYI - We projected a good season from him and he hasn't disappointed. In fact, he's pushed MA Bergeron to the sidelines. We think you should hang onto him and hope he puts up a 40-45 point season.

Mark Streit - MTL - There were many who thought that he'd be valuable because he'd qualify as a d-man but play some wing. But his production has come on the blueline and he's been impressive. That said, it can't hurt to test the water and see if you can pick up a Wade Redden or Bryan McCabe-type player in exchange for him.

James Wisniewski - CHI - We put him on the list only because there are probably some of you who picked him up on the waiver wire early on. He's been hot and cold and we don't think he'll have a lot of trade value...so get whatever points you can from him and drop him once he looks tapped out.

Pascal Leclaire - CLB - Leclaire and the Blue Jackets started off incredibly strong, but have slowed of late. It may not be the worst thing to see if you can move Pascal for a top 3 veteran tender - think Kiprusoff, Broduer or Luongo - even if it means putting together a package including a forward. I heard of one deal that was essentially Leclaire and Vanek for Kiprusoff. Hard to argue with that kind of return!

Martin Gerber - OTT - This is a hard one to predict. Ray Emery has struggled with injuries and in his absence Gerber has been spectacular. It also doesn't hurt that the Sens have played extremely well in front of him. Our feeling is that once Emery sorts out his latest back spasm woes he'll at least challenge to split time with Gerber which will reduce his value. If you can get a quality package in return, we'd move him.

Martin Biron - PHI - No-one really doubted that Biron was capable of being a starter, but few believed that the Flyers or Marty were capable of putting up the number of wins they have this early in the season. Biron is NOT a top 5 goalie and as such, we'd say you should look to move him and take advantage of his early production.

Johan Hedberg - ATL - With Kari Lehtonen hurt, Hedberg has been great in the Thrasher nets. But once Lehtonen sorts out his latest groin injuries, we think that Johan will be quickly forgotten. Trade him if you get a chance.

Jose Theodore - COL - While he hasn't been spectacular all season, Theodore has been very streaky in the Avalanche nets while sharing time with Peter Budaj. At this stage, unless you're dealing with a closet Theodore fan, we'd suggest hanging onto him in the hopes he gets moved to a team looking for a starter...think maybe LA or even a team like Tampa if the Avs were willing to take back some salary - including former Av Marc Denis.

Quarterpole Article 2 - Forward Surprises

As we head into the quarterpole there are ten forwards who stand out in our mind as bona fide surprises. We'll ID them here and let you know whether we think they're going to keep it up or whether you should be looking to take advantage of their lofty status and trade them while you have a chance.

Jarome Iginla - CGY - The Flames are struggling, but Jarome isn't. There are many who would see this as a perfect opportunity to trade him and maximize your profit. We don't think you should. Iggy is the perfect Keenan player. As long as Iron Mike keeps his job (never a guarantee) Jarome will be in the top 10 in scoring. Don't trade!

Rod Brind'Amour - CAR - It's not that we don't think he's an excellent overall player, but it's just that he's 38 years old and it may be in your best interests to try and pick up a couple of younger underachievers. We'd say trade him while you can!

Cory Stillman - CAR - He's not as old as Brind'Amour but we'd definitely put him in the overachieving category. And if your league splits up the forward positions he could be even more valuable because he is a LW'er. We say put him on the market and see what you can get.

Vaclav Prospal - TB - Like Stillman, he qualifies at LW in many leagues and we just can't see him keeping up this pace. And he's a guy ripe for a trade. The Lightning have been rumoured to have him on the market...so why not you?

Mike Richards - PHI - Early in his career many thought that Jeff Carter would be the scorer and he'd be the all-round player. Well, it seems that he's taken a page out of Rod Brind'Amour's book. We're going to give him a cautious hold. Unless you get an offer you can't refuse don't move him. He's getting the chance to play and he's taking advantage.

Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - CHI - Because these two super rookies play together we decided to write about them as one. We think that both will likely slow as the season hit's the dog days of January, but don't trade them. They're the future of the Hawks and they could be a building block for your team. We were very surprised when Chicago kept up Kane, but as of now it seems like the right decision.

Tomas Holmstrom - DET - To many this isn't a surprise. He's a beast in front of the net on the powerplay and as long as he stays with Zetterberg and Datsyuk he's going to continue on this torrid pace. We'd hang onto him for now...but be prepared to pull the trigger if it looks like he'll be replaced on the top line.

