Just Fantasy Hockey - Week 5 Forecaster

Week 5 is one of the busier weeks in fantasy hockey this year. So many games owners have lots of good choices in players to play on their rosters.

4 Game week
Islanders, Rangers, Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Capitals, Avalanche, Wild, Canucks and Coyotes.

3 Game week
Devils, Penguins, Bruins, Sabres, Senators, Hurricanes, Panthers, Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Predators, Blues, Oilers, Ducks, Stars and Sharks.

2 Game week
Flyers, Thrashers, Lightning, Flames and Kings.

Washington: Philadelphia, @ Atlanta, New York Islanders, Columbus.
Look for a great offensive week from Ovechkin and company this week. It should be a high scoring affair against Philly to start off the week followed by three weaker opponents in the Thrashers, Isles and Jackets.
Fantasy spin: Theodore will likely see at least one game this week as the Capitals have no need to rush him back. Varlamov should be benched against Philly since they have shown they could hit the twine against any team. Play all your offensive Caps with confidence.

Toronto: @Anaheim, @ Dallas, @ Buffalo, @Montreal.
The forecast does not look good for the Maple Leafs. Maybe some time away from the pressure pot at the ACC and some time to gel as a team is what the doctor ordered for the struggling Leafs.
Fantasy spin: Owners should choose quality over quantity for leagues having weekly roster changes. With so many teams playing 4 games there are better options.

NY Rangers: Phoenix, @New York Islanders, @Minnesota, Boston.
Surprisingly, the Rangers rank 3rd overall in goals per game and should have no trouble continuing their hot start. The week starts off hard against the number 1 defense in the league but ends with games with teams in the bottom third of Goals Against. Although the offence should have a very solid week, it is Lundqvist who might be the biggest play of the week. With all four teams the Rangers face having difficulty finding the net the Ranger net minder is set for a huge fantasy week.
Fantasy spin: Look for Gaborik and Prospal to continue scoring and Lundqvist to have a very solid week.

Montreal: New York Islanders, @Pittsburgh, @Chicago, Toronto
The most impactful fantasy story coming out of Montreal this week will be the goaltending situation. No question with Price’s poor play of late that Halak is the primary goaltender for now. The question is whether Price can play his way back into the net with Halak playing so well.
Fantasy spin: With two easy games at home and two tough ones away from the Bell Centre, look for the goaltending saga to continue after this week. Halak and Price should split time in net with the better of the two holding the edge on who will start the following week.

Colorado: @Edmonton, @Calgary, @San Jose, @Vancouver.
Not a favourable forecast for the up and coming Av’s, with four difficult games against conference rivals on the road. Anderson has played extremely well for Colorado, but this week should be a good indication on whether if he can take the next step.
Fantasy spin: Currently Edmonton, Calgary and San Jose sit first, second, or eighth in Goals per game respectively, so no one will blame you for sitting Anderson this week.

Nashville: @Minnesota, Chicago, Dallas
Not much going on for the Predators offensively as they sit dead last in goals scored, but the goaltending scenario seems to be finding its way here. Look for Ellis to start against Minnesota and Dallas and Rinne, who played just horrid against the Senators last week, to start against the offensive Blackhawks.
Fantasy spin: Ellis has a chance to distance himself against Rinne. If Ellis has a strong week, he definitely has the upper hand.

Brian

Just Fantasy Hockey - Week 4 Forecaster

This week starts off surprisingly slow, especially coming from an NHL off day on Sunday Oct 18th. Week 4 starts with 3 games on Monday, followed by 6 games on Tuesday and 6 on Wednesday. Fantasy owners shouldn’t put themselves in a frenzy in weekly head-to-head leagues since everyone is in the same boat.

Columbus, Edmonton, L.A, San Jose and Vancouver play 4 games this week. Both the Sharks and the Blue Jackets are on the road for all four games. The Maple Leafs on the other hand, play once during this fantasy week and that is on a very busy Saturday tonight.

Nashville: Neither Rinne nor Ellis looked spectacular in the first three games last week, but we will see who has the upper hand with the Predators playing three road games in four nights.

Fantasy Spin: Upper hand seems to go to Rinne by default. Look for Rinne to get starts on Wed and Sat while Ellis on Thursday.

San Jose: With east coast tilts against the Rangers, Lightning, Thrashers and Flyers on the schedule this week, look for Thornton and company to post some pretty solid numbers.

Fantasy Spin: Look for back up Thomas Greiss to get the start against Atlanta on Saturday giving Nabokov his first rest of the season.

