Fantasy Hockey - Fantasy Harder with a Vengance

[Asher]

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]

Toronto is funny.

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

[Asher]

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

[Flubber]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Flubber]

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]

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]

So you're predicting a repeat of last year?

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