jaromir jagr – McKeen's Hockey

Training Camp Notes – October 3rd, 2017

Ryan Dadoun — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 22:25:53 +0000

Anaheim

Ryan Getzlaf – Sustained a lower-body injury last week and hasn’t resumed skating yet. A couple days back Ducks coach Randy Carlyle did say on Saturday that he expected Getzlaf to play in the opener, but that’s on Thursday so we’re cutting it pretty close now.

Patrick Eaves – Didn’t end up playing in any preseason games. His lower-body injury might keep him out of the season opener as well. He’s another player Carlyle projected to be available for the opener while speaking on Saturday though, so we’ll see.

Arizona

Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Good news on this front. His recovery from his knee injury has progressed to the point where he’s been practicing with the Coyotes. It looks like he’ll be ready for the season opener.

Antti Raanta –A lower-body injury kept him out of the Coyotes’ last preseason game. He practiced with Arizona on Sunday though, so he’ll probably be fine for the opener.

Boston

Torey Krug – The Bruins are hoping that his jaw injury only sidelines him for the first three-to-five regular season games. In the meantime, he has been skating. For what it’s worth, when he does return he’ll be wearing a protective mask.

Buffalo

Benoit Pouliot – Was on a line with Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo during Sunday’s practice. He had been practicing as a bottom-six forward previously, so it will be interesting to see if he ends up on that unit to start the campaign.

Zemgus Girgensons – It was bad news for Girgensons. He was previously on Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo’s line, but Girgensons was knocked down to the third unit with Sam Reinhart and Jason Pominville. The Sabres’ third line has potential though.

Rasmus Ristolainen – After averaging 26:28 minutes per game last season (up from 25:17 minutes in 2015-16), Sabres coach Phil Housley wants to cut Ristolainen down to 22-23 minutes per game. The hope is that will keep him fresher for the final stretch.

Calgary

Jaromir Jagr – Signed a one-year contract with Calgary that comes with a $1 million base salary. Not sure what line Jagr plays for, but here’s a fun aside: Jagr was drafted the same year as Matthew Tkachuk’s father Keith. Keith Tkachuk retired seven years ago.

Carolina

Lee Stempniak – His hip/back problems remain something of a mystery. On Monday Hurricanes coach Bill Peters remarked, "We've got to get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later." Stempniak is questionable for the season opener and how much time he might miss beyond that seems like anybody’s guess.

Chicago

Connor Murphy – Sustained a lower-body injury on Saturday and didn’t practice on Monday as a result. It’s not clear if he’ll be available for the opener.

Colorado

Jonathan Bernier – As mentioned before, he sustained a groin injury on Sept. 25. The good news is that he resumed practicing with the team on Monday.

Columbus

Brandon Dubinsky – Got into the preseason finale on Saturday after missing all the previous exhibition contests due to a wrist injury. He should be fine for the season opener.

Pierre-Luc Dubois – Although the Blue Jackets have experimented with using him as a center, it looks like he’ll be serving as a left winger to start the campaign. His projected linemates are Brandon Dubinsky and Matt Calvert.

Boone Jenner – His back injury will keep him out of the season opener. Beyond that there’s no timetable for his return. He hasn’t skated with the Blue Jackets yet.

Detroit

David Booth – Signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Red Wings. It sounds like he’ll be in the lineup for the season opener, probably alongside Riley Sheahan and Luke Glendening.

Florida

Owen Tippett – He’ll be part of the Panthers’ roster for the start of the 2017-18 campaign. The downside is that it might be as a fourth line forward, so he might not be a fantasy factor for a while still.

Los Angeles

Mike Cammalleri/Jonny Brodzinski – The two might find themselves on either side of Anze Kopitar to begin the season. Obviously that would be great news for both of them, but it’d be a particularly big opportunity for the rookie Brodzinski.

Minnesota

Zach Parise – Is now expected to miss the first two games of the regular season due to his back problem. He also missed the Wild’s whole preseason schedule.

