Fantasy Hockey - Coming up on the Halfway Point

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Tingkai
Or it shows that Iginla isn't that important.

Actually it shows exactly that but in a good way. The team is learning that they can win without Iginla . .. that they can be a good team without him.

They absolutely do need him to move from their current status as a decent/good team to become a very good/elite team.

IMHO to do that they need

1. Better special teams
2. regehr playing better
3.More production (ie ANY) from the 4th line
4. Iggy playing as he can and has
5. Kipper moving from good/very good to "exceptional"

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher
Recall, their record is better without Sundin than with...

Once again, you're wrong. The Leafs have won a lot more games with Sundin than without.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
Once again, you're wrong. The Leafs have won a lot more games with Sundin than without.

durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
would that be 'cause they play with him more in the record than with out...

Note: Better record speaks of the winning percentage.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Flubber


Glad to see you agree . You and Asher were BOTH harping on whether it was 5 or 6 or 7 so much, I thought that one of you thought it might . . . I dunno MATTER.

I knew it was obvious but you two kept duking it out about the quantity so much, I felt it only appropriate to mention the quality of the injured player(s)

The Flames are now 4-0 in their latest string with 4-6 players injuredincluding 3.5 games without their best player

It's an interesting effect. The Oilers muddled along pretty well without Hemsky and Smyth. They promptly fell apart when they were both back.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by notyoueither


It's an interesting effect. The Oilers muddled along pretty well without Hemsky and Smyth. They promptly fell apart when they were both back.

The Sportsnet commentators noted that a number of teams have done VERY well without their "star"-- It is an interesting phenomenon but even if the Flames go 7-0 without him, I will be happy to see him come back

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher

durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
would that be 'cause they play with him more in the record than with out...

Note: Better record speaks of the winning percentage.

WTF are you talking about.

The Leafs have a winning record when he is playing. You claim their record is better without him. You're wrong.

And if you look at only the 35 games in the past dozen years when he did not play, yes the leafs won more than they lost, because the Leafs have won more than they have lost for the past decade.

Now with Iginla, the Flames have a losing record since he joined the team, which I wouldn't blame on Iginla. The Flames have been so pathetic that no star could save them.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Flubber

The Sportsnet commentators noted that a number of teams have done VERY well without their "star"-- It is an interesting phenomenon but even if the Flames go 7-0 without him, I will be happy to see him come back

Who wouldn't be happy to get an Iginla back? However, you then lose the 'step up' effect.

I don't think the Oilers are particularly well led, and that translated into a slump when the stars returned. They added less than the extra that was being thrown in in their absense. A team in better hands might not suffer it.

[Ninot]

Habs win again. Not their best win, but a win is a win, and noone got hurt

[Sparrowhawk]

I can't beleive I forgot to re-activate Datsyuk. He has been DTD lately, but I knew he was back, I just forgot to move him back to active against Phoenix

Good night for him, not such a good night for me. The Krushers should be happy, bad strategy move me

/me

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
WTF are you talking about.

The Leafs have a winning record when he is playing. You claim their record is better without him. You're wrong.

What is the record with and without Sundin, if I'm so wrong?

I do know the Leafs were clicking well this year with Sundin out. Sundin even said he was worried his return would throw the team off its winning ways (that happened anyway).

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Tingkai


Now with Iginla, the Flames have a losing record since he joined the team, which I wouldn't blame on Iginla. The Flames have been so pathetic that no star could save them.

The Flames did have a large number of years when they were not good at all and you are correct in that no single player could elevate them to being a good team. See a real hockey fan can admit their team's deficiencies

The Flames TODAY are a "good" team. They have not yet shown that they are a "very good/ elite" team but there are indications that are encouraging. Their flaws of poor special teams seem maneagable given how well the Flames do in the 5 on 5.

The Leafs if we want to talk about the past , have never been an elite team in the last 30 years. They have gotten to "pretty good" a few times but more frequently have been merely average despite big payrolls.

TODAY the Leafs are a flawed team with weak defense and very inconsistent goaltending. They have enough offense to win impressively sometimes and to even beat very good teams. Buit they have struggled to get very far past .500 abd the reality is that .500 is unlikely to get anyone in the playoffs this year.

I actually hope that they make it . Its more fun if they do. BUt I am looking at the other teams in that playoff hunting bunch in the east and while all have their flaws, I am not particularly liking the Leafs chances. Although looking at the teams from 9th through 13th in the east, it seems like no one is stepping up. NONE of those teams have a winning record in their last 10 games

[Flubber]

Lets look at Phoenix upcoming schedule

Sat Jan 13, 2007 HOME Sharks
Mon Jan 15, 2007 HOME Blues
Wed Jan 17, 2007 AWAY Avalanche
Thu Jan 18, 2007 AWAY Sharks
Sat Jan 20, 2007 AWAY Kings
Fri Jan 26, 2007 AWAY Avalanche

The Coyotes 2 games there in Colorado will be key if they can maintain a reasonable record otherwise. Two wins and they will probably catch the Avs. Two losses and their hopes flicker.


The bigger problem for Phoenix may be that Vancouver is generally playing well right now , Both Calgary and Minny have been great at home and if they could even come close to .500 at home, it would be very difficult for anyone to gain any ground on them.

[Asher]

The Flames are 6th in the league for goal scoring.

What a change from last year...the lineup didn't change much...

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher
The Flames are 6th in the league for goal scoring.

What a change from last year...the lineup didn't change much...

While you are correct that it didn't change that much, most of the changes did add offence.

People are starting to talk more about Tanguay and his passing . . . Giordano scores more than Leopold did. Moss is chipping in and is new


It doesn't take a LOT of change if you think that your core scorers are underperforming. JUst adding enough players to get the existing folks going better can be enough

[Asher]

Does anyone know what the league record is for number of giveaways by a team in a season? I'm pretty sure the Oil will break it this year.