Hockey Final Fantasy Numbers

The NHL regular season has ended…  this is how the woodpeck fared in the 08/09 season on yahoo!

Weekly head2head:

• 2 of 12 (lost on the “goals” tie break)
• 2 of 10 (also lost on the “goals” tie break!)
• 5 of 12 (commish of this one, golden rule of fantasy sports = the commish never wins!)
• 4 of 12 (tough league but aren’t they all?)
• 8 of 16 (missed getting into the top 6 for the playoffs by 3 lousy points.  led the 7th place playoff at the halfway mark by a score of 9-1 then lost 4-6 due to 2 D-men going on the DL once the 2nd week began)

Team Points: 5 of 13 (tough to get ahead in this heavy goalie points driven league if u didn’t have goalies)

Team Rotisserie: 2 of 14 (led most of the season til’ the last week when the roster spots started to reach their maximum.  thought we’d have built up enough of a lead going into the last week.  lesson learnt.)

Didn’t win any of the leagues but can’t complain with three 2nd place finishes out of 7!

This Team is Searching to Find its Identity

Here’s a list of our mid-week fantasy sports moves:

• In EPL yahoo, we switched our team format from a 3-4-3 to a 3-5-2.  Dropped Adebayor (Arsenal) and picked up Lampard (Chelsea).  Just trying a different config to jump start some points and Chelsea is hot and the Gunners are having issues on and off the field.  After missing the first week (so we started with no points while every1 got some), our EPL team is finally within distance of getting out of the basement and into the fray of the league.
• In NBA Yahoo, we dropped PG Anthony Carter (Nuggets) for SG Raja Bell (Suns).  Starting tonight, Carter won’t see much time on the court now that Chauncey Billups is the starter in Denver.
• In NHL Fantasy, we’ve been waiting for Daniel Carcillo to heat up but the wait is over.  We were at least countin’ on him for some decent PiM’s but even that dept. has been a huge disappointment.  Picked up Nik Hagman in a tight roster league that only allows for 2 bench spots. 

Fantasy Update: Sensational Pickups? A Capital Idea?

Need a goalie on your fantasy team?  Martin Gerber’s welcome might be wearing out with new Senator’s coach Craig Hartsburg.  A woeful save % in the .850 range over his past few starts and some weak goals are attributing to his demise.  In the wings is an eager Alex Auld.  Once again playing back in Canada and fully charged to play with a good team in front of him.  The future potential has never been greater for Auld and this is his year to shine.  Woodpeck says pick him up if you are able and have the bench space.  Auld is due to start this weekend for Ottawa and he is only owned in 6% of Yahoo leagues so he is most likely free in your league.  In other Sens news, Nick Foligno is back in the league and getting regular shifts on the Senators top 2 lines.  Only owned in 1% of Yahoo fantasy leagues and he’s got 3 points in 3 games.  A lot better line than another young Nick with huge potential.  Nicklas Backstrom of the Capitals only has a point in six games.  I haven’t done the math, but at that pace I don’t think a 70 point season is in the cards!  Someone needs to tell him the season has started!  Hurry!

Fantasy Update: Sami Salo

Keeping up the with the updates on players named Sam. Longtime fantasy stud, Sami Salo is on the decline. In and out of the lineup last year with injuries really diminished his value and this year looks to be no different. He’s already out a week with a groin pull. With 3 points in 6 games, Salo proves he still can produce but over the grind of a full season is it worth holding onto him? We see more reliable young defencemen on the market that produce just as well so we’re dropping him. The upside of having a player with equal stats but is in the lineup more just makes more sense in the longrun. The potential for points and increased fantasy value can be found elsewhere with a lot less risk.

Fantasy Update: Sam Gagner

After a break through rookie season for Sam Gagner, the highly touted centre from the Edmonton Oilers was looking like a lock for this year’s fantasy leagues.  After 3 games, he’s done squat and gotten injured.  Yet another sophomore jinx in the making?  Woodpeck thinks so and we’re dropping him from our fantasy teams.  Especially in leagues where there’s some great selection at C available.  Is this just a knee jerk reaction?  Time will tell if we’re right or wrong!