Rick Nash – McKeen's Hockey

NHL Playoff Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins (2) vs. New York Rangers (3)

Daniel Friedman and Robert Howard — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 17:26:30 +0000

Summary: They're the hottest team in hockey, and have been a nearly unstoppable force over the past few months.

They're the Penguins, and they're going to lose this series.

Why? Their defense remains a question mark, and they're scoring at a rate that's just unsustainable. There are questions around the health of Evgeni Malkin and Marc Andre Fleury. Both are expected back soon, but it is a factor.

They're up against a battle-tested opponent in the Rangers that might not have been as good as them in the regular season, but we expect the veteran-laden Blueshirts to raise their game. In particular their defense needs to step up and neutralize Pittsburgh’s strong possession game - and will be challenged by speed. The Rangers have also been shooting at an unsustainable rate this season, but will benefit from a closer checking game - and the leveling of that playing field.

And as good as Pittsburgh's offense is, if there's a goalie that can repel it, it's Henrik Lundqvist.

It'll be an extremely close series, but it'll go to the Rangers.

PREDICTION: Rangers in 7

Game One Recap: Jeff Zatkoff started over game-time decision Marc Andre Fleury (concussion) and delivered a big performance, stopping 35 of 37 shots and keeping the Penguins in the game. He carried a shutout into the third, when the Rangers scored on a 5-on-3 power play. Henrik Lundqvist’s eye injury is the most chilling result of the game. We have picked the Rangers, but without Lundqvist, everything changes. His status is being kept under close wraps by the Rangers, similar to Pittsburgh’s silence on their starter for game one. Patric Hornqvist (2G, 1A) and Sidney Crosby (1G 2A) combined for six points. Derek Stepan scored both New York goals. New York won the Corsi battle 55 CF to 36, and delivered 46 hits to the Pens 29.

Key Injuries: Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin (both expected back soon), Matt Murray, Beau Bennett, NYR – Ryan McDonough

Critical Factors: Henrik Lundqvist is critical to New York’s hopes. They finished 15^th in the league in defence after finishing first last season, and 34-year old King Henrik has looked average at times, with moments of brilliance – he finished with a very middle of the road 14^th in save percentage (0.920) and 22^nd in GAA (2.48 – min 30 games). The window to win is closing, and he remains a very good bet to put the regular season behind him and rise to the occasion. Eric Staal was acquired at the trade deadline and Keith Yandle retained, both UFA’s this summer, so the team went all in for a run. The Penguins have been flying (pun intended) under new coach Mike Sullivan, appointed in December. Since he took the helm they posted the league’s second highest CF% (54.6), just behind LA, and a full two percentage points above third place – up from 20^th place (48.4%) under coach Johnston – a remarkable turnaround that can’t be ignored. Marc Andre Fleury was making a case for the Vezina at stretches, and finally looked ready for the big Spring performance everyone has been waiting for, before suffering a concussion. The Rangers boast an experienced defensive group that outmatches Pittsburgh’s and their poise in handling the Pens firepower, and interrupting their strong possession game could be a big point of differentiation in the series. It will mean a number of them raising their game - but they have been here before. Ryan McDonagh, their best defenceman, broke his hand, but is listed as day-to-day.

Potential Breakout Players: The Penguins stars have been playing at an elite level since the coaching change Sidney Crosby (50-27-36-63, 1.26 PPG), Kris Letang (45-13-37-50, 1.11 PPG), Evgeni Malkin (26-13-18-31, 1.19 PPG). Nick Bonino (13-5-11-16 together) filled in well for Malkin between Phil Kessel (13-6-7-13) and Carl Hagelin (37-10-17-27 with Pittsburgh, 13-6-7-13 with Bonino and Kessel). Crosby linemates Patric Hornqvist and Chris Kunitz could flourish if he continues to raise the level of his play (see game one). Derek Stepan was blazing hot down the stretch with 17 points in his last 10 games (10-8-9-17) – adding two goals in the first game. He and Chris Kreider form an effective tandem (nine points in his last eight - 8-5-4-9). Rick Nash has only scored twice in the last 16 games (16-2-0-2) after suffering a bone bruise. Mats Zuccarello has been skating with Stepan on the top line over the last while, and is coming off a career year – largely combining well with Derick Brassard for much of the season. A big playoff could be in store.

