The Band-Aid Boys List - updated!

You've heard me talk about 'em. You've often wondered if I just pull them out of a hat (or perhaps, a certain body oriface). Nope. I get 'em off this list. A DobberHockey staple since 2005.

Definition of "Certified": The player is virtually guaranteed to miss games and is a significant risk to miss 12 or more.

Definition of "Trainee": The player has shown signs that he could become Certified. He is probably going to miss six or seven games in the coming season and has some risk of suffering an injury that will cost him 12 or more.

The rule of thumb - if you ever manage to acquire, accidentally or otherwise - a member of the executive committee or a Certified Band-Aid Boy, get them off your team immediately. Although they may have fantasy value, they are probably not worth the headache (no pun intended) if you can acquire a player of equal value who is not on this list. If you acquire any Certified Band-Aid Boy for the price of them as if they play 65 games, then that works - just don't overpay and expect a full season out of them.

If you acquire a Band-Aid Boy Trainee, then keeping this player should be okay...but too many of them on your team could (will?) be trouble. It is possible to go from "certified" back to "trainee", or from "trainee" right off of this list. But poolies need to see some stability in games played - often one healthy season isn't enough to clean the slate.

Band-Aid Boy Hall of Fame

Mario Lemieux

Alexei Zhamnov

Eric Daze

Ziggy Palffy

Eric Lindros

Dominik Hasek

Peter Forsberg

Pavel Bure

(Note - this is strictly for guidance in fantasy hockey. This list is not meant to belittle the seriousness of a player's injury problems, nor is it meant to punish a player for 'playing hard' and being a 'warrior' on the ice. It is what it is - a list of players who are at greater risk of missing games. "How" they miss those games matters little in fantasy hockey. In other words, this list is meant to be used as a tool to help your run your fantasy team, not to insult anyone)

Missing anybody? Overlook someone? Please comment! I review the comments before each update. We're helping each other here - trying to avoid the pitfalls of the Band-Aid Boy where possible

Comments (26)

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Front89 said:

	Letang Letang has got to be executive at this point, he's been out 3 separate times this year alone
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April 12, 2013
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JAMZ said:

Tiers While I always love reading this post, I would like if there were more tiers. For example, as a Joni Pitkanen and Derek Roy owner, it's hard to see them both in the same category. Roy had one serious injury last year and has been otherwise quite reliable. Pitkanen seems to be held together with cheap tape the past two seasons. Let's get another category just below the executive, where guys like this can dwell.

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April 11, 2013
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Rollie1967 said:

	Sami Salo Salo should be an executive by now. President of the Snake-Bitten Committee, for actually getting bitten by a snake while playing golf. He once got benched for a poor play, and the GM put him on the DL with 'hurt feelings'
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August 03, 2012
Votes: +2

Hockey Hoser said:

	... wow what a list. That's like half of the NHL lol.
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August 02, 2012
Votes: +3

coldsquad2002 said:

	... Had to laugh at your Excutive Committer positions followed by your statement that the list is not to belittle anybody. Also surprised that you did not name Berard to the position Excutive in Charge of Future Watching. I have a few guys on this list. JVR, Hossa etc. Better deal them quick
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August 02, 2012
Votes: +1

hockeypoolfanatic said:

	No Varlamov? Shocked to not see Varlamov on this list.
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August 02, 2012
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firmverm said:

	Coliacovo Carlo Coliacovo would seem to be a glaring omission, unless he's not eligible because he's unsigned? Guy has never played more than 67 games.
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August 02, 2012
Votes: +1

Jammer said:

	JvR JvR is already certified? In the three years he's been in the NHL his games played is: 78, 75, 43. True, last year he was a train wreck. But that's one year. Based on last year you should definitely list him as a Trainee. Certified? I'm not so sure.
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August 02, 2012
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bitterwingsfan said:

Dastyuk As a Wings fan, pretty surprised to see Pavel Datsyuk as "certified." I could see him being a "trainee" considering the last two seasons, yes, he has missed 12 and 26 games, respectively. That's a legitimate red flag, sure. But..a broken hand seems like such an anomaly in the grand scheme of things. I realize that the 26 games missed 2 seasons ago still "counts" but that's not an injury that's going to linger or potentially come back to haunt him. Not to the point that it would warrant saying "yes, from now on I'd bet 20 bucks this guy will miss 12 or more games every season." In fact, outside the prior 2 seasons, the last time he missed more than 7 NHL games was prior to the lockout. Maybe it's my fan bias talking, but if I were voting on this, I'd vote "trainee" and then re-evaluate again after this season. If he misses significant time once more, then I think there's a stronger argument for "certified."

