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wiinterrose · 4 years ago

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( xavier serrano , male , he/him, 23 ) omg ! i was walking yonge street downtown , and you’ll never guess who i saw . 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐄𝐋 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒 ! i just saw a post about them on sixsecrets ! i think it said something like “ 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅��𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐓 𝟓 𝐀𝐌 : 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐄𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 ?” . isn’t that wild ? i guess it makes sense through , since they’re apparently 𝐃𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐒 and 𝐂𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 . but i’ve heard they’re also 𝐎𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 and 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐂 ! i’ll just stick to giving them the benefit of the doubt . i mean , it’s not like i know them personally — they’re a famous 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑 / 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐁𝐄𝐑 ! you know , i’ve actually heard rumors that ██████████████████, but they’re just rumors … i think . i dunno . if you happen to run into them , tell them i’m their biggest fan ! ( ollie , they / them , 21 , est )

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘

— mikey was born and raised in winnipeg because i think it’s funny when characters are from winnipeg. if you’re from winnipeg i’m so sorry. definitely was born on the coldest day of that year ( so like some point in january )

— but because of those long, cold harsh winters, mikey found himself in a dance studio a lot. his aunt was a dance teacher and with rather absent parents who meant well but both had long hours at the local hospital, he spent a lot of time with her. he fell in love with dance pretty early on, always having a certain fluidity and grace even when he was young.

— random but he also played hockey up until he was like 16 or whatever because he’s canadian and i’m not stupid. it happened. he can still skate tho. in a slightly different life he probably would have been a pretty good figure skater huh 🤔🤔🤔 but anyway...

— also feel like it makes sense that he did gymnastics. and trained in classical ballet.

— he went to university of toronto for college, studying kinesology and dance, and danced at one of the prestigious studios in the city.

— his big break moment was when in his sophomore year at ut, he made it onto the second season of world of dance in early 2017 ( lets pretend that show has been on longer than it has bc i don’t want it to be the first season of it sldk ). he made it all the way to the finals and quickly become a fan favorite along the way. though he ultimately placed second and missed out on the million dollars, that was the beginning of many doors opening for him. ( for those who, might have the vaguest clue what i’m talking about : i’m highkey feeling like, michael dameski style which is an idea i had after i named him michael so don’t @ me for him having the same first name ).

— millions watched that show, including some prominent agents and scouts who were able to help him launch a professional dance career : something he never thought he’d see himself actually doing. his first big gig was making the dance team for some singer’s north american tour, and he ended up not returning to ut to pursue a professional dance career full time. since then he’s danced in a few music videos for some uber famous musican ( same one he went on tour with or not idk ?? also a wc ?? maybe ?? ), a tv show, couple movies, and other various gigs around the city. he works part time at a studio when he has time, and has been honing his choreography skills as well.

— he makes enough dancing, but certainly not enough to make him RICH. no, that come from an impromptu vlog he did while on tour with aforementioned singer. having already garnered a following from world of dance, he soon rose to youtube fame as well, something he never could have predicted. i feel like his videos are very just, day in a life with various random challenges mixed in, and various workout and flexibility tips. he also still does pieces and duets with other prominent dancers just for fun too. his natural charisma and attitude really just carries him through easily lmao.

— mikey developed a bit of a habit of sleeping around when he left for college, all the newfound freedom was just intoxicating and well. he was hot so. it wasn’t like it was hard alsdkjf. that stuck around well into his blossoming dance career. nothing that was enough to be scandalous, but he made his way around. and then a year and a half into this unforeseen new life, he met matthew glass.

— he’d had a couple serious relationships before, one in high school, one his freshman year of college but neither of them could hold a flame to what he felt when he was with matt. perfection wasn’t something mikey believed in, but he almost did with what they had.

— it was like for over a year and a half he lived in this insane dream, and then mikey and matt broke up and he was devastated ( behind closed doors and with curtains pulled tightly shut ).

