Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com
The twitter feed has timely NHL & fantasy info with a few funnies along the way. Inane babble is generally kept to a minimum and known starting goalies will be posted leading up to the first games of the night, where possible.
Live NHL recaps run every game night, seven evenings a week. The start time is generally around 7pm et, depending on the schedule. Log on for fresh line combos, defensive pairings, power play times, analysis, statistical trends and more from each and every game. Refresh the recap page while the games are on to see new info as it gets added.
Hockey Hearsay runs each weekday, providing you with a mix of stories, quotes and more from around the hockey world. You can also submit your fantasy hockey question for a Hockey Hearsay blog via email. One per person, please and include your first name and hometown to represent!
TWITTER TIMELINE
All times noted are Pacific. Refresh this page to see the live Twitter reaction to each deal, along with expanded thoughts when 140 characters just aren't enough.
12:07 pm: If Arnott to Caps deal goes through(Steckel), he's theoretically Alex Semin's centre on L2 now. Could only help value. Don't go crazy though
11:31 am: Fans of the Oilers should be ecstatic about getting Teubert and picks. ECSTATIC. Perfect fit.
11:29 am: Penner should easily slide onto L1 LW slot with Anze Kopitar. Penner's value gets small bump with +/-, G, but he was solid anyway.
11:25 am: Penner to Kings for Colten Teubert and draft pick. WAY better than the fake trade. LOVE Teubert for the Oil. Gritty, physical. Awesome. A+
11:05 am: RT @Rossi_on_Pens Just had second NHL person tell me,based off what they're hearing,not to be surprised if Pens pull a stunner. Interesting.
10:54 am: CAR adds Bryan Allen. Not much of a concern for poolies. If Samsonov is the guy going the other way, you still likely have better options.
9:53 am: Klesla to Phoenix for Upshall and Lepisto. Upshall can play on any line, provide support. Klesla's another layer for PHO on D.
Expanded: Lepisto might have more room to provide offensive support with CBJ. We'll see.
9:18 am: Has told Stars: "If you have something, I'll look at it." Won't talk specifics about NYR or anyone. "I'm a Dallas Star". No list.(@StarsPR)
9:17 am: Brad Richards has been skating, isn't sure when he can practice. Doesn't know what to expect for trade deadline. No 1 has talked to him yet.
9:03 am: Conklin got through waivers. Somebody missed the boat on that one.
Expanded: The Sens added Curtis McElhinney, presumably to make sure Robin Lehner can finish up the season in the AHL uninterrupted and get a rythym going. Craig Anderson will see the lion's share of starts for the Sens, naturally.
8:53 am: The best part of owning a Detroit goalie in salary cap pools is the great stats per dollar ratio. Two more years of Howard at $2.2M per.
Expanded: I'm still particularly interested to see if Daniel Larsson, who has 2.51/ .918 splits in the Swedish Elite League so far, might return to North America next season to back up Howard while Thomas McCollum continues to develop in the AHL.
8:47 am: Nice. Caps add insurance for Mike Green by getting Dennis Wideman for pick and Hauswirth. +/- boost for Wideman at least.
Expanded: Green has been missing too much time this season, so Wideman is a good insurance policy who at the very least adds depth and puck-moving ability even if Green misses no more time. John Carlson should still be the PP1 option when Green sits, so Wideman really doesn't get an offensive boost going to the Caps given how little they've been scoring with an improved emphasis on D. That said, the +/- should trend upward. Wideman has one more year left on his current deal, after which he'll be a UFA.
7:40 am: Dvorak headed to ATL, but at price of Bergfors and Rissmiller. Good pick-up for FLA in the long run. Dvorak helps ATL now. Good 4 Bergfors.
Expanded: Dvorak will be a solid third-line piece for the Thrashers that can play hard at both ends and perhaps most importantly, he adds experience.
