March 13, 2006
Deadline 2006 Fantasy Fallout,
Part 1
By Darryl Dobbs, TheFourthPeriod.com
A high amount of trades on March 8th and 9th, but not so much in terms of fantasy impact. Here is a look at what the deals mean to your hockey pool, by team:
Anaheim
IN: Brett Skinner, 3rd round pick, Jeff Friesen, Sean O'Donnell
OUT: Keith Carney, Juha Allen, Sandis Ozolinsh, Joel Perreault
I had stated here earlier that the Ducks would only be doing minor moves and that is exactly what they did. Switching Carney for
O'Donnell was a sideways move, and losing Ozolinsh has little impact because did not play a whole lot for them this year. Jeff Friesen will be interesting to watch. After four seasons with around 60 points in San Jose, the 29-year-old could only muster 43 points as his best year in Anaheim.
It's a whole new team now, one that will be better suited for his speed game. His first game in his second tour of duty, Friesen logged only nine minutes of ice time playing with Teemu Selanne and Andy McDonald.
Atlanta
IN: Steve McCarthy
OUT: conditional draft pick
While the Thrashers did well in acquiring a 25-year-old rearguard with some potential, there was nothing done in Atlanta that would affect
anyone's hockey pool. I had expected big changes to be made by this team, given the playoff guarantee by the GM, however nothing more was done than this small move.
Boston
IN: Marty Reasoner, Yan Stastny, 2nd round draft pick
OUT: Sergei Samsonov
As expected, the Bruins are in a rebuilding mode. Stastny is a longshot to make the NHL as a regular, but the possibility exists and the Bruins must like him since they were the ones who drafted him in the first place
they've already stuck him in the lineup for a tryout. If the door
wasn't wide open for Brad Boyes to produce before, it is certainly open with Samsonov gone. The Bruins made a statement to
Boyes: "You are our guy." His production will go up. Reasoner will see more powerplay time than he did in Edmonton, which may see him become a 45-point player.
Buffalo
IN: 2nd round pick
OUT: Mikka Noronen
Not much of a difference for this team, but you
can't really blame a team who is having such a great season and just got their best player back from injury.
Noronen's departure lessens the goaltending logjam and in turn reduces the goaltending controversy.
Calgary
IN: Jamie Lundmark
OUT: Jason Weimer.
The Flames needed more scoring up front, and their answer to that was Jamie Lundmark. That alone is reason enough to take a shot on him in your pool.
He'll be a cheap pickup who may turn his career around in his home
Province of Alberta. If anyone can turn around the formerly highly touted prospect, it is coach Darryl Sutter. Also being the GM of the team, Sutter has even more reason to play
Lundmark... Lundmark can make him look good.
Carolina
IN: Mark Recchi
OUT: Niklas Nordgren, Krys Kolanos, 2nd round pick
The
'Canes effectively replaced the offense lost when Erik Cole went down with a fractured vertebrae in his neck. They also introduced even more experience. Recchi will continue to score at his current pace, and the Hurricanes retain their status as Cup contenders.
Chicago
IN: 4th round pick, 6th round pick, 2nd round pick, Brandon Bochenski
OUT: Jim Dowd, Todd Simpson, Andy Hilbert, Tyler Arnason
This is a pretty solid return for a rebuilding team. Bochenski only received twelve minutes of ice time in his Chicago debut and he was a minus-2.
It's a whole new game out there in Chicago, and Bochenski can no longer see the likes of Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza on his line. His potential for greatness has declined, and his fantasy value has gone with it. With Arnason out of the picture, the Blackhawks will rely even more on Radim Vrbata, Kyle Calder, Mark
Bell and Rene Bourque for offense.
Colorado
IN: Jim Dowd, Jose Theodore
OUT: 4th round pick, David Aebischer
The only fantasy impact here is the acquisition of Jose Theodore, who may or may not turn things around. My money is on
"may." Theodore is a top goaltender in this league, and the change of scenery turns him from a fantasy hockey dud to a fantasy hockey stud.
Columbus
IN: conditional draft pick
OUT: Luke Richardson
Nothing of fantasy impact here.
