Fantasy Hockey Goalies - Sleepers & Busts

In this final edition for fantasy hockey sleepers & busts, I'll run through my favorite position on the ice... the goalie. If you missed any of my earlier articles and want some last minute drafting tips, please feel free to check them out...

Western Conference Fantasy Preview
Eastern Conference Fantasy Preview
Sleepers & Busts: Forwards
Sleepers & Busts: Defensemen
Sleepers & Busts: Goalies

In fantasy hockey, the goalie position is a very important position to draft for. There are only 30 starting goaltenders in the NHL, but not all of them are great fantasy options. In most leagues, this position alone accounts for 40% of the scoring stats. A goalie can make or break you in any match up. When you should draft a goalie depends on what draft position you are in. I've always drafted goalies with my first pick if I am in the bottom 3 of the draft. By then all the big name players are gone and a late first round F/W is no different from an early second round F/W. However if you are in the top 5 of your draft, you will want to hold of on your goalie selection and grab one of the big time scorers and then come back to it later.

Sleepers

Jonas Gustavsson (TOR): Jonas Gustavsson is the big time free agent goalie from Sweeden that Brian Burke worked hard to land this offseason. Nicknamed "The Monster" Gustavsson has all the makings to be an elite NHL goaltender. He will begin the year as backup to Vesa Toskala, however if (or perhaps when) Toskala begins to falter, Gustavsson will be poised to take the reigns. If you have the room, it may be a good idea to take him, or at least keep an eye on him for future considerations.

Jonas Hiller (ANA): The starting goaltender job in Anaheim is now Hiller's job to lose. After a downward slide by Giguere last season, Hiller took the top spot and hasn't looked back since. The Ducks look to be a great team this year, which will help with Hiller's numbers. Hiller should be available late and would be a good starter for your team.

Christobal Huet (CHI): Now with Nikolai Khabibulin no longer with the team, Huet is the undisputed #1 goaltender in Chicago and won't have to give up as many starts. With Chicago's improvements in the offseason, Huet should be able to rise to the occasion and be a good every day starter for your team. Huet is someone that should fly under the radar and be available as a late pick up.

Pascal Leclaire (OTT): Pascal Leclaire had a great rookie season in Columbus 2 years ago. He struggled a bit at the beginning of last season and then missed the remainder of it because of injury. The change in scenery may be exactly what he needs to rebound this year.

Mike Smith (TB): When Mike Smith is on, he's on. Playing on a dismal Tampa Bay squad last year also didn't help his numbers. But with Tampa making some much needed improvements and with the development of Steve Stamkos, I see Smith have more better days than not this season.

Semyon Varlamov (WAS): Semyon Varlamov had a great playoff run last season before falling apart in the end. After watching a few games that he played in the series against the Penguins, this kid is the real deal. Even though Jose Theodore is slated to be the starter, if he struggles at all this year, look for Varlamov to take the job, and most likely keep it.

Busts

Ilya Bryzgalov (PHO): Ilya Bryzgalov is a great goalie, however playing on the Coyotes is what is landing him on this list. Bryzgalov will give you a chance to win every night, but the rest of the Phoenix team may not help. If Bryzgalov is available late then take him, but he should not be your first goalie selection.

Rick DiPiertro (NYI): Rick DiPiertro is once again recovering from injury and with Martin Biron and Dwayne Roloson on the squad, there is no rush to bring him back so soon. Stay away from DiPiertro and look somewhere else.

Jean-Sebastein Giguere (ANA): The days for the former Conn Symthe in Anaheim seem to numbered. With Hiller taking the starting job away and the acquisition of Justin Pogge, Giguere is no longer the strong fantasy option he once was. Unless something happens to Hiller, stay away from Giguere on draft day.

Chris Osgood (DET): You may be wondering why Chris Osgood is on my busts list. Osgood brought the Wings within 1 game of repeating for the Stanley Cup with a phenomenal playoff run. However during the regular season, he struggled and split duties with Ty Conklin. With Conklin out, Osgood may have to start more games which may wear him down. Osgood is a good goalie choice, but don't draft him too high just based on his playoff performance.

Tim Thomas (BOS): Tim Thomas? You may be wondering why the Vezina Trophy winner landed on this list. Thomas is no doubt a great goalie and was a major reason for the success of the Bruins last year. However don't let this one season inflate his value. Goalies like Nabokov, Brodeur, and Kiprusoff have demonstrated year after year they can perform and Thomas must do that as well. By all means take Thomas if he is there, but not until after the other 3 are gone.

Marty Turco (DAL): Marty Turco has had a steady decline in performance since his all-star appearance a few years back. He has been very inconsistent of late and can't be relied upon to provide numbers on a weekly basis. As a NHL starter, Turco should be considered, but for a bench position at best for your team.

Good luck with your drafting and I hope you will be able to utilize some of these tips to put together a great team.

Until next time: I'll keep you posted... Between the Pipes

Fantasy Hockey Defensemen - Sleepers & Busts

The regular season is now just a few days away and if you haven't drafted yet, then you will be in the coming days. In this edition, I will run through the sleepers & busts for defensemen. If you missed any of my earlier articles and want some last minute drafting tips, please feel free to check them out...

