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The Mooks Team Review

September 18, 2012 magnum 0

Please Click on the following link to see TM Team Review (this will open up in a new window) The Mooks Team Review  

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Black Sox Team Review

September 16, 2012 magnum 0

Please Click on the following link to see BS Team Review (this will open up in a new window) Black Sox Team Review  

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Red Menace Team Review

September 13, 2012 magnum 0

Please Click on the following link to see RM Team Review (this will open up in a new window) Red Menace Team Review  

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Assman Team Review 2012

September 10, 2012 magnum 0

Please Click on the following link to see ASS Team Review (this will open up in a new window) Assman Team Review  

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Rockers Team Review 2012

September 7, 2012 magnum 0

Please Click on the following link to see ROK Team Review (this will open up in a new window) The Rockers Team Review  

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Keeper Analysis 2011 – Part 15 – Magnum

July 15, 2011 oldno7 0

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. The much anticipated final one!  TEAM: MAGNUM GM: Giulio Iaconi  FORWARDS – KEEPERS  1. Anze Kopitar, Kings – Usually gets off to a very quick start to the season, this year should be no exception given the offensive additions the kings have made in the off season. Anze should benefit from the additions of Mike Richards and Simon Gange (if healthy obviously) and one could reasonable expect him to once again reach the 80 point plateau and beyond. The Kings are really looking to have success this season, and that may rest on the very capable shoulders of Mr. Kopitar. On a side note, be prepared if you enter a bet with Giulio that involves the naming rights to your first born child as it will undoubtedly be Anze should you lose.  2. Martin St Louis, Lightning – Undrafted and unwanted early in his career, Marty is now 36 and still producing better than almost anyone in the league. He has back to back 90+ point seasons and over 450 points in the past 5 years and even more amazing for a tiny guy in the NHL is in that same period he HASN’T missed a game! Coach Guy Boucher will continue to use him in every situation so the points will come from everywhere.  Oh and he plays with a guy you may have heard of, Steven Stamkos so look for another 85+ season from the mini-Lavaler.  3. Paul Stastny, Avalanche – With the crazies that run the Avalanche who knows if he will stay in Colorado or be traded for two 4 rounders and a lunch coupon from the Olive Garden, but let’s assume he stays… He didn’t have his best season last year, but then again no one on the Avs played well. Paul and Matt Duchene will be relied on heavily to produce (because they gave everyone else away!), but even then the team is the front runner for a lottery pick next year. Expect Paul to have a better season next year, but without a better supporting cast around him he will not reach his career high of 79 points… unless of course he gets traded out of the crazy house!  