Ryan Ma can't make his column for today. So if you would like to see your stuff on the main page, post it here! I'll read them and select the best for the front page - deadline is noonish if you can scramble something together. Thanks!

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DobberHockey Rules
14 Team Keeper, points only, best 12 skaters 2 dman 2 G count. Playoffs count.
F - Crosby, C.Smith, Wheeler, Parenteau, Hudler, Clowe, Grabovski, Atkinson, Frolik, S. Kostitsyn, Marchand, Peverley, Tavares, Read, Brouwer, Bickell, Gionta, Setoguchi
G - Anderson, Hiller, Markstrom, Brodeur
D - Letang, Del Zotto, I. White, Kronwall, Brodin, Nikitin

Having participated in the same salary cap points-only league for over 12 years, I'm always looking out for the best "bargain" in the NHL. Everyone wants players like Ovechkin, Crosby, Keith, Luongo, and Lundqvist on their team (and rightly so), but you have to offset those high salaries with players earning considerably less. You want to find a few players who will give you a reasonable point-per-dollar ratio, so that you can afford a Brad Richards or two (or Horcoff, if you so choose).

To that end, I have put together a list of 10 bargains that will help you win your salary cap league.

(monetary values are actual NHL salaries for 2011-12 season and not cap hits)

John Tavares, $900,000: This is the last year of his ELC, but the way he played in the last two games (8 pts) is all the proof you need that he is worth every penny of the raise he will be getting next season. Once that raise kicks in, he won't necessarily be a bargain, but if you are one of the lucky ones who own him this season in a salary cap league, he could finish the season with the best point-per-dollar ratio of anyone else in the NHL.


Claude Giroux, $2,750,000: There is something wrong with the NHL salary structure when a player like Giroux is making less than $3 million and Scott Gomez is making $7.5 million. Although his salary will go up next year and the year after, even then he will be a bargain, especially if he finishes top 5 in scoring this season (which he almost certainly will).


D. Sedin/H. Sedin, $6,100,000: It may seem odd to call anyone making over $6 million a year a "bargain", but when the top paid players in the league are making almost twice as much as that, you have to consider the perennial NHL scoring leaders a good deal in salary cap leagues. There aren't very many 100 pt players, so if you find yourself lucky enough to have either Sedin on your team, count yourself even more lucky that they aren't making as much as they should be.


Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, $925,000: Ok, I know it is early. And I also know that if you've read some of my posts in the forums recently, I haven't been the biggest RNH supporter. I regretted that the Oilers passed on Larsson, and I didn't think Nugent-Hopkins was ready for prime time. I thought he was too small and that he'd take a while to adjust. That said, the way he has started the season, he is slowly starting to change my mind. If I was lucky enough to have him on my salary cap team, I'd likely already be convinced. At this point, even if he slows down and puts up a "modest" 65 pts, that is very good value for the money you are spending.


Jamie Benn, $670,000: Although he hasn't exactly lived up to the pre-season billing (yet), as one of the lowest paid players in the NHL, you must be thrilled if you have Benn on your team. He is getting top 6 minutes and loads of power play time. Although the vets in Dallas are the early season success story (Ribeiro, Morrow, and Ryder), you have to know that by season's end Benn will be among the top scorers on his team.


Kris Letang, $3,500,000: Even without Crosby and Malkin, Letang is continuing what he did last season and showing us all that he can be one of the most dominate offensive weapons in the NHL. He might very well finish the season as the top scoring defenseman, and he makes a fraction of what the highest paid at his position make. Signed for another 2 years after this one for the same salary, Letang may just be the best bargain in the NHL. If Crosby and Malkin can ever be healthy at the same time, Letang could approach 75 pts some year.


Alex Pietrangelo, $787,000: There are a lot of young hot-shot offensive defensemen in the league right now making under $1 million a season, but I chose Pietrangelo over some of the others because, at least early on, he doesn't appear to be suffering from a sophomore slump. Mature and posed with a lethal shot, as the young St. Louis forwards continue to develop, Pietrangelo's numbers will only get better.


