Studs & Duds - Saturday 3.02.2013

[Bomm Bastic]

STUDS

Thank you for being a friend...
Jakub Voracek has an astounding 25 points in 23 games. To say he is benefiting from playing with Giroux is like saying Lindsay Lohan benefits from having her Community Clinic w/in walking distance from her trailer.

It pains me greatly to say this......but Brad Marchand (a/k/a The Weasel) now has seven points in his last six games - combined with an average of 2.5 shots/game in that span, and some serious power play time on ice. Marchand's value in multi-cat, one year leagues is probably at its highest. If you're a poolie owning Marchand in a limited keeper or dynasty and out of contention, might be time to sell high.

Is the 'U' silent?
Jiri Tlusty potted a goal in yesterday's win over the Panthers, and poolies are beginning to really take notice. Averaging three shots per game in last five, with five points in that same span also combined with significant power play time all makes Tlusty a valuable depth forward in points only leagues.

Tequila Monster's head explodes...
Sidney Crosby regains his apparent birth right atop the NHL overall points leader board, with a one goal and two assist in yesterday's win over the Canadiens. Blah-blah....he's so awesome...blah-blah-blah...he's the best...blah-blah-pfffffft!

Italian Ice
Andrew Cogliano gets props for his hat trick yesterday and five points in as many games. If only oglino could earn some power play time, he might be more than middling depth man in points-only leagues.

Cap Friendly
We all are very aware Chris Kunitz's monster year, and even more acutely so after his two goal/one assist performance yesterday. But with a modest $3.7 cap hit, GMs in cap leagues are really getting great value. Not to mention they get it for another year, through 2014. That's a keeper right there.

Honorable Mentions

• Flyers finally get to .500 on the season and seem to be firing on all cylinders. Giroux, Simmonds, Hartnell, Bryzgalov all performing at high levels.
• See my ode to the Sabres here
• Christopher Higgens potted one yesterday and now has registered points in last three games. Unfortunately for poolies his TOI is very limited so keep this one simmering on the wire.
• Glory be on high, Dan Boyle got a goal!! See you in ten games, oh Danny boy!
• Max Pacioretty earned a goal and assist in yesterday's loss, and now has seven points in last five.
• Not to be out done, Tyler "Stop Calling Me Taylor" Seguin has seven points in his last eight and hovering around 15 TOI - seeing decent PPTOI.

DUDS

Fine line bewteen sinners and saints...
Ilya Kovalchuk allowed Patrick Kaleta to take up residence under his skin, in the Devils loss to the Sabres. Love him or hate him, but when he is able to get the oppositions top guy off the ice, Kaleta is doing his job. Kovalchuk can't help his team from the sin bin.

Like a fish out of water
Mathieu Garon at one point in yesterday's loss had allowed two goals on nine shots. And Now has the dubious distinction of losing eight of his last nine starts, with an underwhelming 2.86 GAA.

Speaking of goalie trouble..
The Florida Panthers are scrambling to find a savior in net, losing four of last five with a whopping team stat of four goals against per game. In other news, if you have ever dreamed of being an NHL goalie - feel free to submit an application online at panthers_need_a__f_ing_goalie.duh.

No, the other Backstrom...
Nicklas Backstrom managed to fart-out an assist yesterday, but still has only two goals on the season. How much is a poolie supposed to take before giving up? Here's hoping for next year, I suppose.

I'll take Cody Hodgson for $1.6, Alex...
Zach Kassian, once seeing top line mins betwixt the Sedins and all the glory that comes with, now sees himself on the fourth line. Two points in his last ten games, and poolies get get a reliable read on his TOI. Boy how the mighty have fallen. Keep this budding forward on your bench in dynasty leagues. Power forwards take time to development consistency, so be patient.

Honorable Mention

• Jonathan Quick is just all over the place. He starts, he sits, he wins, he loses. Who knows on any given day? Allows five in loss yesterday and a pedestrian 2.5 GAA leaves us poolies perplexed. Tough to bench last year's Cup winner but jeebus, throw us a bone already.
• The Nashville Predators are not in sync. Rinne shat all over himself allowing five in the Preds loss to the Duck on 2/27. Then Rinne proceeds to carry his team yesterday, stopping 37 of 39 shots. But the team in front of him is of no help, managing but one goal in each of those respective losses. In fact, the Preds offense has averaged just 1.2 GF in last 5 games. Of the six goals, four came in a loss to the Stars on 2/25. This team needs to get its collective head pulled from its arse.

[horrorfan]

Just brilliant, Bomm.

[SeaDawg]

Well done, Bomm.

I think we have finally seen Crosby become the player Dobber always preached he'd become...that is, a player who can truly elevate his line-mate to stardom. I remember when Kunitz first went to Pittsburgh and I grabbed him up in numerous leagues thinking he'd become a solid 80 pt player. Well, turns out I was about 5 years early on that one.

I don't think it is the 33 year old Kunitz finally reaching his potential as much as the 25 year old Crosby reaching his prime years.

[newfcollins]

Surprised Price and Vokoun weren't duds. Vokoun especially has been bad this year. At least three goals in every game he started this year except for one, and 16 goals allowed in his last 2.5 games of hockey.

[msb]

Fantastic. Couldn't stop laughing at the Voracek and Panther lines. Theodore and Clemmenson have not worked out to plan this year. I want to know if the organization is going to give Markstrom an actual chance? Does the situation help spur some wind tails for the Luongo rumours?

[NoWayOut]

You knocked it out of the park yet again Bomm.

[Bomm Bastic]

Surprised Price and Vokoun weren't duds. Vokoun especially has been bad this year. At least three goals in every game he started this year except for one, and 16 goals allowed in his last 2.5 games of hockey.

Yeah Price was an oversight, I should have looked into it closer. His W/L ratio is average over his last half dozen starts, despite being 5-0-2 with a 1.52 GAA - which only helps if your league is set up to track that stat.

Vokoun, I considered, but ultimately avoided. When my expectations for him weren't very high to begin the season and his fantasy relevance generally is fleeting at best (unless you're a Fleury owner), it's tough to be any more dud-ier than that. As an analogy on the opposite end of the spectrum, Stamkos. We could probably list Stamkos as a 'Stud' on any given night that he plays. But what's the point? We all know of his greatness. So unless he really goes off or achieves a milestone of some sort, listing Stamkos among the 'Studs' each time he scores a goal is superfluous in my mind.

Subjective, I know. But that's how I approach the write-up.

Thanks for all the feedback, gents.

[DerekReese]

Great job Bomm!