Nik Antropov - TOR - He started incredibly hot and has slowed. If you can find another sucker...er, owner...to take him off your hands, we suggest doing it quickly. The Leafs are in turmoil and the fewer of them you have the better right now.

Mike Ribeiro - DAL - We knew he was talented, but we didn't think he'd prove himself to be the top centre in Dallas until after Mike Modano retired. He is more than capable of keeping up this pace...keep him for a while.

Markus Naslund - VAN - The guy is on fire with 6 goals in his past 4 games. He's looking like a guy playing for a contract. As long as he stays with the Sedin twins you'd be crazy to trade him. This is a case of squeezing every last point out of him, even if it means you lose trade value if he quickly slips.

Look for defencemen and goalies in our third quarterpole article

Weekly Rumblings...

Calgary - Wow - we actually thought it would have taken ol' Iron Mike Keenan not nearly this long before he began to call out his goalie's play in the media - but after 17 games, Iron Mike has let it be known that he has not been fond of Mikka Kippusoff's play. Frankly, Kipper has been just above average on some nights, but the Flames' defence has been below average and as a result, the Flames are just average. Most would have thought a recent injury to Daymond Langkow would mean more minutes for Craig Conroy between Iginla and Tanguay. Keenan has decided to go with speedster Lombardi on the big line, and the results have been pretty good so far. Looks as though Keenan will keep Lombardi there for now as well, despite Langkow's return. Watch for Langkow to slip alongside Huselius and Conroy to be a pivot for Owen Nolan.

Fantasy Impact:

Lomabardi - Positive
Lankgow - even
Conroy - negative
Iginla - even
Kiprusoff - negative

New York - the Rangers are winning games without major contirbutions from the 4 big guns: Jagr, Gomez, Drury and Shanahan. Of the four, it looks as though Shanahan and Jagr are showing signs of beginning to score while Gomez and Drury are making GM Glen Sather signing of them look like a terrible decision. Brandon Dubinsky was even seeing some time as Jagr's pivot - and the Rangers are still winning. Lundqvist has been very good lately and that has helped, but watch out for the Rangers if the offense begins to catch up. The news that may fly under the radar is that Martin Straka has been finally cleared to begin contact drills and he just might be the lift that the Rangers offense needs.

Fantasy Impact:

Jagr - positive
Shanahan - even
Gomez - positive
Drury - even
Dawes - negative

Phoenix - with the news that Ilya Bryzgalov was placed on waivers, it seems only natural that the Coyotes would scoop him up as this is the team that is still wondering if one of the 4 back-ups they have brought in will become a consistent starter. Bryzgalov is the best of the bunch and when he gets hot, he's proven that he can carry a team for a few months. That said, Giguere was not exactly the west-coast version of Marty Brodeur in playing tons of games, yet Bryzgalov did not take advantage of his opportunity. In Phoenix he'll gets lots of playing time, in front of a young, improving but mistake prone team. he'll likely play very good for a few weeks and then begin to sag somewhat as his team loses close games.

Fantasy Impact:

Bryzgalov - positive
Auld - negative
Tellqvist - negative

Quarterpole Article 1 - Buy, Sell or Hold?

As we approach the quarterpole, it’s natural for most poolies to take a look at their rosters and take stock of who’s playing well and who’s underachieving. Many a poolie has panicked and made an ill-advised trade – moving an underachieving fantasy stud only to have them regain their form. We give you ten guys who are under-achieving immensely, as well as a prognosis of whether we think it’s time to unload (SELL) or hang on to them (HOLD) or get them (BUY). And if you disagree, feel free to post a comment - but make sure you tell us why!

Patrik Elias – NJ – now we knew that it was likely that the very talented Elias was going to miss part-time center Scott Gomez, but no one would have believed that he would have only 3 goals after 17 games this season (and be a disgusting -7). Elias now finds himself playing with Brylin and Gionta and the results have not been very good. Elias has the skills and speed to be a difference-maker for the Devils, but to date his play is indicative of the Devils; it’s just been OK at best. A new style of play, a new coach and a new building have not translated into offence for the Devils. The Devils season is sliding quickly and Elias already has become the subject of many trade rumors. If you can move him, we’d SELL Elias ASAP.