Erik Karlsson, $875,000: There aren't many offensive defensemen in the league better than Karlsson. He could finish top 10 in scoring for his position, on a very weak Senators team. Considering the paltry salary he is making, it is a no-brainer to consider him one of the best bargains in the NHL.


Tomas Vokoun, $1,500,000: Let's get one thing straight right off the bat, Neuvirth won't be a problem for Vokoun. Not only is Neuvirth injury-prone and susceptible to inconsistent play, but the Capitals aren't the offensive power house they were a few years ago. They need the mature, level-headed presence of Vokoun backstopping them. They brought him in with the intention of making a deep run in the playoffs and hopefully winning a Stanley Cup. And he accepted a ridiculously low salary for those same reasons. After starting the season 4-0, I think it is safe to say both Vokoun and Washington are happy with their decisions so far.


Jonathan Quick, $1,800,000: Spending only $1.8 million on a starting goalie frees up a lot of cash to spend elsewhere. And the best part is that Quick is also signed for next year for even less money. Almost assured of getting 35 Wins for the improved Kings, don't be fooled into avoiding Quick because of Bernier. Quick is a battler and the Kings know they are a better team with him in the net.

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10 team league, multi-cat, full keeper.

Forwards: J. Toews, J. Tavares, J. Eberle, J. Neal, A. Kopitar, T. Seguin, E. Kane, M. Duchene, J. Benn, M. Ryder, D. Brown, B. Marchand

Defense: A. Pietrangelo, K. Shattenkirk, A. Goligoski, PK Subban, J. Carlson, J. Spurgeon

Goalies: M. Smith, A. Niemi

Bench: R. Clowe, B. Dubinsky, M. Calvert, P. Mueller, D. Clarkson, M. Carle, M. Niskanen, P. Wiercioch, J. Halak, A. Lindback

Nice one!
Now all you need is an intro

__________________
DobberHockey Rules
14 Team Keeper, points only, best 12 skaters 2 dman 2 G count. Playoffs count.
F - Crosby, C.Smith, Wheeler, Parenteau, Hudler, Clowe, Grabovski, Atkinson, Frolik, S. Kostitsyn, Marchand, Peverley, Tavares, Read, Brouwer, Bickell, Gionta, Setoguchi
G - Anderson, Hiller, Markstrom, Brodeur
D - Letang, Del Zotto, I. White, Kronwall, Brodin, Nikitin

Intro:
Dean Eastman is the Montreal Canadiens' correspondent for OurHometown.ca Dean was born in Cornwall and raised in Long Sault and has been a loyal Habs fan since the days of the Pocket Rocket and the Roadrunner. He now calls Whitby, Ontario home to his wife Heather and young son Eric. Dean is passionate about his hockey, whether it be from the junior or professional ranks. Dean will provide current news and views on the Montreal Canadiens' organization from a global perspective. If you have questions or wish to contact Dean, you can email him at deastman@ourhometown.ca


.....

Sorry i am late, i was at the doctor's office...
you can catch more of my articles at ourhometown.ca

i have met stu macdonald recently at the NHL rookie tourney in Oshawa



Whitby ON
October 18, 2011

No Leader to be found in Montreal

Gross Misconduct

Webster's Dictionary defines a leader as "a person who rules or guides or inspires others." John C. Maxwell wrote a paper entitled "The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow." In his paper, qualities such as character, charisma, commitment, courage, focus, passion, vision, discipline and teachability are used to show what it takes for one to become a leader.

I look down the current Montreal Canadiens roster, reflect on the first eight pre-season exhibition games, on the first two 2011-12 NHL regular season games and I cannot honestly identify the team's leader. The Montreal Canadiens matter to me and I am fit-to-be-tied with the team's lack of urgency and energy displayed so far this season.

Nobody on this 2011-12 Canadiens' squad has yet risen to the challenge in either coming to the defence of the team's prized netminder Carey Price (as Price continues to get bowled over by opposing teams), nor has anyone single handedly changed the face of any one specific game, scoring timely goals when needed or has made any great defensive moves to salvage a win.

Yes, I know Brian Gionta is the current captain of the Canadiens, but can you really compare what Gionta brings to the table in comparison to those icons that came before him like Jean Beliveau, Maurice Richard, Henri Richard, Yvan Cournoyer, Bob Gainey and Toe Blake? 'Heart' is one thing; I will never question Gionta's heart, but 'heart' alone won't win the Canadiens a Stanley Cup.