Season Matchup: Pittsburgh 3-1

Key Stats

CF% 5v5 (war-on-ice.com): PIT 52.6% (2^nd) NYR 47.5% (25^th)

PDO (war-on-ice.com): PIT 100.6 (7^th) NYR 102.3 (1^st)

Power Play (NHL.com): PIT 18.4% (16^th) NYR 18.6% (14^th)

Penalty Kill (NHL.com): PIT 84.4% (5^th) NYR 78.2% (26^th)

Goals For per-game (NHL.com): PIT 2.94 (3^rd) NYR 2.84 (7^th)

Goals Against per-game (NHL.com): PIT 2.43 (6^th) NYR 2.62 (15^th)

Notes: New York enjoyed the most ‘puck luck’ of any NHL team – finishing first in both OSh% (8.9%) and OSv% (93.4%). The on-ice save percentage has been top four for the last four years (1^st, 4^th, 2^nd, 1^st) so Lundqvist looms large – on-ice shooting percentage is elevated based on previous years – 4^th last year, but 28^th and 18^th the previous two. Pittsburgh owns a large advantage in possession at 5v5 – and are middle of the road on OSh% with 7.5% - until you look at a their 9.1% OSh% since January – which jumps to 9.9% in the months of March and April – not likely sustainable despite their superstars. Both power plays are middle of the road, but the Rangers weakness penalty killing stands out.

Around the Boards: Fantasy Notes

Robert Howard — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 15:59:46 +0000

Paraphrasing Brian Burke, he once famously declared otherwise knowledgeable, experienced GM’s lose their minds at the trade deadline and free agency on July 1^st. Making their greatest mistakes at the trade deadline, followed closely by free agency. In fantasy hockey, the trade deadline is also fraught with ill-advised deals, and a heightened level of desperation in search of a championship, but there is an argument to be made that the first ten games of the fantasy hockey season produce some interesting trade opportunities. Surprising results from a small sample of games can lead to some itchy GM fingers in the ‘irrational exuberance” of the excitement of another season.

However, if you keep a relatively cool head it is a good time to make some trades based on early results. One of the time-tested measures for goal scorers in particular, is the number of shots they are producing, and their corresponding shooting percentage. A look at the top shot producers in the league to date uncovers some established scorers who should see the law of averages begin to work in their favour. There are some excellent sites doing some advanced work on shooting and scoring chances, but we will stick to a simpler approach for this article. Here are some suggestions to throw a buy-low offer at.

Taylor Hall on Edmonton leads the league with 39 shots, with a 7.7% shooting percentage. Not a big dip from the 8.9% he connected on last year, but down from his career shooting percentage of 11.0%.

Daniel Sedin is tied for second in the league with Tarasenko and Pacioretty with 36 shots and a meagre 5.6% shooting percentage. Well off his career average of 11.6%, but be aware he has not shot at that level since 2011-12. In the previous three seasons he has posted an 8.2% shooting percentage, as he has been producing around a twenty-goals pace. A long way from his heyday, and should temper any hope of a significant uplift.

Brent Burns leads all defenseman in shots with 35, but has only one goal, with a 2.9% shooting percentage. His past results get a little muddied by his time as a forward of the past few years, but has shot at 8.0% over the previous two seasons. Given the scoring opportunities created by his bomb from the point, it is very encouraging that he is firing away 4.4 shots a game versus 3.0 last season.

Tied for ninth with 32 shots each are Nazem Kadri, Rich Nash and Radim Vrbata with a 3.1% shooting percentage and a single goal to date. All of them are due to rebound.

Rich Nash owns a 12.4% career shooting percentage and potted 42 last season with a 13.8% success rate.

Kadri, has almost double his shot count from last season with 4.5 a game versus 2.4 last year (with a 10.2% shooting percentage).

Vrbata recently was re-united with the Sedins, and looks to be staying there. He has been firing well below his career average (9.4%), but the opportunities have been there and he is due.

