Gates here - DobberProspects' Rich Dillon and Brendan Ross join me for a Q&A via Fantrax. They offer their opinions on 2012 Draft favorites, top underrated and overrated prospects, as well as hidden gems. Check it out here.

NHL Draft is in two days – make sure you have the goods… from a fantasy hockey standpoint … with the DobberHockey Fantasy Prospects Report. We are having a live chat during the draft – this will take place Friday night at DobberProspects. Brendan Ross will be there, as will myself and several other DP writers/scouts.

Erik Karlsson – seven years, $45.5 million, which is a cap hit of $6.5 million. It’s about what we all figured, I’m sure. He’s durable, creative and he does more with less compared to any other defenseman in the league.

So with Tomas Vokoun and Josh Harding off the market before the market even opens for business, who does that leave? I bet a team signs Cristobal Huet. I do. He’s a non-NHLer at $5.625 million. But he’s an NHLer at $1.5 million or thereabouts. Other than Martin Brodeur, whom I sure will re-sign with the Devils, he may be the best option. Here are my top 15 free agent goaltenders:

1. Brodeur

2. Al Montoya

3. Huet

4. Cedrick Desjardins

5. Mark Dekanich

6. Johan Hedberg

7. Antero Niittymaki

8. Michael Leighton

9. Scott Clemmensen

10. Jonas Gustavsson

11. Chris Mason

12. Dwayne Roloson

13. Jeff Zatkoff

14. Brad Thiessen

15. Dan Ellis

An interesting chart from On the Forecheck presenting the players who hit the most posts last season. First? Eric Staal with 17. Next was James Neal way down at 13. Evgeni Malkin (11), Ryan Smyth and John Tavares (10 each) round out the top five.

The Stars have yet to decide whether or not to qualify Tom Wandell. The starsblog also speculates that the team will probably not come to an agreement with Jamie Benn until after the CBA has been reached.

Daniel Carcillo (ACL surgery) is “close to 100 percent” according to Stan Bowman. There’s also a Hossa update in that link, but it doesn’t tell you anything other than “optimistic”. Blah blah.

Wow – David Poile on Alexander Radulov – “I think it’s less and less realistic he’s coming back to us or some day in the NHL. I think we had our time, but I think it’s over.”

Bob McKenzie tweeted that Bobby Ryan is back on the trade market. When he says something like that, the hockey world gets all aflutter, as Bobby Ryan quickly trended on Twitter.

Guillaume Latendresse was finally cleared by team doctors and is now expected to re-sign with the team. Would he be cleared if his contract was, say, in year two of a five-year deal? Hmmmm…

Top 10 Malkin moments – celebrating his future Hart Trophy win:

And, since I’m running out of highlights, I’ll continue to salute some bands that I’m not only a fan of, but are fans of DobberHockey – here is a band we all know, Theory of a Deadman. Bass player Dean Back has been a fan of DobberHockey for several years. I tried to get their official YouTube clip on here, but for some reason it’s blocked in Canada. Uh…they’re Canadian. Anyway, you can buy their stuff here. (warning explicit lyrics – two F-bombs):

Comments (7)

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Bender said:

Big Contracts I look at all these big contracts and think it is a good sign for the up coming CBA talks. The NHL has seen a significant increase in revenue since the last CBA, I don't think they have a work stoppage, and owners would not be signing all these contracts if there was uncertainty. I think we see an agreement where the NHL and PA agree on closing the gap to 50/50 revenue split, more as a stop gap to the next labor agreement. My money is on 53/47 in favor of the players and keep this momentum going.

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June 20, 2012
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hawkdog said:

	@ Malkin No need to bash the band just cause they don't fit your taste in Music.
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June 20, 2012
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Malkin Ha8er said:

	... Theory of a Deadman is horrible. Nickleback is waaay better. I love Nickleback!
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June 20, 2012
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bogans said:

	FA goalies Marty Biron? He should prob be #2 on that list.
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June 20, 2012
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hawkdog said:

	... RE free agent goalie list, So considering that Marty realistically won't leave the devils, what you are pointing out is that it's pretty slim pickin's if you are looking to sign a free agent goalie.
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June 20, 2012
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Dobber said:

	... Rollie - nope, I meant CBA, just quoting the blog. Mason's numbers last two years were horrible. Huet's NHL numbers were never that bad. Huet may not be a starter, but he's a fine 1B goalie. His last two NHL seasons he was 46-29-8 with a 0.903 SP. Not horrible. Just not quality starter's stuff.
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June 20, 2012
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Rollie1967 said:

huh? Dobber- the Stars wont come to deal with Benn until the CBA is reached? you mean July 1st dont you? As for Huet.... the 3rd best FA goalie? ewww i wouldnt touch him with Willie Mitchells practice stick in his Canuck days! Atleast Zatkoff, Montoya,Desjardins,Dekanich have some upside- and with Clemmenson and Hedberg, Mason you know what youre getting. Huet would be at the bottom of my list along with Theissen.

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