Western Conference Fantasy Preview
Eastern Conference Fantasy Preview
Sleepers & Busts: Forwards
Sleepers & Busts: Defensemen
Sleepers & Busts: Goalies

In fantasy hockey, the defenseman position is one of the hardest positions to draft for. The majority of your fantasy leagues out there are offense based, where you get points for goals, assists, etc. So in fantasy hockey, you need a defensemen, that plays like a 'forward.' That means shut down defensemen like Derek Morris or Rob Scuderi, who are good defensemen and will stop the opposing team from scoring, will not provide you with much fantasy value. However, someone like Mike Green or Zdeno Chara would be someone that will put up some offensive numbers, and would be a better fantasy option at defense.

Sleepers

Keith Ballard (FLA): Keith Ballard, with the departure of Jay Bouwmeester, should now get more opportunities to produce on the Panther's blueline. Ballard has consistently improved the past couple years and looks to improve his numbers yet again this year by making the most of the increased opportunities.
Dustin Byfuglien (CHI): Dustin Byfuglien is one of those rare gems on a fantasy roster that is labeled as both a forward and defenseman. Last year, I was able to utilize him on my defense while he was playing RW and was able to get some decent value from him, without having him take up a forward position. If he is again labeled as such, he might be a nice pickup for someone trying to maximize their forward options.
Braydon Coburn (PHI): Braydon Coburn had a slight dip in production last year due to injury, but looks to be ready to go and perform in this contract year. Coburn should see some time on the PP this year and gives you some PIM as well.
Erik Johnson (STL): Erik Johnson had a very good rookie season 2 years ago, but missed all of last season after an off-ice injury. Johnson will get a lot of PP time and also possess a lot of offensive talent. Because he missed last year, he should fly under the radar and would be a good fit on any blueline.
Thomas Kaberle (TOR): Thomas Kaberle had a poor showing last year and was sidelined for some time due to injury. With the new additions to the Leaf's blueline, Kaberle should be able to revive his offensive output this year and provide owners with near 60pt seasons like we are used to seeing from him.
Kris Letang (PIT): Kris Letang's offensive output has steadily increased the past 2 years. With the departure of Ryan Whitney, Letang saw more PP time and has capitalized on the opportunity. Letang has a great shot and does not hesitate to use it when given the opportunity.
Paul Martin (NJ): Paul Martin is on a NJ team that is not always known for its offensive prowess, but for the past 2 years he has consistently scored 30 pts with more than 1/2 on the power play. Martin is also a great +/- person to have.
Ryan Whitney (ANA): With the departure of Chris Pronger, Ryan Whitey will take over his spot on the blueline and on the powerplay. Before his sub-par performance last year, Whitney was an offensive force on the blueline for the Penguins. Whitney should rebound this year and once again provide good numbers for fantasy owners.

Busts

Alexander Edler (VAN): Edler was a stable PP option on the blueline last year, but with the additions of Christian Ehrhoff and Mathieu Schneider to the team, it may cut into his PP time and therefore his value will certainly diminish.
Ed Jovanovski (PHO): Once a good early round choice on the blueline, Jovanovski is now more of a +/- risk and last year had a 15 point drop. Jovanovski can still give you a nice PP option, but should not be considered until very late in the draft.
Scott Niedermayer (ANA): Scott Nidermayer is on the last leg of his career. He can still provide some fantasy value, however not as an early round choice. Over the past 3 years, his production has slipped and should again take a slight drop.
Dion Phaneuf (CGY): Dion Phaneuf had the worst showing of his career last year and with the addition of Jay Bouwmeester, Phaneuf's chances to retain 60 points like he did 2 years ago look very slim. Phaneuf is still a good choice on the blue line but not an early round draft choice any more.
Wade Redden (NYR): Wade Redden had one of the worst offensive productions of his career in his first year with the Rangers last year. He can no longer be considered a strong fantasy option, as he once was with the Senators.
Michal Rozival (NYR): Michal Rozival's point production has steadily declined over the past few years and finished with a -7 rating last year. You can pick him up late in your draft as a fill in, but don't expect too much.
Kimmo Timonen (PHI): The arrival of Chris Pronger will definitely reduce Timonen's ice time and therefore opportunities for offensive production. Timonen is a good guy to have on reserve but not as a regular starter if better options are out there.

Hopefully these tips will help draft a solid blueline for your fantasy team. Next time I'll run through the sleepers & busts for goalies.

Until next time: I'll keep you posted... Between the Pipes

Fantasy Hockey Forwards - Sleepers & Busts

Western Conference Fantasy Preview
Eastern Conference Fantasy Preview
Sleepers & Busts: Forwards
Sleepers & Busts: Defensemen
Sleepers & Busts: Goalies

It's crunch time! With the season less than a week away, most of you will be drafting your teams in the coming days. Now that you've had a chance to catch a few preseason games and see how your favorite players are going to be utilize, you can begin to start ranking your players. But are you drafting certain players too high? and expecting way more than they will deliver? In this edition, I will give an overview of some sleepers & busts for forwards that may influence your draft rankings.