It has been 50 years since the Montreal Canadiens had a true leader on its team, with no disrespect intended towards Canadiens' present captain Gionta or any of the team's previous captains (like Saku Koivu) following Beliveau's tenure.

You see, for those of us lucky enough to watch Jean Beliveau during the glory years, knew they were witnessing an immortal who was selfless and humble, who always led by example. Beliveau possessed all the necessary tools needed to succeed in the NHL. He was a deceptively fast skater, was a phenomenal playmaker, knew how to stickhandle his way out of a phone booth and he also knew how to find the back of the net with a powerful backhand or accurate wrist shot in an effortless manner.

Jean Beliveau seemed to know just when to speak up that would invariably get his team or teammates out of a minor funk or slump. Jean Beliveau was a gentleman playing in a brutal, rough and tumble, team sport. He was challenged to many a fisticuffs when he first entered the league, but preferred to stay out of the penalty box.

On October 11, 1961, Jean Beliveau would succeed Doug Harvey as the Canadiens' captain and would proudly wear the title for the decade to follow. Beliveau led the Canadiens to five Stanley Cup titles over that time frame. "Le Gros Bill"� would also be hailed with many accolades including the Conn Smythe and Hart Memorial Trophy between 1961 and 1971.

For the record, I measure a team's success by the number of Stanley Cups it wins. Without a proven leader, the Canadiens will not win another Stanley Cup; a key ingredient for any successful NHL franchise. This is the bane of my frustration. Just because you wear an embroidered 'C' on your chest does not automatically make you a leader per se.

Can, or should we, blame only one or two people for the Canadiens' lack of consistency over the past number of seasons: Coach Jacques Martin, President and CEO Pierre Boivin, the scouting staff, the players themselves?

The Habs need a leader to emerge now, not tomorrow, not in a few weeks or in a few months, or it will be too late. As former Canadiens' Head Coach Dick Irvin introduced in 1940, "To you from failing hands we throw the torch, be yours to hold it high", that verse from the First World War "In Flanders Fields" needs to be breathed, dreamed, and lived by all current and future roster players in order for the franchise to once again be successful.

Many lessons have been learned by the Montreal Canadiens organization since 1909. There have been some fantastic dynasties over the last ten decades and there have also been some labour pains along the way. This year's version of the Canadiens, both coaching staff and players alike, need to go back to school and review the lessons learned.

Somebody on the Canadiens' roster needs to take it upon himself, make it a deep-rooted commitment and lead by example so that the rest of his Habitant-teammates will follow in order to achieve the pinnacle of raising the 'Holy Grail' for the 25th time.

Until next time, play every game as if it is your last one...

Here is another one...


An NHL legacy in the making


Dean Eastman
OurHometown.ca



PK Subban, Malcom Subban and Jordan Subban will one day be a popular trio of brothers playing in the NHL. PK plays for the Montreal Canadiens and Malcom and Jordan play for the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League.

Whitby - Sep. 30, 2011 - When you think of superstar NHL siblings, your mind obviously slides to names like Bure, Statsny, Staal, Niedermayer, and of course, Sutter. Within the next four years, the first name on the end of your tongue will be Subban. As in Pernell Karl (PK), Malcolm and Jordan, three gifted and athletic sons to proud parents Maria and Karl Subban.

The Montreal faithful are already familiar with P.K. and the athleticism, confidence and attitude that he brings to the game on a nightly basis for le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge. The loyal fans of the Belleville Bulls in the OHL are a step or two ahead of the rest of us as they are now witnessing the rise to power and stardom of P.K.’s two younger brothers, Malcolm (18 years old) and Jordan (16 years old). Both younger Subbans are playing together as teammates for the Bulls of the OHL.

As a faithful season ticket holder with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL since 2004, I have had the privilege of seeing many junior players develop their craft to only later be drafted into the NHL. I used to loathe P.K. Subban, who, as a Belleville Bull stellar defenseman (he was originally a sixth round pick), never seemed to be stoppable by any of the Generals' skaters or goaltenders. P.K. used to rush almost Bobby Orr-esque-like from end-to-end with the puck and always seemed to find his way onto the score sheet game-in-game-out. P.K. was not only good with his stick; he was also good at agitating the opposition and fans alike.

