Occasionally we have guest appearances and today is no exception….as Daniel Dobish of RotoExperts takes over the seat for today. Here is his Slap Shots column for Week 2.
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Highlights: We’ll help you sift through the waiver wire, telling you who to pick up and who is not worth adding to a roster.
The first scoring period was an extended one for most Fantasy owners, and there were a lot of surprises. We don’t want to pat ourselves on the back, especially since Los Angeles kings C Anze Kopitar is a must-start in all leagues, but we did highlight him as a player about to take the next step toward superstardom. Through Thursday’s game at New Jersey, he has posted five points (3 G, 2 A) in three games, with at least one point in each contest.
How many people envisioned the start of Washington Capitals LW Jason Chimera? He has three goals in three games, including a two-goal contest Monday night. It was his first multi-goal performance dating back to Oct. 31, 2007. Fantasy owners should still be very, very careful not to overvalue the quick start. He is 32 years old, and if he hasn’t blossomed into a must-start in 10 NHL seasons, it isn’t likely to begin now.
One player that Fantasy owners might want to take a chance on is Nashville Predators C David Legwand. He has been productive in the past, but tends to fly under the radar, as casual fans still do not give the Preds their due as a legitimate NHL team. Legwand had helpers on both goals in a loss Thursday against Phoenix, and he has two goals and five assists in the first three games.
Teams with four games
Edmonton, Florida, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Winnipeg
Teams with three games
Anaheim, Boston, Buffalo, Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Colorado, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Montreal, Nashville, N.Y. Rangers, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis, San Jose, Tampa Bay, Vancouver, Washington
Teams with two games
Detroit, New Jersey, N.Y. Islanders
Edmonton Oilers C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got off to a brilliant start in his first NHL game, netting the game-tying goal with less than five minutes remaining in regulation Sunday, Oct. 2, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was blanked in his second game, but he is a player worth adding in 12-team leagues with deeper rosters. He is a must-have in all long-term keeper formats.
Fantasy owners are wondering if they should gamble on Dallas Stars D Sheldon Souray. He picked up an assist in each of his first three games, but was finally blanked Thursday. However, he was able to pick up nine penalty minutes (PIM) in the win. He was a forgotten man last season playing in Edmonton, and it seems he was not really motivated to play for a loser. If the Stars play well and he is revitalized playing for a winner, he very well might re-emerge as a Fantasy must-start. For now, only take a chance on him in deeper leagues.
INJURIES
Pittsburgh C Sidney Crosby (concussion) remains the big story, as he was finally cleared for contact in practice this week. This is still no clear timetable for his return, but he appears to be getting close. Fantasy owners will want to keep him on injury reserve heading into Fantasy Week 2 (Oct. 17-23), but it might not be too long.
His teammate, C Evgeni Malkin (soreness), was held out of Monday’s nationally-televised contest against the Florida Panthers due to what head coach Dan Bylsma called “soreness.” He was very vague, and did not confirm or deny that Malkin was having any problems with his surgically-repaired knee. For now, Fantasy owners should not be worried. Malkin was back in action, and he posted a pair of assists Thursday against Washington. Might he be rested from time to time? That remains to be seen. But for now, it looks like there is nothing to worry about.
New Jersey Devils G Martin Brodeur (shoulder) suffered a right shoulder injury Thursday night, although he said after the game that the injury was not serious. Still, it might be a good idea to add Johan Hedberg if you’re a Brodeur owner, just to be on the safe side.
THINGS TO WATCH
The defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins are off to a slow start, both offensively and in between the pipes. G Tim Thomas turned aside 31 of the 34 shots he faced in Raleigh Wednesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes in a loss. He’ll get a shot at revenge Tuesday night at TD Garden in Beantown. … There were questions about the goaltender logjam for the Islanders, but G Al Montoya is starting to answer some of them. He made a third straight start Thursday against Tampa Bay, and helped the Isles to another victory. He is 2-1-0, and is making Fantasy owners of Evgeni Nabokov and Rick DiPietro very, very unhappy. Keep an eye on this situation going forward, as it might change quickly if Montoya starts to let in greasy goals and the club starts losing. Remember, the Isles have just two games in the upcoming period, so even if one backup gets a start, someone will be the odd-man out. Right now, it’s a good idea to reserve all Islanders goalies not named Al. … The Carolina Hurricanes hit the road this week, as the North Carolina State Fair goes on back home near the RBC Center. G Cam Ward is likely to get a rest at some point, especially with a back-to-back in St. Louis and then Winnipeg. The legs might start getting tired with such a brutal early season schedule, especially for some of the veterans. Since they have just three games scheduled, it might be a good idea to reserve the likes of borderline Fantasy starters D Bryan Allen, D Tomas Kaberle and F Alexei Ponikarovsky. Did you know the Hurricanes have just two players on their roster, Kaberle and G Brian Boucher, born before 1980?
SLAP SHOTS
In Vancouver’s first four games, Gs Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider split the starting duties. Cause for concern? Slightly. However, we’ve seen this movie before. Last season, Louie won just one of his first six starts before rattling off six wins in seven starts from Oct. 26-Nov. 13. He runs hot and cold. If you’ve had him on your Fantasy roster before, you understand and deal with it. He went 21 straight starts between Dec. 8-Feb. 12 last season without a regulation loss. And that was after the slow start. Don’t be foolish with him and stick with it. … It’s just two games, but Toronto Maple Leafs D Dion Phaneuf had a goal, two assists and a plus-4 rating. We like Phaneuf to return to must-start Fantasy status, so don’t think this is an aberration. The Maple Leafs are still going to be middle-of-the-road, but he should be a standout.