Los Angeles: The Kings look to have the easiest schedule of the week, but it might end up being a tough one. The week starts with home and home tilts against an improved Stars squad, followed by a tilt with Phoenix (who already beat them 6-3 earlier this year) and then flying to Columbus to play the next day.

Fantasy Spin: Kopitar and company started off strong, but have lost the last two. Play them, but don’t expect great numbers from the Kings this week.

Toronto: The Leafs play their lone game Saturday night in Vancouver. They should have plenty of time to prepare physically and mentally to try and get their first win of the season.

Fantasy Spin: The only real Leaf name that is worth something right now is Ponikarovsky(4pts in 6 games with a +4) and even he needs to be benched on any fantasy squad this week.

Washington: A slow week for the Capitals with two away games in Atlanta and Long Island, but that shouldn’t stop AO from keeping his 2 points a game pace.

Fantasy Spin: While Backstrom, Ovechkin, Semin and Green should put up decent numbers, the bigger story is in net for the Capitals. Varlamov will likely start both games and has a chance to distance himself from Theodore who is nursing a sore back. While no goalie controversy is ever cleared up in the first month or so, this may be Varlamov's last chance to put in his claim as the front runner.

Chicago: After 4 games last week, the Hawks play only two this week. Sharp is leading the pack in scoring, but Toews and Campbell have picked it up the last couple of games. With the 2 games spread out on Wednesday and Saturday, Huet “should” get both starts.

Fantasy spin: If Huet and Niemi split time this week, there is an unofficial goalie controversy in the windy city.

Edmonton: The Oilers play 4 times this week starting with two on the road against Vancouver and Columbus, then finishing up with two at home against Calgary and Vancouver.

Fantasy spin: The Bulin wall will get 3 starts and should post better than decent numbers this week. Edmonton's offence seems to be scoring by committee this year so no one jumps out for leagues that allow weekly roster changes. Opt for quality over quantity in this case.

Brian

Players to Watch - Week 3

Patric Hornqvist (RW) – Nashville
Has 4 points in 3 games and playing on the top 2 lines.



Jordan Staal (C) – Pittsburgh
Playing with Malkin helps his fantasy value.

Daniel Cleary (LW) – Detroit
Moving to the top line with the Franzen injury.

Ryan Malone (LW) - Tampa
Coming off a hat-trick against Carolina, playing top 6 minutes.

Steve Bernier (RW) – Vancouver
With D Sedin out, he will get a chance to play on the top line.

Week 2 Results

James Neal (LW) – Dallas - 1G – 1A – 2PTS

Dustin Byfuglien (RW) – Chicago - 0G – 0A – 0PTS

Yannick Weber (D) – Montreal - 0G – 0A – 0PTS

David Moss (LW) – Calgary - 0G – 0A – 0PTS

Mike Comrie (C) – Edmonton - 2G – 1A – 3PTS

Mark

Just Fantasy Hockey - Week 3 Forecaster

Those you playing in league where you can adjust your roster only once pay attention to the week ahead. Chicago, Colorado, Nashville and Los Angeles play four times this week with Chicago having the most favourable schedule. This is important to note since there are no games Sunday October 18th. So those 4 teams will be playing 4 games in 6 days.
Fantasy spin: Chicago, Colorado and Los Angeles’ back ups should play the second half of back to back games while Rinne and Ellis should split the duties in Nashville.

The Flyers have an extremely light schedule with one game and that being on Friday.
Fantasy spin: For leagues which enter their rosters weekly rather than daily, you might want to consider sitting your Philly players even though it’s against a much weaker Panthers squad with Richards and Carter being the only exception.

The Rangers appear to have an easy schedule for the week ahead. Two games against the hapless Leafs and a meeting with the Kings.
Fantasy spin: Gaborik and company have the change to put up some big numbers in the week ahead. Lundqvist might get the nod twice this week and post above average stats.

The Capitals get ready for some home cooking this week. Three games against the Devils, Sharks and Preds.
Fantasy spin: Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin and Green should continue to put up big numbers so don’t hesitate to slot them in your roster. It should be interesting to see whether Varlamov or Theodore plays more between the pipes for the Caps.

Nashville splits their four games with alternating home and away games against the Oilers, Stars, Hawks and Caps. The big story out of Music City is who will be starting in net. Ellis had a strong pre-season and has started the first two games. After having his starting job taken from him last year by Rinne, Ellis should get his chance this week to play himself back into the spotlight.
Fantasy spin: Those who have daily roster changes should expect an alternating rotation of goalies. With four games in six nights fantasy owners should see who has the upper edge this season for the number one goalie. Look for an even split with whoever starts against the Oilers at home to also face the Hawks.