4. Ryan Kesler, Canucks – Kesler and the rest of the Canucks will have to shake off the heartbreaking loss at home in the Stanley Cup finals. It was revealed that he was playing injured in the finals but the off season surgery should not be of much concern as he will be ready for the start of the season. His point total should remain around to 70-80 point range given the fact that he plays on a the same team as the Sedins. The most important question around Kesler during the off season is why does he look more like Leo Luongo than Roberto does?? 5. David Backes, Blues – The Blues leading scorer last season put up decent numbers despite playing on a team that was destroyed by injuries. He can expect a boost to his totals thanks to a full season playing with a very dangerous top 6, with Perron and Oshie returning from injury shortened seasons and Chris Stewart playing a full year with the Blues (thank you very much to the crazies in Colorado). St Louis has made some nice additions to their line up in the off season and should make a decent push for a playoff spot. Look for Backes to better his point total this year. 6. Patrice Bergeron, Bruins – The Stanely Cup center from La Belle Province (but don’t tell Bruin fans he is French), seems to have finally put the injuries that plagued him early in his career behind him. His role on the Bruins will grow given the uncertain status of Marc Savard, and I fully expect his point totals to increase to career highs. The only thing that can hurt him is if the Bruins experience a post-Stanley Cup downfall (God I hope so!), otherwise expect another strong season from him.  7. Jussi Jokinen, Hurricanes – The former shootout specialist seems to have found a groove playing in Carolina. The departure of Erik Cole should see him have a better offensive season as he could once again reach the 60 point mark. BTW, he is not related to Olli, which is probably a good thing!  FORWARDS – RESIGNS 8. Teemu Selanne, Ducks – I can say nothing more about Teemu than he is a God among boys. Should he decide to return then he can be counted on for a good amount of points. Although I don’t think he will reach the level he was at last season he will still contribute on a very potent Ducks offense. 9. Kris Versteeg, Panthers – One of many new Florida Panthers, it is hard to evaluate where he will fit in and what direction the team will take. Hopefully another change of scenery will do him some good as he had trouble hitting his groove in Toronto and Philly. The Panther are his fourth team in the past 2 seasons, but the only team that he has been on that will rely on him to be their leading scorer. 50 points seems reasonable for his first season in the Sunshine state, provided he finds a way to mesh with his teammates.   DEFENSE – KEEPERS 1. Keith Yandle, Coyotes – Considered by many to be one of the most underrated players in the league, Keith had a breakout season last year scoring career highs. Fresh off that year he signed a 5 year deal to keep him in Phoenix (or at least with the franchise wherever it goes). The Coyotes will struggle this year after losing their number 1 goalie, and while Yandle will still provide plenty of offense from the […]

