Shallow Frozen Water

Sunday morning armchair

every year at Christmas i like to make sure i catch two versions of A Christmas Carol; there’s a 1970 musical called Scrooge that just works for me on some level and there’s the classic Alistair Sim version from 1930 or something.  the transformation at the end pulls me in directions that inspires me … forever.  i work with the poor,  i see them everyday, and not your “basic cable poor” either; i’m talking about the “what am i going to feed my kids tonight poor”.  remember those who are less fortunate than you.

Jeff Carter went 2 and 2 including a shortie.  as a Leaf fan i’m still annoyed they could’ve had him and a 1st for Kaberle if he would’ve waived his no trade.  sigh.  there aren’t many goalscorer types who also kill penalties and contribute across the board like this guy.

Scott Hartnell went 3 and 1.  i tried to tell you a couple weeks ago to go and trade for him.  the man has been fab for my team over the last couple weeks, 15 pts and 31 PIMs over his last 15 games.  if you didnt trade for him before this it’s way too expensive now.

don’t panic Caps fans, Jose Theodore is still your best goaltender this year.  i know that Brent Johnson has been carrying the load but he’ll go back to the end of the bench soon and hair-boy will anchor your team once he’s fully healthy again.  the rumour is that the Caps want to get another goalie but they also want to move Jose at the same time and nobody’s going to take on his contract.  that’s why he’ll be your goalie for the foreseeable future.  by the way, Varlamov will be your starter in about 2 seasons.

my buddy gave me a signed AO pic all framed up etc.  very cool.  Alexander the gr8 took 12 shots yesterday.  12.  nobody takes 12 shots.

i ragged on Joffrey Lupul not so long ago and then he goes 1 and 3 yesterday.  he has 10 pts in December.  boy the Flyers are playing well on Saturdays of late.

Antero Niittymaki is on a lot of waiver wires, has an Olympic medal and i like him.  that team is significant, they score goals and when he gets the start he has a very good shot at the win.  Biron had the flu but still Antero is decent.

Rod Brind’amour got 2 assists, one on the PP and was still -2.  if you can get anything for him then do so. 

if you loan a guy 20 bucks and then never see him again, it was probably worth it.

Scott Walker took 9 SOG’s and got an assist.  i have him on my Expert’s League team and he’s got a nice mix of hardnosed play and point contribution.

i’m working on a David Krejci trade right now.  i’d love to see it happen.  if it does then i’m sure i’ll tell you.

is there any skater playing better than Phil Kessel right now?  ok, maybe Jeff Carter or something.  the B’s aren’t doing anywhere nearly this well without Kessel though.  i got him in one league and have no plans to move him unless i get bowled over by a great offer.

Manny Fernandez could do like Antero could do too.

Daniel Alfredsson left the ice in obvious pain last night.  no more reported but i was emailing back and forth with Joey about trying to trade for him.  obviously you don’t want to move for Alffy right now.  it looked like a shoulder injury.

Tomas Kaberle with 3 helpers tonight, 2 on the PP.  i’ve been working on shopping him in one league and i’m pretty excited by the offers being thrown about.  this sort of game is good for the trading business.

Alexei Ponikorovsky is a decent hockey player.  if he gets someone to play with he can contribute.  he and Antropov are both big lads and i just think they should park themselves out front more often, just chill and wait for garbage time.  that’s how Antropov got his goal tonight.

boy did the Pens ever lose their cool in the 3rd.  there was too much running going on and i think Malkin has a virus ’cause he sure coughed it up a bunch of times.

i’ve seen some hi-lites of Alexei Kovalev of late and he looks to have his laser beam back on target.  he got the OT winner and had a helper for good measure too.  if he’s on target then watch that PP take off!

SKostitsyn with 2 goals and 7 SOG’s.  keepers make your move before he becomes the perennial 30 goal guy he’s pretty much guaranteed to be.

