I completed a few audits last week that generated a lot of positive feedback. Throughout the summer, expect one or two per week. Fire me an e-mail if you want to get in line!

This week I took a look at the Brunei Oil Barons, submitted to me by DobberHockey member (and Brunei resident) KingGoob.

The League:

The RMHL – The Rain Man Hockey League (big Dustin Hoffman fans?)

12 team keeper league

Auction format ($30 salary cap)

$0.30 minimum salary

Auction bids are in $0.10 increments

Keepers escalate $0.20 each year in salary

Can carry up to five prospects (less than 20 NHL games played, and they don’t count against the salary cap)

12 forwards, six defensemen, two goalies start

No maximum roster size

Scoring Categories:

Skaters

G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP

Goaltending:

MP, GAA, SV%, Wins, SO

The Roster:

Forwards:

Defensemen:

Goaltenders:

The Breakdown:

Shayne’s story interested me a bit, as it is always nice to hear from our international readers. He lives in Brunei (I had to consult Google Maps to find out the exact location of this foreign land).

He has fantastic forwards – great top end guys and solid depth as well. He has some work to do on the back end and in goal, though. Prospects start off with a salary relative to where they were drafted. Franson starts at $0.40, but Shattenkirk and Blum start at $0.80. His long-term outlook in net is great, as he has both Jonathan Bernier and Jacob Markstrom on his list of five prospects.

Shayne recently turned down a trade that would have seen him acquire Tuukka Rask. Good thing! The offer was: Rask, Patrick Sharp, Sean Avery, and the rights to John Carlson for Malkin, Gaborik, Johnson, Gustavsson, and the rights to Bernier. Getting a quality goalie is imperative, but you don’t want to completely gut your team in the process.

There is no maximum or minimum number of keepers, but whatever salary you take with you into the draft obviously means you can only spend the remaining amount. So if you have a keeper list worth $22.0, you only have $8.0 to use on draft day.

The Oil Barons finished the 2009-10 in fourth place in the RMHL. The forward group was the best in the league, but the defence was eighth and the goalies seventh (and imagine how bad they would have been if Craig Anderson hadn’t emerged out of nowhere).

The Recommendations:

1) Add a goalie. ASAP. Don’t move Markstrom or Bernier, though. DiPietro is worth keeping, but don’t add any length to his leash. If he gets hurt again or suffers another setback, feel free to cut ties. Smith is not worth holding on to, same goes with Huet.

2) Leverage depth at forward to improve other positions. Again, obvious advice. Think about selling high on Gaborik and Richards. Don’t move Malkin. Don’t move Tavares. Keep Clarkson if you can – I’m very high on his value as a combo player. 50-60 point, 150-200 PIM upside.

3) Keep Peverley. You mentioned that you have similar players, but I like his value going forward. He is an integral part of the Thrashers attack, and with Kovalchuk gone I see his production increasing (more time on the top power play unit).

4) Keep Shattenkirk. He may start off in the AHL, but I wouldn’t expect him to stay there for long. He is the Future PP QB in Colorado.

5) Stick with the plan. You recognized last year that your goaltending was weak, and you made moves to acquire some parts to help solidify the future there. Don’t overpay (Rask trade) for a goalie. That being said, your team should be a contender now, and relying solely on Craig Anderson is not a viable strategy. Best case scenario is one of Bernier/Markstrom steals a starting job in 2010-11. I could see both starting for their respective teams in 2011-12. Try and move Richards or Gaborik and a depth player for an upgrade in goal.

Comments (3)

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angus said:

	... Solid insights, Jim.
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May 27, 2010
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notoriousjim said:

... I see you having about 12 left to spend. Seeing so much money left, i am not sure i would drop Huet. He is a solid option and could start. With only a 1.5 investment he should be the best goalie you are going to land for that type of money. I would also think about Rutuu. He has a shot at 55 points and 100 pim. Nothing to scoff at. I am just not sure how much will be out there and all you need to add is a D and some backups.

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May 27, 2010
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Mr. Ben said:

	... Just to clarify things....there was a 2nd round PP going to the Barons and the goalie in the deal was actually Markstrom not Bernier. The trade was also being made with his only brother. If you're not going to let family fleece you, then who are you going to let?
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May 27, 2010
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