— he then proceeded to broadcast how perfectly fine he was doing by going back to his old ways and sleeping around obsessively, this time with very little regard as to how many headlines he was making. as far as coping mechanisms go, i guess sex is better than alcohol ?? not to say he wasn’t also drunk at times l o l.

𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐂

— mikey is a... how do u say... im gunna write manwhore bc it’s accurate so pls don’t take offense. inch resting bc i’ve written smut like once in my eight year rping career but that’s what he decided he was gunna be and who am i to deny that.

— very bi. very much does not care. if the world didn’t know he was before, it definitely does now lmao. he hasn’t come out in the sense he’s like posted a video about it and said “i’m bisexual” but it’s pretty obvious from the media and maybe he has gotten asked in interviews and has just shrugged and been like does it matter ?? i’m sorry he’s not the vocal bi ally we need. perhaps we will work on that.

— hasn’t dated anyone since matt bc he’s highkey lowkey still hung up on him but no one needs to know that right. outwardly, he’s very much the same : seemingly happy, but he’s a lot more careful with his heart and letting people close to him. if anything he’s become a bit of a two-way mirror, always seeing out but never really letting people see in, just what they want to see.

— probably goes without saying but extremely flexible. idk if any of you know who juuse saros is but apparently he can twerk in a split and i’m not saying mikey can but like. he just might be able to...

— straight up does not get cold. never wears more than a hoodie, probably danced shirtless in the middle of winter just fine. at least being from winnipeg is good for one ( 1 ) thing.

— i feel like people call him flower. idk guys. maybe im just thinking too much abt hockey goalies.

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

— he tends to be extremely underestimated as he comes across a bit dumb and generally has a pretty positive outlook on life which people confuse for him being naive when that isn’t the case. but he’s found he can use that it his advantage and that sometimes, people will tell him things they think he can’t understand but he hears and remembers everything. it’s helped him out of a few difficult situations before.

— i feel like he has a bit of ethan dolan’s personality & dumbass energy idk guys...

— live in the moment kind of dude. his motto is probably like : you just gotta know what you want to do next. i mean looking back on his life it’s been pretty crazy and that’s only solidified his outlook that like, you really can’t control too much. just let it go where it takes you.

— people do like him though and they like talking to him for whatever reason. generally has pretty trustworthy vibes but he’s more slippery than he comes across. he’s a selfish person at heart and always has his own best interests in mind, even if it doesn’t seem that way at first.

— extroverted. i think ??

𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

— 6′1″. chocolate brown eyes. curly brown hair. he has a lithe but extremely fit build due to his career. his core strength is especially impressive.

— he has a monochromatic lineart tattoo of a rose on his left forearm / wrist and a butterfly ( again monochromatic & just lineart ) on his right shoulder. small scar at the base of his neck by his ear from an unfortunate hockey accident.

— needs glasses but usually only wears contacts unless he’s in his apartment late at night.

— he’s not overly fashionable, going more for comfort than how he generally looks. on a regular day, he’s probably got the whole... college athlete look going if you know what i mean. a big fan of mirrored aviator sunglasses. wouldn’t know what dressing up meant even if it slapped him in the face.

𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

first and foremost i want to say that i like to vibe and brainstorm with people to come up with unique connections between our characters but here are a few ideas:

— the singer whose tour he danced on — singer whose music videos he’s been in — mayhaps even actors for that tv show / movie he was in ( v small role but whatevs. maybe they just Vibed yknow ) — flirtationship 😔 — always ye ol good hookup l o l — we keep running into each other idk maybe we should talk ??

TAKEN CONNECTIONS PAGE HERE

𝐎𝐎𝐂

hey guys, i’m ollie. my intros are either written really eloquently or a big mess bc im trying to rub together a couple braincells at 1 am and whatever comes out, comes out. no need to guess which category this one falls into lmAO. anyway, i’m a slow plotter bc i’m easily overwhelmed trying to do too many things at once but i swear i will try to get to as many people as i can. and yeah this entire character is inspired by my love of world of dance don’t @ me... if u made it all the way down here u should watch this bc 😳 & mikey has the same athleticism and strength.

