Shallow Frozen Water

Injured Reserve

i’d like to introduce you to Gabe.  the only other thing i know about him is that he’s an Oilers fan (too bad) and he remembers me from my articles over at TMR.  he plays in a 10 team H2H and he notes that this is his first attempt at H2H after many years of roto goodness (i prefer roto too).  the stat categories for the league are: G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, GWG, FW, W, GAA, SV%, and SHO.  it is interesting to note FW there, very few leagues look at faceoff wins and quite frankly i think it’s as valuable a stat that affects the game nearly as much as +/- since the game is all about puck possession.  he’s presently tooth and nail to make the playoffs but i wholeheartedly believe he’ll get there and will be able to do some serious damage in the playoffs too.  there is also a transaction limit in this league of 50 moves so that’s going to remove the idea of streaming players into the lineup daily like i love to do in H2H leagues.

Let’s take a look:

C Mike Richards PHI (A-) - i didn’t peg him for this kind of a breakout this season but i’m betting you’re pretty happy he did.

C Marc Savard BOS (B+) - elite assist man with a bit of a PIMy history too.

C Evgeni Malkin PIT (A) - he has carried that entire city since Sid went down and he’s got a shot at the scoring championship too.

LW Tomas Vanek BUF (B-) - disappointed for 4 months and is now finally awake.  he could still hit 30 goals and when i first said that i heard definite snickering earlier this year.  where are the nay-sayers now that he has 9 goals in the last month?

LW Paul Kariya STL (B) - Blues have extra value in H2H this year.  you’ll see below.

RW Scott Hartnell PHI (B) - went all snaky for PIMs and several goals not so long ago.  here’s hoping he can do it again.

RW Marian Gaborik MIN (A-) - pure sniper like few others in the game.

D Tobias Enstrom ATL (B) - rook who’s surprised but has lived off PPA to Kovalchuk and Hossa this season.

D Dan Boyle TB (B) - his grade will go up now that he’s healthy and producing.  9 pts in the 10 games since he came back.

D Bryan McCabe TOR (C+) - he’s definitely taken it on the chin this season but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have something to contribute.  be patient and he’ll still provide decent production.

D empty

util Peter Mueller PHX (B+) - he’s going to be a superstar and has shown some skills over the last 6 wks or so.  the time might be right for moving him in non-keeper leagues.

util Andrei Kostitsyn MON (B+) - feeding off Kovalev’s ability on the PP.  good on ‘em.  he’s going to be AWESOME.  did you see the goal he scored last week sitting on his butt and swinging behind him to score as he slid into the corner?  awesome, reminiscent of AO’s magic goal last year.

G Ilya Bryzgalov PHX (A-) - he’s an elite goaltender on a team that’s on the cusp of greatness.  i can’t believe the Yotes got him for free.

G Miikka Kiprusoff CAL (A-) - he is what Bryzgalov will be.

BN Niklas Backstrom MIN (B) - i just think that the time of Josh Harding might be coming sooner than he thinks and the Wild have a habit of trading their older G’s.

BN Manny Legace STL (B+) - feels like he’s been around forever.  he’s a backup who came into his own.  a quality tender.

BN Mike Comrie NYI () - you actually had Rod Brind’amour in this slot before his season ended last week.  i’m not a Comrie fan much at all actually.

BN Alex Tanguay CAL (B) - Flames have extra value in H2H this season, just like Blues.

BN Jonathan Cheechoo SJ (C) - has disappointed too much this season but has shown several sparks of late and it’s always wise to keep a 50 goal guy around.

i HATE empty roster spots … and we’re talking about a league where transactions have to be rationed, so i wouldn’t have emptied away my D roster spot like that.  we’ll have to see about what can be done there since roster spots are limited.

you recently lost Rod Brind’amour for the rest of the season, perhaps that spot can be used for streaming in the playoffs.  we’ll see.

Waiver Wire Options

you only have 29 moves left on your season and you’ll have a 4 week playoff coming up in 3 weeks or so; i suggest you save ALL of your moves for the playoffs and then daily stream guys into the lineup as they are available for your roster TOMORROW.  it’ll mean setting your lineup the day before the one you’re playing on so that you can fill whatever hole you have in your lineup with a streaming option.  the roster spot presently occupied by Mike Comrie is the one that you’ll stream. 

Lubomir Visnovsky - his +/- has stunk this season but so has his team’s defensive play.  he can still contribute elsewhere in the fantasy game though.

Philippe Boucher - due back very shortly and has a history as a goal scoring D.  that’s valuable.