Martin St Louis seemed to be playing well last night.  i just wonder if too many guys take too many nights off.  Mike Smith has stellar ratios but he can’t get anywhere near a win.  i could see them with another 1st overall pick and i wouldnt be surprised if it’s Hedman in Tampa next year.

they were talking on the CBC Hotstove that Atlanta should trade for Gaborik in an attempt to keep Kovalchuk around.  wouldn’t that be huge?  2 quality snipers like that?  i’m betting Little and White would be just JUMPING if something like that happened.  then again, somebody would have to go to Minny in order to get the deal done and the stove said they wanted a player, a prospect and a pick.  i’m thinking Little would the player choice, he’d be mine anyway.

Jason Spezza got a PPG but was -3.  if Alffy is out for a long time then i don’t want much of a part of any Sen.  Alffy is very much defensively responsible and Spezz isn’t.

Loui Ericksson has 18 goals now.  wow.  i think i owe fellow sfw blogger Joel an apology.  he pegged Loui for some big things and i pretty much crapped on that idea off the top.  Joel, i was wrr… wrrrro… wwrrrrr … aw screw it, Loui is Niklas Hagman in my eyes still.  well i hope so anyway because Hags is a Leaf now and i’d love him to get up toward 40 like Louie Louie’s gonna do.

Martin Gerber has started a LOT this month.  i’m not saying he’ll get you wins or good ratios but he’ll start and he’ll get saves.

i was watching Curtis Sanford and he looks like he’s in it DEEP.  he’s going down early, getting up slowly and he’s trying to look as big as possible so that the puck just hits him.  i know that when you’re desperate for goaltending you take what you can get in fantasy hockey but if i were relying on Sanford for my team then i’ve got to think that it’d be a sweaty, nervous reliance.

Pekka Rinne continues to do freakishly well.  another shuttie last night.

the Preds offense looks to be very dependant on Jason Arnott.  one guy i’ve been trying to target more is Martin Erat because i think he’ll really come to the fore.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard will also take off for some stats in the near future now that Gabby is back.  the offense will spread around more and if PMB doesnt get more time with Gabby then he’ll get it with other guys who are less talented but still have some skills.

Marc Crawford is an annoying talking head.  learn to pronounce Byfuglien Craw!

cool Bryz with a shuttie at home against the Jackets.  that’s a pretty good offense to shut the door on and the Bryzgalov needed a game like that.

Jovo-cop is on patrol.  25 mins of ice time and he was +1 in the shuttie.  he’s been on fire for a couple weeks now and i hope you got there on time.  i actually saw him on waiver wires this season, can you believe that?

they mentioned on the hotstove that the Hawks might just shop Huet and hang on to Khabby now.  how stupid is that?  you sign a guy to be your goalie and then trade him because you want to hang on to the FA to be?  i still say that Khabby goes, no matter what Lebrun or Strachan or my buddy Dave the huge Hawk fan says.

anyone who gets to line up in San Jose must be a happy camper.  Ryan Clowe even has 14 goals there now.  ok a probable exception to that statement is Jonathan Cheechoo who’s 9 pts must be embarrassing for him.

Nikolai Zherdev got an unassisted shortie.  that’s how shorties should happen, you take the puck, you skate, you shoot, you score.  none of these fancy passes or short shredding dekes.  most shorties are simple SOG’s and then prepare to defend again.  i haven’t seen the goal but that’s what i imagine happened because it was an unassisted shortie.  incidently, Z took 8 SOG’s last night, niiiiiiiice.

i got Joe Thornton on my Expert’s league team, yeah he’s pretty good.  i didn’t peg Patty Marleau for a bounceback like this though.  i figured he’d have a better year but he’s been as good as Joe.  if you got Patty late then congrats my friend, you may’ve won your league with that move.

whatever happened to Brandon Dubinsky and Aaron Voros?  guys couldnt add them to their teams fast enough the first month.  they’re both bottom end fantasy players and Doobie has more upside.

a co-worker is friends with Nigel Dawes and she says that he has a moral quality that will take him far.  i’ll easily accept that as potential.