Nashville

Viktor Arvidsson – There’s been talk of him not opening the season with Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg. Two potential candidates to replace him on the top line would be Kevin Fiala and Scott Hartnell. None of that’s been finalized yet though.

New Jersey

Jimmy Hayes – More of an FYI because he doesn’t have fantasy value, but he did earn a one-year, $700,000 contract with New Jersey after attending the Devils’ training camp on a PTO.

Pavel Zacha – He’s getting a big opportunity off the bat as he’s projected to open on a line with Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri. It’s not set in stone, but Devils coach John Hynes called it a “strong possibility.

NY Rangers

Kevin Shattenkirk – It’s not surprising, but it looks like Shattenkirk will be paired with Ryan McDonagh to start the season.

NY Islanders

Jordan Eberle – Another bit of anticipated, but nice to be basically confirmed news is that Eberle will be starting the campaign alongside John Tavares. The third member of that unit should be Anders Lee. Islanders coach Doug Weight has been happy with that trio so far.

Ottawa

Derick Brassard – Has been cleared for contact, so he might be able to play in the season opener. He’s been recovering from a shoulder injury.

Erik Karlsson – Still dealing with a foot injury, it’s now very unlikely that he’ll play in the opener. Not sure when he’ll be back.

Philadelphia

December 5, 2015:Philadelphia Flyers Defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere (53) moves the puck out of the Flyers zone in the first period during the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire)

Shayne Gostisbehere – Sustained an upper-body injury during Sunday’s game. There hasn’t been an update yet, but he did join the Flyers’ flight to San Jose (ahead of Wednesday’s opener), so you could take that as an encouraging sign.

Travis Sanheim/Sam Morin – They were battling for a spot on the roster, but if Gostisbehere isn’t available then they could both stay on the roster for now. Fellow rookie defenseman Robert Hagg did make the roster so he should remain with the squad regardless of Gostisbehere’s status.

San Jose

Joe Thornton – He made his preseason debut on Saturday, clearing the way for him to participate in the opener. He underwent knee surgery to repair a torn ACL/MCL.

St. Louis

Scottie Upshall – Not of much fantasy relevance, but he did sign a one-year contract with the Blues. He began on a PTO with Vancouver, but found an opportunity with the Blues instead due to their injuries. Upshall is likely to enter the season on the fourth line alongside Kyle Brodziak and Chris Thorburn.

Washington

Tom Wilson – He’ll have a hearing tomorrow (Tuesday) for boarding the Blues’ Sam Blais. He already served a two-game preseason suspension over interference, so maybe this will be a harsher punishment as a result.

Brooks Orpik – Capitals coach Barry Trotz is tentatively planning to pair Orpik up with John Carlson to open the season. Orpik usually played alongside Nate Schmidt last season, but he’s not with the team anymore. Similarly, Carlson’s most common 2016-17 partner, Karl Alzner, is also gone.

Jakub Vrana – Not set in stone, but there’s a chance that Vrana not only opens the season with the Capitals, but does so on a line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Winnipeg

Matt Hendricks – Is on the injured reserve after sustaining an undisclosed injury during Wednesday’s preseason contest. He’s regarded as day-to-day.

Andrew Copp – Suffered a knee injury during Saturday’s preseason contest. Jets coach Paul Maurice hasn’t ruled out Copp for the season opener though.

Fantasy Hockey Mailbag: The Last Ride?

Chris Wassel — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 01:33:01 +0000

A funny thing happens this time of year and no it is not Spring. However, thoughts immediately turn to the second season while still worrying about the end of the regular season. So many things happen in the final week and it can get quite chaotic. This year is a little unique in the sense that the NHL hits Game 82 for all on a Saturday. It is not unprecedented by any means but it has been awhile.

There are obvious problems with this. Now in rotisserie leagues, no one really cares much because you play until the end anyway. However, in head to head leagues that are going this week, it is a six day week and most major fantasy platforms have pro-rated your moves, etc. It makes a difference when you look at it. So you can take a guess what one of the questions that came my way because it came with a lot of venom from some. Who could blame them?