#sixhqintro #( so....#this be a hot mess !!!!#but..#he's here lmao #hmu )#( im going to sleep soon bc it's almost 2 am and i have work tomorrow lmao )

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matskreider-blog · 6 years ago

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what is. sacrifice au

🌙✨ –;; the sacrifice au is a pretty extensive au that i have that covers a lot of different players. it’s set in ambiguous middle ages, so think like dungeons and dragons times, complete with magic and patron gods and what not. the story itself, takes place within the godly realm, as patrice was killed as a human sacrifice to tuukka, the god of war, so instead of going to the underworks where the rest of the human souls go, he winds up in the god of war’s realm.

this kicks off a series of events mostly centering around how patrice is going to fit in with the gods, his developing love story with tuukka, and then the eventual conclusion. i also have a sequel planned but that’s, like, quite spoiler heavy (as sequels are meant to be, haha) so i won’t talk about it on here too much but yeah, i’ve had this idea for a hot minute and there’s more on character developments and such in this post

i’ve also created different myths and relationships between the gods so they have their own stories. patrice is aware of these, he grew up worshipping a few of them, namely pekka, holtby, and stamkos, but it’s different to be around them….constantly.

but if you’re interested in who the “cast” is, so to speak, they are as follows:

major physical gods

zdeno chara - mountains, blacksmithing, hard-work, inventions

steven stamkos - skies, storms, freedom, wind

henrik lundqvist - oceans, seas, curiosity, pride

joel lundqvist - cosmos, night, witchcraft, curiosity

pekka rinne - agriculture, fields, spring, farmland

major ideological gods

sidney crosby - law, justice, order, truth

tuukka rask - war, hate, strategy, wrath

pk subban - love, peace, hope, desire

braden holtby - family, fertility, marriage, home

juuse saros - death, fear, darkness, supernatural

non-gods important characters

patrice bergeron - former human, protagonist of the story

brad marchand - a sprite working for tuukka, originally made by pekka

torey krug - one of henrik’s sprites of the sunken palace

i’m also always down to talk more about this au! feel free to ask questions, but since i’m in the middle of writing some of it, i don’t want to give too many spoilers out, but there’s plenty of backstory that won’t actually be in the actual story itself, and i’d be happy to talk about those too!

#kay answers #anon #sacrifice au #it's a p big cast ngl #but i'm really happy with this au like it's equal to transcendence au as far as how much time has been going into it #but unlike transcendence au i don't have to depend on actual hockey #i can just let it do its own thing #but yeah! feel free to ask me any questions abt it!#their realms; their domains; how i chose who was who; the myths that describe their relationships #im down to answer all of it 😇

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armeniaitn · 4 years ago

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Entrepreneur and Activist Saro Derbedrossian at the forefront of HotNewHipHop

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/culture/entrepreneur-and-activist-saro-derbedrossian-at-the-forefront-of-hotnewhiphop-73126-07-05-2021/

Entrepreneur and Activist Saro Derbedrossian at the forefront of HotNewHipHop

Saro Derbedrossian, who goes by the name of Saro D

BY LALAI MANJIKIAN Special to Asbarez

For more than 14 years, Saro Derbedrossian, who goes by the name of Saro D, has been diligently building one of the biggest music platforms on the internet today. This digital publication called HotNewHipHop (HNHH) has become an internationally recognized force in the hip-hop world and in the music industry at large.

Saro D was born in Beirut before the start of the Lebanese civil war and grew up against the backdrop of conflict, until he immigrated to Montreal, Canada. After completing an MBA degree in Montreal, he was eager to find opportunities to apply his entrepreneurial skills and relentless drive. With his love of the Internet and music colliding, he was able to take a simple website to new heights, as the growth of HNHH also coincided with hip-hop’s rise as the dominant music genre.