I was the fool who thought he and then Generals' phenom centreman John Tavares used to despise one another - they always shared a healthy rivalry on the ice when Belleville and Oshawa met - it was only years later that I learned they were very close friends away from the ice.

Today, I love that P.K. is a Hab - he is exciting to watch when he plays for your favourite team. P.K. is skilled both on the ice and off. He has excelled at every level of hockey he’s played at and was selected in the second round (43rd overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by Les Canadiens.

Rarely do we get to witness an athlete that is not only gifted at his trade, but one that also carries a charismatic and charming personality in front of media. How does a gifted athlete find his way to the big leagues? It is not just on skills alone; a huge reason for P.K.'s success starts at home. Growing up in Rexdale (northwest Toronto), P.K.'s family was raised on athletics and education. Subban's mother Maria is a bank quality control analyst while father Karl, is a principal at Brookview Middle School in the Humberwood area. Karl spent many winters flooding the backyard rink for his sons (the Subbans also have a daughter Natasha). In his younger days, Karl was a basketball legend at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. Karl was also a huge fan of the Montreal Canadiens when at the age of 11, he and his parents emigrated from Jamaica to Sudbury.

For the Subbans, hockey is a family affair. Malcolm (18 years old) is one of two other Subban brothers who is honing his skill and craft in the game of hockey via the goaltending position. Malcolm is currently playing in his second full season with the Belleville Bulls. He is the team's starting netminder. In 2010, he was named to the OHL 1st All-Rookie Team. Malcolm also played for Canada at the under-18 championship. Malcolm is different to brother P.K. in terms of his makeup. Malcolm is more laid back than his older brother which is a good thing as he needs to remain calm in the net for his Bulls' squad.

Malcolm is passionate, very competitive and has great athleticism, but don't take my word for it - I don't know what it takes to be a bonafide netminder. Rather, rely on the insight and experience of a former goaltender in Jerry Shields. Jerry, a close personal friend of mine, analyses and evaluates goaltending talent from across the world. Jerry shared his insight on Malcolm Subban when Subban first broke onto the OHL scene with the Bulls back in 2009 in an article he wrote on his website, www.goalierankings.com.

La creme de la creme of the Subban brothers may very well be the youngest son, Jordan. Oldest brother P.K. has admitted that Jordan is the better of the two. Jordan was selected in the 1st round (fifth overall) in the 2011 OHL Priority Draft by the same Belleville Bulls.

Jordan has already received some high praise from Bulls' Coach and General Manager George Burnett.

Jordan helped his Toronto Marlboros; team win the OHL Cup in Toronto last March. He has drawn rave reviews for his skating and his offensive abilities. Jordan considers himself an offensive defenseman and is more polished than P.K. was at the same age. Jordan already has one assist in his first three games with the Bulls in this 2011-12 OHL regular season.

I will be keeping a close eye on both of the younger Subban brothers this OHL season when the Bulls come to town to face the Generals. Malcolm is already making news as a goaltender of choice for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. It is only a matter of time before Jordan jumps onto the Central Scouting radar as an offensive defenseman to watch for years to come.

The Subban brothers will do their parents and their family name proud. It is only a matter of time until somebody asks you “which three brothers are the most popular names to ever play in the NHL, and you will be quick to reply, P.K, Malcolm and Jordan Subban. Mark my word!

Until next time, play every game as if it is your last one...

The sophomore slump is one of the trickiest notions in fantasy sports. Each year we wonder which of these breakout rookies will make the step forward into stardom and which players will fade into the background. Do we have a Wojtek Wolski on our hands or a Bobby Ryan in the making? We'll examine this further...