Scott Gomez – NYR – and speaking of the aforementioned Gomez, he is getting paid $10M this season as a high profile free agent, and so far, he’s not been very good. The spooky thing is that he’s been playing with either Jagr or Shanahan – two guys that are familiar with finding the back of the net, and yet still he is struggling. Gomez is still the Rangers most talented pivot, but right now he’s making the team miss Michael Nylander immensely. Chances are Gomez will get it together and begin to find some chemistry with Jagr. When he does, he could be an excellent trade right now as his value should be low. We’d HOLD if owned or BUY if not.

Patrick Marleau – SJ - as a poolie owner, Marleau’s lack of stats are a huge concern. But just imagine how frustrating it has been for the player himself: playing for a coach who benches his best players, plays you (one of his best players) out of position, and doesn’t play you in all special team opportunities. As angry as we may be as a fantasy owner, Marleau has got to be praying for a coaching change. He’s on pace for less than 40 points – his lowest point totals since his rookie season. That said, we think Wilson is on borrowed time, and when he gets fired, you’re likely to see the entire Sharks team breathe a big sigh of relief and then watch out for the offense explosion. We’d HOLD or BUY.

Jonathan Cheechoo - SJ – as painful as it has been for Marleau, multiple that degree of frustration by 1000 when discussing the challenges of Cheechoo. Once again, he appears to be the coach’s whipping boy; he sometimes plays on the top line, but more often than not, the former Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy winner is getting 3rd and 4th line minutes. Most recently, he has also been the subject of trade rumors which has not exactly helped his confidence. A whopping 4 goals to date, and yes he started terribly last year – but we don’t think lightening strikes twice. Do the right thing and SELL Cheechoo ASAP and hope you can get 30 goal value in return.

Tomas Vanek - BUF – what a difference a year makes. Last year, Vanek was establishing himself as a bona fide sniper. This season, he’s been a mere shadow of himself with only 4 goals; he had 43 tallies last year. After matching the RFA offer sheet that the Oilers presented to the young stud last summer, it could not have been a good sign for Sabres management when Vanek publicly came out and stated that he was “scared” how he would perform under the pressure of a massive contract. Well, the proof’s in the pudding and Vanek has been bad, and playing with almost no confidence. That said, we’d still recommend that Vanek is a HOLD or BUY candidate. He’s going to get the hang of things very soon and as a result, he could be a steal…we hope.

Maxim Afinogenov - BUF – similar to Vanek, Afinogenov has had a horrible start and has showed very few signs that he is going to be turning it around soon. He’s actually playing similar hockey to what we saw earlier in his career, where he would not involve his linemates and as a result, he was not that fantasy-worthy. Slowed by injury last year, Afinogenov was almost a PPG guy. This year he has 3 goals in 16 games. Unlike Vanek however, our advice is to SELL. Maxim’s talented, but we’ve seen this act before, and frankly it’s a little scary.

Mark Recchi - PIT– it’s not that we expected that Recchi would revert back to a 30 goal scorer, but after 18 games for Recchi to have only 2 goals…well, that’s a little disconcerting. Yes, he is more a playmaking winger these days then a scorer, but only 2 goals on an offensively talented team is not good. It’s time to let someone else think Recchi’s upside includes time with Crosby and SELL him.

Glen Murray - BOS – after 24 goals in 60+ games and then 28 goals in 58 games, it’s got be more than a little of a noggin’ scratch to understand why Glen Murray has 1 goal in 17 games. He’s been playing with either Savard or Bergeron, so that can’t be the excuse. He’s not been getting much PP time true, but then again his play has not warranted it. He’s the subject of trade rumors daily – most notably to San Jose for under-achieving Cheechoo. We think this is Murray’s last season with the Bruins and very likely the first guy traded from Beantown this season. SELL.

Doug Weight - STL – with only 3 assists and no goals in 15 games, Doug Weight needs to retire and return the contract $ that he’s been collecting this year. No longer the premiere pivot for the Blues, Weight has actually fallen to the 3rd line and now sees only occasional PP time. Even still, he’s been playing the majority of the season with Tkachuk, and well, he’s been really bad. If you can SELL Weight, we’d recommend that you do, because there is no way that he improves enough to make us want to BUY him.

