Fantasy Hockey '09-'10

[Azaroth]

So Brodeur needs to stop with the fucking shutouts.

[Le0]

do I have to wait for the end of the season to be able to play fantasy hockey with you guys?
I'm not very familiar with it but I'd be interested to give a try.

[HaemishM]

So uh, Canucks fans? John Scott > Alexandre Bolduc 

That fight was all kinds of awesome. The game wasn't bad either, though it looked like the Wild wanted to sleep through the 2nd.

[WayAbvPar]

I have no earthly idea what Bolduc was thinking. My only theory is that Rypien is still nursing some stitches on his nose from his two wars with Prust over the weekend and thus wasn't able to drop 'em, and that led Bolduc (who normally skates with him on the 4th line, although Rypien was skating on a different line last night) to try to fill in for him. Obviously a horrible choice 

[Azaroth]

I'm sure his face was sore from more than just the stitches. I don't know how these dudes fight so much, to be honest.

[Azaroth]

Burke Considers Considering Rebuild....

Now that, you know, he can't.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/30760-Brian-Burke-says-hell-keep-Ron-Wilson-will-not-ask-Kaberle-to-waive-notrade.html


There's also a lot of rumours about the Leafs trading away Poni, Stajan, some defense and so on. The Toronto sports media is all over talking about how a rebuild is a great idea at this point as well.

Which is good, I think. Because you want to tank and give Boston the #1 overall selection in the draft. Maybe then Burkie will cry manly tears as he loads up his service revolver and quietly takes his own life in his office at 3am. It'll be the most brains that place will have seen in years.

[Fordel]

How many picks did we trade away again exactly? I never keep track of this kind of stuff.

[Azaroth]

I came into this thread and I could have sworn I decided against posting that. I've been all over the Leafs in this thread, and Lord knows their fans don't need it rubbed in.

[Fordel]

I hope the Boston GM gets a big fat bonus this year.

[Azaroth]

[Fordel]

That's really creepy.

[Azaroth]

Since when are they the best players in the league?

Don't give me any shit about development or knowing they were this or that. Vancouver fans complained about their contract and said they were second line players. A lot of people didn't want to give them the money.

Is this just a special year? What the piss is going on?

They were point-per-game guys to this point. This is akin to Havlat going on a tear for 120. How's it happen?

Sure, anyone who does 80+ or so has the potential... but come on. These guys are dominant. Especially Henrik. I traded him for Crosby fully expecting he'd tail off at some point - not get stronger.

It's funny watching Brian Burke watch the game tonight. You just know he's thinking that if he could have only gotten the Sedins in the summer like he wanted to, shit in Toronto would be entirely different. The Kessel trade wouldn't have ENTIRELY exposed him as a complete fool, anyway. Sedin-Sedin-Kessel?

Suddenly Kessel looks like he's worth those...

er, one of those...

Nevermind.

Burke's a moron no matter how you slice the pie.

The Sedins just pwn.

[Azaroth]

Wow. Calgary just got hosed.

A bunch of UFAs and trash for Phaneuf.

I just... wow.

[naum]

Wow. Calgary just got hosed.

A bunch of UFAs and trash for Phaneuf.

I just... wow.

Good deal for the Leafs though.

I like the trade for Giguere too, he might discover new life in Leaf land.

But who's going to put pucks in the net on offense?

[naum]

Since when are they the best players in the league?

Don't give me any shit about development or knowing they were this or that. Vancouver fans complained about their contract and said they were second line players. A lot of people didn't want to give them the money.

Is this just a special year? What the piss is going on?

They were point-per-game guys to this point. This is akin to Havlat going on a tear for 120. How's it happen?

Sure, anyone who does 80+ or so has the potential... but come on. These guys are dominant. Especially Henrik. I traded him for Crosby fully expecting he'd tail off at some point - not get stronger.

Alex Burrows.

Don't know what secret sauce he's been tapping either, but he's really bust out this season.

They make a really scary line together.

Though no Canuck fan should be confident about a team that gives so much ice time to Willie Mitchell…

[Azaroth]

Wow. Calgary just got hosed.

A bunch of UFAs and trash for Phaneuf.

I just... wow.

Good deal for the Leafs though.

I like the trade for Giguere too, he might discover new life in Leaf land.

But who's going to put pucks in the net on offense?

Nobody. But now they have a young all-star defenseman and an Conn Smythe winning goalie, bought on the cheap, who can find himself again with his old goalie coach and GM in Toronto (maybe).

Fantastic deals, both of them.

No, they have no offense left. But they were in last place with those guys - they can be in last place without them, too.

If Burke can pull Kovalchuk out of his ass in the summer somehow, they're actually on their way.

[Fordel]

With Blake gone, who will we have to burn down the boards, skate past the net and fire it into the goalies chest from a impossible angle?  



They need to keep going though, this was just a grenade, the Leafs need a fucking mortar dropped into the dressing room.



-edit- The only guy I'm kinda bummed to see go, is White. He was decent enough.

[Azaroth]

Well, depends right. If White signs in the summer, Hagman continues to score at a decent clip, etc... it's not the worst trade of all time. Calgary is possibly a better team RIGHT NOW because of it. Maybe (but not after the Jokinen trade... WTF was that??).

It's just that all of the potential is on Toronto's side... and Calgary got a bunch of mediocre UFAs.

[naum]

Calgary going full board into dismantle mode, shedding some more skaters…

http://www.hockeyfights.com/news/136087

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the Rangers have acquired forwards Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust from the Calgary Flames, in exchange for forwards Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik.