Sleepers are players you may not have considered drafting or are players you were going to draft in the later rounds but may consider moving them up. Busts are players that you probably shouldn't consider drafting, are injured, or are players you were going to draft way earlier than you should be.

Sleepers

David Backes - RW - (STL): Daivd Backes amassed 54 points and 165 PIM last year. 11 of those points came off the PP. Backes can provide both offensive, PP, and PIM points and may fly under the radar. Backes' production last season is no fluke and I see him having many more seasons with the same type of production.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard - LW - (MIN): Pierre-Marc Bouchard just two years ago tallied 50 assists, and even though he had a dip in production last year. He is slated to be paired up with Mikko Koivu and newly acquired Martin Havlat on the first line and should see those assists return this year.

Derick Brassard - C - (CBJ): Derick Brassard had a productive yet shortened rookie season last year scoring 10 goals and 25 points in just 31 games. He is slated to center the first line with Rick Nash and Kristian Huselius, which should allow him to rack up plenty of points.

Dustin Brown: - RW - (LA): Dustin Brown had 6 GWG and 18 PP points last year. Although he had a slight dip in total points last year, Brown should rebound nicely and continue being a solid PP producer.

Claude Giroux: - C - (PHI): Claude Giroux amassed 27 points in just 42 games last year, with a full season at the NHL level, Giroux should be able to provide quality numbers for fantasy owners and also see some time on the PP.

Kyle Okposo - RW - (NYI): Kyle Okposo scored 9 PP goals last year in just 65 games. Okposo will be a force on the Islander PP and will get plenty of opportunities. With John Tavares at center, Okposo should be able to dish off some points on a nightly basis. Okposo should be a consideration if available late.

Devin Setoguchi: - RW - (SJ): Devin Setoguchi had a breakout year last year in his first full season in the NHL. Setoguchi tallied 22 PP points and was also a +16. Setoguchi will be paired with Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley which will definitely contribute to his point total. Setoguchi is definitely someone to consider taking a bit earlier than originally thought.

Steve Stamkos - C - (TB): Steve Stamkos had a dismal rookie showing last year. However he was playing on a horrible Tampa Bay team, and was very under-utilized for the beginning of the season. Stamkos improved his play the second half of the season and with the Lightning making some improvements in the offseason, look for Stamkos to have a breakout year this year. Because of his showing last year, many may not feel him draft worthy.

Eric Tangradi - LW - (PIT): Eric Tangradi will start the season in the minors, but in his first preseason game, he played on a line with Sidney Crosby and tallied a couple of points. Tangradi is projected to play with Crosby in the future and if this was a glimpse of things to come, then it could be a bright one for this youngster. Tangradi may be a good last pick or someone or you may just want to keep an eye on to pick up on waivers if an injury were to occur on the Penguins.

Thomas Vanek - LW - (BUF): Thomas Vanek scored 40 goals last season with 1/2 of them coming off the power play. Vanek will be trying to lift the Sabres to the playoffs this year and with that should continue to produce like last year. Vanek may fly under the radar and should be considered if available.

Busts

Jeff Carter - C - (PHI): Jeff Carter is ranked to go in the first round in auto-drafts, this is based on last year's performance. His 46 goals and 83 points were impressive, but most of these were accumulated in the first half of the year before he fizzled out. Carter is someone you should consider drafting, but just not in the first round, so if you are auto-drafting make sure you adjust.

Patrik Elias - LW - (NJ): Elias will be out 3-6 weeks from groin surgery. Adjust him in your rank. Don't expect the same production from him as last year.

Marian Gaborik - RW - (NYR): The injury prone Gaborik could have a breakout season, but with his health as an uncertainty, Gaborik should not be drafted so high, with other players out there with more certain point production.

Marian Hossa - RW - (CHI): Hossa is coming off of surgery and is slated to be out of action until around mid December. Hossa will contribute offensively but you should draft someone that can contribute immediately and wait to grab Hossa later.

Joffrey Lupul - RW - (ANA): Lupul had a 50 point season last year with the Flyers, but now that he's on the Ducks, Lupul may be moved down to the 3rd line or may have to switch wings to play on the top 2 lines. In any event, this may affect his point production as well as his PP time, because the Ducks have more than enough people to fill those roles.

Keith Tkachuk - LW - (STL): Tkachuk's production has been declining over the years and isn't the offensive power he used to be. The Blues now have a lot of talent upfront which will limit the opportunities for Tkachuk.

Todd White - C - (ATL): Todd White's 73 point production last season was a fluke, so don't expect the same from him again this year. He will again be in 30-40 point range again and should not be counted matching his point total from last year.

Nikolai Zherdev, Jiri Hudler, & Sergei Federov - (N/A): For those of you who auto draft, make sure and remove them from the list because they are no longer in the NHL.

Next time, I will run through some Sleepers & Busts for defensemen.

Until next time: I'll keep you posted... Between The Pipes