Martin Brodeur - NJ – remember when Marty set the NHL record of 48 wins? Remember when it was just last year that he did that? In 15 games that he’s started, Brodeur has 5 wins and a save percentage in the .880s. Yikes! Yes, the style of play of the team is different, and yes the team is missing Scott Gomez and Brian Raflaski, but there in no way that Brodeur’s save percentage numbers should be this bad. He kind of did something similar last year when he was just OK early and then went crazy over the last 60 games. This year, he’s not been OK and the team looks like they might be in trouble. We put a cautious SELL at this point, but watch for some results from the return of Colin White and Jamie Langenbrunner. This could result in a change to HOLD or BUY if the return of these result in a some improved team performances.

More Rumblings and Happenings

Philadelphia - Simon Gagne finally returned to the Flyers line-up after a bout of 'dizziness' and promptly lasted two periods before exiting with symptoms like, 'dizziness'. It's pretty evident that Gagne is suffering concussion like symptoms from a hit almost three weeks ago. he's improving, but expect him to be out for quite some time. The benefactors of advancing on the roster are Joffrey Lupul and Mike Richards. The Flyers generally will miss Gagne's scoring ability. Mike Knuble likely the most, as he is the one that gets the "garbage" after Gagne and Briere attempt to create offensively

Fantasy Impact:

Lupul - positive
Knuble - negative
Briere - even
Flyers offense - negative

Buffalo - hard to imagine the offensive starved Sabres could been in a worse condition, but after hearing that Tim Connolly is out with an oblique muscle, well, it got worse. Look for the Sabres forwards to try and step up, but the depth on the team is clearly being tested. Daniel Paille, Jochan Hecht and McArthur should get extra minutes, but on a team with a shaky confidence offensively (see Tomas Vanek, it might be a tough ride until Connolly returns.

Fantasy Impact:

Paille - positive
Pominville - negative
Hecht - even
Vanek - negative
Sabres PP - negative

End of an Era?

Peter Forsberg announced today that his attempt at a comeback may be over. After working out for an hour with the Swedish National Team preparing for a possible return to competitive hockey later in the week, Forsberg pulled out saying that his chronically injured foot couldn't take the strain.

If this is indeed the end of his career, he will be remember along with guys like Mike Bossy and Bobby Orr as truly gifted players who had their careers cut short by injuries. We at PJ believe that his career is worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. Here is a guy who even made Euro-trasher Don Cherry sit up and take notice. He was tough as nails, not afraid to battle for the puck and was willing to play through injuries.

From a fantasy perspective this is a blow to those who took a flyer on Peter at the beginning of the season. But there is one thing to remember, he has played through this injury before and he may just do it again...at least for a half season anyway.

Watch this situation closely, if he finds the right NHL "fit" he may just decide to work through the pain for another (final) shot at the Cup.

There are probably only three or four teams that fit the bill and they would have to be competitive at Christmas for him to even think about a comeback. These teams would be: Philadelphia, NY Rangers, and maybe Detroit. There is a darkhorse candidate here...a competitive Canadian team like Montreal might be able to attract Forsberg because it would give him a chance to do something he's never done...play for a Cup in a hockey crazy Canadian city.

Latest Rumblings

Ottawa - Jason Spezza's most recent groin injury, has sidelined the Sens center for the foreseeable future. All this coming on the heels of Spezza signing a huge extended contract (7 years, $49M). Spezza does have the reputation for not being a speedy healer, so we'd be watching this injury very closely. Watch for Steve Kelly and Randy Robitaille to get more playing time, with Robitaille getting the lions share between Alfredsson and Heatley. Robitaille is one of those under-rated guys that should be able to fill the void effectively in the short-term. In the long term, he won't be able to replace Spezza's numbers however.

Fantasy Impact:

Spezza - Negative
Robitaille - Positive
Kelly - Positive
Heatley - even
Alfredsson - even.
Sens PP - Negative

Minnesota - with the return of the Pavol Demitra, it appears that the Wild's offense has been sparked as well. Demitra's an excellent talent, that just needs to stay healthy to reach his fantasy potential. Look for up-swings in production from the Wilds' PP, Demitra's line-mate (Marian Gaborik) and dark horse Mark Parrish, who may get a first line promotion if Demitra's moves to center and Koivu back to 3rd line pivot.