Okay let's begin.....

Fantasy Hockey Mailbag

What are your thoughts on playing the last week of the regular season in fantasy hockey?

Since there are multiple ways to play these days and now daily fantasy hockey as well, there are at least three different ways to answer this.

DFS -- This one is simple. I do not really like it but I will play away on Wednesday and Saturday. Friday's two game slate is just not that appealing and honestly Tuesday is not all that good and Thursday is not optimal either. Think of this as torture. No one knows when players like Zdeno Chara will return just yet or if other injuries will occur. Daily is far tougher to gauge as well because it is a one day contest. If someone unexpectedly sits, that goose egg resonates throughout your lineup. It also means one probably does not cash. No $$$ is bad news as they say. Players will also be "shut down" for minor things so expect that too.

Roto/Points -- Honestly, I do not mind the last week all that much. It is like playing through the string. You expect it in rotisserie leagues. That 15 game Saturday slate is going to decide a lot of leagues. Personally, I am in a few myself and the difference in money will literally come down to probably the late games. That is how you want a league to end honestly. It is so much more fun when things come to a thrilling conclusion and not just a whimper. Some will like quiet thrashings but they are not exciting for everyone. The leagues you talk about are the ones that keep you on the edge of your seat and roster moves right down to the wire.

H2H -- NO! This cannot be emphasized enough. NO! It was bad enough I made a mistake in my own personal league and had this, not realizing it until it was too late. Granted there are a couple playoff races left and some seeding to be determined but all that needs to occur is a few players sitting and that kills a finalist at the most crucial moment. There is nothing more agonizing to see a whole season down the drain because Carey Price had to rest on a Saturday. I am not going to say that will happen but hypothetically it is possible. This is why next year I will make sure every league ends the week before the regular season ends. Call it a lesson learned in remembering dates.

Okay....we have time for one more.....

So which player(s) may influence lines and fantasy production this week?

It has to be the Florida Panthers first line of Jaromir Jagr, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Aleksander Barkov for daily fantasy. Yes they only play two games but those should be impact filled. Now if it is season long in any format, it is the hope that Marko Dano of the Columbus Blue Jackets is on the second line at some point this week. He is fun to watch and worth the gamble. Also keep an eye on whatever line Brett Connolly is on for Boston this week as they end their regular season on the road.

Finally, the Rangers should see something from the Kevin Hayes line this week and maybe he is still on waivers somewhere. The kid is good and does have that exuberance and skill you want to see. He has not hit the wall needless to say.

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Next week's edition will be later in the week due to the break between the playoffs and end of the regular season. Good luck, thanks for reading, and as always you can follow me on Twitter @ChrisWasselDFS.

Let’s Make a Deal

Carl Lemelin — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 13:45:30 +0000

Thirty games or so are in the books and we have a much better read of things than when the season began. Time to assess our roster and determine who out there is about to take off, because in fantasy sports we’re in the business of value speculation. It may be now or never for the trade that could be the difference between second place and the Big Prize everyone seeks.

Here are some ideal “buy low” and “sell high” candidates at the moment.

BUY LOW

Mike Cammalleri (LW) – CAL: The sniper is in a funk with only 2 points in his last 8 games. This is a contract year for the 31 y/o and the Flames, although a competitive group, clearly are not a playoff team. That means Cammalleri will be moved to a team that will have a much better supporting cast, especially where the winger makes his money, the PP (Calgary’s ranks 24^th at 15%). Take advantage of a trigger-happy owner right now, before Cammy starts another scoring streak!

Mats Zuccarello (RW) – NYR: OK maybe this guy is hot right now (3-3-6 in his last 5 games) and may not look more like trade bait than a “buy low” candidate, but I believe in “The Hobbit’s” staying power. At 26, this could just be the tip of the iceberg for this offensive dynamo. The former Swedish Elite League scoring champ has uncanny vision and finally has a coach who gets him and is giving him all the ice-time and offensive responsibility he’s been craving. If you’re in a keeper league, go after him before his current owner realizes exactly what he has.

