From a first overall pick that has yet to deliver in the NHL to a goalie that wasn't even supposed to be playing at this level in '08-9, the rookies from the upcoming YoungStars tilt have created some interesting storylines for poolies.
Patrik Berglund, F, St. Louis Blues Drafted: 2006 (1/25)
This young Swedish star is currently third in team scoring and second in overall rookie points on the strength of a run that has seen him accumulate 24 of his 27 points since November 1st. He produces at home (14 points in 19 GP) and on the road (13/17).
The best part, for his poolies and St. Louis, is that while leading scorers Brad Boyes (35 points and -23) and Keith Tkachuk (29 points and -12) are sucking the life out of the +/- category; Berglund has a solid +11 rating and no other member of the team is even close to double digits in that category. In fact, if you take every single other player on the Blues roster who is a positive and add them all together, they still only add up to +9 combined.
Bottom line - as badly as things have gone for the Blues this season with a host of key injuries, they'd be a lot worse without this kid working his magic on a nightly basis.
Mikkel Boedker, F, Phoenix Coyotes Drafted: 2008 (1/8)
This winger is currently tied for 10th in rookie points with 18, which is the same total as James Neal and Jannik Hansen. The Danish speedster hasn't made a splash in fantasy just yet in single-season pools; yet when you watch him play on any given night for the Coyotes you can see his awesome potential. The fact that a kid with this sort of offensive talent gets to apprentice under Wayne Gretzky is just scary.
Drew Doughty, D, Los Angeles Kings Drafted: 2008 (1/2)
Doughty left last night's game with a thigh contusion sustained after a hit from Evgeny Artyukhin, but on the whole this defenceman isn't having a stellar fantasy campaign so any length of time he'll miss (it doesn't seem very serious as of this writing) shouldn't have too much of an impact in single season leagues.
That's where the line between fantasy and reality can be drawn though because this London, Ontario-born defender has been a force for the Kings on the ice in his first season. The one thing I consistently hear TV commentators say as the Kings travel from rink to rink each night is "poise". For a recently-turned 19-year old kid to show that kind of maturity in high-pressure, fast-moving NHL situations against the game's best forwards is remarkable.
He's one of several high-end blueliners that'll shine for this team over the next decade or more and his fantasy worth is going to continue to grow into what should become stud status, just as his on-ice reputation is quickly headed that way as well.
Michael Frolik, F, Florida Panthers Drafted: 2006 (1/10)
Czech this guy out if you need help because he could be eligible at the wing as well as his normal centre position. He is a lot of fun to watch (which is good because some nights tuning in to the Panthers can really seem like work instead of actually watching hockey) and he's been putting up stellar poolie totals of late too. Over his past 20 GP he has amassed 17 points with a quite-helpful 49 SOG.
James Neal, F, Dallas Stars Drafted: 2005 (2/33)
He has been an outstanding story for the Stars since training camp because of his work ethic and nose for the net. This Whitby, Ontario product scored in his first NHL game back on October 10th and he has potted 12 more since that night, including his first hat trick.
He's currently fifth in team points and he's tied for third in goals, despite having played five fewer games than second place Hall of Famer Mike Modano. Neal averages just over 16 minutes of ice time per game and - on the whole - he's earned every minute of it. He may be just a so-so asset in single season leagues now, but as the years roll by he'll become more valuable - especially in leagues with goal-heavy scoring systems.
Luke Schenn, D, Toronto Maple Leafs Drafted: 2008 (1/5)
That this Saskatoon-born blueliner even made the Leafs out of camp is pretty amazing, but his game does not likely project well in fantasy. Hard hits? Tremendous. Tough to play against defensively? All the better for his goalie and his team on the ice in general. Pools are generally just about points though and that's why this guy's defensive defenceman legend will be built on the ice and not in fantasy leagues.