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Keeper Analysis 2011 – Part 14 – Hot Liquid

June 10, 2011 magnum 0

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season.   TEAM: HOT LIQUID GM: JOE D’ABRAMO   FORWARDS – KEEPERS   1. Corey Perry, Ducks – in six seasons with the Ducks, Perry has actually played better each and every passing year – with pt totals going from 44, 54, 72, 76, to 98 in a career-high year that had many experts saying Perry should be a Hart Trophy shoe-in given his skill in notching his first 50 goal season and nearly eclipsing 100 pts, carrying the Ducks into the playoffs. Perry is a top line threat for 50 goals and 90-100 pts.   2. Ryan Getzlaf, Ducks – In six NHL seasons, Getzlaf has scored 415 pts in 430 games, centered the most formidable line in hockey, and continues to impress with his size, physicality and playmaking ability. Well above PPG for the past four years, he is threat to crack 90 pts over 80 games, assuming he can stay healthy, but he has had trouble in the past couple of seasons doing so. Nonetheless, he can be relied upon to offer great production and will likely figure among the Ducks’ top line for many years to come. Expect 70-80 pts in 65-75 games.   3. Bobby Ryan, Ducks – the former 2nd overall pick, alongside Perry and Getzlaf, has blossomed into a strong scoring forward with excellent upside. Similar to Perry, Ryan has improved year over year, with a 71 pt effort in 2011 being a career-high. Ryan has the talent to score 40 goals each season and can well be on his way to being the third part of a PPG line that cracks 80+ each year. Expect 70-80 or more in the coming year with potential for 90+.   4. Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks – Captain Serious has already done so much at the age of 23, having won the Stanley Cup with the Hawks, an Olympic Gold and a Conn Smythe trophy. In 2011, Toews also surpassed expectations by scoring 76 pts, and figuring amongst the league top 20 in scoring for much of the year, in turn delivering on a fantasy level on top of being a complete hockey player. He has the talent to hit 80 pts in his prime, and will likely do so at some point, but expect 70-80 pts going forward as the Hawks continue to deal with salary cap issues by employing cheap complimentary forwards.   5. Rick Nash, Blue Jackets – a career high 79 pts in 2009 really stands out when we look at Rick Nash’s production over the years, as the big winger has not beaten 70 pts in a single season, despite only being 26 years old. Now in his prime, Nash is hoping that Ryan Johansen may well be the top line center he has needed to help elevate his game to the next level, at which point 90 pts may be attainable. Until such happens and Johansen gets into his rhythm, Nash remains a 70 pt player with little help from his surrounding and less-talented peers.   6. Michael Cammalleri, Canadiens – Cammy has played 65 and 67 games in his two years so far since joining the Canadiens, and remains stifled by the defensive style instituted by Jacques Martin. Only 2 years removed off an 82 pt season, the two-time 80 pt scorer has the talent to repeat his past performance but needs keep his consistency well above his current level, and scoring a little bit more wouldn’t hurt either. While the 80s might seem a stretch, Cammalleri can put up 65-70 pts in a full season going forward.   7. TJ Oshie, Blues – at 24, Oshie is a good candidate to break out in the coming season, having only hit 48 pts tops in 2010. 2011’s good start was derailed by injuries, a concern for Oshie given his three years in the NHL have only brought out 182 games out of a possible 246. Despite all that, he will likely crack the 50 pt barrier and has potential to hit 60-70 in his prime.   FORWARDS – RESIGNS   8. Tyler Ennis, Sabres – Ennis finished a strong rookie campaign with 49 pts in 82 games with the Sabres, capitalizing from the absence of Derek Roy for more than half the season. He has top six upside and strong hockey skills which make him a formidable offensive threat for the Sabres, despite his small stature.   9. Stephen Weiss, Panthers – after two consecutive 60 pt seasons, Weiss regressed to 49 in 2011, most likely as a result of Florida’s continuing collapse as an NHL cellar-dwellar. He will be called upon again to center the team’s top line featuring David Booth and will regain his form if there is some consistency in that pairing. 2011 was a year of transition for the Panthers, and as such, Weiss played on several different lines, likely a major cause for his drop in production.   10. Drew Stafford, Sabres – Stafford, a former 1st round pick, broke out of his shell after four underwhelming seasons and scored 52 pts in 62 games. Dispute being once labeled as soft, the big winger has blossomed well into a top six performer and should see a good chunk of ice time after inking a nice contract at season’s end.   11. Mikkel Boedker, Coyotes – Boedker remains one of the Coyotes hopes for future regardless of an uncertain ownership saga that seems to be dragging on and on. Along with Kyle Turris and Brett MacLean, Boedker has first line upside but will likely need further experience to get there. He will likely figure among the team’s top 2 scoring lines in the coming year.   12. Erik Cole, Hurricanes – Cole had never hit 82 games played in his entire NHL career since […]