Ryan Johansen (one goal in 24 games) and Nick Foligno (one goal in 30 shots) are both due. Johansen’s injury clouds things, but they are good buy-low targets. Look for a turnaround from a dismal start, with a kickstart form new coach Tortorella. Foligno may not hit the highs he did last year, but his stats will improve.

Other honourable mentions include Jakub Voracek with no goals on 28 shots. Claude Giroux sits with one assist to date, so they are likely to ignite together. Two games this week against an injured Buffalo team and one against New Jersey (playing well and not an easy out) could be the tonic.

In addition to some unexpected starts there was a slew of injury news to start the week in the NHL. Here are some key fantasy performers that will shake up line combinations and your line-up decisions.

The St. Louis Blues are early front-runners for the ‘Triage Award’ for injuries this season, having lost Patrik Berglund, Paul Stastny, Kevin Shattenkirk, Jaden Schwartz, and Robby Fabbri for periods. Schwartz being the lasts blow that will remove him from the line-up for three months. Opening opportunities for Ty Rattie and Dmitrij Jaskin to fill some much needed offensive holes. The 22-year old Rattie is off to a hot start with the Chicago Wolves with four goals and seven points in three games, in his third season with the Wolves. Here is an excerpt from his McKeen’s profile available for subscribers.

“Skilled sniper netted 17 goals in 36 games before his recall from Chicago Wolves .. scored 12 goals between his second and third assists of the season .. watched Blues postseason from press box and then was scoreless in three Calder Cup games .. crafty and slick in possession thanks to good athleticism, quick hands .. beats opponents with elusiveness and speed of execution .. flashy skater – light and nimble on his feet .. lateral agility is well above average – excels making diagonal cuts .. able to sustain speed through crossover sequences .. at times shy about driving into congested areas .. work-in-progress away from the puck .. scattered, unstructured, not a puck winner .. swerves out of coverage lanes – can be slow picking up defensive marks .. attempts low-percentage diagonal passes .. may not play regularly if he’s not in the top six”

Jori Lehtera becomes ever more central to the attack, centering the top line in the absence of Paul Stastny. He had been previously lining up with Schwartz. He skated 22:40 in the last St. Louis game, leads the team in P/60 with 3.59, and is familiar with Steen and Tarasenko. He skated 82% of his shifts in 2014-15 alongside Tarasenko. An opportunity for a sophomore breakout and significant increase of his 44-point rookie season.

Colton Pareyko has seized the opportunity opened up by Shattenkirk’s injury. He has produced five points in the last six games, including two power play points in 2:34 of average ice time. He played over 22 minutes a game for the last two and shown poise and confidence, and not afraid to rush the puck. At 6’5” and 225 pounds he looks like he belongs at the pro level.

Buffalo has lost Evander Kane for four to six weeks with a torn MCL. The Sabres have recalled forward Tim Schaller from Rochester, where he had a goal and an assist in six games. Line juggling at practice saw Nick Delauriers taking his place, but a natural goal scorer will be hard to replace on the offensively challenged Sabres, having only scored 16 goals this season in eight games. I am not sure there is a silver lining for anyone’s fantasy upside in this situation. Sam Reinhart may be the biggest beneficiary, but he has already produced solid numbers with four points in eight games.

Aleksandr Barkov is expected to be out of action for two to four weeks with a broken bone in his hand. Surgery is not required, limiting his time on the sidelines. It will affect his grip on his stick and something you will want to monitor on his return, before inserting him into your line-up. It is a blow to the Florida Panthers as he appeared to emerging as a breakout star, at both ends of the ice. Three goals and six points in seven games, picking up from the hot finish to last season alongside Jaromir Jagr and Jonathan Huberdeau. Exceptional two-way play for a third year pro.

Ryan Johansen listed as day to day, but undergoing tests. He has been plagued by low energy, and the team is insisting it is not related to his heart, after being hospitalized this summer for an accelerated heart rate according to the Columbus Dispatch.

He missed the Blue Jackets first win of the season under new coach John Totorella. I am not a big fan of Tortorella’s coaching style, but this may be a good fit in the short term to inject some energy into a moribund team. The personnel fits his style. If Johansen’s medical concerns turn out to be easily remedied, he could be an excellent buy-low target.