Saro D. in Artsakh

Today, HNHH is the place where millions of people around the world turn to for news, music, and trends, all linked to hip-hop culture. Currently, HNHH averages over 12 million unique visitors a month, with 80 percent of them from the United States & Canada and boasts a social media footprint of over 3.5 million followers across all channels. Though the company is based in Montreal, HNHH has an office in New York City and a creative space in Los Angeles.

Not only is Saro D a successful entrepreneur, but he also manages to stay active in the Armenian community, as a committed advocate for the Armenian Cause (Hay Tad). His Armenian background and his deep involvement in community activism, whether for genocide recognition or Artsakh, has only heightened his sensitivity vis-à-vis racism in general and the Black Lives Matter Movement.

I interviewed Saro D to learn more about how he developed and grew HNHH into the digital publication that it is today, and to find out more about his overlapping entrepreneurial and personal trajectories.

Saro is an example that Armenians are builders, whether that is building an online lifestyle publication from the ground up or (re)building a stronger Armenia.

LALAI MANJIKIAN: Can you take us back to when, and how, this start-up was born? Can you describe what your role has been in HNHH’s development over the years?

SARO DERBEDROSSIAN: It started as a personal thing. My entrepreneurial drive, the fire I had in me, pushed me to do something on my own. When I was thinking of “where” and “what” I wanted to do alone, at the time, I was fascinated by the Internet, we’re talking about 2007. The Internet was going crazy back then. It really didn’t matter what the project was, as long as I was working on a business involving the Internet. I came from a background of operations and manufacturing, which is pretty traditional. I was really looking forward to being in a very exciting venture. Once I knew that I wanted to start something on the Internet, the music aspect came later.

L.M: The start of your website happened to coincide with a time when music was transitioning from physical to digital. The way we consume music has changed drastically over the last decade, and it is precisely during these past ten years that HNHH has emerged and evolved.

S.D: Exactly! In the beginning, HNHH started by being a simple page where we curated music. It was a compilation of daily music that we, ourselves, liked. We said, you know what, instead of you going and looking everywhere for music, you can come here, where we are giving you a highly curated daily list of songs and we were rating them. So, there was an editorial element. We were saying, “this is HOTTTTT”, “this is VERY HOTTTTT” and this ranking system became an iconic thing for HNHH.

L.M: HNHH carved its place then, initially through music curation, but now it has expanded to tackle hip-hop news and other topics adjacent to the culture. How did this transition take place?

Saro D. with the rapper Lil West, one of the artists signed to his label (Nomad Music Group) and to Republic Records (part of Universal Music)

S.D: We decided that HotNewHipHop has to be a publication, as opposed to just a website, or a blog page. I don’t have any background in publication, and I don’t have editorial experience, but because I had worked in operations, I had a lot of experience in how to operate a business. I started realizing that we should have an editorial team. We should have someone writing news, someone who’s writing features. That’s when I started hiring journalists, who know exactly how things are done, people who have writing skills. We started putting these people together, who also have a lot of knowledge in hip hop, referred to as “hip hop heads.” As much as I love music, there are people who really know this stuff, they know it by date, the history, etc. So, that is how we started growing the content type. We realized, instead of focusing on the content let’s focus on the audience.

L.M: Can you address who your target audience is on HNHH?

S.M.: Our audience is made predominantly of millennials, who are 18-34 years old. The majority of people visiting the site are 21, 22, 23-year-olds. These are people who not only love to hear hip hop music, they are also active within the culture. A lot of current aspects of pop culture are influenced by hip hop. We went from being the “underdog” of music genres, to really a worldwide cultural phenomenon. We realized that we should cover other aspects of the culture, besides just the music. If you are coming to listen to the music or coming to know what are the top songs of that day, you also come to see what happened that day in the world of professional basketball, like did something funny happen yesterday during the Laker’s game?

