Scott Gomez – McKeen's Hockey

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Rookies and Veterans

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 01:18:50 +0000

During the season it is important to keep an eye on the transaction wire in the NHL to stay abreast of players who have been recalled from and sent down to the AHL. Young prospects that have impressed in the minors sometimes only need a chance at the NHL, and what may have started as a short term recall can quickly become a permanent roster fixture. Here are three players who have been called up to their NHL clubs recently.

Melker Karlsson, San Jose Sharks - Centre 25% owned

Karlsson was recalled on Monday by the Sharks and made his season debut on Tuesday. While Karlsson was held pointless he had three shots and delivered five hits playing 15 minutes on a line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. It was somewhat of a surprise that Karlsson didn’t receive a roster spot to start the season as he was impressive last year when he arrived playing in 53 games recording 24 points in that span. Karlsson is a solid candidate to begin producing at a consistent pace, especially if he can hold down a spot on a line with the Joe’s!

Andreas Athanasiou, Detroit Red Wings - Centre 15% owned

I have long been a fan of AA since seeing him in junior. His blazing speed and ability to control the puck and make plays at top speed are skills that translate well in the NHL. He has highlight reel goal scoring abilities and made his pro debut last season in Grand Rapids. After a strong rookie pro season he was a standout in training camp and in several preseason games. AA scored his first career goal in his second game, and while he has the ability to score works of art goals, it was no Rembrandt as it is one Holtby should have had.

Frank Vatrano, Boston Bruins – Left Wing 22% owned

Vatrano exploded out of the gates with Providence in his rookie season scoring ten goals in ten games. A goal-a-game scoring pace over ten games is sure to get you a look at the next level, and sure enough he scored his first career NHL goal in his first game. Vatrano is playing on a line with David Krejci and Loui Eriksson and could hold down that role as David Pasternak is injured.

Old, but not obsolete

When choosing between young, unproven players with upside and veterans who are on the decline I usually lean towards the younger player. However if you need more reliable, predictable production for the short term, here are three grey beards who are widely undrafted and available that still have some gas in the tank

Scott Gomez, St. Louis Blues – Centre 8% owned

Gomez won a contract after a successful audition with a PTO and has seven points in ten games this season. With four points in the last three games the veteran has been providing consistent and modest production all season. If he is filling out one of your last forward roster spots with a cap hit of $550k producing a point per game, that’s great value.

Martin Havlat, St. Louis Blues – Right Wing 8% owned

The Martin Brodeur effect is in full force in St. Louis as Marty has signed two of his old teammates from the Devils in Gomez and Havlat and gave Dainius Zubrus a shot as well with a PTO. While Zubrus didn’t work out, Gomez has been a success and after two games, Havlat has one goal while averaging a modest seven minutes a game. Havlat has a two way contract and if the Blues are healthy Havlat may end up either in the press box, or in the minors. Havlat is also knows as Mr. Glass so one way or another expect him to be a short term solution should you claim him as a free agent in your league.

Shane Doan, Arizona Coyotes – Right Wing 27% owned

With plenty of ink being used to write about an impressive young group of coyotes in the desert in Max Domi, Anthony Duclair and company don’t overlook old man Doan. No, I am not suggesting Doan will score 30 goals but he can be counted on for decent production and he provides solid peripheral stats as well. So far he has seven points including three power play points, 33 shots on goal, 28 hits and 16 penalty minutes this season.

Making the most of their opportunity

Sometimes a player just needs a break to show what he can do, and occasionally they get that chance. Perhaps injuries force them up the depth chart, or it could be a change of team or Coach. Whatever the reason, here are three players making the most of their opportunity.

James Reimer, Toronto Maple Leafs – Goalie 39% owned

The Leafs seem hell bent on anointing Jonathan Bernier as the number one goalie and Reimer has had a struggle finding starts since Berniers arrival. Now that Bernier is on the shelf with an injury, Reimer has been handed the ball and he is running with it. In two games against the Dallas Stars Reimer was outstanding, in his last two starts against Dallas and Washington his save % has been .947 and .935. It would be very difficult to take him out of the net right now, even if Bernier returned.

Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils – Right Wing 56% owned

Palmieri is riding a hot streak of nine points in his last seven games, and being over 50% owned you may not be able to add him at this point. However, if he is available you will likely not find a better option. He is only 24 years old and his point per game pace is trending up steadily over the past three years. He has been playing regularly on a line with Jiri Tlusty and Travis Zajac and the unit has had chemistry.

Charlie Coyle, Minnesota Wild – Centre 48% owned

Coyle seems to be the beneficiary of the injury to Zach Parise and he has two points in the last two games. Coyle has promising offensive skills and needs a chance in the top play in the top nine or top six to showcase his abilities. Lately he has been playing with Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville and making the most of it.