Slump = Less than or equal to last years production
Steady = Hovering around last years production
Surge = Greater than last years production

Jeff Skinner - Carolina Hurricanes - Why not start with the former Calder memorial trophy winner? Skinner shocked the critics coming into the season being drafted by the Hurricanes with the seventh overall pick to not only make the team, but to make the NHL All-Star team as an 18 year old and post a 31+32 season. In the offseason he took his sophomore preparation very seriously training with Gary Roberts and Matt Nichol. Also, he has started the season lined up with 'Cane captain, Eric Staal. It seems like you can't go a shift without hearing his name as he's always finding the open space and he never stops moving his legs. SURGE

Taylor Hall - Edmonton Oilers - The former first overall pick had a rougher offseason after ending his rookie year with an injury in a fight. He couldn't begin his training until after completing rehab so while most players were taking time off after being eliminated from the postseason or regular season, Taylor was conditioning. He started the season with the highly touted prospect Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ales Hemsky but an early injury to the dynamic Czech has now formed the kid line in Oil Country. Jordan Eberle on the opposite wing has created one of the speediest and most creative lines in the NHL. The most impactful trait of Taylor Hall is his presence on the powerplay. His name is said as much as the Jagr's or Selanne's while being on the man advantage. Its only a matter of time before those pucks tickle the twine more often than not. SURGE

Michael Grabner - New York Islanders - Everyone has heard the story on how the Vancouver Canucks traded him to the Panthers and then prior to the season he was waived and claimed by the Islanders. Everyone saw him skate his butt off in the skills competition to claim the faster skater title. But not everyone saw his workload increase ten-fold in the second half of the season. When Capuano took over players were rewarded by hard work and effort every shift and Grabner was the prime example of that. The streaky Austrian finished the season around point per game from January to April. Does that mean he will continue to light the lamp? His shots per game were just above 4 per game in that period while before that at only 1.75 a game. So far this season, he has 5 shots in 4 games while lining up mostly with Nielsen and Okposo. The key to his success is clearly shots, shots, shots. So far (only 4 games in#, the recipe he concocted late in the season appears to be back to his early season ingredients. It probably isn't helping that hes 7th in forwards on the Islanders in PPTOI either. SLUMP

Logan Couture - San Jose Sharks - The Sharks have struggled so far to find the back of the net even strength #T-25# and the leading scorer is on Couture lines while Couture has 1 pt in 4 games. Should we be worried? No, as Couture's second line is about to see a spark. That spark is Martin Havlat. Martin Havlat posted a 62 point campaign last season on the anemic Minnesota Wild scoring staff and those numbers should explode while being lined up on a perennial leading team in goals per game. Not discrediting the current line of Clowe-Couture-Wingels #although jumbled last game#, but how nice would it be adding the talent of Havlat? Couture is a dominating second liner who #like other sophomores# expresses hard talent on a nightly basis and as long as he continues the offensive prowl he displayed in the postseason last year, he should be fine. The one worrisome trend is that 8 times last season he went through a 3 game point drought. If he doesn't rally back with multi-point games, his name could turn to Wolski or Gagner very quickly. STEADY

Tyler Ennis - Buffalo Sabres - On a show of hands, how many people are worried about the depth of the Buffalo Sabres? Well you should be! This team will post as many 40-60 point players as any. It won't help Ennis' case this season with 10 forwards averaging between 13:41 and 16:44 a night. Ennis is buried in the depth chart playing third line minutes and barely any powerplay time. After last season ending relatively positive with 14 points in his last 20, the additions of Leino and emergence of Adam will deter from any positive upswing in Ennis production. Depth = SLUMP

Jordan Eberle - Edmonton Oilers - As mentioned in Hall's blurb, Eberle is now playing on the top of the Fake ID line with RNH and Taylor. How long will it last? Well if the only Oiler game you saw all season was on Saturday night, you would have to say forever. The line was buzzing all night exploiting with top-flight speed and nifty passes. Eberle finished last year the same way he started it, with a 50ish point pace. With the additions of Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan Smyth, he won't be relied on too heavily especially on the powerplay. If this line can stick, then they'll have to find an alternate line for Hemsky to play on, but if not...Eberle will be back to his 14 minute nights without the talents of two rising stars. STEADY

