Dylan Olsen – McKeen's Hockey

Fantasy Hockey Mailbag — What The Hell Florida?

Chris Wassel — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 13:59:47 +0000

There are times ladies and gentlemen where we just stop the list of questions and go in a completely different direction. When you see such wacky performances and unexpected events, one just has to acknowledge it in some way. Today's mailbag delves into the oddities in a subtle way by asking what the hell man, what the hell?

You have everything from players defying regression to players completely hitting the flusher repeatedly on the toilet. Panic has set in for some and others are just in a state of total bewilderment. This fantasy hockey season really has brought us a bit of everything and it is only mid-November. Just think of what is in store for a second and then it gets that much more scary.

The questions this week reflect more of this thought process and here we go.

Fantasy Hockey Mailbag -- What The HELL

What do you make of the Florida Panthers' 6-4-4 start? Is this legit or are they going to fall backwards?

This really may be legit. Florida is a better team than most give them credit for. Maybe more people from the Miami area will get that message. For fantasy hockey owners, more and more Panthers are being added into lineups for a reason. They got off to a really slow start because of some seriously bad puck luck and an awful shooting percentage (29th in NHL). However, there are some positive anomalies as well.

Take a look at the possession numbers of Aaron Ekblad. Is he a nearly 60% Corsi and Fenwick close player as an 18 year old? Jussi Jokinen will come back to Earth. Roberto Luongo cannot be this good 5 on 5 right? Some of these may slide back but some may not.

Then there is Nick Bjugstad, who had four points Sunday night in Anaheim but could have had six...yes SIX POINTS! He hit a post and crossbar in the 6-2 rout at Honda Center. For people asking who is top six caliber in Florida, just be patient. That time has come for Bjugstad.

Now three more games are on this road trip including the other two California teams (Los Angeles and San Jose). Then they have one more road tilt in Nashville before going home. It is the first of many tests for a team that wants to show people they belong. This will also show fantasy hockey owners a thing or two too.

What do you think about some of the price differences between daily fantasy sites?

This is another age old question that people often have to understand a crucial fact. Every one of these sites has a different salary cap so there are going to be different price structures. Also, point structures are not the same. For example, most use nine players for a roster but DraftKings has a $50,000 cap while FanDuel has a $55,000 cap. Check each league you enter. It is extremely important. Personally I am more worried about point differences among sites than price differences. Yes, there are some exploitative values that have seemingly gone on for far too long but a few players tend to not see a value bump right away.

Sometimes price rises and falls are very predictable. If anyone remembers how the old Smallworld salary cap worked, it was very similar to what you see on daily sites today. This is not something revolutionary as fantasy hockey veterans have seen this basic framework for almost 20 years. Now, individual price discrepancies from daily site to site is a completely different story and something that will be answered right now because we have a true oddity.

Why is Dylan Olsen $5,700 on FanDuel and normally price on other daily sites?

This was something picked up on Sunday morning but honestly I just ignored it because who would take this guy who averages less than one daily point per outing anyway? However, people saw the price tag and were rightfully stunned.

This is a very telling and a bad FanDuel glitch that has to be addressed (File Photo)

Some of the names Olsen is priced higher than is crazy. Now we only took the names from the Florida-Los Angeles game and there are four players that jump right out at you -- Drew Doughty, Alec Martinez, Jacob Muzzin, and Aaron Ekblad. Yes. Martinez is out but even then that is three defenseman that are far better yet Olsen is somehow $1,800 higher than Ekblad. There are just no words for this at all. None!

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See you next week and bring those questions! Thanks for reading.

AHL: IceHogs – The Rockford Files

Gus Katsaros — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 06:22:16 +0000

Rockford travelled through a two-game road trip of Ontario, losing to the Hamilton Bulldogs 5-4 in overtime before bouncing back and beating the Toronto Marlies 3-2 the following night. Rockford’s game winning goal scorer, Jeremy Morin, was recalled to the NHL shortly after.

The IceHogs are the affiliate club of the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks reside at the top of the Midwest Division, being the first club to reach double-digits in games played.

Phillip Danault, C

First round pick in 2011 (26th overall) put on a display of defensive instincts with consistent efforts on every shift .. . Supports the defense and will end up playing down low making sure this covered from that .. somewhat careless with his stick at times and needs to be careful with careless penalties due to reckless stick swings .. consistent work ethic and presence, leaning more towards a natural defensive instinct .. not a really big hitter, but rather strategic with direct hits to the middle of the chest, stopping his man dead in his tracks .. they aren’t punishing hits, but effective .. quick first few steps and gets up to speed in a hurry .. able to get back into the play on breakdowns in the offensive zone, or to join the rush late if he’s supporting the defense .. young still at 20 years old and struggling somewhat to create scoring opportunities, but has the ethic and mobility to push the pro pace.

Jeremy Morin, LW

Former Thrashers pick in 2009 (2nd round, 45th overall) at 22 years old would be expected that he showed something more than just a quick trigger with a snappy release, perhaps a little more imagination but it’s hard to make the case to change after scoring 30 goals in 2012-13 .. steadfast defensive positioning, and stays true to the system, holding position even under chaotic conditions and avoids straying from the system .. lined up on the left side for the face-off despite being listed as a right-winger – and drifting back to the right side .. displayed deceptive strength, despite a medium build, a penchant on his skates .. scored go ahead and eventual winning goal off a face off deep in the Marlies zone with a shade over five minutes left with a signature quick shot – imagination be damned if shooting was success .. called up to the Blackhawks after this game and dressed in three games, with dwindling ice time as a sign that a return to Rockford as a likely outcome .. still not ready for the breakthrough to the NHL, but could be there at the close of the season.