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Keeper Analysis 2011 – Part 13 – Assman

June 9, 2011 magnum 0

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. TEAM: ASSMAN GM: ROB CAMPOPIANO FORWARDS – KEEPERS 1. Sidney Crosby, Penguins – Crosby shook off any doubt that he wasn’t the very top of the elite in the game in early 2010. His 26 game point streak helped remain atop the league scoring standings for quite some time, despite having suffered a major concussion on New Year’s Day and another the following game following hits from Dave Steckel and Victor Hedman. Crosby is a perennial 110-130 pt threat, he has eclipsed 120 before and will again, and assuming he returns to full health following a scary concussion spell in the 2011 half of the season, should be able to rebound very well given his drive and his level of competiveness. 2. Ilya Kovalchuk, Devils – the $100 million dollar man really delivered underwhelming results in 2010, especially to start the season, as New Jersey’s coaching change and playing philosophy only regained form under the guise of Jacques Lemaire mid-season. With that in mind, Kovalchuk is a career PPG player, a five-time 80 pt scorer and excellent all-around forward. Given the right situation, he has the talent to eclipse 90 pts, but under the assumption of a defensive-minded system (which remains to be seen to this point), expect more of an 80+ performance. 3. Jason Spezza, Senators – a true band aid boy, Spezza has only played one full 82 game season in his eight year career. And while has demonstrated in the past that 90 pts is not in the realm of impossible, as time goes on Spezza seems to be fitting the mold of the 70 game, 65-70 pt player rather than the dominant franchise center he once was. If he can keep himself on the ice and off the shelf for a full-year, he can surprise with 80 pts or more, as his 532 career pts in 526 games demonstrates. 4. Marian Gaborik, Rangers – after a seemingly endless parade of injuries, Gaborik has strung together Spezza-esque seasons (go figure) and remains a top line threat when he is healthy. Only 29, there may very well be a lot of hockey in him, and given the right centerman (ahem, Brad Richards perhaps?), Gaborik may eclipse 80 pts once again over 70+ games. 5. Evander Kane, Jets? – Evander Kane became a fan favorite after having clocked perennial pest Matt Cooke in 2010, and despite his ability to knock out players, Kane has taken great strides in developing his game as a power forward, scoring 43 pts in his sophomore year. The size and talent cannot be denied and Kane will likely crack 50 or more pts in the coming year, with a ceiling probably up in the 70s when he gets into his prime. 6. Dustin Brown, Kings – for a little while, it looked like Dustin Brown would finally deliver that 70 pt season people thought he could deliver. Not so much – the physical captain of the burgeoning Kings delivered another decent 57 pt finish, despite showing some potential alongside Kopitar on the top line. Inconsistencies brought Dustin back to earth, and with it, the Kings offensive numbers also suffered, with the team hitting a big dry spell near the end of the season. Expect more of the same, 50 to 60 pts, unless Brown can hit another level with his top linemate and any potential forward that may enter the mix from free agency. 7. Michael Grabner, Islanders – prior to the all-star break, Grabner looked to be dwindling in mediocrity after being shipped from Vancouver to Florida and then being picked off waivers by the Islanders. At some point in January, Grabner decided he’d score 30 goals in about 50 games, and the rest is history. Now firmly entrenched as part of the Long Island core of young forwards, expect Grabner to try to build on his second half success and likely score 30 goals with 15-20 assists, with upside for more as he grows stronger. FORWARDS – RESIGNS 8. Devin Setoguchi, Sharks – Devin showed signs of a return to his 65 pt form from 2008-2009, but only finished the year with 41 pts as the Sharks relied on other top six forwards for offense over the course of the second half. His role will continue to be among the top six, and a slight improvement might be expected in the coming year. 9. Teddy Purcell, Lightning – Teddy never really became what the Kings drafted him for and was dealt at the deadline in 2010 despite never being given a decent chance. Under the guidance of Guy Boucher, Purcell found his touch and became an agitating and physical component of the Tampa top nine, playing the majority of his time in 2011 with Vincent Lecavalier, or alongside Dominic Moore. Purcell followed up his 51 pt effort in 2011 with a very strong playoff, instilling great faith that the big winger could contribute in a top six role as he enters his prime. 10. RJ Umberger, Blue Jackets – Umberger continues to produce at a 55 pt level despite the Blue Jackets’ dire need to improve on the back end and in goal to ever be considered a playoff threat. Having not been paired up with Rick Nash for very much in 2011, he led the 2nd line for the majority of his ice time and never quits, important for a player of his size. Expect more of the same unless a major shakeup comes about in Columbus’ lineup. 11. Max Pacioretty, Canadiens – Pacioretty was rushed to the NHL in his early years and made the right decision to return to Hamilton to further his development. The dividends are now starting to come in for the Habs, and everyone in the Canadiens management team hopes MaxPac can regain […]

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In case you’re wondering…

May 31, 2011 magnum 1

The three final keeper analyses will be posted after this Saturday, beginning with Assman, and then depending on Mr. Marra, Magnum and finally Hot Liquid.

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Keeper Analysis 2011 – Part 12 – Red Menace