Matt Moulson (LW) – BUF: After registering 4 multi-point games in his first 8 games as a Sabre, the pending UFA has considerably cooled off (2-1-3 in his last 10 games). Make no mistake, he was acquired to be moved and parlayed into a prospect/draft picks bonanza for the troubled Buffalo franchise. Much like Cammalleri, Moulson will soon find himself in a much better scoring environment. A 4-7-11 line in 17 games for a team on record pace for offensive mediocrity (1.60 G/G) is still impressive. An impulsive fantasy owner may be an easy prey for you here to make a steal of deal.

SELL HIGH

Mark Giordano (D) – CAL: The Flames’ new captain came back from injury as hot as he was before, scoring a goal and assisting on another in his first game back. He is currently the only defenseman in the league to average a point-a-game (11-3-8-11). The 7-year veteran’s best season was in 2010-11 (82-8-35-43) and his career PPG average is 0.41. He is “Mister Everything” for Calgary, therefore he can never focus strictly on his offensive game; his point production has always come in bunches and this fast start is just one of those bunches. Time to get as much value back for this asset as you can.

Semyon Varlamov (G) – COL: This one may have come one game too late (coming off an awful 8 GA performance), but Varlamov is still having a career year (13-7-0 and .923 SP). If you can identify an owner desperate for goaltending, the 25 y/o is at the peak of his potential value; even more so in keeper leagues. Focus going forward may become difficult, with the pending trial and possibility of deportation on his mind. Another issue that may hurt Varlamov’s numbers going forward is that the Colorado defense is starting to revert to what we thought they would be before the Avs shot out of the gate with that great October run.

Jaromir Jagr (RW) – NJD: At 41 there is no getting around the likelihood of a dip in Jagr’s PPG in the season’s second half. Yet his line of 31-11-13-24, +9 is very appealing to someone in need of a boost on the wing. You could get much more for Jagr however in a seasonal format rather than a keeper league. The fact that the Devils are an unlikely candidate to acquire offensive help before the deadline is yet another reason to parlay the big Czech into a bigger asset.

ARE THE STARS ALIGNING?

Patrick King — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:52:39 +0000

Tne Land of a Thousand Lakes is being transformed into the Land of Free Agent Spending.

The franchise in Minnesota is coming out of the wild and into the forefront of the hockey community after their big spending spree, inking the top two free agents in Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. It was a major coup for the Wild, whose 12th place finish now appears to be a thing of the past.

Sure, they were 14 points behind the playoff picture cutoff point behind the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, but a team with the likes of Parise, Suter, Dany Heatley, Mikko Koivu and Devin Setoguchi is far more prepared for the playoffs than before.

There’s a lot to like about the Wild both as a fan and as a poolie. Parise will likely go early in your draft, as he should, but just as any championship team, the depth of your drafting will provide the blueprint to a league championship.

Heatley’s past two seasons were nothing to write home about, but it’s time to revisit the days when he was an early pick. Heatley could be the biggest benefactor of Parise’s presence in Minnesota. Aside from Parise’s dynamic skill-set, the prodigal son plays a heart-and-soul style which will force everyone around him to match his intensity.

In Heatley, you have the perfect reclamation project who should provide immediate returns. Don’t wait too long before drafting him or any of the previous core in Minnesota.

DID THE SHARKS MISS THEIR OPPORTUNITY?

If the window hasn’t closed on this group, it’s closing quickly. The San Jose Sharks aren’t getting any younger and their most recent playoff failure leaves one wondering if they will ever succeed with this group.

For the sake of your pool, keep this team on your radar. Joe Thornton will put up points in the regular season while the trio of Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski are about as consistent you will find.

