Fantasy Hockey Primer: Off-season Edition

It’s never too early to start thinking about your fantasy hockey team. With that in mind we present the off-season edition of the Fantasy Hockey Primer. A high level overview of some of the significant movement to date and potential fantasy implications.

We will also offer a comprehensive team by team breakdown later in the summer as we approach the upcoming 09/10 NHL campaign. Check back often!

Movement Key:

• UFA signing
• Entry draft
• Traded
• Retired

From the Underground

The Ducks will start the 09/10 season without one of their top defensemen after the Ducks sent the menacing blue-liner Chris Pronger to Philadelphia for Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbsisa and assorted picks. Philadelphia clearly gets the best player in the deal but paid heavily to do so. The Ducks were proactive, stocking up on defense at the end of last year trading for Ryan Whitney and James Wisniewski. Whitney is a nice fantasy option, but doesn’t carry the same cachet as Pronger.

Up front the Ducks add some nice skill down the middle signing former Montreal captain Saku Koivu. Koivu will most likely centre a second line with fellow countryman Teemu Selanne who is also returning for one last kick at the can.

Joffrey Lupul hopes to catch lightning in a bottle as he returns to the team where he had his most productive season. Lupul had a decent season with Philadelphia in 08/09 with 25g and 25a and 194 shots – remarkably 102 shots less than his 28 goal sophomore season with Anaheim. Take a flyer on Lupul as we think he’ll rebound in familiar surroundings.

From the Underground

Atlanta makes some fairly significant additions to their depth, size and overall skill with the additions of Antropov, Kubina and Kane. Kubina, a big bodied blue-liner with good offensive skill set (particularly his big shot) should provide a boost to a burgeoning young blueline, featuring exceptional sophomore Zach Bogosian.

Big right winger Nik Antropov and his 6’6 230lb frame will provide some much needed size to their top six as well as provide excellent play making ability. Antropov has primary been a winger over the past few years but could potentially make the shift back to the centre ice position on a line with superstar sniper Ilya Kovalchuk.

Evander Kane, the 4^thoverall selection by Atlanta in 2009 Entry draft, projects as a future power forward, possessing a tremendous desire to get to the net and ability to know what to do when he gets there. Atlanta has signed him to an entry level deal, which seems to indicate they’ll give him every opportunity to make the team out of camp. Regardless of whether he actually makes the Thrashers this year or not, it’s highly advisable you draft Kane in your keeper league. He should be a good one.

From the Underground

With their backs against the cap ceiling the Bruins have been held to a fairly conservative off-season thus far. They signed defenseman Derek Morris and then jettisoned some salary when Aaron Ward was traded to Carolina for Patrick Eaves. Eaves was immediately waived and eventually signed by the Red Wings. The Bruins only have 6 NHL defensemen under contract and have yet to re-sign young sniper Phil Kessel. With a little less than 2 million dollars in cap space remaining the B’s will be in tough to get him signed. Stay tuned.

From the Underground

Steve Montador is the big news of the off-season in Buffalo. The Sabres nabbed the unrestricted free agent in hopes of filling the hole left by Jaroslav Spacek who signed with Montreal. Montador is a rough and tumble defender but has also scored 20+ points in each of his last two seasons, so there is some untapped offensive potential. Given the right opportunity 30+ points would not surprise us. Montador is a great option in deeper pools, especially where PIMs are a factor.

From the Underground

The Canes, as only Jim Rutherford can, tweak their lineup in a quiet and conservative manner. The Hurricanes shore up their blue-line with the minor acquisitions of Aaron Ward and Andrew Alberts, then sign 4^th line plugger Tom Kotsopolous, all of whom have zero fantasy value.

From the Underground

The Flames make a bold splash this summer with acquisition of Jay Bouwmeester. The native Albertan comes home to become part of one of the most formidable defensive duos with Dion Phanuef. The two young defensemen should strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams for years to come. The Flames first power play unit is now as potent as any in the league with Iginla and Jokinen up front. We expect big things from all the aforementioned players in 09/10.