May 19, 2011 magnum 0

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. TEAM: RED MENACE GENERAL MANAGER: DEREK GROSSI FORWARDS KEEPERS 1. Paul Stastny, Avalanche – the talented Paul Stastny is an excellent playmaking center with good vision, hands and above all else, excellent hockey IQ. Often compared to his father, he has a proven track record after having scored 70 pts or more in 3 of his five seasons in Colorado, with the remaining two under that mark due to injuries and a change in team direction. With the sudden changes that came in 2011, Stastny will likely continue to provide a 1-2 punch down the middle with Matt Duchene, and is capable of posting 75-85 pts in a full season. Only 25 years of age, he will likely begin to step up his production if he can find decent chemistry with a strong scoring winger, at which point, 90 pts is in reach. 2. Ales Hemsky, Oilers – while performing at nearly or at a point per game pace, Hemsky continues to have significant difficulty staying healthy since 2005 when he posted a career-best 77 pts in 81 games. With the rise of young talent around him, the talented winger, if healthy, can produce 70-80 pts in 70 or so games, but needs to keep that consistency if he plans on remaining a key element to the Oilers forward corps into the future. At 27, he is now in his prime and is capable of hitting his best numbers once more. 3. Andy McDonald, Blues – Since posting an excellent 78 pts in Anaheim centering Teemu Selanne, McDonald has struggled to replicate his performance over a full season with the Blues. Having averaged 58 games played in his last 4 seasons, he is a definite injury risk, but manages to produce nevertheless as a top line center. With the continued development of the young core in St. Louis, McDonald may figure more into a leadership role going forward, but still has the offensive skill to put up 60-70 pts in a full season. 4. Jakub Voracek, Blue Jackets – there is a rare breed of NHL talent that appears every 5-6 years that can deliver no matter what the situation. Those players become generational talents while the majority of highly-rated prospects need three major ingredients to succeed: talent, opportunity, and a good supporting cast. Voracek has the talent, but has not been able to build on so far pretty modest production because of a dire need for the Columbus organization – a talented defender who can move the puck up the ice. All the Jackets forwards have the innate talent to produce at an elite level, but will continue to be stifled because of this need. Voracek is no exception, however no one should be forgetting him quite so soon – the young winger is only 21, and was once projected to become a top line winger with excellent vision, size and strength. There have been flashes of brilliance and other segments of total disappearance. With the right team, Jake can break out, but it will take time. An improvement is to be expected in the coming year, with anywhere from 50-60 pts being achievable, and much more (70-80) being a possibility once things are set in motion. 5. Jason Pominville, Sabres – Pominville has hit 80 pts before in his career, but that performance screams one-year peak rather than a true indication of what’s to come. The picture of consistency for the Sabres missed some time to injury for the first time since joining the NHL, but continues to score at a 60+ pace. Expect more of the same, with some competition from healthy youngsters who are on the brink of breaking out in Buffalo. 6. Wojtek Wolski, Rangers – with an 18 game, 18 pt performance with the Coyotes to end 2010, Wolski looked like he was on his way to finally living up to his potential as a solid top six winger. But after a less than stellar start to the 2011 season, Wolski would be dealt to the Rangerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs. At 25, there is still a lot of time left for him to become the scorer he was once pegged to become, but time is quickly running out for the inconsistent winger. Expect 45-60 pts depending on where he plays. 7. Kyle Turris, Coyotes – Turris was simply brought along too quickly in what seemed like a no-fail decision in 2008 to put the young forward with the big club full-time. Stunting his development curve, Turris would have to be sent back to the AHL to hone his skills accordingly, as the young phenom who scored 121 pts in 53 games in junior has yet to deliver at the professional level. A peak performance with the San Antonio Rampage in 2010 of 63 pts in 76 games gave many people hope Turris could be a producer once more, and it is still possible that 21 year old delivers on his draft pedigree, and breaks out in 2011, 50 pts being in reach, with a ceiling in the 70s attainable in the long term. RESIGNS 8. Olli Jokinen, Flames – the aging Finn has likely seen his best days pass him, as his Florida heyday of 91 pts would dictate, and while Jokinen’s performance in 2011 showed encouraging signs of a return to greatness, consistency still remains an issue at 32. While such a problem is usually okay for a 22 year old player, 32 year old players should be well into their prime and leading by example, which Jokinen is not doing anymore. Ever since his best season in 2006-2007, Jokinen has gradually declined and unless he can find the drive and fire back, he will continue to produce at this level. 9. Cody Hodgson, Canucks – while its undeniable that Hodgson has […]