Detroit’s two free-agent acquisitions are now both on the shelf. Mike Green has been sidelined for two to three weeks with a shoulder injury, from a hit from Calgary’s Josh Jooris. Green had been struggling to adjust to life in Motor City, having been replaced prior to his injury on the first unit powerplay by Niklas Kronwall, as the only defenseman on the unit with four forwards, prior. He had only produced one point in seven games.

Brad Richards continues to undergo tests on his back, while not believed to be serious, the potential for continued problems this season should make you wary. Age combined with the always tricky back could make for continued difficulties.

The NHL’s three stars were led by Evgeni Kuznetsov with a spectacular nine point week. He is no longer under any radar, but has looked sensational centering Alexander Ovechkin and Oshie. The shocking thing is he could actually had more goals from his chances. He provides two dangerous scoring units, with Niklas Backstrom coming back strongly from injury with seven points in three games to skate between newcomer Justin Williams and Johansen.

The Caps look like they could be a offensive powerhouse this season, with John Carlson emerging as a bonafide superstar on the back end, and a second-ranked power play, that features two excellent distributor from the half boards in Backstrom and Kuznetsov - with some deadly finishers in Ovechkin and Oshie to feed.

Jake Virtanen comfortable shouldering hype, expectations

McKeen's Staff — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 11:18:55 +0000

Jake Virtanen always met the bar no matter how high it was placed.

The product of Abbotsford, B.C. has a compelling story to which he continues to add. A dual Canadian-Finnish citizen, Virtanen joined the Calgary Hitmen two years ago with a lot of fanfare and high expectations. Those expectations mounted entering his sophomore season and the burly winger didn’t disappoint.

During his bantam season, Virtanen hoped he would be drafted in the first or second round by a Western Hockey League team. In this instance, his expectations were lower than that of the Hitmen, who made him the first player chosen in 2011. A childhood friend of his, Matthew Barzal, followed in his footsteps as the first pick in the 2012 draft by Seattle.

Virtanen is that special breed of forward that mixes a sniper’s touch with a physical game. He compares his playing style to Rick Nash’s.

Although Virtanen holds a Canadian and Finnish passport, he grew up in Canada and has never been to Finland and hopes to represent Canada in future international tournaments. He feels he plays a Canadian style.

“I play a gritty game,” he said in January. “I think Finnish players are more skilled. It’s a different game. (The Finnish style is) completely different from the Canadian and American game. I think they play an East-West game and we play a North-South game. They have all the crazy breakouts. We just go down and we try to take pucks to the net.”

That style is commendable but may have caught up to Virtanen. He underwent successful shoulder surgery in late May, which will sideline him anywhere from late September to late November.

Photo by Brad Watson

Jake Virtanen (2014), RW

Budding power forward exploded with 45 goals this year marking a 29 goal improvement over his rookie season of 2012-13 .. former 2011 1st overall WHL bantam pick is a dynamic and lighting quick skater .. won both the forward and backwards 30 metre sprint at the Top Prospect Game testing .. sensational ability to create time and space for himself with deceiving change of pace and bursts of acceleration .. seems to do more with his skating ability .. despite quick hands his effectiveness is diminished by his passing efficiency and play selection .. very reactive player that doesn’t seem to anticipate the game, rather responds to it .. hockey sense routinely comes into question .. wicked release and can shoot on the fly without breaking stride .. at his best when he intimidates with his speed, driving defenders on their heels and engaging in 1 on 1 situations .. still needs to adopt better structure, playing a scattered game while gravitating to and over-fixating on the puck .. improved this year defensively playing with more determination, blocking shots and being involved physically .. Virtanen has the size and skating ability to satisfy a role in the NHL however he will infuriate top players as he does not always distribute the puck in a timely manner.

Monday Mailbag

Darren Kennedy — Mon, 26 May 2014 12:24:10 +0000

A regular piece where you guys do all the work. And an excuse for us to watch endless old Seinfeld clips. If you’ve got a question for next week’s mailbag you can shoot it in to darren.kennedy@mckeenshockey.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL6ubXD9ZjY&feature=kp

Our very first Monday Mailbag at Mckeen’s. If all goes well (and you guys send countless emails to the editor championing the article) this will be a regular piece. At least once a month during the summer and then we’ll aim for bi-weekly during the 2014-15 season.