Saro D.’s HotNewHipHop has become an influential force in hip-hop world and the music industry

L.M.: Can you give us a sense of the role HNHH plays in introducing and determining trends in hip hop culture? To some degree you are calling the shots, by telling your audience what’s hot and what’s not.

S.D.: I am not going to call it our forte, our specialty, but I guess the name of the game is creating content. Most of the news that we break is through interviews. That’s the type of news we like to break.

We also focus on finding new talent.

We focus a lot on new artists. We have a team taking care of that, we have music submission systems, and we also go and look for artists.

We try to stay true to our name. The content has to be “hot”, in the sense that, we want to serve it to our audience quickly, but it also has to be culturally relevant and important. We want to be the first ones to break the news, and then also, when something interests us, we report it. We publish anywhere between 100-125 articles, pieces of news, information a day. We have different segments on YouTube weekly. We also have a social media team who creates content specifically for our social media channels, Facebook, and Instagram. The content is not necessarily the same, they don’t intersect. Our audience on Instagram consumes news differently than our audience on the website.

L.M: HNHH has been instrumental particularly in featuring new, as well as established hip hop artists. Can you describe the role HNHH has played and continues to play in launching new artists’ careers?

Saro D. at Dadivank Monastery in Artsakh.

S.D.: I wouldn’t credit ourselves saying we launch artists’ careers. We give them the platform; it is up to them to make the most out of it.

Many artists have gone through HNHH, but one or two that became really big via our exclusive support early on, would be Tory Lanez, Canadian R&B/Hip-Hop artist. Tyga would be another one. Wiz Khalifa would be another one. We’ve launched his first mixtape. The Weeknd also is another one. We have a good relationship with The Weeknd’s management team and have premiered exclusive singles from him.

L.M: I would like to address the #BlackLivesMatter movement and how it too connects to HNHH. How has HNHH addressed anti-Black racism over the years and particularly now, with the rise of racist rhetoric and with systemic racism becoming more exposed?

S.D: It all comes from the internal culture. Every time something big happens, we have covered it. We are not a political website, true. However, anything that happens in the world that affects the culture, we definitely are there, we cover it. Personally, I am very sensitive to these issues. Sometimes, I am the one pushing, because I am an activist as a person, as an Armenian. I feel like anytime a community, a population is going through a crisis, something is activated in me and tells me that we have to do something, we have to talk about it. Obviously, I am not black, but sometimes, I really feel what they go through. For the past 14 years, I have been working day in and day out with people of all races.

L.M: HNHH has plans to open a creative space in Los Angeles, can you talk to us about this project, what the space will encompass and where this project currently stands?

S.D: The whole idea is about creating content. As a digital publication, besides text-based content, we also need to produce video content, visuals, photos and audio. Initially, we were very successful in creating a creative space in NYC. However, while we wanted to go to NYC because of its deep history with hip-hop, we realized many rappers had moved to LA. With all the talent that LA and Hollywood both have, as well as the visual creation industry that is based there, we felt like we would be in a good position to move out there. So we kept our offices in NYC, and we went out and got a space in LA as well. We signed the lease in February, and unfortunately everything was closed down in March, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a beautiful space in Burbank, it is near other visual creators, musical studios, Disney and all that. The idea is to have many small studios, each one catering to a different video series for our YouTube channel. We also plan to have a recording studio – I also own a record label called Nomad Music. We manage artists, we sign artists for record deals. So, the idea is to have our own artists go there as well, to produce, and record songs in that space.

L.M: Can you tell us a bit about your personal trajectory, both in life and in business? Have you always had entrepreneurial ambitions?

