For the most part, the Hockey Daily Dose has been about what you can do right now to improve your team(s).
Still, let’s take a second and try to reflect on the success of Jaromir Jagr. The former(?) NHL star went on a three-year exile to the KHL only to land in a perfect situation in Philadelphia. He didn’t have the baggage that surely would have followed him with a Pittsburgh Penguins return.* Jagr went to a place where he would have at least the slight boost from the incalculable revenge factor. (Pittsburgh fans conveniently forget that they booed him whenever he touched the puck during his many returns to the Steel City.) Oh yeah, he also had the potential opportunity to form a line with one of the best up-and-coming stars in the NHL in Claude Giroux. (Giroux has a great chance to eclipse Phil Kessel’s points lead, as he has 22 points in 2011-12.)
Sadly, there won’t be many Jagrs in the future. The closest example I can think of is Alex Radulov, who has a considerably larger number of karma points to deal with if he returns to the league with any team other than the Nashville Predators. (Radulov leaving the Preds is one of the least-discussed “What if?” situations in recent history, if you ask me.) Even then, Radulov didn’t leave the best league in the world with one Hart Trophy and – in my opinion – a partial claim to two others, either. **
That being said, the ultimate lesson is that later rounds are a great time to take on leftover “sexy” choices. Personally speaking, I was able to snatch Jason Spezza late in drafts by similar logic; a former (?) star can regain his previous glory by mere chance if he can stay healthy. (I fear that by uttering that last comment, Spezza will fall victim to his nearly-annual injury, so apologies if that does happen.) The funny thing about Jagr is that he left the NHL with a great playoff performance and a respectable 71-point season with the New York Rangers, who trotted out the rapidly declining Scott Gomez aside him in 2007-08. Should we have expected more in the first place?
Anyway, it won’t help you this season, but just keep in mind that the later rounds are a wonderful time to start taking blind swings based on gut instincts. After all, it’s great to have those picks that make you feel like a visionary in a cubicle/street clothes … right?
* - Seriously, without a fully healthy Evgeni Malkin or a slightly healthy Sidney Crosby, how would that have been a successful situation?
** - Hockey history tends to forget the guys who were borderline coin-flips for big awards, but I’d argue Jagr could have three Hart Trophies to his name. He had a legitimate argument to win the strike-shortened MVP that Eric Lindros won and was neck-and-neck with Joe Thornton in 2006-07 as well. Oddly enough, the Czech-born winger lost to the big, Canadian centers both times. I will now stop planting conspiracy theory thoughts in your heads …
After the jump: ride out the storm with Dwayne Roloson, another quick assessment of Jhonas Enroth and more ...
For the most part, the Hockey Daily Dose has been about what you can do right now to improve your team(s).
Still, let’s take a second and try to reflect on the success of Jaromir Jagr. The former(?) NHL star went on a three-year exile to the KHL only to land in a perfect situation in Philadelphia. He didn’t have the baggage that surely would have followed him with a Pittsburgh Penguins return.* Jagr went to a place where he would have at least the slight boost from the incalculable revenge factor. (Pittsburgh fans conveniently forget that they booed him whenever he touched the puck during his many returns to the Steel City.) Oh yeah, he also had the potential opportunity to form a line with one of the best up-and-coming stars in the NHL in Claude Giroux. (Giroux has a great chance to eclipse Phil Kessel’s points lead, as he has 22 points in 2011-12.)
Sadly, there won’t be many Jagrs in the future. The closest example I can think of is Alex Radulov, who has a considerably larger number of karma points to deal with if he returns to the league with any team other than the Nashville Predators. (Radulov leaving the Preds is one of the least-discussed “What if?” situations in recent history, if you ask me.) Even then, Radulov didn’t leave the best league in the world with one Hart Trophy and – in my opinion – a partial claim to two others, either. **
That being said, the ultimate lesson is that later rounds are a great time to take on leftover “sexy” choices. Personally speaking, I was able to snatch Jason Spezza late in drafts by similar logic; a former (?) star can regain his previous glory by mere chance if he can stay healthy. (I fear that by uttering that last comment, Spezza will fall victim to his nearly-annual injury, so apologies if that does happen.) The funny thing about Jagr is that he left the NHL with a great playoff performance and a respectable 71-point season with the New York Rangers, who trotted out the rapidly declining Scott Gomez aside him in 2007-08. Should we have expected more in the first place?