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August 02, 2012
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marcaroge said:

	...... Great list! I would like to suggest Pavel Bure as a future nominee for Dobber's future Band-Aid Boy Hall of Fame (13 seasons in the NHL and only 4 seasons where he played more than 76 games). As for Zherdev, I don't think he was injured that often. Rather, I think he may have missed a lot of games because he was benched (a.k.a. a healthy scratch)
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November 16, 2011 | url
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Dobber said:

Dukla I was and still am a little...I guess 'bothered' is the word... that I had to draft Briere. I needed the upside, but once I drafted him I immediately went with safe, durable players afterwards. Just the fact that instinctively that fear existed in me makes him an automatic on this page. Granted, the last two years he missed 12 games (six per year) and that is borderline eligible. But if you recall what his issues were - he was initially supposed to be out for much much longer. And at this point he strikes me as a one-in-three chance of missing half the season. playing most of the season this year will change things, obviously.

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November 11, 2011
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Flyer Fan said:

	President Emeritus On behalf of the international brotherhood of podiatry, I just want to say that I think it's high time one of the true legends of the of the game, a first ballot Band-Aid Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg got the respect he deserves from the Band Aid Boy Executive committe and was named "President Emeritus".
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November 11, 2011 | url
Votes: +1

DuklaNation said:

	... Since becoming a regular in 2001, Briere has only missed significant time in 2 seasons, not sure if that really qualifies him. Most players do get injured at times.
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November 11, 2011
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notoriousjim said:

	... i think markov is more of just an old man still able to play. if you are drafting a guy that age and expecting a full season you are just nuts.
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November 11, 2011
Votes: +1

Gabriel Leblanc said:

	markov andrei markov a band-aid boy trainee? i would think by now he has graduated to have become a certified band-aid boy
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October 30, 2011
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shaun b said:

	Additions I can only assume that the more stats we begin to use, like hits and blocked shots etc, the more players who aren't usually fantasy relevant are now becoming so. Players you'd never draft are now being considered and therefore I'd like see them on this list. Great job. Thanks.
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October 20, 2011
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gfunkb7 said:

	... I believe Tim Connolly belongs in the executives as well, as let's say, the intern-Monica Lewinsky . Could be a nice add-on. The only year I don't own him (last year), he doesn't get hurt. He's got skills, but he's a freaking sissy! Wouldn't [draft] him even with a ten foot [hockey stick].
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August 19, 2010
Votes: +2

Ian said:

	... Milan Michalek?
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August 16, 2010
Votes: +1

mike hess said:

	few left to pick Longer list than I remember seeing historically? I think you just have to limit who you pick and hope they only miss 5-10 games, that is why you have IR slots and a waiver wire. Otherwise, you are eliminating a lot of talent from from the pool on draft day.
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August 16, 2010
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Dobber said:

... Grant - if I bet 20 bucks on them missing 10 games this year, then they're on the list certified. If I bet 20 bucks on them missing 5 games this year, then they're trainees. I would put my money where my mouth is for every one of these guys. Not basing on last year's injuries - in every case they are multiple-year problems. I base it on future risk. To say I just looked at last year's injury list kind of offends me. Green was hurt last year, was he on there? D.Sedin? C'mon. Sounds like you own a lot of players on this list...

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August 16, 2010
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Dobber said:

	AL - good point I re-worded that blurb. Now it makes more sense.
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August 16, 2010
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mick said:

	ryan smith how is he not certified, he is guaranteed to miss 15 games? in my books anyway just his style of play bound to get hacked in front of the net
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August 16, 2010
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AL said:

	... Of the certified BAB which ones would be worthwhile? I know you mentioned to get them off your team immediately, but c'mon ... Spezza, Semin, Hossa, Franzen???
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August 16, 2010
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Grant Goossens said:

	... Didnt read the top, but i agree with it now. Add Gaborik onto the band aids tho, never drafting that guy ever
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August 16, 2010
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Grant Goossens said:

	... So you put basically anyone who had an injury last year or the year prior on the list? Even if they were totally not there fault. Some of the players on there hardly ever miss games due to major circumstances. Although I do agree with some I think the list is exxagerated to a point where every fantasy valued player is a band aid
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August 16, 2010
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Alex McDonald said:

	... No Danny Briere?
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September 06, 2009
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