I’m pretty much open to anything content-wise. If you want to talk about the new Spiderman movie and how Hollywood may have finally oversaturated our senses with unnecessary superhero flicks – that’s fine. If you’re frustrated by Zdeno Chara while playing NHL 14 for XBOX then heck, I want to hear from you (I’ve spent main nights cursing his cheat-code of a poke check myself)

Or, if you want to stick to fantasy hockey questions, well, that’s good too.

On to today’s mailbag…

Do you see Rick Nash bouncing back next season? Why/Why Not? Also, are any of the player profiles updated for next year yet?

I had a chance to connect with the team and basically said “people are getting excited for the player profiles, when are they coming out?” Everyone has been knee deep in preparing for the NHL Draft Guide that’s coming out June 1^st. With that nearing completion the player profiles should be coming out soon. I realize “soon” is relatively vague BUT can assure you that it’s priority one.

As for Rick Nash, I’ve tried to remain as balanced as possible through what has been a pretty incredible season. It’s a roller coaster worthy of Six Flags. He begins the year as a guy coming off of 42 points and 176 shots in only 44 games. Then, a concussion. Some serious symptoms ensue. He returns eventually, but is plagued by poor play for an extended time. Everyone starts asking “Why did the Rangers even bring him in!?” Then he scores 11 goals in 11 games through January and we proudly pronounce he’s BACK. Of course he followed that up with a playoff slump and was actually BOOO’d at home. More recently he posted two goals and two games and as you might guess is a fan favourite again.

Being a fan is exhausting.

Long story short. Nash is 29 years old. He’s an incredible talent and is (still) generating shots at an elite rate. I imagine he’ll be back to his old ways of posting around 35 goals, 30 to 35 assists, and north of 300 shots in 2014-15. If you can draft him expecting that and resist the temptation to jump ship at the first sign of a four game slump, you should be satisfied.

With changes already happening in Pittsburgh, what do I do with James Neal in a full keeper deep Dynasty league of 16 teams?

I remember mentioning to a buddy (who ironically owned James Neal at the time) that of all the elite, top 10 guys in fantasy he scared me the most. My rationale was that his value is tied so intrinsically to Malkin.

Today, those fears are probably greater than they were then. In 13 games this post-season (some in which he DIDN’T skate with Evgeni) he posted only four points. Granted, he was saddled with an insanely low shooting percentage (4.1%) and we’re dealing with an exceedingly small sample size. Nonetheless, it troubles me.

With new rumors surfacing that he could be dealt this summer it might be time to explore trade options. I by no means advocate taking a discount. When Neal is performing there are maybe five guys capable of putting up similar numbers (40 goals, 300 shots…etc).

Just make sure you aren’t left holding the proverbial hot potato when said potato ends up shipped to the Predators.

What kind of number (G/A) are you expecting for the following players in the next 3 years?

1-J.Gaudreau

2-A.Lee

3-B.Nelson

4-E.Etem

5-B.Connolly

Oh geez, you’re making me do some research today! *turns metaphorical hat backwards, gets to work*

I think I’ll get myself into trouble putting projections to each of these guys. They’re all relatively young and have very little NHL experience. Trying to guess exact goals and assists totals is kind of like me tossing darts in a pitch black room. I’ll hit the board every once and while, but more than likely we’ll end up with holes in the wall.

I can, however, talk about my thoughts on each guy.

Anders Lee is an exciting option for a couple of reasons. He’s six foot three, can skate, and posted decent numbers in limited action last year (14 points in 22 games). Most impressively he had 68 shots (over three per game) which is really uncommon for a young player. There is the added bonus of playing for the Islanders – they don’t exactly scream DEPTH. If he performs well this coming year there is a chance he sees regular top six time. If that happens I don’t see why he couldn’t challenge 50 points and close to 200 shots.

Brett Connolly has been zigzagged around multiple teams the last few years. He probably was called up too early in 2011, then played in the World Juniors, then the AHL, then 11 games with Tampa in 2013-14. The good news is he had quality totals in the AHL last year (31 goals, 32 assists, in 71 contests). The bad news is he has probably been passed on the depth chart by a number of guys. My guess is that he ends up as a hybrid third/second liner in coming years who might see a bit of limited time on the second power play unit. He has a pedigree (drafted sixth overall) so that could change. But for now, his fantasy prospects are bleak.

