This article, and all of Dobber's articles, can also be found at the Hockey News, ESPN.com and MSN.ca. Originally published April 16 (Dallas has since lost twice).

While the rest of the group in your playoff draft set upon the Buffalo Sabres players like a pack of wolves, did you quietly load your team up with Dallas Stars?

Not a bad strategy.

While poolies did everything they could to grab Buffalo, Anaheim, New Jersey or Vancouver players, you asked yourself the question – are they really such a heavy favorite that it is worth grabbing their number six scorer in the first round? The bottom line is, if you grab a Jason Pominville in the first round and then eagerly snap up a Brian Campbell in the second round, you really aren’t accomplishing anything. After all – if the Sabres go to the final, wouldn’t the guy/gal (who picked ahead of you) that scooped up Daniel Briere and Tim Connolly beat you? So why would you try to out ‘Buffalo Sabres’ him/her?

Upsets do happen and it was so easy this year to select two or three New York Islanders in the final rounds of your draft, why not roll the dice? I know someone in a 19-team pool, eight players per team, who drafted seven Dallas Stars. Guess what? If the Stars go to the semi-finals, he could very well win.

In the Stanley Cup Playoff, if you wind up at the bottom of the draft order, going with the underdog is probably the smart move. You just need to pick (luck into) the right one…

Sean Avery has not only sparked the Rangers into the playoffs with his aggressive play and decent offense, but he has 16 shots in the first two games of the series against Atlanta. He played over 20 minutes last game and it is looking like his team will go to the second round. A great dark horse pick and kudos to those who picked him…

Injuries, from a fantasy pool perspective: With Todd Bertuzzi still out of action (neck and head, day to day), Jiri Hudler is still getting a little bit of quality ice time and has two points in the postseason so far. When Bertuzzi returns, Hudler’s production will cease…

Farm Report: Columbus farmhand Derick Brassard has 20 points in 10 Quebec League playoff games for Drummondville. He had missed much of the year after shoulder surgery, but has come back in a big way and will have a strong season in the American League next year.

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