Anyway, it won’t help you this season, but just keep in mind that the later rounds are a wonderful time to start taking blind swings based on gut instincts. After all, it’s great to have those picks that make you feel like a visionary in a cubicle/street clothes … right?
* - Seriously, without a fully healthy Evgeni Malkin or a slightly healthy Sidney Crosby, how would that have been a successful situation?
** - Hockey history tends to forget the guys who were borderline coin-flips for big awards, but I’d argue Jagr could have three Hart Trophies to his name. He had a legitimate argument to win the strike-shortened MVP that Eric Lindros won and was neck-and-neck with Joe Thornton in 2006-07 as well. Oddly enough, the Czech-born winger lost to the big, Canadian centers both times. I will now stop planting conspiracy theory thoughts in your heads …
After the jump: ride out the storm with Dwayne Roloson, another quick assessment of Jhonas Enroth and more ...
JUST ROLL WITH IT
So, it seemed like Dwayne Roloson was figuring things out right as the league was dissecting the merits of the 1-3-1 zone, then the pitiful Winnipeg Jets came along and kind of ruined everything.
I don’t know what to tell you other than that Rollie the Goalie is what he is: an old (but still somewhat talented) goalie on a team that lacks solid defensemen despite its solid system. He’s never really been the type of guy who puts up great regular season numbers because his style requires a great team effort and keen focus. (Seriously, that has to explain his medicore numbers in Minnesota, right?) Anything less than full commitment - which usually only exists in the playoffs - and he’s in a little trouble.
My advice is to stick with Roloson, to an extent. Hopefully you have two “everyday” starters in front of him, so you can use him sparingly. There doesn’t seem to be an obvious rhyme or reason to his great starts, although to be fair, the young Jets had their collective manhood challenged by their mediocre coach Claude Noel. They answered the call and Roloson paid dearly.
Anyway, my advice is that you’re not going to get much trade value for Roloson right now, so you have two options: a) drop him for someone inexplicably on the wire, like Jhonas Enroth or Jose Theodore or b) ride out the storm in hopes that the good outweighs the bad. Don't give him up just because you're bitter that he blew a week or two of fantasy results, though, because you need to look only at future upside right now.
Sorry to rain on your parade on a marginal day like Tuesday, but not every situation can be perfect. Roloson’s still has potential to help you this season, but it won't always be pretty.
THE WRATH OF ENROTH
Hey, look at that … if you followed my advice, you already got a win with Jhonas Enroth. I’ll hang my hat on that bit along with calling out Mike Smith as an everyday starter if my “magic” runs out in future columns …
Monday night presented a situation in which Enroth got hung out to dry on at least one of the two goals he allowed against the not-so-potent Montreal Canadiens, but the important thing is that he didn’t allow that to get him down. Unlike Ryan Miller, he hasn’t dealt with years of this involuntary abuse from the Sabres’ shabby defense, so he kept his head and Buffalo squeezed out a shootout victory.
My guess is that you’ll have to deal with some lean times here and there with Enroth because of that leaky D and his scant resume, but if he’s still available in your league, get him now. (Seriously, if he's a free agent, drop someone. Don't make me glare at you.) There’s no telling how long Ryan Miller’s confirmed concussion might keep him out for, so Enroth could be a huge find.
Granted, you’d have to be in a league with owners who are asleep at the wheel at this point to get him, but it’s not your problem that they’re veering off into metaphorical fantasy traffic, is it?
LOK’D IN
With Dustin Penner on the injured reserve, someone has to benefit. Apparently that someone is Andrei Loktionov, who will (at least temporarily) take Penner’s place alongside Mike Richards and Dustin Brown on the Los Angeles Kings’ second line. Loktionov didn’t make the most of his assignment alongside Anze Kopitar last season (just seven points in 19 games), but maybe this will ignite the Russian prospect’s fire.
Don’t drop a dependable player for him, but if you have a guy who’s … pulling a Penner, then go ahead and give him a try. Otherwise just circle him like a fantasy hockey vulture and pounce if he proves himself. He could be a short-term gem.
INJURY SNIPES
So apparently Mike Green’s latest injury is a strained right groin muscle. (Pauses for seventh grade humor.) All joking aside, that’s a tough problem for an offensive defenseman who uses his speed and skill to create a lot of offense. He’s always been a bit fragile, but this season is especially disappointing because he’s in a precious contract year … Brent Seabrook is day-to-day with a leg injury … Is it wrong not to feel that bad that Todd Bertuzzi is dealing with some kind of “illness” right now? (Click here for the full injury list.)
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