Demitra - positive
Gaborik - positive
Wild PP - positive
Koivu - negative
Parrish - positive

Toronto - there have been rumors aplenty in Hogtown that John Ferguson Jr. is on thin ice and madly trying to stop the bleeding on their back end via trade. From one game to the next, the Leafs defence has looked solid at one moment and then sieve like the next. Rumored on the offering table have been Steen, Weldwood and/or Ian White. Problem for the Leafs are that none of those players, or a combo of, will attract a top 4 defenceman in return; not until the trade deadline. Another rumor has the Leafs moving Tomas Kaberle for soon to be UFA (and under-achieving) Marian Hossa. Scoring is not the issue for the Leafs, but limiting offensive chances is. When Weldwood comes back this week, the Leafs will have a clearer indication of what they have to offer in the hopes of getting defensive help.

Gagne Sidelined/Toronto Rumor

Philadelphia - after suffering a hit in a recent game, the Flyers medical staff now believe that Simon Gagne may have suffered a concussion and he is listed day-to-day, but could go on the DL any day. Gagne is still suffering from dizziness, and is not close to skating. for poolies, this is bad news for Gagne owners. Joffrey Lupul owners should see a jump in opportunities however, as it appears that he and Scott Hartnell will vie for the #1 wingers' spot alongside Daniel Briere.

Fantasy Impact:

Gagne - negative
Briere - negative (mild)
Hartnell - positive
Lupul - positive

Toronto - there are reports from Hogtown that the Leafs are inquiring about the availability of Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers. Hossa has started slowly, and has also been dealing with a nagging groin injury, and so far, his stats are weak. For Toronto, the issue really isn't getting more scoring up front (despite the ACL injury to Tucker), it is there defensive play in their own end that is costing them games. This trade seems unlikely, but it would certainly shake things up for both teams. Hossa would welcome a move, but we're not sure just how well he'd do under the micro-scope of Toronto.

Fantasy Impact:

Hossa - even
Kaberle - negative
Leafs Offense - positive (slight)
Leafs Defence - negative
Thrashers Defence - positive
Thrashers Offense - negative
Hossa - negative

Bergeron out indefinately after check from behind

Boston - After watching Flyers defenceman Randy Jones run Patrice Bergeron's head into the top of the dasher on the boards, one can't help but wonder what the frick is going on with the Flyers. Steve Downie, Jesse Boulerice and now Jones, have been involved in incidents that have to be characterized as harmful not only to the player, but also the game. Undoubtedly, Jones' careless play will be seen by every media outlet in North America for the next week, and the question has to be asked, what is going on with the NHL? Of course, everyones' concern has got to be for Bergeron, but despite the previous suspensions, it looks as though the players are still not getting the message. Regrettably, from a Fantasy perspective there is impact. Jones has been a pleasant sup rise for the Flyers on the point this year, and Bergeron has actually played much better this season as well. Expect the impact to the Flyers to be more significant as the players will have to answer questions for the next 2 weeks about what kind of team they are and the impact of the incident. For the Bruins, Bergeron is a big part of their offense and his absence won't be easily replaced; particularly for his line-mates.

Fantasy Impact:

Bruins PP - negative
Flyers PP - negative
Sturm - negative
Savard - positive (more ice)
Kessel - negative

Can a New Coach Mean New Life for a Team?

The firing of a coach can be a wakeup call for a team and often results in a short term boost in points. In the case of the Atlanta Thrashers it may also result in two bursts. With Bob Hartley fired and no permanent replacement on the horizon, GM Don Waddell will step behind the bench.

Look for the Thrashers to produce over the next couple of days...and in fact, it may be a good time to flip a couple of these guys if the price goes up.

Many will think that the reason for Waddell taking up the coaching duties, even temporarily, is a move of desperation or shows a lack of planning on his part. I don't buy that for a second. I think he has an idea of who he wants to be the coach but he wants to see the game from "ice level" to get a sense of the changes that might need to be made.

From a fantasy perspective, don't be surprised if one of Hossa or Kovalchuk are moved. Right now this team is far two unbalanced because of the salaries of these two guys and with Hossa a pending UFA at the end of the year, it may make more sense to use him as an asset to add depth the squad...depth that was squandered in trading for Keith Tkachuk and Alexei Zhitnik at the trade deadline last year.

If Hossa or Kovalchuk are dealt it will most likely be to a team with a top-end center already in place...this could mean an almost instantaneous bump in points.

But that is mere speculation right now. In the short term look for a slight bump in offense from the big boys in Atlanta, but don't expect it to last very long without a significant change in personnel.

The Latest Rumblings...