Derek Stepan - New York Rangers - Well so far this season Stepan has started games lined up with Prust-Boyle, Fedotenko-Zuccarello and lastly Richards-Gaborik. Which line will he be with this season? Well noone seems to know. The one thing we do know is that he is playing with the heart of Chris Drury out there going down to block every shot possible and hes playing with the physicality of Ryan Callahan. This should bode well for Stepan owners as hes doing everything possible to stick with the top six. His role at left wing doesn't help for faceoffs, but its the only way he can stay on the top two lines. The sacrifice of faceoffs for points seems like a great one. Stepan is blossoming into a solid two-way player with the hands of a scorer so he shouldn't see a step back with all the hard work he puts in. If Wolski does infact gel with the big two, Stepan will return to the third line which is why he is STEADY

Tyler Seguin - Boston Bruins - Already with a cup under his belt #what?#, Seguin now knows the hard work and dedication it takes to be a winner in the league. He posted six points in his first two playoff games but eventually fell off the map. This season he is playing first line minutes with the two most talented wingers on the team, Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton. With this added responsibility, he's proving why he was drafted second overall. He leads the team with 5 points in his first 5 and is playing 17 a night instead of the 12 a night he played in his rookie year. SURGE


Kevin Shattenkirk - St. Louis Blues - What were you thinking Colorado? After being dealt to the Blues, Shattenkirk performed at a 53 point pace and having about 1.5 shots per game. This season Kevin Shattenkirk is off to moderately good starts posting 3 apples in 5 games. His shot's per game are about the same and he is leading the team in powerplay points. It is very possible we could see the 53 point pace come to fruition with the Blues forwards a year older and an oozing depth chart. 46 points for a rookie defenseman is great, but why stop there? SURGE

P.K. Subban - Montreal Canadiens - Subban finished last season with 38 points. A speculation why he didn't get more? Too heavy of a work load. He played almost top minutes shorthanded and top PP minutes. This season should be no different. The depth in the Habs back end has decreased with youth finding its way in Emelin and Diaz. The injury to Spacek won't help him take any shifts off but one year older he now knows the responsibility and dedication is takes to perform at the NHL level. He is playing top PP minutes again and as long as they don't split up him and Markov on the PP, he should see a tremendous spike in extra-strength points. SURGE

John Carlson - Washington Capitals - Carlson played amazingly against the New York Rangers in the playoffs last season shutting down Gaborik and the Blueshirts. But once he hit the Lightning, it was a different story. This season the Caps appear to have him in a more defensive role as hes only averaging 0:31PPTOI a game. With Green and Wideman fronting the offensive load, it will be difficult for Carlson to match the 37 point debut in his first full season. SLUMP

__________________
Follow me for some fantasy hockey tweets @thelandshock

The others...

David Desharnais - Montreal Canadiens - Desharnais is seeing a huge boost in ice time and is playing a bunch of shifts with the offensively gifted Max Pacioretty. SURGE

Magnus Paajarvi - Edmonton Oilers - Paajarvi is playing a bunch of time on the point on the second powerplay, but the depth and new faces of the Oilers will make it difficult for him to see a boost in production. STEADY

Alexander Burmistrov - Winnipeg Jets - Alex has started the season with the team lead in points with 3A in 4 games. He's third in TOI only to Ladd and barely edged out by Antropov. The only problem is that hes seeing more time on the PK than PP. He supposed to round out into a solid two way player, so hopefully the offense comes with the learning process. The Winnipeg crowd should help him out. SURGE

Mattias Tedenby - New Jersey Devils - Tedenby has started the season playing mostly third line minutes, but today the Devils had him practicing with Kovalchuk. If he can find a way into top 6 minutes then he will have a huge increase in production. The problem is, hes playing 10 minutes a night WITHOUT Zajac in the lineup. STEADY

Mikael Backlund - Calgary Flames - An unfortunate injury has held Backlund out at the start of the year, but it was said by Sutter that he hopes to have Backlund line up with Iginla this season. Once hes back, we should expect a SURGE

Bobby Butler - Ottawa Senators - Butler was recently placed on the IR, but before then was scratched more often than not. He was supposed to line up with Spezza at the beginning of preseason but Michalek and Filatov did. He better hope he gets healthy before Filatov comes back up. Depending on what happens with Zibanejad, a top 6 spot could open up for Butler to take. SLUMP

__________________
Follow me for some fantasy hockey tweets @thelandshock

SOS - The Sultans of Sunday

We have all been there. The Saturday night games end, and your beloved Fantasy Team is down in its H2H match 5-4. Your douche-bag buddy is chirping you, because your match ends Sunday night and you have 0 players with games on Sunday to make up the ground. You have an outside shot of flipping one category on him, if you can just add that one perfect player…..

