Now that everyone’s Fantasy hockey draft is in the can and the whiff of potential poolie victory is in the air, it’s time to look at some players whose situations can mean the difference between victory and cellar-dwelling going forward.
BURNING BRIGHT
Dany Heatley (LW, SJ) – Having left behind any and all ugliness behind in Ottawa that sent the disgruntled Dany Heatley and a fifth-round pick to the San Jose Sharks for Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and a second-pick, expect Heatley to have a huge year. Not only from the benefit of a fresh start, but because of the fact that he’ll be doing it on a first line alongside Joe Thornton, one of the best playmakers in the game and left wing Devin Setoguchi who hit the 65-point mark in only his second year. Don’t be surprised if Heatley puts in 50 goals again for the third time in his career.
(AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)
Marian Gaborik (RW, NYR) – The quintessential high risk/high reward fantasy pick, Gaborik has the kind of jaw-dropping moves and ridiculously soft hands that make him an elite forward who was good for 43 career game-winning goals during his eight seasons in Minnesota. More of the same can be expected on Broadway if Gaborik takes a hiatus from his annual trip to the disabled list.
Daniel Cleary (RW, DET) – Among the shining stars in the Red Wings galaxy that include players like Zetterberg, Franzen and Datsyuk, Newfoundland’s Dan Cleary has made a place for himself with a gritty style of play that found him scoring three game-winners in last season’s playoffs and going so far as to play the last three Finals games while laboring under partial groin tears suffered in Game 4. Still shaking the rust off, Cleary holds great promise given that his linemates will be the aforementioned Zetterberg and Todd Bertuzzi.
Jaroslav Spacek (D, MON) – Brought over from Buffalo after three seasons sporting of a Sabres sweater, Spacek’s 22 power-play points last year make him the Habs’ de facto PP quarterback after Andrei Markov was felled for three-to-four months from a torn tendon suffered in a 4-3 OT victory over the rival Toronto Maple Leafs during the first game of the season. Spacek will have plenty of special teams help up front from the likes of Scott Gomez, Michael Cammalleri and Andrei Kostitsyn.
Loui Eriksson (RW-L, DAL) – Between Sean Avery’s disruptive presence both on and off the ice along with a plethora of injuries, the Dallas Stars fell well short of pre-season expectations. That said, Loui Eriksson proved to be of the few bright spots for an otherwise dismal campaign by leading the club with 36 goals. Having pocketed a recently awarded 6-year/25.5 million contract extension and with keystones Brenden Morrow and Brad Richards both recovered from their health setbacks, expect the stealthy Swede to help lead the Stars back to the playoffs.
DINGED UP
Patrick Elias (C, NJ) – The return of defensive-minded Jacques Lemaire behind the New Jersey bench has plenty of tongues wagging about the team’s anticipated offensive decline should the former Wild coach resurrect the Devils’ dreaded trapping style of hockey. All those questions will be on hold for the franchise’s all-time leading scorer as Elias is on the mend from groin surgery he had in mid-September that’s expected to lay him up from 3-6 weeks.
Pavol Demitra (C, VAN) – Now that the recently retired Mats Sundin has officially been removed as a distraction, the Sedin twins have been locked up to a five-year deal and a rested Roberto Luongo continues to be one of the top netminders in the game, the Canucks are a chic pick to go to the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, Pavol Demitra is still recovering from a torn left rotator cuff and is expected to miss the team’s first ten games.
Phil Kessel (RW, TOR) – Unable to accommodate Kessel’s contract demands due to a tight cap, the Boston Bruins sent him to the Maple Leafs in exchange for two first round draft picks and a second round draft pick. Offseason shoulder surgery has the wickedly slick twenty-two year old sniper on the IR until mid-November.
Rick DiPietro (G, NYI) – Three seasons into his unprecedented 15-year deal, Rick DiPietro has spent most of the time on the DL. Last season’s knee issues have bled into the 2009-2010 slate of games but with no timetable for his return, the Islanders are wisely moving slowly in bringing him back, as evidenced by the team’s off-season acquisition of the goal-tending tandem of Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron.
Marian Hossa (CHI, RW) – There are those who would call Hossa a mercenary given the fact that he’s gone to the Stanley Cup Finals the past two years with two different teams, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings, before inking a historic 12-year, $63-million dollar deal with the Chicago Blackhawks this past season. But with 339 goals and 380 assists compiled during his decade-long career, it’s not wonder that the Blackhawks were willing to shell out that much for the 30-year old winger. Unfortunately, July shoulder surgery means Windy City fans won’t be able to enjoy their team’s big bucks acquisition until late November.
SLEEPERS
David Backes (C-RW, STL) – There’s lots to love about this lunch pail wielding forward who’s not afraid to mix it up in the corners when he’s not putting the biscuit in the basket. Not unlike Brenden Morrow, the remarkably durable Backes is a power forward that is also a multiple fantasy threat across numerous categories, having notched 165 PIMs, 31 goals and 54 helpers in a full 82-game season. 2009-2010 only promises more of the same with a healthy Paul Kariya and Andy McDonald back along with enormously gifted youngsters T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund.
Steve Downie (C-RW, TB) – What’s that you say? How is it that Steve Downie, a player who is seemingly serving a 20-game suspension every other week, can end up on this list? Well by virtue of the fact that he has comparable puck-handling skills to fellow agitator Sean Avery and that Bolts coach Rick Tocchet has enough faith in Downie to put him on the first line with Vincent Lecavalier and Alex Tanguay.
Derek Brassard (C, CBJ) – The only thing that kept Derek Brassard from giving Calder Cup-winning teammate Steve Mason a run for Rookie of the Year honors was a dislocated shoulder in December that required season-ending surgery. Having given a hint of his scoring touch by putting up 25 points through 31 games, Brassard is poised for a huge breakout year especially given the fact that he’ll be centering Columbus’ first line between wicked stickhandler Kristian Huselius and scoring machine Rick Nash.
Claude Giroux (C-RW, PHI) – The Philadelphia Flyers are poised to make a lot of noise in the East with recent additions Ray Emery and Chris Pronger. While the biggest names are Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Simon Gagne, last year’s rookie sensation earned a place at the table last year by finishing the season solidly before leading the Flyers in playoff scoring and getting compared to former Flyer Peter Forsberg by Gagne. Training camp found him on a line alongside the crafty Daniel Briere, a development that can only promise fantasy manna if that continues going forward.
Semyon Varlamov (G, WAS) – The youngest Russian-born goalie to start an NHL game, the then-named Simeon Varlamov turned plenty of heads when he took the Capitols to within a game of the conference finals behind some gaudy stats (2.53, .918). As the backup to the notoriously inconsistent Jose Theodore, Varlamov is poised to move into the starter’s role and be a potential Calder Cup winner despite Coach Bruce Boudreau’s assurances that his current role is as a backup.