Minnesota - the Wild's big line of Demitra-Koivu-Gaborik looks to have not found the same offensive success as it's 2nd line of Roslton-Belanger-Bouchard. The Wild are trying Koivu at center between their two big guns and so far, not much is happening. Koivu's not a natural play-maker and so far, it's adversely impacting Demitra and Gaborik. Belanger, a solid two-way forward, seems to be providing the spark for the unheralded Rolston and Bouchard. If Belanger is available in your league, go and get him. He may not be able to maintain this production for an extended period, but he'll be hot for awhile.

Fantasy Impact:

Belanger - positive
Bouchard - positive
Rolston - even
Gaborik - negative
Demitra- negative
Koivu - positive

Nashville - with Shea Weber out with a dislocated knee, this should mean more playing time on the PP for Dan Hamhuis and Marik Zidlicky. So far, it appears that Hamhuis seems to be thriving much better than Zidlicky. Weber may be gone for up to 6 weeks, and if you haven't gotten Hamhuis, you should.

Fantasy Impact:

Hamhuis - positive
Zidlicky - even (so far)
Preds PP - even

Boston - Manny Fernandez is out with an injury, and the team is turning to last years incumbent Tim Thomas to carry the laod. Fernandez is not supposed to be gone for long, and Thomas should hold the fort while the team continues on a long road trip. Of bigger concern is the absence of Marc Savard, who is out with a rumored groin injury. Savard is needed to provide the spark for the Bruins offense.

Fantasy Impact:

Savard - negative
Murray - negative
Bergeron - positive
Sturm - even
Thomas - positive

After the First few days...

...here's the latest rumblings that we are hearing after only a few days.

San Jose - the new big line of Marleau-Thornton-Cheechoo we think won't be together for very long. Marleau's a better scorer and the hope from the Sharks is that his move to the wing will be able to use his speed and shot to generate offence. Marleau hasn't played on the wing since junior and this move puts alot of the Sharks offensive eggs in one basket. Coach Ron Wilson will be adversely impacting Marleau's and Michalek's stats significantly with this experiment...and not positively.

Fantasy Impact:

Marleau - negative
Thornton - positive (marginally).
Cheechoo - positive
Michalek - negative

Edmonton - with three rookies in their line-up, the Oilers are pinning their hopes on their youth movement. Gagner, Brodzniak and Cogliano are showing some chemistry early, but we still think it will be Brodzniak and Cogliano that stay for the season and Gagner likely gets sent down.

Fantasy Impact:

Cogliano - positive
Gagner - positive
Brodzniak - positive

Chicago - it took all of one game for Martin Havlat to suffer what appears to be a significant injury; this one to his shoulder. If it's a separation or dislocation he'll be gone from 2 weeks - 4 months. Watch this closely...

Fantasy Impact:

Blackhawks offense - negative
Robert Lang - negative
Sergei Samsonov - negative

Predictor Updating - When We Do It

Every year we get questions about when and why we update the Predictor. We always get notes that say...you said you would be updating every day, but there are players that haven't been updated in a month!

There's a reason for that. We are very confident in our predictions and the only reason we will make a change is if a particular circumstance changes. Below we list the only reasons we will make a change to a prediction:

• Injury
• Trade
• Signing
• Rookie/Prospect makes the team
• Other significant news

That's it. We don't like to "tweak" just for the heck of it. We are not likely to play with a star's stats just because of his linemates...however, if a roleplayer has a shot at playing with Jagr or Crosby or Ovechkin, you'll likely see that reflected with an update.

We are very proud of our predictions. We exceeded the accuracy of our competition last season (using their own criteria). But it's important for all of us to realize that just like with your fantasy team it's sometimes best not to react...instead take a deep and evaluate the situation. And that's what we like to do.

Days Away...Update

With only a few day from the start of the season for everyone that was not a Duck or King, here is the latest from training camps:

Montreal - the future appears right around the corner for the Montreal Canadiens and goaltender Carey Price. Price won the back-up job from Jaroslav Halak in camp and looks to be the heir apparent for the Habs between the pipes. The good news for Price is that Huet has shown he won't likely finish the season without a stint on the DL. The bad news is that there will be lots of pressure on him if he does get a crack at the No. 1 job; so don't be surprised if he struggles a bit early. That said, Huet owners would do well to snag Price in their drafts just in case.