Dallas
IN: Willie Mitchell, 2nd round pick
OUT: Martin Skoula, Shawn Belle
Nothing of fantasy impact here. Something to keep in mind about Dallas they would be out of the top four in the Conference if it was not for the shootout. Going 10-0 in the shootout will not help them in the playoffs. On the other hand, Jussi Jokinen and Bill Guerin are just starting to really heat up.
Detroit
IN: Corey Cross, 7th round pick
OUT: 4th round draft pick, Jamie Rivers
Another team with little or no fantasy impact. The arrival of Cross will affect Jason
Woolley's ice time, and perhaps put him in the press box come playoff time.
Edmonton
IN: Dwayne Roloson, Sergei Samsonov
OUT: Marty Reasoner, Yan Stastny, 1st round pick, 3rd round pick, 2nd round
pick
A .855 save percentage was on
Roloson's record after two games as an Oiler. He will adjust, and bring the Oilers that extra win or two that they need to get into the playoffs. Sergei Samsonov is the real fantasy boon here. He is capable of 90 points, health permitting. Maybe he can be that kind of player in an Edmonton uniform.
Florida
IN: Ric Jackman
OUT: Petr Taticek
NOT OUT: Olli Jokinen
I added that last part because it was likely the biggest non-move of the deadline. I know more than a few pool owners that have Jokinen that winced when they saw
he'll be staying in Florida. They had visions of him in an Ottawa uniform, and all the points regular season and playoff that would come with that. As for Jackman, he is not a Jacques Martin kind of player, and I cannot see this working. Taticek was a decent prospect to sacrifice for him.
Los Angeles
IN: Tim Jackman, Mark Parrish, Brent Sopel
OUT: Yanick Lehoux, Jeff Tambellini, Denis Grebishko
Acquired experience and gave up youth. Parrish owners would have preferred he land somewhere better than LA, but his role in LA is clearly defined
he'll be on the second line and put up 60 points a year. Sopel and Jackman have little fantasy value.
Minnesota
IN: Martin Skoula, Shawn Belle, 1st round pick, 3rd round pick
OUT: Willie Mitchell, Dwayne Roloson
The Wild need an offensive defenseman, and Skoula has a chance at providing that. Of course, he had a chance in Anaheim and Dallas as well, so
don't count on it happening here. I think what the Wild does with that 1st round pick holds more fantasy potential than what Skoula offers.
Part II: Next Week.

Mar. 06, 2006 - Trade Deadline Looms II
Feb. 27, 2006 - Break Over, Deadline Looms
Feb. 06, 2006 - Risky
Picks
Jan. 30, 2006 - The
Future of Boston
Jan. 23, 2006 - High-Flying
Canucks
Jan. 16, 2006 - Home
Sweet Home
Jan. 09, 2006 - He's
Baaack!
Jan. 02, 2006 - Young
Pens Get Their Shot
Dec. 19, 2005 - The
'New' Sabres
Dec. 12, 2005 - Shark
Outlook Upgraded to 'Buy'
Dec. 05, 2005 - Rejoice
Over Recent Movement
Nov. 28, 2005 - The
Most Underrated Fantasy Player
Nov. 21, 2005 - Chemistry
in Chicago
Nov. 14, 2005 - Thrashers
the Net
Nov. 07, 2005 - King
of the L.A. blueline
Oct. 31, 2005 - October's
Best and Worst Fantasy Players
Oct. 24, 2005 - Wild
About Scoring
Oct. 17, 2005 - Striking
Gold Thanks to Linemates
Oct. 10, 2005 - A
Surprise Fantasy Asset
Oct. 03, 2005 - Last
of the Late Picks to Put You Over the Top
Sept. 26, 2005 - More
Late Picks to Put You Over the Top
Sept. 19, 2005 - Late
Picks to Make or Break Your Pool Team
Dobber's
Fantasy Tips exclusively appear Monday's at
TheFourthPeriod.com.
Comments/Concerns/Criticisms/Compliments: rotohockey@rogers.com
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