For this Sunday, I will do my best to offer a hidden-gem opportunity to flip that one category that you are close in – to help turn the direction of the match in your team’s favor. All of the guys I am listing are under 50% Yahoo! owned. (If you need goals, I am not going to sit here and tell you that picking up Corey Perry is a good idea.) What I intend to do, is identify some guys that are probably available FAs in your league, that can help get you over the hump on the last day of your match-up.

I have organized my picks by category need, so that you can quickly identify the guy who will most help your cause

With that said – here are your Week 2 “Sultans of Sunday�

This week, we only have one game to choose from.....Phoenix @ Anaheim, so the options are going to be a little thin. Anaheim is a front loaded fantasy team, so most of their players are likely all either already owned or completely useless. But there are some more good options on the Phoenix end, and some decent spe******t options from the Ducks:


Goals
Radim Vrbata (12% Yahoo! owned): A one-time 27goal scorer, who is seeing regular PP time. Also helps with: Assists, PPP, SOG

Martin Hanzal (4% Owned) : Only had 16 goals last year, but had 9 in only 29 road games (a 25G pace). Turris remains unsigned, and Hanzal is seeing good PP time, so will have ample opportunity. Also helps with: PPP, Hits, FOW

Daymond Langkow (1% owned). A real long shot here, but Langkow has had 4 seasons of over 25 goals, and he sees plenty of time on the top line in Phoenix. Also helps with: PPP, Assists, FOW


Assists
Radim Vrbata (12% owned), not usually known as an assist guy, had 5 assists in 5 games vs. Anaheim last year. Also helps with: Goals, PPP

Ray Whitney (19% owned) Had 40 assists last year, and still spend quality minutes on the PP. Had 7 points in 5 games against the Ducks last year, including 5 assists Also helps with: PPP,

Saku Koivu (7% owned): 8 straight seasons of over 30 assists. A lot of his points seem to come when Getzlaf is injured though, and in 6 games against Phoenix last year – he only notched 1 assist Also helps with: FOW


PPP
Radim Vrbata (12% owned): Seeing regular PP time. Was second on the Coyotes in PPGs last year, with 10. Also helps with: Goals, Assists, SOG

Martin Hanzal (4% owned): Only had 7 PPPs last year, but has already registered 2 this season. Led the team in PP ice time on Saturday night Also helps with: Goals, Hits, FOW

Ray Whitney (19% owned): See above. His success against the Ducks last year included 2 points on the PP. Also helps with: Assists,


SHP
Lauri Korpikoski (3% owned): had 4SHPs last season. Also, 5 of his 40 points last year came against the ducks (6 games) Also helps with: +/-, Hits

Brandon McMillon (0% owned). Had 4SHP in only 60Gps last year. Is one of few Ducks that saw some success against Phoenix last year. 2 of his 21 points came against the ‘Yotes.

Martin Hanzal (4% owned): Has not registered a SHOP since 2008-09, but it should be noted that he saw over 3min of SH ice time on Saturday night. With Hanzal’s value in other categories, he might be worth a look here. Also helps with: Goals, Hits, PPP. FOW



FOW

Martin Hanzal (4% owned) leads the way with 40FOW this year. Also helps with: Goals. PPPs, Hits

Boyd Gordon (0% owned) has won 38 draws already this year. Not a huge contributor for other categories

Daymond Langkow (1% owned) 32 Also helps with: Assists, Goals, PPPs

Saku Koivu, leads the team on the year with 34 FOW. Also helps with: Assists,

Maxime Macenauer (0% owned) is winning at a great rate 60.6%, but is out there far less than Koivu. Still he has 20 FOWs so far and is a far better option than a Cogliano.