Fantasy Impact:

Price - positive
Huet - negative/positive
Halak - negative

Edmonton - it looks like the Oilers pivots this season will be Horcoff, Stoll and the a rotation of Marty Reason, Sam Gagner and Andrew Coglinao. Cogliano has looked very good in camp, and Gagner recently signed, may get sent right away to junior or he will audition for 9 games before getting sent down. Cogliano likely will cement himself on the 4th line for now, but should see lots of minutes early in the season. He's still at least one year away from a full-time impact role while Gagner will need likely two.

Fantasy Impact:

Cogliano - positive
Reasoner - negative
Gagner - positive

Vancouver - it looks as though defence prospect Luc Bourdon will be headed for Winnipeg this season as he has not had a memorable camp. Bourdon looks to be a longer term project at this stage the the Canucks had orginally hoped...and fantasy owners too.

Fantasy Impact:

Bourdon - negative
Canucks D-depth - negative

Los Angles - after cementing a roster spot in camp, it looks as though coach Marc Crawford is going to roll the dice with 19 year old goal-tending blue-chipper Jonathan Bernier as he starter. Bernier had a better camp than Jason LaBarbara, and as a result has the inside track on the No. 1 job for now. Expect Crawford to play both likely 60-40 assuming Bernier and LaBarbara stay healthy and perform.

Fantasy Impact:

Bernier - positive
LaBarbara - negative
Kings goal-tending - positive (they had Sean Burke for a spell last year...yikes).

More Training Camp Updates...

Philadelphia - after an exhibition game with Ottawa recently, the Flyers are walking wounded. Lupul and Upshall are down with left wrist injuries and R.J. Umberger broke a finger in his hand. These guys are all likely be back long before Dean McAmmond after McAmmond received a devastating hit in the same game and left the game on a stretcher. My take on the fantasy impact is as follows:

Lupul's Offense - Negative
R.J Umberger's secure roster spot - Negative
Scott Upshall's secure roster spot - Negative
Flyers Depth - Negative
Dean McAmmond's secure roster spot - Negative

Anaheim - Matthieu Schneider's broken ankle is at least two weeks from having him place his foot in a skate. Not great news for fantasy owners as Schneider will be counted on to pick up some of the offense from the indifferent Scott Niedermayer. The good news is that Schneider misses 10 games every season, and this year, it will be at the beginning of the season.

Fantasy Impact:

Schneider's contribution - Negative

Washington - recent reports have seen the Caps trying Viktor Kozlov playing with Alexander Ovechkin. Michael Nylander has been under-whelming to date, but it's hard to imagine that they would pay this much for a UFA and not play him with Ovechkin. He's a better play-maker than Kozlov but needs to show more than he has to date. That said, watch this development closely.

Fantasy Impact:

Ovechkin - Negative
Nylander - Negative
Kozlov - Positive
Caps offense - Negative

Vancouver - Young Ryan Kessler has been centering Markus Naslund and Ryan Shannon in training camp to date, and Brendan Morrison has been between Matt Cooke and Jannick Hansen. It appears that Canucks management is not sold on the Morrison-Naslund combo and are seeing if Kessler can jump-start Naslund's offense...risky!

Fantasy Impact:

Kessler's Offense - Positive
Naslund's Offense - Even
Morrison - Negative

Training Camp Updates

Toronto - the Maple Leafs are reporting that Kyle Wellwood is experiencing trouble with his surgically repaired abdomen. So much so, that it looks like he will need further surgery. Fantasy Impact: this is a huge blow to the Leafs as Wellwood was pencilled in as centering the 2nd line and being the offensive spark-plug for the PP. It will mean Matt Stajan may move up the dpeth chart, but he's not as offensively skilled as Wellwood.

Tucker - Negative
Ponikarovsky - Negative
Stajan - Positive
Leafs PP - Negative

In Pittsburgh, Petr Sykora is recovering from a broken nose. So far, Sykora had been playing with Crosby on the 1st line, which is great news if you held on to Sykora from last year. He's expected to miss 2 weeks at the most. Fantasy Impact: this likely gives Ryan Malone another chance to show that it should be him and not Sykora that deserves the shot with Crosby.

Malone - Positive
Sykora - Negative
Crosby - no impact
Pens Offense - Negative.

In Chicago, young center prospect Jonathan Toews has been sidelined for 2-3 weeks after breaking a bone in his hand. He'll likely be fine by the start of the season, but it does impact his ability to make an impression during training camp. Watch for other prospects to step up to try to fill his spot.

Toews - Negative
Chicago Offense - Negative
Jack Skille - Positive
Michael Blunden - Positive