S.D: I was born in Beirut, and I grew up in Beirut. I was born just before the (Lebanese civil) war, and I came to Canada shortly after the war ended. So, I have seen it all in Lebanon. I went to Neshan Palandjian Djereman in Beirut, and I also attended university in Lebanon, Université St-Joseph, majoring in Economics. After graduating, I wanted to come to Canada, but I had a year in between, waiting for immigration acceptance. During that year, I taught Math at Djemaran. After finally arriving in Canada, I did my MBA at Concordia University and then found a job. So, the entrepreneurial thing, I don’t know exactly, is it genetic? Or is it my personality? My father was a businessman, and I always went to his office. I was inspired by my father, he was a very creative businessman, he was a “big ideas” man. “Big ideas” which we have to be able to do, make them concrete. My father inspired me to think big, to dream big. But I think my personality also plays a role. The war, and the fact that we did not have a normal childhood. We grew up around bombardments, military cannons and army bases, it was chaotic. Nonetheless, I had a great childhood, I was born into a great family, but the environment was so rough, so tough, and violent. On top of the war, there was this Armenian education, to remain Armenian, I am not going to say indoctrinated, but we were brought up being “very Armenian.” We are talking a period of time that was post-genocide, pre-Artaskh. As an Armenian, there was a struggle, as a Lebanese, there was a struggle, as a student, as a person, there was always a struggle, to try to make up for what we lost.

L.M: I think it is safe to say that you were in survival mode but wanted to go into “thrive mode.”

S.D: Exactly. So, when I came to Canada, my thinking was that, you know what, I have to prove to myself that I am able to achieve something. Basically, we went through all that, and, now, are we good for something? Can we do something?

L.M: Besides being a successful entrepreneur, you have also been a relentless advocate for the Armenian Cause (Hay Tad) for several years. Can you talk about this aspect and what the Armenian Cause means to you, particularly in light of the recent war that took place in Artsakh?

S.D: Hay Tad is on a personal level. It’s my life. Hay Tad is the most important thing we have outside of Armenia. It is advocating for Armenia in the diaspora. I feel like it’s the most important mission any Armenian should be devoted to, outside of Armenia. Besides educating our kids and keeping the culture, we need to make sure that Armenia, as a country, as a state, becomes stronger. Hay Tad is important, it means activism outside of Armenia.

As for the war, not only did we lose the war, but we are going through turmoil within the country. Armenia should have never gone to war. Armenia should have defended Artsakh, Artsakh is the cornerstone of everything we have, we lost it. I am very worried.

We went to war; the loss of life is tremendous. I don’t know how to put it. It ruins you from the inside. The aftermath is also very ugly. There is no loss without an aftermath of sorrow, of sadness, people not understanding, of political turmoil. However, I also feel that we have the strength as a nation to stand on our feet again.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Read original article here.

#Armenia #Armenians #Artsakh #Covid-19 #Culture

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pucks-deep · 4 years ago

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2020 Stanley Cup Playoff Preview

Playoff hockey is finally upon us, and it’s returning in a big way with an all-new 24 team format. Here are my series predictions:

(5) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (12) Montreal Canadiens

This series is one of the more intriguing in the play-in round, despite being one of the most lopsided on paper. The Canadiens simply cannot match the high-end talent of the Penguins roster, which will be boosted by a healthy Jake Guentzel. The Canadiens must slow down the Penguins top players and grind them down over the course of the series, much like the Islanders did when they swept the Penguins last spring. The biggest X-factor of the series is goalie Carey Price, as he has the ability to steal high pressure games. Having Max Domi in the lineup would also greatly benefit the Habs.