The Hawks as previously mentioned have the easiest schedule of all the teams playing 4 games this week. Home games against the Flames, Oilers and Stars and a mid week tilt against the Preds at home.
Fantasy spin: Look for Niemi to start one of the back to back games giving Huet a rest. Play your Hawks with confidence including Byfuglien, Bolland and Versteeg in deeper leagues.

Brian

The Deep Sleeper

So, you’ve scanned through your fantasy magazines and websites to compile a list of sleepers for this upcoming season. Every list you have read may have two or three different players on it, but you’ll notice that there are several players that make each list. Let’s call them the “Trendy Sleepers.”

The “Trendy Sleepers” are easy to call. They are players who have:

* Finished the 08-09 season strong – Rich Peverly, ATL
* Dominated in the AHL or Europe last season - Jonas Gustavsson, TOR
* Should play a bigger role with their club based on their team losing higher depth chart players via free agency or trade – Ville Leino, DET
* Hot shot rookies who could be ready to contribute – Cody Hodgson, VAN

If you have read several fantasy publications, or visited fantasy websites like JFH, these players are already household names. The problem is, every GM in your draft wants these guys and usually drafts them a few rounds too early. So to get them, you end up “reaching” with a pick that should be used on a sure thing.

In this article, we want to give you a list of Deeper Sleepers. These are guys who may fall into any of the four categories above, but they have done it under the fantasy radar. You won’t find these guys in your average sleeper list, but they could end up being just as, if not more, productive this season.

James Wisniewski (D) – ANA - Wisniewski played only 48 games last season, split between Chicago and Anaheim, after recovering from off-season surgery. Wisniewski finished strong with Anaheim and ended up with a total 24 points in 48 games. At 25, he is already part of the Ducks top 4 and contributes with PIMS as well. Grab him in the last few rounds of your draft or quickly snatch him off the FA list.

Fearless Forecast – 75GP, 9G, 28A, 37P, 95PIMS

Vladimir Sobotka (C) – BOS - Sobotka has been a productive player in the AHL the past few seasons but has been buried on the Bruins’ depth chart. With Kessel moved to Toronto and Krejci rehabbing off-season surgery, Sobotka finds himself with a spot in the productive top 9. At 22, Sobotka still has a lot of untapped potential and could be a steal by season’s end.

Fearless Forecast – 74GP, 19G, 20A, 39P

John Moore (D) – CLB - The 21st pick in the June Draft, Moore is looking to make the huge jump straight from the USHL to the NHL. He has been all the talk at the Jackets’ training camp and already has NHL size and speed. Moore is a fantastic skater who is a threat to jump in the rush at any time. He looks like a younger Mike Green at times, including the odd defensive gaffe. If he does make the club he could produce decent numbers, however even if he is sent down, he is a lot closer to the NHL than originally thought. Grab him in keeper leagues and hope he sticks.

Fearless Forecast – 9GP, 1G, 2A, 3P (*Returned to Kitchener after 9 games)

Jamie Benn (LW) – DAL - Benn has been on fire this pre-season and has looked uber-comfortable playing with Mike Ribeiro. His play is forcing the team to give him a longer look on one of the top two lines. Benn was the best player in the WHL last year, scoring 46 goals in just 56 games with Kelowna. The Stars have some great playmakers but don’t have a lot of finish around the net. Benn could immediately take advantage of that and become a go to sniper in Big D. Snatch him up if he is still a FA in your league.

Fearless Forecast – 75GP, 22G, 21A, 43P

Max Pacioretty (LW) – MON - “Patches” looked very good in his 34 game call-up with the big club last night. A speedy, power forward, Max should take advantage of some open roster spots and contribute for the Habs this year. Not a roster lock, he will be an early call-up and will find ways to score. Keep an eye on him as a FA. Target him in keeper leagues.

Fearless Forecast – 56GP, 11G, 16A, 27P

Patrick Hornqvist (LW) – NAS - Hornqvist was a “Trendy Sleeper” last year after scoring goals in bunches in Sweden. The adjustment to North America was not easy for Patrick and he found himself going back and forth from the NHL to the AHL. In 28 NHL games, Hornqvist received limited ice-time and put up a mere 2 goals. Coach Barry Trotz needed Hornqvist to become a more complete player and he has responded well this preseason. Lining up on the Preds top line with Arnott and Dumont, Hornqvist has 6 points in 4 games and looks like a different player. Grab him as an FA and hope he can stick on the Preds top line.