Calgary decided to part ways with diminutive winger Mike Cammalleri and his career high 82 points. Unless one of their younger players can step up and make an impact, the Flames look very thin on the wing once you get past their powerhouse first line.

Calgary made numerous other small acquisitions this summer but none are worthy of mention from a fantasy perspective.

From the Underground

Let’s just summarize what has happened in Chicago this summer:

• sign UFA Marian Hossa to a monster 12 year contract, currently being investigated by the NHL for fraud.
• completely mishandled qualifying offers to key restricted free agents prematurely costing the organization money.
• Dale Tallon subsequently fired and replaced by Stan Bowman

Yikes, sucks to be Tallon, eh? Think he wants a mulligan?

The Hossa signing appeared to be just what the doctor ordered once Hawks parted ways with club leading scorer Marty Havlat. That was until Chicago recently revealed that Hossa requires surgery to repair his injured shoulder and will be out of action up to four months.

Want some advice? Sure you do. Stay away from Hossa this year. Between missing training camp, rehabbing his shoulder and attempting to acclimate himself into a new environment he will not be helpful to your fantasy team this year.

From the Underground

Columbus have been quiet for much of the summer, allowing many of last year’s veterans to look for employment elsewhere while they contently sit on a huge cap allowance. Sammy Pahlsson is a decent depth forward but not fantasy worthy by any stretch.

We feel Columbus will go into camp, give some of their vast young talent a shot at crack making the big team then begin to fill holes once they are identified. As it stands right now, though, the Blue Jackets could use a solid puck mover. That much we already know.

From the Underground

The retirement of Joe Sakic is the end of an era in Colorado. The future first ballot Hall of Famer was Mr. Everything to the Avs and the Nordiques before them. The Avalanche will look to replace the class, leadership and immense skill the former captain brought to the franchise. They may not have to look much further than 3^rd overall, 2009 entry draft pick, Matt Duchene. The Brampton Battalion centre is a complete player, who by all accounts, is as solid a young man as he is a hockey player. The Avalanche have inked Duchene to an entry level contract and he will compete for a spot at camp this fall on the skill depleted Avs. It should go without saying that the dynamic Duchene should be drafted on your keeper league this year.

The signing of UFA goalie Craig Anderson also improves on a previously weak goaltending duo in Denver. That said, Anderson was very streaky last season and prone to long bouts of inconsistency despite posting strong numbers in 08/09. He and Budaj will most likely form a tandem until one of the goalies emerges to grab hold of the number one job.

Ryan Smyth, was traded to the Kings for defensemen Tom Preissing and Kyle Quincey. The latter being a promising young defender who flirted with 40pts last season with Los Angeles. Quincey is certainly worth a late round flyer in your pool if you’re looking for an offensive minded defenseman.

From the Underground

Rookie GM Joe Nieuwendyk chose restraint in his first off-season as Dallas head honcho. Failing to lure Swedish goalie Jonas Gustavsson to the heart of Texas he turned to Ottawa, acquiring goalie Alex Auld. The Stars are apparently looking to decrease Turco’s workload this year, so look for Auld to get 20-25 starts.

From the Underground

In atypical fashion the perennial powerhouse Detroit Red Wings are reduced to only a few minor signings this off-season, including veteran forwards Jason Williams and Todd Bertuzzi, while watching a glut of key players leave the organization. Can you say cap issues?

After being on the wrong end of two consecutive Stanley cup victories, winger Marian Hossa signed an enormous 12 year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. The KHL coerced diminutive forward Jiri Hudler to join their ranks with a lucrative multi-year contract. While mid-liners Martin Samuelsson and Tomas Kopecky also left the fold for greener pastures.

The reality here is that while Detroit will have a different look, they also have a great farm system that should be able to produce the players (think Ville Leino) required to fill in the holes left by the departed. It certainly has put a dent in the overall organizational depth, though.

