Ah yes…fantasy hockey 101 is back and more importantly…the fantasy hockey season is up and running. I just wanted to do a quick run through of the centers that may not be in the top 10 in most roto leagues but you may just want to snatch them up now….or bask in the glory when they surprise everyone.
My number one surprise…well okay he had a 30 goal season last year is Zach Parise of the Devils…..he is ranked anywhere from 12th to 20th amongst fantasy centers so it isn’t that much of a stretch. However in the Devils “system”…for him to be a top 10 fantasy center will be quite an accomplishment. He is going to see first line like ice time this year unlike last season…and his clear knack on the power play has been evident throughout the preseason culminating in his 2 PPG effort against the New York Islanders. I may be on the minority here but I can realistically see Parise having 85 points or more this season…and being in the top 5 in power play points…not too shabby from the kid who went to North Dakota.
Next up will be Paul Stastny…again not a major surprise as he has been consistently ranked between 11th and 15th in most publications…some have him even 9th or 10th in a few cases. His playmaking and consistency are his trademark…and like the old man…he has a way of getting points in situations where he shouldn’t. Playing on the power play with Joe Sakic for another season will only help his cause. As a matter of fact…Stastny will be almost as well known this season for his goal scoring…he has quite the little shot and many goalies do not fear it but now they will. His conditioning program in the offseason has paid dividends as he has developed a little more upper body strength and maintained his smooth skating style. I can easily expect a 90 to 100 point season from him and he will be a staple of many fantasy keeper leagues for years to come.
Third up….yes now this is more of a real surprise is Nick Backstrom. A phenom if anyone has seen one but most are uncertain of his true potention versus his actual projected stats. ESPN, TSN, and THN were a little all over the place with this guy…but I can see him being this season’s fantasy splash. Playing with Ovechkin definitely doesn’t hurt but this 19 year old has all world talent no matter what. Will he put up a point scoring streak like Stastny did last season…probably not. However, I can see him producing 70 points or more if all breaks right and quite possibly the Calder Trophy right with it. He will be a scary proposition for many goalies to face night in and night out.
Finally, this may be the year for Nigel Dawes to break on out. I have been saying this for a couple years and the Rangers really haven’t given him much of a chance but he may just get it this year….right? Well I certainly hope so…he may just be as good as Parise and his playmaking is even better. He has been more or less rotting in Hartford but now may be the time for the Rangers to give him some scoring line time to see what he can really do. If the Rangers do this and he plays a full season, he is going to shock someone and score a ton of points especially with that offensive firepower in the lineup. Don’t go to sleep on this talented guy and see if he’s available.
Next week we are going to take a look at four left wingers that are not quite projected in the top 10 but may just make a top 10-like impact this fantasy season….and there will also be a week 1 recap from The Stevens League and maybe just maybe even the LSHL.