Bergfors needs to be a top six guy to succeed at this level and as last night's Live NHL recap shows, ATL had no room for him there: Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler/ Evander Kane - Nik Antropov - Anthony Stewart. In Florida, Bergfors should be able to reclaim that top six spot that he was originally given after the trade last year, but slowly lost this season. Stewart's development - and his style of game vs. that of Bergfors - really sealed that deal.
Dvorak will be a UFA this summer. $1.8M contract this year. Bergfors will be an RFA this summer and makes $900K.
7:14 am: Somewhat lost in the continual 43, 33, 14, 12 goal note on Boyes: 3-19-22 in past 25 GP with STL. A goal is a goal, no matter who scores it.
7:07 am: $3.65M average for Justin Williams in new 4-year deal. Played 174 of possible 328 GP over 4 years prior to this season.
7:00 am: re: Phillips' signing in Ottawa... don't forget the ++ impact he'll have on guys like Cowen, Rundblad coming up. I actually like the signing
6:27 am: One of the under-the-radar gets today, salary permitting, could be Ty Conklin on waivers. Dependable vet, great team guy. Solid insurance.
6:15 am: Live deadline blog combines tweets and expanded thoughts when needed. http://tiny.cc/4g9bo Just waiting for the deals...
5:00 am: Time to get our trade on. Busy day of activity coming? We'll see. Fantasy owners are anxious to find out. Let's rock and roll.
READER QUESTION
Steve: Chris, my team has been all over the standings due to injuries (My 1st 2 picks this year were Brodeur and Mike Green - ugh), and a lot of my players recently changed teams. Despite this I am still 1st in overall goals, 3rd in overall points, but need to hold my position and make up some ground in Wins, could also use some PIMS, +/-, and shorties
My goalies are Brodeur, Rinne, and Hiller. (Play 2 weekly)
Forwards (play 9 each week with weekly moves) Backes, Bergeron, Hemsky, Iginla, Brad Richards, Tavares, Selanne, Stewart, Neal, Boyes, Hall, Carcillo
Def - Play 5 each week Green, Wideman, Goligoski, Subban, Tyutin, Bieksa
FA of interest - G - Montoya, Ellis, Boucher, Reimer D - Shattenkirk, Erik Johnson, Hamonic, Demers, Karlsson (But -31) F - Jussi Jokinen, Recchi, Calvert, Setoguci, Hudler, Sturm
Now that Brodeur played well yesterday I am not as panicked over Hiller as I could roll with Bordeur and Rinne, but do you see any moves that would jump out at you?
Categories G,A,PTS, +/-, Shorties, PIMS, GAA, SV%, WINS. Thanks."
Chris: Agreed on the goalie situation Steve. With Brodeur healthy now, it's a pretty easy to call to roll with him and Rinne in net. That duo, when healthy together, should help you in the wins category. I feel your pain with Brodeur this year too, believe me. Such is life though, eh?
I get the need for PIM, but there have to be better options out there than Carcillo. Tyutin is a decent option on D, but I think this is the time to buy on Erik Johnson. He can also chip in some PIM. I'd also give serious consideration to Hamonic, who has been absolutely deadly with a points/ PIM combo. Check him out and see if you can rotate him in at all in your weekly line-up. I'd give him more weight than the injured Bieksa at this point.
READER QUESTION
Jeffrey: "Desperate times in a H2H weekly league, Wins = 5pts, SO = 3 pts, Saves = 0.2 pts, Goals = -1 pts
Can’t get burned with Varlamov potentially not starting this week, so do I put Anderson in (H Bos, at Atl, H NYR) or Hedberg (is he back to backing up??) (H TB, H PIT, at NYI)?"
Chris: Jeffrey, between a Hedberg that's been playing extremely well on a Devils team that's so hungry to win every night - but who now faces a healthy Martin Brodeur - and a reborn Craig Anderson on an Ottawa team going nowhere I'd still have to tell you Anderson. He's going to be the heavy start guy, which will help you guarantee your weekly start minimums with whoever your No. 1 guy is, while also hopefully continuing to deliver solid stats across the board with his new team.