As we write this, Jason Williams has just signed on with the Wings on a one year deal. Williams adds some offensive depth after Detroit loses some pretty key contributors up front. He’s a decent depth option in deeper pools as well.

From the Underground

The Oilers say goodbye to Dwayne Roloson and hello to UFA Nikolai Khabibulin. A lateral movement from a skill perspective as Roloson had provided the Oil with solid if not spectacular goaltending when it was needed most. The guy was an absolute horse even at the ripe age of 40. The “Bulin Wall”, on the other hand, put up good numbers as part of a tandem in Chicago last year, but in years prior was as inconsistent as they come. Khabibulin is not a spring chicken himself, turning 37 shortly after New Year.

From the Underground

It’s more of the same from Florida, who are still without a general manager, and it appears that Assistant GM Randy Sexton is running the show in the interim. The Panthers could not convince Jay Bouwmeester to re-sign with the club and subsequently traded his rights to Calgary at the draft. Losing Bouwmeester is a big step backward for the organization that cannot seem to retain the services of their star players.

The players brought in this off-season are primarily depth moves, with marginal fantasy benefit. There should be more moves on the horizon, though, as the Panthers currently have only 19 roster players signed.

From the Underground

The Kings have a bursting stable of young talent, the envy of most NHL teams. Lacking leadership, the Kings locked up defense first rearguard Rob Scuderi , Stanley Cup experience in tow, to compliment a solid but youthful defense corps.

The Kings young forwards are equally impressive but lacked veteran leadership. Dean Lombardi wasted no time in addressing that need by acquiring gritty forward Ryan Smyth from the Colorado in exchange for Tom Preissing and Kyle Quincey. Smyth has seen better days, but surrounded by this high octane group of forwards he could see a rise in his production. The kids should benefit from his heart and leadership abilities as well.

One thing is for sure, the Kings should push for a playoff spot in 09/10.

From the Underground

I know, I know, how does former Wild coach Jacques Lemaire make this list? From our perspective the departure of Lemaire represents a turning point for the Wild. The old suffocating, defense first systems employed by Lemaire, can be replaced by a more progressive, exciting brand of hockey. Or at least that’s the thinking. Expect a modest increase in offensive productivity across the board for you Wild fantasy hopefuls.

From a roster perspective the Wild parted ways with oft injured superstar Marion Gaborik, replacing him with an equally injury prone Martin Havlat. While I would give Gaborik the edge in terms of explosive offensive prowess, Havlat is also an excellent player, although the Wild really lack a legitimate top line centre to take full advantage of his abilities.

From the Underground

After a disappointing 08/09 campaign Montreal GM Bob Gainey wasted no time ripping out the core of his team and replacing them with fresh blood. There is no way to tell how any of these changes will work out for the Canadiens as they mesh as a team and establish chemistry. This is one of the largest team overhauls that we have ever seen, as they are basically start again from scratch.

Mike Cammalleri continues to be a strong play this year as Les Habitants ice a highly skilled top six. The slick winger posted career highs in goals (39) and points (82) in 08/09. He will be a mainstay on the Montreal top power play unit and should have no problems matching his numbers from last year.

From the Underground

There is nothing to see here… literally. Basically, Nashville clears roster space to make room for some of their younger players to step up and fill holes. We’ll revisit the Nashville situation closer to training camp.

From the Underground

Lemaire again? Well, we can’t comment on his departure from Minnesota and fail to mention the possible impact on his new team now can we? His second tour of duty could prove to be one of the most influential factors determining fantasy values in New Jersey.

The mid nineties Devils enjoyed success under Lemaire, capturing the Stanley Cup in the lockout shortened 94/95 season. But, it came at a price: Lemaire’s teams were as boring to watch as any in the history of the NHL, relying on trap systems to neutralize their opponents. That reputation has stuck with them until recently when Brent Sutter took over the coaching reigns and encouraged offensive creativity. Players like Zach Parise and Patrick Elias thrived, showcasing their tremendous abilities. More importantly, it proved to be an entertaining brand of hockey, something that hadn’t been seen in New Jersey in some time.