Emerson Etem is a bit of a wild card. I say that because a lot of his production will be tied into where he plays. According to Dobber’s Frozen Pool he only skated four percent of his shifts (in the playoffs) with Perry and Getzlaf, while taking nearly half with Smith-Pelly and Bonino. That’s not BAD per se, but he’ll need to see more shifts with the big guys and increased power play time (only had 39 seconds a game in the regular season) if he’s going to have sustained production.

Last year Nelson pretty much did everything you hoped he would. Stuck in the NHL for a full season (72 games) and produced strong rookie numbers (26 points, 132 shots). Much like Lee I’d be watching reports out of training camp closely. If he’s in their top six then I’d add 15 or 20 percent to his projections. Otherwise, it’s likely another year of development where he hopefully takes a step towards 40 points and decent shot totals.

And finally, Mr. Gaudreau. Well, he has played one game in the NHL. Not exactly a HUGE sample but I’ll opine about his future regardless. His seven goals in seven games for the United States at the 2103 Word Juniors speaks to his offensive upside. He’s a bit undersized, although that’s becoming less and less of a consideration for me with each passing year. Calgary will be wide open next year (and for a few years, if we’re being honest) so he’ll have a chance to land significant playing time.

Somehow you tricked me into making actual projections. I can already see the hate tweets when Anders Lee ends up on Tavares’ line and posts 70 points… HAHAH, LOOK AT THIS ARTICLE FROM DARREN KENNEDY IN MAY, WHAT AN IDIOT!

Sigh, such is life as a hockey writer.

I’ve got two keeper spots left on my team and three players to decide between – Sharp, E.Staal, and Zetterberg. Who should I keep?

Situations like this always force me to think about who has the most “perceived” value in your pool. In terms of actual production, it’s Sharp. Chicago has their entire core coming back next year, meaning he’ll once again be posting strong point totals, a great plus minus, and terrific shots. However, Sharp is perhaps the most underrated superstar calibre asset in fantasy.

Staal and Zetterberg almost certainly carry greater name recognition and could probably fetch more via trade. Henrik is nearing 34 years old (which always scares poolies away), not young, but not exactly ancient either.

If it’s me, I’d gamble on the fact that both Sharp and Zetterberg have at least two or three solid years left and trade Staal, knowing that he’ll allow me to best address needs elsewhere.

Just a short one: which 2014 pick do you think will have the most immediate offensive impact?

The guy I’m most excited about is Leon Draisaitl. He’s got a bit of a bigger frame and a lot of offensive ability (105 points in 64 games for Prince Albert in the WHL last year). If he can somehow end up in Edmonton with their third pick it could be a nice fit. That said, I’d temper expectations for year one since he may not even be in the NHL.

Here is a compilation of Draisaitl highlights. Yeah, he’s alright.

First of all these are the players I've considering keeping in my 14 team, 14 keepers league, I just joined, made a lot of trades already and grabbed some young prospects before we declare keepers, to start a rebuild. Feeling pretty good and looking at contending 2 years from now. (K) next to my thoughts.

4C, 4LW, 4RW, 6D, 2G, 1UTIL, 3 BENCH, 2IR

G:5 A:3 +/-:1 PIM: -0.2 PPG: 2 PPA: 1 SHG: 2 SHA: 1 HIT:0.2 BLK:0.2

I know, no shots, and PIM are negative. Strange.

C: Toews(K), Turris(K), E. Staal(K), Barkov

LW: E. Kane(K), Landeskog(K), Teravainen

RW: Simmonds(K), Voracek(K), Eberle(K), Doan

D: Hedman(K), Letang(K), Trouba(K)

G: Rinne(K), Howard(K), Elliott(K), Neuvirth

1. There seems to have been very few goalies that can consistently maintain solid numbers (à la Lundqvist), and there also seems to be a few goalies each season that come from nowhere and surprise everyone (Bishop, Varlamov). With that being said, I have Elliott, Howard, Rinne, Neuvirth, in a 14 team keeper, keeping 14 players. Wondering if I should bother keeping Neuvirth since it is a 14 team league and goalies are hot commodities, or trade him as part of a package saying how he has a good chance to start in BUF. Elliott I'm also not 100% on with the emergence of Allen but for now I like him. I don't really have room to try get Allen and do the time share thing with the forward depth I want to keep.