All ownership numbers based on Fantrax leagues

All line combinations are from Frozen pools via Dobber Hockey

2015 Training Camp Round-up – Oct 7th

Ryan Dadoun — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 19:02:03 +0000

The NHL's opening game rosters for this season are officially in and six players from the 2015 NHL Entry Draft have been included. They are Edmonton's Connor McDavid (1st overall), Buffalo's Jack Eichel (2nd), Carolina's Noah Hanifin (5th), Colorado's Mikko Rantanen (10th), Pittsburgh's Daniel Sprong (46th), and the Sabres' Brendan Guhle (51st).

Guhle is a bit of a different case though as he's dealing with an upper-body injury and is currently on the injured reserve. He might get a nine-game trial once he's healthy, but Buffalo hasn't committed to that. If he doesn't, then it will technically be Sprong who was the last player picked to make his team's 2015-16 roster. The Penguins might have gotten a steal with him as he was viewed as a potential first round talent at one point.

While the jury is still out on that, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford was certainly happy with his performance during the preseason.

“He’s strong on his skates, he sees the ice well, he’s got a very good shot,” said Rutherford, per Sportsnet. “He certainly doesn’t play at the level his age is. … We kept watching [in pre-season] to see if something was going to change.

“Right from his first game he was creating scoring chances for himself and for his linemates, and really playing like a guy that’s been around.”

Although Sprong made the final cut, sixth overall pick Pavel Zacha fell just shy in his quest to make the 2015-16 New Jersey Devils. Zacha was limited to just 37 games with OHL Sarnia last season, so it might do him some good to spend another campaign at the junior level working on his game.

Moving away from the rookies, the Buffalo Sabres already have a full sickbay even if you don't include Guhle. Captain Brian Gionta is the latest casualty with a day-to-day lower-body injury, but they're also opened the campaign with more players than any other on the injured reserve list, including Zach Bogosian, Josh Gorges, and Cody McCormick.

While many outside of the Sabres' locker room wrote off the 2014-15 team before that season even started, the expectation is that they'll take a significant step forward in the first season of the Eichel-era. It won't be devastating to the franchise if injuries keep them near the NHL basement for another season, but the last thing the Sabres want is the perception that they're having troubles lifting off following a massive rebuilding effort.

The St. Louis Blues are relatively healthy by comparison, but they are of course entering the campaign with one significant missing piece in Patrik Berglund. The 27-year-old forward underwent back surgery in August and isn't expected to return until January. Of course, we already knew that, but it's worth raising again today because the Blues have placed him on the long-term injured reserve list and used part of the cap savings to sign Scott Gomez to a one-year, two-way contract.

Gomez, 35, was attending the Blues' training camp on a tryout basis, making this the second straight season that he secured a contract after auditioning on a PTO first. The main difference being that when he went the same route with the New Jersey Devils last year, they didn't sign him until December.

He's not a star forward anymore, but his resurgence with the Devils last season (58-7-27-34) suggests that he can still be a valuable secondary scorer. He will also provide the Blues with another veteran leader.

This move comes after the Blues decided to ink fellow tryout veteran Scottie Upshall to a one-year deal as well. They're both relatively low-risk moves that took advantage of last summer's buyer-friendly UFA market.

Meanwhile, Curtis Glencross received the unfortunate distinction of being released from a second tryout in the same year. He's still just 32 years old, but his future has become murky.

"I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Glencross told the Calgary Sun.

“I’m trusting that God’s plan for me and my family is bigger than what I can understand at this point. It’s definitely a setback and heartbreak for me knowing that this could be the end."

He's not sure yet if he'll decide to head to Europe or hold out in the hopes that a team will approach him during the season. The latter certainly can't be ruled out as there will obviously be injuries teams need to adjust to as the campaign drags on.

Dan Cleary, 36, has a contract, but his future is similarly vague. After being limited to 17 games last season, he's been placed on waivers. If he clears, he'll be sent to the minors in what could signal that he's played in his last NHL game.

His $950,000 cap hit for the 2015-16 campaign makes it probable that he will go unclaimed, although you never know. Perhaps, despite his recent struggles, Leafs coach Mike Babcock will be interested in a reunion.

Before we know the outcome of that though, the NHL season will officially get underway. The new-look Toronto Maple Leafs will take on the Montreal Canadiens at 7:00 p.m. ET; the Chicago Blackhawks will begin its defense of the Stanley Cup against the New York Rangers at 8:00 p.m.; the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks will battle in a rematch of their second round series at 10:00 p.m.; finally, the rival Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks will round out the opening night festivities with a game starting at 10:30 p.m.