Kevin Bieksa - i like him for PIMs and PPP.  the nucks need some help from the back end on the PP and he should be just what they’re looking for.

Jay Bouwmeester - some talk about his 2nd half traditional surges and i mention him here because … they could be right.  i personally don’t have him on any of my teams and i don’t see top 10 D upside like others do.

Bill Guerin - old but he scores goals.

Dustin Penner - young but he scores goals (and should get more PP time with the injury stuff happening in EDM)

Shea Weber - he’s back.  trust me.  the injury stuff is done and he’ll contribute like he can from here on out.

Ryan Suter - if he gets time with the PP1 then he’ll really contribute a bunch for the Preds, their offense has taken off of late.

Johnny Oduya - somebody has to contribute to some offense in Jersey from the back end and it’s looking like he’s the best option there.

Brendan Shanahan - traditional goalscorer who broke the 20 goal barrier this week.  30 is still possible.

Mikael Samuelsson - i’ve been mentioning him since Christmas it seems.  he’s shooting a lot more and getting opportunity.

Wojtek Wolski - getting a bit more opportunity because of all the injury stuff in Col lately.

Marco Sturm - the B’s are relying on him and Kobasew more than they should but what choice do they have.  he’ll provide decent goals with the ice time that he’s getting and his +/- won’t hurt you.

Trading Options

your offense is quite well balanced and it looks like the best tweaking you can make if to trade away some of your goaltending depth to get more Goals, particularly if it also gives you GWG and PPP. 

trade Niklas Backstrom to Team WTF for J.P. Dumont - Dumont has a surprising 21 goals along with 30 PPP on the season.  WTF also has some interesting trade targets to ask about in Teemu Selanne, Jason Pominville, and Markus Naslund.  it should also be noted  that the Canucks play 15 games in your H2H playoffs, more than most NHL teams and Naslund is an excellent trade target if you can get him.

trade Alex Tanguay to Detroit Red Wings #2 for Alexei Kovalev - you actually have this offer on the table and i note it because it has a chance at success.  you also have another offer on the table to Wings but i don’t see that one happening at all.  i actually only like this deal a little.  the Flames have 15 games in your H2H playoffs and losing Tang’s off your roster could hurt you in the playoffs, at the same time though Kovalev is an amazing talent who should definitely out-G Tanguay and out-PPP him over the course of what remains on this season.  i merely note all that because you put the offer on the table and i wanted to give my take on it.

trade Peter Mueller to better than jason for Ryan Kesler - normally i wouldn’t touch this idea with a 10 foot pole but there’s a good reason for doing this deal; faceoff wins.  You’ll be turfing Comrie for a streaming option and you’ll replace the loss in FW with Kesler who’s better at it anyway.  Kesler becomes a decent C4 for you and it costs you a little offense that you can afford anyway.

try to trade for Alexander Radulov off of lou’s team!!! - he’s going to say no, at least he should.  offer him Tanguay, offer him Mueller, offer him Cheechoo, offer him Vanek; he should say no.  if you offered him two of those guys for Radulov and Plekanec you might get something done.  just because something is hard doesn’t mean it ain’t worth doing.

offer Niklas Backstrom to dany heatleyless for Brad Boyes - the Blues are the 3rd team with 15 games during the H2H playoffs this year, Boyes gets goals and that’s what you’re offer.  you have a bit of goalie depth you can move.

Conclusions

ok, stream during the playoffs, that’s pretty key.  you’ll be looking at tomorrow’s roster and then finding a guy on the wire who’ll fit the lineup.  use Comrie’s slot, i’ve never liked that guy anyway.

trade for a little more offense if you can, you have a bit of depth you can deal by moving Nikl-back to somebody who needs a bit of goalie help.

i really like that Mueller for Kesler proposal for you.  you’ll lose some FW when you turf Comrie away but getting Kesler as your C4 will more than solidify your postioning in that regard.  Mueller will put up better offensive numbers from here on out but still Kesler will do adequately enough offensively but should support your FW enough to win you that category during the playoffs (plus Kesler is a Canuck who’ll get in a couple more games in the H2H than Mueller and the Yotes will).

you’re presently on the border to make the playoffs but i’m pretty sure you’ll be ok to get to the dance.  the teams behind you that are a danger to you are Team WTF and Team Zetterberg who both look to be charging, beat one of them and you’re in.  once you’re in the playoffs anything can happen, a 6th seed topples any team in the playoffs because everyone starts from scratch and it’s just a race to the wire.

good luck, you have a shot at doing some damage.