2. A guy like Barkov, I really like him and think he will be a stud. But he has really nothing for linemates and don't know if he worth keeping at this point or revisiting the possibility next year, or drafting him late if I can.

3. I tried my best to attain a solid couple guys in each position aged 23-26 that will be great for the foreseeable future. Do you think with these keepers I'm setting myself up for success in the future or are there any specific areas I should address or players you think I should target?

4. No one really wants to trade for Doan, but in our league he has been one if the more decent RW on a per game basis. I don't exactly have room to keep him but should I try make a 2 for 1 for an elite guy and keep him or just let him go since he doesn't match up with my time frame at all?

You win this week’s award for the longest email and I blame you for the fact my word count is out of control (almost 2700!). Although who am I kidding, I always love the detailed notes that show you poolies have been putting a ton of thought into making decisions strategically.

In a 14 team league your tenders are actually pretty good. Normally I wouldn’t recommend keeping Elliot or Neuvirth. That said, in a pool such as this, they’ll carry massive value if they can somehow land regular playing time. Worth the risk.

If your objective is to win in two years, which is reasonable, then you likely need to keep Barkov. Florida’s core could be something special in two years if their key pieces keep developing. Barkov has a pretty open laneway to their first line center position, which will come with loads of cushy power play time.

Overall you’ve done a great job acquiring guys with overlapping prime years, which is the key to a rebuild. Everyone doesn’t necessarily have to be in their mid-twenties though. My advice is don’t be afraid to add another guy like Staal (or even a Spezza, Marleau, Thornton-type) who may be on the decline, but will still be a consistent option in two years’ time. If you can keep this group together, with a couple of small adjustments, there is no reason you won’t be contending in 18 to 24 months.

Oh Shane Doan. He seems to have spent his entire career being perpetually underrated. Sadly, at age 37 (soon to be 38), there isn’t really a next chapter to his career. He had a nice season in 2013-14 (47 points in 69 games) and you should probably move to send him out while there is still some residual value left.

What are new stats like corsi, pdo, ipp etc? Where do I go to get the best info to help me understand these stats and if my team is going to be any good with these new stats.

Just want to learn how to take in all this new information for stats. Is there a site to generate these for entire NHL league or do you have to manually do it?

This is a great question and one that comes up a lot. It’s something I’ve been wrestling with the past few years. A two-step process – making sure I actually understand each new “fancy” statistic and then working to layer it into my fantasy evaluations.

Here are some helpful resources.

The guys over at Artic Ice Hockey put together a number of posts detailing various advanced stats. If you read through all of these it should give you an introduction to most stats and what they can (and often can’t) tell us.
Sean McIndoe has an awesome Faker’s Guide to Advanced Statsitics in the NHL over at Grantland. This lays out all the basics in a clear and concise format. And of course no one is a more enjoyable read than Sean.
If you’re looking to review data, as opposed to reading about these stats, the easiest site to use is Extra Skater. They have loads of data that can be easily sliced by team or player as needed. I could (and have) spent hours on this site, it’s incredible the depth of information available.

There are a few other resources you could use. But for now, as a starter package, that should suffice (plus it forces you to send me a follow up question for our next mailbag…. Muhaha)

We made it. The inaugural Mckeen’s mailbag. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions and comments this week. A free tip for future iterations. If your question contains anything relating to, or POSSIBLY relating to Valeri Nichushkin you will almost certainly be published. He’s my fantasy hockey kryptonite. Heck I’d do a weekly post on just him if the editors would let me (they probably won’t let me).

Make sure to check us out on Facebook where we’ll be posting regular content.

Cheers,

Darren is a fantasy hockey writer for McKeen's and Dobber Hockey. You can find on twitter @fantasyhockeydk or on his couch watching old reruns of Curb Your Enthusiasm.