Take advantage of the fact the Sharks are no longer in vogue by taking the reliable point producers this team continues pinning its hopes upon. If nothing else, you know their point production should continue.

RESURGENCE IN WASHINGTON

If you had Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom or Mike Green in your pool last year, we feel your pain. Lick those wounds quickly because the gravy train should be back in D.C. The coaching carousel is over and if there’s one thing we know about new head coach Adam Oates from his playing days, it was his offensive imagination. This now means players like Ovechkin and Backstrom should have the reins taken off and given the green light to do what they do best.

In Green’s instance, injuries cut what was already a disappointing season short. It may be a little too optimistic to think he could return to the player that had consecutive 70-plus point seasons a few years ago, but a 50-point season (should he remain healthy) is not out of the question. The Capitals could use his offensive boost from the blue line and the contract he signed this summer is an indication of management’s confidence in him. Take a chance on him once more and don’t look back.

ARE THE STARS ALIGNING?

If the Kings taught us anything last season, it’s that bold managerial moves and adding proven talent can be a recipe for success. The Dallas Stars had one of the better off-seasons with the acquisitions of Derek Roy and the ageless wonders Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr. The Stars have a mish-mash of talent in their top six that is now among the league’s best.

Roy could flourish in a new environment, depending on how he recovers from shoulder surgery. Whitney is one of the league’s quietest stars and Jagr showed he can still contribute. The biggest question is whether the Stars will find chemistry, but there’s no denying these three additions complement the core nicely in Dallas.

Loui Eriksson should be your primary target from the Lone Star state. Whitney is worth the gamble while Jagr and Jamie Benn should improve upon this past season. Alex Goligoski could also return to form with the injection of offence in Dallas.

The Stars and Wild are paper giants heading into the season. Their overall team success is still a question mark, but the depth of talent on each team should pay dividends to your pool. Trust your gut and dial it back to a time when players like Heatley and Whitney were in their primes. These are risks worth taking in 2012-2013.

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES

Brayden Schenn, Philadelphia Flyers

Schenn is a proven point-producer at every level, except the NHL. Injuries derailed his first pro season, but he showed he could make an impact during the playoffs. Given a full bill of health, Schenn should evolve into the physical, offensive torrent many predicted during his junior days. Don’t let him slip through the cracks and make sure you secure him relatively early in your pool.

Charlie Coyle, Minnesota Wild

Coyle walked away from Boston University last season to join the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Saint John Sea Dogs and immediately became one of junior hockey’s top marksmen. Coyle averaged nearly a goal per game in the playoffs, helping the Sea Dogs defend their league title. He will make the jump to pro hockey this season and could have a big rookie campaign with the supporting cast in Minnesota.

Sven Bartschi, Calgary Flames

Had it not been for an agreement between the CHL and the NHL that limited Bartschi to an emergency call-up basis late last season, he likely would have finished the year in Calgary. The Swiss sensation averaged an eye-popping two points per game in the Western Hockey League last season and brought his team to Game 7 of the league final. Bartschi scored three times in five NHL games, as sure a sign as any other that he’s ready to contribute.

Cody Hodgson, Buffalo Sabres

His first full season was successful with 41 points in 83 games between the Canucks and Sabres, but his second season should be even better. Now that he is firmly planted in Buffalo and with the departure of Derek Roy to Dallas, the opportunity has never been better for Hodgson to prove his worth. Look for him to reward the Sabres’ confidence with a potential 60-point season.

Jaden Schwartz, St. Louis Blues

Schwartz is a sleeper whose secret may be out after joining the Blues for seven games down the stretch. What he loses in size, he more than makes up for with his skill and determination. Schwartz had two goals and one assist in seven games and could see his role increase dramatically over the course of the season. He provided offence in every stop during his career and could be ready to take off next season in the NHL.

Patrick King is the Canadian Hockey League columnist for Sportsnet.ca and a contributor to McKeen’s Hockey. He is also writing a book on the Windsor Spitfires