Fearless Forecast – 72GP, 23G, 20A, 43P

Niklas Bergfors (RW) – NJD - Bergfors is another player who has been a “Trendy Sleeper” in the past. A talented prospect, Bergfors struggled to put up big numbers in his first two AHL seasons. Things seemed to come easier for him last year in Lowell however, as he put up 51 points in 66 games. The Devils have been patiently waiting for him to develop to enhance their secondary scoring. Bergfors has has a solid pre-season and looks to have locked down a roster spot. How productive he’ll be on a Jacque Lemaire team is the bigger question though.

Fearless Forecast – 68GP, 13G, 16A, 29P

Artem Anisimov (C) – NYR - If you have followed JFH this pre-season, you know how much we love Anisimov. He dominated the AHL as a 20 year-old, using his great size and hockey smarts. Still developing his speed, the lanky pivot has all the tools to be a top-line centre. He looks to have cracked the Rangers' roster as the team’s 4th line centre. He should quietly move up the depth chart as the season progresses and he could be a very productive player in the second half. Grab him off FA before someone else does.

Fearless Forecast – 74GP, 18G, 19A, 37P

Martin Hanzal (C) – PHO - At 22, Hanzal already has two full NHL seasons under his belt. A complete player, Hanzal still has a lot of untapped offensive potential and should get a chance to show it this season. He struggled coming back from off-season back surgery last year but came to training camp in great shape. He lead the Yotes in ice-time last night, the first game under new coach Dave Tippett. Hanzal is the kind of player a coach loves as he can be played in any situation. Look for an offensive spike this year. If he is available, grab him as a solid depth centre.

Fearless Forecast – 82GP, 18G, 31A, 49P

Torrey Mitchell (C) – SJS -Mitchell scored 10 Goals in his rookie season of 2007-2008, impressing Sharks brass with a strong finish to the year. Mitchell though missed all of last season recovering from a broken leg. He did make a cameo in the playoffs last year and showed that he still has his blazing speed. A skilled, two-way pivot, Mitchell could surprise this year and push Joe Pavelski for 2nd line ice-time. Watch his progress early as he could pay huge dividends if he lands on one of the Sharks scoring lines.

Fearless Forecast – 80GP, 17G, 22A, 39P

Viktor Stalberg (LW) – TOR - Stalberg has been the toast of Toronto this September with his outstanding pre-season. Producing 5 goals and 7 points in 7 games, Stalberg looks to be a lock on one of Toronto’s scoring lines. The Big Swede is amazing to watch as he can hit a high gear like few others. His large frame and lightning speed allows him to track down and recover pucks in all three zones. Stalberg can score too as he was a Hobey Baker finalist after sniping 24 goals for Vermont last year. Viktor is effective in any situation, which means he’ll get lots of ice-time under head coach Ron Wilson. If Stalberg is still on your FA wire, consider yourself lucky and grab him before finishing this article.

Fearless Forecast – 70GP, 20G, 17A, 37P

Michal Neuvirth (G) – WAS - Neuvirth was selected 11 picks after Simeon Varlamov in the 2006 Draft. I guess the Caps were hedging their bets on a future #1. Neuvirth has followed Varlamov up the depth chart and was excellent as the #1 in Hershey following Varlamov’s promotion to the big club late last season. While Simeon is getting all the love in fantasy drafts this year, it wouldn’t surprise us to see Neuvirth end the year as the Caps #1. Simeon had a magical ride last season but it didn’t finish well against the Pens. He showed he has holes in his game, and if NHL teams get the scouting report, Varlamov could get sent back down to Hershey to iron them out. Varlamov’s loss would be Neuvirth’s gain. Keep an eye on Varlamov and handcuff him with Neuvirth in keeper leagues.

Fearless Forecast – 11GP, 7W, 2.54GAA, .910SV%

Chris

Training Camp Notes: September 18th

Training camp is in full swing, and here at Just Fantasy Hockey we're going to break down what you need to know. Every morning, we'll post a blog that highlights performances from intriguing fantasy players and any other relevant training camp news.

What a moment for Theo Fleury last night in Calgary. The dimunitive winger scored the shootout winner in front of the home crowd. It was an amazing moment for Fleury but it may be the peak of his comeback. Fleury looked a step behind and will struggle to make an impact this pre-season. He will likely get a ticket to Abbotsford and, like Claude Lemieux last year, will need to impress there to get a mid-season call-up. Stay away fantasy players.