Maybe Oilers have hope to catch and pass Flames in standings…

[Special J]

I'm just happy that there's a trade in NHL. ANY TRADE.  


Phaneuf could end up at stud for the next decade, or he's a more expensive Bryan McCabe.  Giguere's still got some years left in him and they finally have a legit starter since Ed Belfour.  As for goal scoring, for this year who cares?

I don't think they can land Kovalchuk.  I'm betting by the deadline he's traded and signed to an extension with the team that picked him up.  If he never hits the market then I don't see the Leafs having anything to offer Atlanta.


Calgary's moves show just how badly Sutter wanted Phaneuf and Jokinen out of the dressing room.  Phaneuf isn't too bad since they add some badly needed depth up front.  White keeps their D strong.  But they still don't have a center.

Jokinen has been a terrible failure for Sutter.  He gives up a lot to get him, loses his chance to keep Mike Cammaleri and has to send him off for Ales Kotalik whom he'll be paying for another 2 years.  Obviously he wanted him out bad if he's willing to eat that rather than let him walk as a UFA.

EDIT: So the 'Toronto Four' make their debut as the Flames get shut out 3-0 to a chorus of boos.  Looks like they'll feel right at home! 

[naum]

Calgary's moves show just how badly Sutter wanted Phaneuf and Jokinen out of the dressing room.  Phaneuf isn't too bad since they add some badly needed depth up front.  White keeps their D strong.  But they still don't have a center.

Jokinen has been a terrible failure for Sutter.  He gives up a lot to get him, loses his chance to keep Mike Cammaleri and has to send him off for Ales Kotalik whom he'll be paying for another 2 years.  Obviously he wanted him out bad if he's willing to eat that rather than let him walk as a UFA.

Was astonished when initially discovering Flames obtained Jokinen. A gifted scorer, but definitely not a fit for a Sutter coached team IMV.

I love Phaneuf but sometimes I think I have a big bias there since his style of play mirrored that of my own when I played… …definitely a talent, but I've seen him commit some of the same defensive lapses I faltered… …but playing defense is most mental position and a few years of experience mean everything, he definitely has ability and potential up the wazoo…

[Fordel]

Well, depends right. If White signs in the summer, Hagman continues to score at a decent clip, etc... it's not the worst trade of all time. Calgary is possibly a better team RIGHT NOW because of it. Maybe (but not after the Jokinen trade... WTF was that??).

It's just that all of the potential is on Toronto's side... and Calgary got a bunch of mediocre UFAs.

I think Calgary is going to get boned when they figure out all their new forwards only got as many goals as they did because of sheer persistence and playtime.

[Azaroth]

Well, that much SHOULD be obvious to an NHL GM.

[murdoc]

Leafs win 3-0 and the 3 stars are Giguere, Phaneuf and Sjostrom.

I don't know what the fuck Sutter is doing. The deal with the Leafs potentially could have gotten them a little bit better up front, but Jokinen for Kotalik is trading under-achiever for under-achiever.

Hate both of these trades, especially considering they look to be purely shakeup sort of deals.

[Bunk]

Alex Burrows.

Don't know what secret sauce he's been tapping either, but he's really bust out this season.

They make a really scary line together.

Though no Canuck fan should be confident about a team that gives so much ice time to Willie Mitchell…

You do realize that they just went on a seven game win streak without Mitchel, Salo, or Bieksa in the lineup.

[Azaroth]

Jokinen put up 91 points in 06-07.

Kotalik has only been over 43 points once in his career - 62 in 05-06.

They're the same age.

It's my feeling that Phaneuf and Jokinen must have been HUGE problems in the dressing room and it must have been very well known around the league.

Either that, or Sutter is a fucking moron.

[Azaroth]

That being said, I'm happy for Toronto fans here. Ultimately guys like Stajan and Hagman mean shit all. They're replaceable. White was going to leave in the summer, because I don't think the Leafs are giving him 3.5m... something he'll probably get on the open market. Problem is that the Leafs know he's playing to his absolute maximum potential this year and has nowhere to go but downward.

If Phaneuf can get going to his potential again (and it's not like he's 34 and 7 years removed from it), Leafs win big time and have a pretty nice looking defense in place.

[Azaroth]

I wonder if hockey will work out in Atlanta?

 

[Strazos]

Damnit, of COURSE Kovi enters the Atlantic Division...and I don't think the Devils gave up a whole lot to get him, though it could be a lot if they don't resign him.

[Azaroth]

Atlantic Division - Most ridiculous in the league, no arguments now.

[Fordel]

  directed at Tonight's Leaf vs. Devil game.



"Why yes, we can blow a 3-1 lead in less then 5 minutes, why do you ask?"

[Azaroth]

I cheered for NJ for the first time in my life. Except maybe during their first cup run.

Although really... that was just a colossal breakdown by the Leafs.

[Fordel]

Yea, I don't know what the fuck is going on anymore. I don't get how the team can suck so terribly one game, then dominate the next like that.

[naum]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10060/1039477-100.stm?cmpid=penguins.xml

The Sun-Sentinel, a newspaper in south Florida, is reporting the Penguins have acquired defenseman Jordan Leopold from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2010 draft, pending standard NHL approval. The Penguins have not confirmed the trade.

Hope it's true.

Now all the Pens need is another winger and they're set.

If Fleury somehow manages to find his game again.

[Azaroth]

People keep talking Leopold up, but I've never really heard that much about him except a flash across the ticker when he gets traded 4 times a year.