It’s hard to predict how the Devils offense will fare with Lemaire back in the fold. Approach with caution, you have been warned! However, it does bode well if you are in a pool that counts goalie stats, as Marty Brodeur is looks like a fantastic option in net.

From the Underground

The Islanders found themselves in the envious position of owning the top pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. While there was no consensus top pick, the fan base in Long Island made their opinions known – they wanted John Tavares. The draft party in Nassau Coliseum erupted in cheers and high-fives as Garth Snow obliged them, drafting the gifted sniper with the first overall pick.

While much has been made of Tavares skating deficiencies, there is no denying the talent that he will immediately inject into the Islanders lineup. A natural goal scorer and underrated playmaker, Tavares is a beast from the blueline in. He will not only crack the Isles team this fall, but we believe he will contend (and dare we say win?) for the Calder, even on a grim Islanders team.

The Islanders also made hockey fans everywhere cock their heads in surprise signing UFA goalies Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron. The move is especially curious as the Islanders also have (for 12 more years, I might add) the oft-injured Rick Dipietro, whom we can only assume has not recovered as expected from knee surgery that kept him sidelined for most of the 08/09 season.

Keep an eye on this situation as both Roloson and Biron are capable goalies.

From the Underground

Following a listless playoff performance, big boss Glen Sather has transformed his Rangers with a series of bold moves in hopes of injecting some energy into the club. He reached out the Canadiens, completing a deal that sent the handsomely paid, under-achieving centre Scott Gomez to the Habs in exchange Chris Higgins, and prospects. Sather used his newly acquired cap space to sign top free agent winger Marian Gaborik, who will most certainly lift the fans out their seats… when he plays that is. For all of his talent Gaborik is a question mark, being unable to stay healthy long enough to make a sustained impact. If the Rangers can find away to keep this guy out of the infirmary their offense will soar.

From the Underground

Diva Dany dominates the Ottawa headlines as he decides whether or not he wants to remain a Senator. For all his rhetoric regarding leaving the team, the disgruntled winger refused to lift his NTC in a deal that would have sent him to Edmonton. It remains to be seen how this will play out, but Ottawa didn’t sit on their hands waiting, signing UFA dangler Alexei Kovalev. The addition of a motivated Kovalev could be a boon for Ottawa, especially if they can somehow convince Heatley to stay.

From the Underground

The Flyers appear serious about making a lengthy playoff run in 2010 as they make various key acquisitions this summer; none bigger than Chris Pronger. The hulking blueliner appears to be the missing piece to what is now an impressive lineup from top to bottom. Pronger will join an already solid defense, featuring veteran puck mover Kimmo Timonen and young up-and-comer Braydon Coburn. His impact on this team should be felt early and often.

In a surprising move, GM Paul Holmgren plucked former Ottawa Senator bad boy Ray Emery from the KHL, releasing the 26 year old netminder from exile from the NHL . Even with all of the baggage that Emery brings to the table we feel that he will be an excellent addition to any fantasy team, especially considering the team in front of him. Emery should prove to be a motivated player in this new environment.

As a whole, the Flyers are a fantasy smorgasbord, offering poolies a wide selection of excellent options across the board. Bon Appetite!

From the Underground

The talk of the town in Phoenix sports scene, for once, has revolved around the Coyotes. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with the on ice product. The struggle between the NHL and RIM billionaire Jim Balsillie has been well documented, but it overshadows a very young, promising team in the desert.

From a fantasy perspective none of the Coyotes off-season moves have much significance for the scope of this article. We will continue to monitor the situation in Glendale and report back during training camp.

