Fantasy Hockey - Fantasy Harder with a Vengance

Asher · December 5, 2006, 20:46

TORONTOOOOOO! YOU ARE TEH R0X!!!

All the ELITE PRESTIGE oozes from such a team.

That team couldn't even get cast in the next Disney Hockey Movie.

Ninot · December 5, 2006, 21:55

Toronto is funny.

I can't wait for the point when they realise they have no chance. That was precious last year.

Asher · December 5, 2006, 22:31

Another Kipper shutout. Carolina goes down 3-0...8th consecutive home-ice victory for Kipper.

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 00:26

Next 4 games could be a key sorting out point for the NW division . calgary has Minn-Van-- Minn-Van. A split and it stays close but any kind of streak could really rip it apart

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 00:27

Oh and Calgary looked awesome tonight-- They outshot Carolina 15-5 in the first and got a 2-0 lead. Then they just ground it out . Kipper made a couple of nice stops but it was truly a very nice team victory.

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 00:31

Hmm and in other news

Ottawa won ( again) and

Toronto lost AGAIN

hmmm I know a guy in these threads that repeatedly predicted that Ottawa was much better than they showed and Toronto could have trouble--- had a name something like Rubber or Grubber or something

Don't get me wrong -- Toronto is not that bad -- I expect they will be in the playoff hunt all year long and I expect they will fall just short-- It wouldn't shock me if they make it but I really see them just barely out of the playoffs

Sparrowhawk · December 6, 2006, 00:36

I think his name was Blubber

I would be pleased to see all 6 Canadian teams make the playoffs but I doubt it will happen. I suspect Toronto is the biggest longshot but I wouldn't be surprized if 3~4 teams make it.

/me

Asher · December 6, 2006, 08:12

Originally posted by Sparrowhawk
I think his name was Blubber

I would be pleased to see all 6 Canadian teams make the playoffs but I doubt it will happen. I suspect Toronto is the biggest longshot but I wouldn't be surprized if 3~4 teams make it.

* Sparrowhawk

The 3 bottom Canadian teams, all of which are longshots, are:

Edmonton (barring a big trade for a single competent d-man)
Toronto
Vancouver

The top 3 Canadian teams are a lock, I think (alphabetical order):
Calgary
Montreal
Ottawa

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 08:41

Originally posted by Asher

The 3 bottom Canadian teams, all of which are longshots, are:

Edmonton (barring a big trade for a single competent d-man)
Toronto
Vancouver

The top 3 Canadian teams are a lock, I think (alphabetical order):
Calgary
Montreal
Ottawa

I actually agree with this top 3 but I see Edmonton as a playoff team despite their troubles. Toronto and Vancouver will have difficyulties for opposite reasons. Toronto is so wildly inconsistent and can score a tonne but I don't think its a coincidence that EVERY team with a worse GAA than them is now well out of a playoff spot.

Vancouver is frustrating. They can play solid d . . . Luongo looks solid . . . but then they play game after game after game without scoring. I mean how freaking long can any team go without really breaking out. I expect that they will soon have a game where everything goes in -- every bounce goes their way and they put up 5 or 6 goals-- it HAS to happen-- they have had some decent offensive attempts with no real success

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 10:15

More on Toronto

Can even their most ardent fans deny there is a problem when a team

1. gives up so very many goals
2. blows two goal leads in the third period-- not just once but repeatedly.

wow what a ride as a team to watch!!

TO is now 7th in the conference and even more telling is that the teams behind them all have games in hand

NJ 1 point back -- 4 games in hand
Rangers - 1 point back -- 2 games in hand
Boston - 3 points back -- 4 games in hand
Washington 3 points back -- 3 games in hand

Since all these teams average better than a point a game-- Toronto's position is a bit of an illusion . . . I know they are 7th today but the reality is that if they continue to perform at this clip, they will miss the playoffs

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 10:18

and where did Boston come from?? I had them pegged as a non-contender (still do to some extent) but 7-3 in their last 10 and looking very very competitive. I know they currently sit outside a playoff slot but they are keeping in striking range

Asher · December 6, 2006, 10:21

Toronto, as a team, is simply horribly assembled. Amazingly. they just gave JFJ an extension...

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 10:41

Calgary

They are 10-3 at home and 3-7-2 on the road. Last night they dominated carolina and they have also had some dominat performances at home against some of the leagues top teams lately.

The question is whether they can become road warriors. Elite teams MUST win on the road-- I actually think Calgary needs a bit more scoring to be "elite" but they should be good enough to get to .500 on the road.

Thats why their tilt in Minnesota is big for them. They need to become a team that can win away from home-- I think they have a team that can be successful on the road but they have yet to really validate this belief

Kontiki · December 6, 2006, 11:19

My Canadian team projections from the beginning of the year are largely unchanged at this point:

Calgary - Can't stand them, but I'll pick them to win the Northwest and finish 3rd in the West. No change from pre-season.

Edmonton - Will most likely get into the playoffs at 7th or 8th seed. No change from pre-season

Vancouver - Will probably finish out of the playoffs in 9th or 10th. Not much change from before - pre-season I would have said I wouldn't be surprised if they missed the playoffs. I've now adjusted it to I'll be surprised if they do make the playoffs. Still my team though.

Ottawa - Definite playoff team, probably 5th seed, maybe 4th. Buffalo has what it takes to win that division, Ottawa should finish second. Spezza is unreal. Obviously a slow start, but no change from pre-season.