Steven Stamkos, F, Tampa Bay Lightning Drafted: 2008 (1/1)
Poolies who drafted Stamkos in single season leagues have no doubt long-since dropped him and this has not exactly been a rookie season to remember for the first overall pick from this past summer's draft.
The flushing sound we heard coming from Florida in the first few months of the '08-9 campaign was Tampa Bay's season going down the proverbial commode and with it have gone many of the Lightning's fantasy stories, although the team and several key players have shown signs of life recently.
As far as the highly-touted rookie - good things come to those who wait. That's what makes those keeper leagues tick.
Stamkos may still be in tough to make a big impact in pools this season with Vincent Lecavalier and the recently-returned Jeff Halpern locking down the top two pivot slots, but if you're in a retention pool you should be looking at this as a time to buy lakefront property right after a freak tornado has blown through town in an area where that never happens.
This kid will absolutely be an impact player in this league... not everyone can do it right off the bat.
Kris Versteeg, F, Chicago Blackhawks Drafted: 2004 (5/ 134)
No other non-defenceman rookie has more average ice time per game than this 22-year old Lethbridge, AB native. He also currently leads the field of first year players with 33 points in 39 affairs, while also racking up 43 PIM (albeit it with 27 in one game) with a +14 rating and 73 SOG.
It hasn't exactly been a straight shot to the NHL for this guy, but he's making the most of his opportunity. With what this franchise is building toward in what should be a very exciting future, you could say that Versteeg is really getting in on the ground floor of a great situation. He has also, seemingly, cemented a top six slot for the time being and that only enhances his overall worth in pools.
Blake Wheeler, F, Boston Bruins Drafted: 2004 (1/5)
There have been so many things that have come together for the Bruins to stake themselves to a 31-7-4 run to wrap up the first half of their regular season, which currently leaves them one point back of the Sharks.
One of them has been Blake Wheeler.
There were more than a few eyebrows raised when the Coyotes took this guy fifth overall back in 2004 and I distinctly remember Wayne Gretzky saying at the time that he was a project that would take years to develop.
At his draft Wheeler was 6-4, 195-pounds and now he's at around 6-5, 214. While he spurned the Coyotes to become a free agent, where he then ended up in Boston, this Minnesota-born winger has certainly made a splash in his long-awaited rookie season.
He got his first hat trick in early November and has 27 points in all, which places him in a second-place tie with Patrik Beglund for rookie points. But Wheeler's solid totals aside, how about his +27 rating? Sure, it's absolutely heavily a product of his environment. Still, he ranks second in the entire league in that category with Bruins locking down the top four spots overall (Marc Savard, +29; linemate David Krejci, +25 and Dennis Wideman, +25) with two other Boston players in the top eight (oft-linemate Michael Ryder, +21 and Zdeno Chara, +21).
Size in any NHL winger is a valued commodity, but when it's combined with his physical abilities that can make for a deadly power forward combo able to help in both single season and keeper leagues.
Steve Mason, G, Columbus Blue Jackets Drafted: 2006 (3/ 69)
Seriously. An NHL-leading six shutouts already? It's true that Roberto Luongo (five, which ties him in second with Niklas Backstrom) has been out of action since late-November with a groin issue, but Mason actually only has six more starts than Luongo all told.
Anyway, Mason is also currently at the head of the class for the Calder race. That can certainly change in the coming months though, as it has with a variety of eye-popping first-year performances from around the league since the season started.
But with a goals against average that easily ranks first in the league (1.75, which is noticeably lower than the excellent 2.17 campaigns currently sported by the afore-mentioned Luongo and Backstrom) and a save percentage that is also currently first overall (.938 with Tim Thomas and Craig Anderson each at .933) it's tough to do anything but gush when talking about what this guy has accomplished in one half of a season.
Especially since he wasn't even supposed to be playing in the NHL this year.
This former Team Canada Golden Boy has been like found money for single-season poolies this year; much like another TCGB in Mike Richards was last year when he broke out.