From the Underground

During their shortened off season, the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins took time away from sipping champagne out of the Cup to add a few players. Alas, they are only of the depth variety and will have no impact on your fantasy team.

From the Underground

Finding himself in a precarious cap position, Doug Wilson was forced to jettison some salary in the from of Brad Lukowich, and Christian Ehrhoff – receiving two marginal prospects in return. That deal did manage to land him over 4 million dollars in cap space – so we’ll reserve judgment until we see what comes of that.

At the moment, it looks like the Sharks will have to settle with the gigantic signings of Scott Nichol and Jed Ortmyer. If either of these chaps are on your fantasy hopeful list we suggest you skip your draft, and take up another hobby.

From the Underground

So the Blues are going to the Stanley Cup Finals this year. Or at least that’s what you would have to think after the Blues lone UFA signing. Ty Conklin has been a member of a Stanley Cup finalist team in three of his last four seasons, all with different teams. He has also participated in all three Outdoor Classic games. Not fantasy worthy information, but a nice little trivia tidbit, nonetheless. You can thank us later.

The Conklin signing aside, there hasn’t been much movement from the Blues who will look to promte from within their ranks.

From the Underground

The Tampa Bay Lightning hope to rebound from the debacle that was their 08/09 season. The only consolation came at the June entry draft when they drafted Swedish defensive standout Victor Hedman with the 2^nd overall pick. Hedman is a huge presence, standing at 6’ 6”, and owns an exception array of assets. He is as NHL ready as any prospect in his draft class and should not only make the team but also receive quality ice time. The Lightning, in hopes of helping Hedman adjust, signed UFA and fellow countryman Mattias Ohlund who will help mentor the young Swede.

Given the opportunities he should receive, in addition to his incredible abilities, Hedman should be a lock for 30+ points this year. He is a must have for any keeper league as he projects to be a top NHL defender for years to come.

More recently, the Lightning bought out the contract of enigmatic pivot Vaclav Prospal, replacing him with the talented, yet under achieving Alex Tanguay. While nt exactly the most fiscally responsible move, it certainly does provide some interesting fantasy scenarios. If Tanguay ends up lining up with Lecavalier it significantly raises his value in your league.

From the Underground

The Brian Burke led Leafs were very busy this summer overhauling Big Blue, landing Francois Beauchemin, Mike Komisarek and Swedsh goaltender Jones Gustavsson. Neither Beauchemin nor Komisarek are great fantasy options, but keeper league managers might want to grab the young Gustavsson who will back up Vesa Tosala this year and shows promise.

Speaking of goalies, keep an eye on Vesa Toskala who will finally be healthy after his end of year surgery. Toskala will also have a vastly improved defense in front of him, and a young goalie pushing him for starts. All of these factors could lead to a vast improvement on last year’s numbers.

From the Underground

The Canucks coerced veteran winger Mikael Samuelsson away from the Red Wings with a decent contract and promise of greater responsibility. It appeared Gillis was content to go into camp with the lone signing until he pulled the trigger on a trade garnering defenders Brad Lukowich and Christian Ehrhoff. If that weren’t weren’t enough Gillis capped off a busy day by finalizing a one year pact with veteran defenseman Mathieu Schneider, bolstering the blue-line and especially the middling powerplay.

While it remains to be seen whether Lukowich will end up as a 7th defenseman or toil in the AHL, Schneider is still a legitimate threat on the PP, recording 17 points in 23 games after returning to the Canadiens in last year’s trade deadline. The 40 year old has a heavy shot and ability to get the puck on the net something the Cancucks desperately need in order to be an upper echelon team. Ehrhoff is further icing on the cake providing a plethora of options on the man advantage, and further solidifying a now impressive defensive core.

From the Underground

The Capitals were happy to just tinker this summer, replacing KHL bound veterans Sergei Federov and Viktor Kozlov with the big bodied Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison. Morrison is a fantasy afterthought, but Knuble scored 27 goals last year is still worth consideration on your fantasy roster.