Montreal - Will make the playoffs, probably as 7th or 8th seed. Will finish third in Northeast. No change from pre-season.

Toronto - Will not make the playoffs, probably finish as 10th seed. No change from pre-season.

Ninot · December 6, 2006, 11:28

So you're predicting a repeat of last year?

Why will Montreal not keep pace, I'm wondering?

Asher · December 6, 2006, 11:30

Huet playing too much is my guess.

Also, too many Frenchmen = not enough endurance.

Kontiki · December 6, 2006, 11:36

Originally posted by Ninot
So you're predicting a repeat of last year?

Why will Montreal not keep pace, I'm wondering?

Pretty much. I just think that though Ottawa stumbled out of the gates, they are a stronger team than Montreal. Ottawa has more prime-time firepower than Monteal (granted, Montreal has a more balanced attack), I'd rate their D better and while Gerber has been a bust, I think Emery is a legitimate #1 goaltender, and his stats from last year and so far this year are better than Huet. As I see it, Emery had two problems last year: 1) He didn't have enough experience, though that wasn't as big as 2) he was ridden into the ground by playing all the time. He's a really good keeper, but he's not a Kipper/Luongo/Brodeur who thrive on playing almost every single game.

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 11:40

Hmmm and Kipper continues up the goaltending stats

Now third in GAA-- In a 3 way tie with Huet and Emery on save % at .931 and tied with Lehtonen for most shitouts

Kippersoft indeed!!

@ Ninot-- it appears that one bad outing has taken Huet down quite a bit in the goalie rankings. as for MOntreal's rankings, I can't see them catching Buffalo and I pretty much expect Ottawa to surpass them and probably Carolina-- So I could very much see them as a solid 6th seed-- Thats actually probably not a bad place to be since it would get the weakest points-wise of the division winners and I believe Montreal matches up well with any team in the Atlantic

Ninot · December 6, 2006, 11:40

Originally posted by Asher
Huet playing too much is my guess.

Also, too many Frenchmen = not enough endurance.

We don't have all that many frenchmen, really

Latendresse, Begin, Boullion, Huet, Dandenault.
I think that's it.

Kontiki · December 6, 2006, 11:41

I think the most interesting team right now is the Islanders. Are they for real?

Asher · December 6, 2006, 11:41

Originally posted by Flubber
tied with Lehtonen for most shitouts

Are shitouts the opposite of shutouts? Eg, Roloson's 4 goal on 16 shot performance the other night?

Ninot · December 6, 2006, 11:42

Originally posted by Flubber I pretty much expect Ottawa to surpass them and probably Carolina-- So I could very much see them as a solid 6th seed--

Carolina has looked weak this year. I dont see them climbing all that much in the standings.

cinch · December 6, 2006, 14:21

Havlat supposed to be returning to Chicago this week. They've actually kept pace somewhat with the 7-10 seeded teams, so they might be able to make a push. I really don't think they have enough talent to make the playoffs--especially without Handzus--but if The Wall gets hot, and Havlat returns to form...

Ya never know.

cinch · December 6, 2006, 14:23

Also--Richard Matvichuk is returning for the Devils soon after being out for all of the season thus far. As we all surely remember, NJ just barely squeaked under the cap with the Malakhov deal, so Matvichuk's $1.9m salary won't exactly fit into their plans.

So we could be seeing a trade of one of their mid-level guys--Brylin, Matvichuk, maybe even Langenbrunner--some time in the near future.

cinch · December 6, 2006, 14:24

Originally posted by Kontiki
I think the most interesting team right now is the Islanders. Are they for real?

I have no idea, as I haven't had a chance to watch them play this year. But if Ted Nolan is really getting Alexei Yashin, Viktor Kozlov, AND Tom Poti to play up to potential... He must be the greatest coach of all time.

Flubber · December 6, 2006, 14:40

Originally posted by Asher

Are shitouts the opposite of shutouts? Eg, Roloson's 4 goal on 16 shot performance the other night?

amazing the typos that can happen when you hit the key adjacent to the one intended

Kontiki · December 6, 2006, 14:42

Maybe Wang can negotiate a 35 year contract for him, completely bypassing Snow. Then Snow can quit, strap on the pads and get a 10 year deal between the pipes, freeing DiPietro up to become GM.

Asher · December 6, 2006, 14:42

I love the term shitouts though, meaning the opposite of shutouts. I'm going to use it henceforth.

Asher · December 6, 2006, 15:29

How can you not like Kiprusoff, anyway? Tingkai is crazy.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/Sports/Hockey...53049-sun.html

As if facing one of the most potent attacks in hockey wasn't enough of a challenge, Miikka Kiprusoff dashed out of his net late in last night's game to do something he's never tried.

With the Flames pressing hard at the other end of the ice, a puck thrown by a fan rolled into Kiprusoff's end prompting the netminder to abandon his net as play continued.

To the delight of a sold out crowd already chanting his name, he fired the second puck into play down ice.

"I tried to score," laughed the quiet netminder with a shrug.

"I was kind of waiting for us to have the puck, then I went -- I wanted to show the refs it was there."

As the puck zipped by a confused Rhett Warrener, play was whistled down by the refs.

Just when you thought the Vezina Trophy winner had run out of ways to steal the spotlight, he'd done it again.