Alex Broadhurst, C

A successful professional debut, scoring in his first game – the first goal scored by the IceHogs in the season .. graduating from the London Knights to rank second in scoring at Halloween .. struggled with pace at times, also a factor of having playing the previous evening in Hamilton .. scored the goal that that began the rally from a 2-0 deficit and eventual comeback win .. dipped in compete without the puck, but is tricky and stealthy in that he lurks – blending into the weak side and quiet areas of the ice, with selective forays into scoring areas and the slot .. complimentary quick release, playmaking vision and soft hands .. could upgrade the physical elements and didn’t initiate contact more often – a size related issue, standing at 5-foot-11 and 174 pounds .. didn’t record a point in only three of 11 games this season, but the goal was the first in six games .. good two-way performance, not strikingly great in one particular area, despite scoring.

Mark McNeill, C

Former Prince Albert Raider scoring star scored twice and added a helper (2-1-3) against the Hamilton Bulldogs before being blanked against Toronto the following night – not for a lack of effort .. quick burst of acceleration and makes plays at high speed with no effect on his stride .. exhibited in-close skill below the face off dots and in front of the net .. controlled and structural defensive style .. could be the slot man, or sometimes high center .. versatile enough to be used on the point on the power play and in a penalty kill role .. stride could use some improvement, but has great in line speed .. became more of a net presence with the game on the line after alternating between high forward and slot presence .. got in deep and behind the net late in the third taking a physical toll to make the play and then headed straight for the goal .. leads the IceHogs in scoring.

Adam Clendening, D

Blackhawks mobile and offensively inclined blueliner – and 2012-13 Rockford Rookie of the Year was drafted in 2011 in the 2nd round (36th overall) .. leading the IceHogs in scoring (10-2-8-10) as a defenseman at the time of this writing .. undersized but cerebral puck mover with a solid outlet passing ability and penchant to carry it himself .. could get more propulsion from a fairly strong skating stride .. aggressively ventures from the point, always looking to create offensively .. doesn’t pinch off the point, he abandons the area looking for the set up play .. still maturing in his physical game, but he’s shown a clear deficiency against bigger and stronger opponents due to his size .. improved situational and positional awareness however .. will sacrifice himself to just stop players from moving ahead, or curbing forward momentum .. generally showed patience and a clear understanding of options – within defined timeframes when confronted with pressure .. caught out of position and stopped on many occasions – has to keep his feet moving .. can opt for the difficult but flashy play instead of keeping it simple, with a plus for creativity and pushing the envelope .. putting together the offensive tools to become a reliable puck moving blueliner, as long as he can overcome size and strength deficiencies .. still lots of upside, especially with added bulk.

Dylan Olsen, D

Solidly built, Blackhawks 1st round pick in 2009 (28th overall) is solidly built, towering at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds .. scoring at 0.5 points per game and firing pucks at will, earning first unit power-play - premium powerplay time, considering the alternatives .. quick shot with a tricky release although it’s somewhat erratic .. first intention was to use stick checks and positional awareness uncharacteristic of the physical nature and aggressiveness along the wall .. could be more willing to use his size in greater instances seemingly able to lean into opponents and gain leverage when engaging along the boards .. strong and very agile on his feet, for a big man .. skating stride is smooth and quick .. displayed a lot of start/stops gaining position on Marlies forwards trying to two-step around him .. made crisp and clean outlet passes and jumped into the rush often as well .. has to find that right mix of strength and aggressiveness that seemed to lack to some extent against Toronto – albeit, playing heavy minutes in the second game o back-to-back nights .. still more there.

Viktor Svedberg, D

Undrafted Swedish behemoth is listed at 6-foot-9, 235 pounds and it shows on the ice .. likely one of the bigger defenseman on this team and in the AHL .. start up is slushy and slow off the mark .. skating is lumbering considering his size, but he makes up for lack of foot speed with sheer presence and industry – difficult to maneuver around as a bigger rearguard, but must be cognizant of his gaps, as they could be tighter .. once again, that’s offset by a long reach and stick, limiting space around him .. seems to be more reactive to the play and less intuitive than his peers .. lacks a natural anticipation, but makes up for it by playing within structure, straying from his defensive perch very little .. doesn’t always efficiently cut space and will allow players to manoeuvre in front of him before engaging .. doesn’t really take advantage of the size, or as long reach as he could be a towering force, but may be more of a gentle giant .. misses natural meanness to his game .. lacks some puck skills, too .. doesn’t make a lot of skilled plays, but is proficient with a good outlet pass .. established as a big body presence, but must improve with his puck skills and could be a target in that regard.

Jimmy Hayes, RW

Former Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick (2nd round – 2008, 60th overall) cracked the Blackhawks lineup out of training camp with holes created by the departure of David Bolland and Michael Frolik, before being assigned to Rockford .. still plagued by skating deficiencies, like a choppy stride .. stride pulls down an otherwise stable and controlled puck possession, with his head up distribution .. deceptive to looking off defenders and not shy about firing shots versus Toronto, shooting – or at least, an attempted shot .. squandered two opportunities to set up a teammate for a low-percentage shot .. underrated playmaking skills, however, as he showed not only the ability to send pucks tape-to-tape, but anticipation to get pucks to where players are going to be .. uses his size and long reach to keep pucks away from defenders upon confrontation .. big and lumbering .. had a brief stint in the NHL during 2012-13 lockout shortened season, and another two games in ’13-14 .. could see a return to the NHL, however in a limited impact role.

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