The big news of the night was the impressive debut of former Boston College standout Colin Wilson. The Nashville centre had a goal and two assists in only 11:26 of ice-time. Wilson may break camp as the Predator's #2 centre and should challenge Cody Hodgson, John Tavares and Nikita Filatov for the rookie scoring title. Only thing holding him back is head coach Barry Trotz's tendency to slowly break in rookies. Draft early in keeper leagues and keep an eye on his progress and ice-time early on.

Maple Leafs fans are starting to get a taste of the future. Nazem Kadri scored his first pre-season goal last night and has not looked out of place in two games. That said, I still can't see Kadri making this team. Tyler Bozak has been one of the most dangerous players on the ice in both pre-season games and looks to be a lock on the roster. Former Vermont winger Viktor Stalberg has also been impressive with his unique blend of size and top-speed. The Leafs are crowded up-front with bottom 6 forwards so it's tough to see where these impressive rookies could fit in. Grab Bozak in the late rounds though, he could be a steal...a very smart player that reminds me of David Krejci. He should be able to match Krejci's rookie season of 27 points in 56 games.

Colorado rookie Matt Duchene played in his first pre-season game last night and went pointless in 12:38 of ice-time. He did receive a team high 2:38 on the powerplay though, showing you that the Avalanche are going to give him every opportunity to make this team. I expect Duchene will make the Avs and have a decent rookie year. Think 35-40 points. Keeper leagues, draft early.

Buyer beware on Kyle Okposo. The promising young Isles winger got absolutely drilled by Dion Phaneuf in last night's game. Phaneuf hasn't thrown a hit like that in a year and a half. Okposo was carried off in a stretcher and has suffered a "mild" concussion. He could be out for a while so keep tabs on his recovery and hope for the best if you already drafted him. Okposo was set for a breakout season.

Chris

Central Division Sleepers

Chicago – Kris Versteeg (RW) – The rookie burst onto the scene last year and immediately made an impact. On a young and talented team, Versteeg did not look out of place last year. With 53 points in 78 games, Versteeg is once again penciled in to play on the top line in Chicago.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 80 GP – 23 G – 33 A – 56 PTS

Columbus – Derick Brassard (C) – The talented centerman was unable to complete his first full season in the NHL. Brassard suffered a season ending injury after playing in 31 games where he tallied 25 points. Playing a full season with snipe Rick Nash will only increase Brassard’s value. Look for him to be close to a point per game pace this season.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 77 GP – 25 G – 46 A – 71 PTS

Detroit – Jason Williams (C) – Signed in the off-season by the Wings because of the loss of key players, Williams will get every opportunity to play with all-star center Pavel Datsyuk. In 80 games last season, Williams split time between Atlanta and Columbus, scoring 47 points. He should be able to increase those totals on a more talented Red Wings club.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 82 GP – 21 G – 32 A – 53 PTS

Nashville – Ryan Suter (D) – This development of Suter has taken a surprisingly good turn. The young defenseman is now a staple on the Predators blueline and helps anchor the top powerplay unit. Suter tallied 45 points in 82 games and at 24 years old will only get better. A repeat of his numbers from last season may be a stretch but hitting 40 points should be no problem.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 82 GP – 7 G – 38 A – 42 PTS

St. Louis – Carlo Colaiacovo (D) – Often thought he was made of glass in Toronto, Colaiacovo was traded to St. Louis halfway through the season and thrived on the powerplay. Though the Blues blueline seems to be deep, they have a lot of defensemen that are also injury plagued or too inexperienced. Colaiacovo scored 30 points in 73 games and should surpass those numbers this year.

FEARLESS FORECAST – 76 GP – 5 G – 27 A – 32 PTS

Mark

Predator Locked Up

The Nashville Predators have resigned winger Steve Sullivan to a 2 year, $7.5 Million dollar contract.

Sullivan has been attempting to come back from his back surgery for a season and a half. Marred with setbacks, Sullivan finally was able to hit the ice last season and participated in 41 games, scoring 32 points.

Fantasy Outlook: When healthy, Sullivan has super speed and dynamic playmaking ability. Although he is now an injury risk, Sullivan should be on owners draft day list as he has potential to net 70 plus points if he can stay healthy. He may slide come draft day, but either way he should be considered in early middle rounds of your draft. He may be a risk but the reward on Sullivan may pay off.

Mark