PIM
Parros (2% owned). Had 171PIMs last season, including 10 against Phoenix. If you need a homerun in this category, Parros is your guy 28 times last year he had at least 5PIMs in a game. Also helps with: The Moustache Factor

Bissonette (0% owned): Had 71PIMs in only 48 games last year, and 117 in 41 games the year prior. Also helps with: Hits


HITS
Martin Hanzal (4% owned). In 61 games last year, had 147 hits (a 197 pace) Also helps with: Assists,PPP

Paul Bissonette (0% owned): 122 hits in 48 games last year (a 208 hit pace) Also helps with: PIM


SOG
Radim Vrbata (12% owned): Had seasons of 266 and 240 SOG in his first 2 years with the ‘yotes. Had 5 or more shots 12 times last season Also helps with: Goals, Assists, PPPs


+/-
Lauri Korpikoski (3% owned) was an impressive +11 on the road in 2010-11, and +5 in games against the Ducks last season. Also helps with: SHP, Hits

Adrian Aucoin (3%), was a +18 last year (and +13 on the road). AA will also chip in with a few hits (134 last season), and he had 3 points in 6 games against the Ducks last year. Also helps with: Hits

Toni Lydman (8% owned) was a monster last year with a +32, including a whopping +28 in 40 home games. Also helps with: Hits

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No this column is not an ode to arguably one of the greatest television shows of all time, but rather a look at what's happening on the waiver wire in popular weekly and head to head leagues. The waiver wire is a great place to grab hidden gems and streaky players that can bolster your roster in both the short and long-term.

It is also good to look at who has peaked and who you can get rid of before picking someone else up. Often times that's the most challenging part of picking someone up, figuring out who to drop. You may have someone on the IR and you don't have to make that choice, but if you do, making the wrong one could hurt your team down the line. Here are some players that may be available in your leagues and a few you may want to part with.

Possible Pickups

Gabriel Landeskog LW COL

Ok so chances are in keeper leagues Landeskog has already been scooped up but not necessarily so in weekly leagues. Right now the Avalanche rookie is only 28% owned in Yahoo leagues and is second in the NHL with 23 shots on goal. He has just two goals and one assist so far but is now starting to see some power play time which should see those numbers increase. It looks like he will be staying up with the Av's for the whole season and Colorado is one of the hottest teams in the league having won five straight.

Steve Ott C DAL

It always puzzles me why Ott is not owned in more fantasy leagues. He is the type of player that gives your squad a bit of everything. He has points in his last four games, he's a plus player, he can give you both power play and shorthanded points (has one of each already), and he already has 18 PIM in just five games this season. Not to mention with the loss of Brad Richards he should get more playing time in key situations for the Stars this year. Still only owned in 29% of Yahoo leagues.

Marc-Andre Bergeron D TB

This one may be more of a short-term fix but his numbers are too good to ignore. Bergeron has two goals and six assists to lead the lightning in points. No body else has more than four. The reason he is only owned in 35% of Yahoo leagues is he is typically a streaky player who struggles defensively. However right now he is an even player and has recorded a point in five of the Lightning's six games. Normally a power play spe******t, Tampa seems to be using him more regularly this season as he has averaged close to 19 minutes of ice-time through the first 6 games.

P.A. Parenteau RW NYI

The Islanders are off to a hot start and much of that credit can go to the 43% owned Parenteau. For all the attention John Tavares has been getting, Parenteau is just one point behind him with a goal and six assists in four games to start the season. He has done it playing on the second line with a struggling Michael Grabner who has just one goal so far this season. Parenteau can help you in the power play area as he will see extensive time there for the Isles.

Drop 'EM

Craig Anderson G OTT

We all knew Ottawa was going to struggle this season, but there was a feeling that Anderson could steal them a few games. To say he has started roughly would be an understatement. He has already had games this year where he gave up four, five and seven goals. His save percentage is currently .853 while his GAA sits at a whopping 5.07. Alex Auld has already taken a few starts away from Anderson and look for more of the same in the coming weeks.

Jarret Stoll C LA

Stoll has yet to record a point for the Kings this season and the acquisition of Mike Richards has seen him drop down a notch to the third line. The alarming thing for fantasy owners is the normally physical center has just five hits in four games and just 4 shots on net for the season.