Prediction: Penguins in four

(6) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (11) New York Rangers

This could be one of the more tightly contested match-ups in the play-in round, as neither club holds the distinct edge. Starting with offence, the Rangers have plenty of it, spearheaded by MVP nominee Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. The back end is also very involved, featuring rookie Adam Fox. The Hurricanes take more of a scoring by committee approach, as the offence is well spread through the lines, although this isn’t to discount the threat of their top line of Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov. When taking a look on defence, this is where the Hurricanes pull ahead of the Rangers. The Hurricanes back end is the deepest in the entire east, even after parting with Justin Faulk. They are a tough group that doesn’t give an inch to opponents. The Rangers, on the other hand, aren’t nearly as defensively sound, but they are effective puck movers that can contribute offensively. Goaltending is an interesting question for the Rangers, as they have the choice of putting longtime goalie Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes, or hand the crease over to newcomer Igor Shesterkin, who posted vastly superior numbers over a short span. In Carolina, Petr Mrazek is the man, and the Canes are hoping Mrazek can shake off his mediocre season and return to his 2019 playoff form, where his play helped the Canes to a Conference Final berth. Overall, the edge has to go to Carolina, as they have the fresh experience of last postseason, while the Rangers are new to the game with a relatively young team.

Prediction: Hurricanes in five

(7) New York Islanders vs. (10) Florida Panthers

The Islanders meet the Panthers in what might be the least regarded series of the playoffs. This may be attributed to the general consensus that the Islanders aren’t a very exciting team to watch. They are a defence-first club that doesn’t score many goals and doesn’t feature any game breakers other than Matthew Barzal and even he has experienced a decline in points due to the style of play under coach Barry Trotz. However, this is a team that is very tough to play against, especially in playoff hockey, capable of shutting down star-studded teams (see 2019 Pittsburgh Penguins). Thus, it will be interesting to see if the Panthers array of offensive weapons can penetrate the Islanders armour, as well as the stellar combo of Thomas Greiss and Semyon Varlamov. Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov have yet to prove their playoff mettle, so it will be challenging facing the Islanders shutdown style. The Panthers do hold a secret trick up their sleeve in Sergei Bobrovsky, who will likely dictate the direction this Panthers team goes in this series. As he has shown last year, he can go lights out and when he does, he is the best goaltender in the world. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case for the majority of the past season. Bobrovsky holds the keys to the Panthers fortunes.

Prediction: Islanders in four

(8) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (9) Columbus Blue Jackets

Explosive offence meets shut-down defence. This has been the common narrative being written for this series between the Leafs and Jackets. Will the Leafs young guns overwhelm the Jackets, or will the disciplined Columbus defence stymie the Leafs? The Leafs have the better team on paper, possessing elite scoring power. The firepower of their top six is unmatched league-wide. Obviously, their struggles are on the back-end where they are famous for making plenty of mistakes in front of Frederik Andersen, who endured his worst season as a Leaf. He has to return much better than he was, especially if the Leafs defence isn’t any better. The Leafs must fully commit to the game and play cohesive team hockey, matching their skill with will. This is the Blue Jackets bread and butter, as they make up for their offensive shortcomings by rarely making mistakes and capitalising on other teams mistakes, a perfect style to play against the Leafs. The Leafs must adopt some of the grit and determination from the Jackets if they are to survive. Another strength for the Jackets is in the crease, where Joonas Korpisalo and rookie Elvis Merzlikins have come together to form one of the most unlikely success stories of the year. Columbus can feel confident in these two options, and the upside of Merzlikins is huge, as he can get very hot. With the right attitude and tweaks to their defensive game, the Leafs should overpower the Jackets, but keep in mind what happened last spring with Columbus.

Prediction: Leafs in five

(5) Edmonton Oilers vs. (12) Chicago Blackhawks

The Oilers enter these playoffs boasting the top two offensive forces in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, automatically making them the heavy favourites in this series against an aging Blackhawks team who clearly did not expect to be in a playoff position. On paper, the Oilers are better and deeper at every position. The Oilers have no problem scoring, further evidenced by the top power play conversion rate in the NHL. Their defence isn’t spectacular but functional, surely better than the Hawks blueline that bleeds chances in front of Corey Crawford, who has been marred by injuries and inconsistency. Crawford must provide excellent goaltending for the Blackhawks to move on, a big ask at this point. At the other end, Mikko Koskinen must merely be average for the Oilers, who do a fine job protecting him from opposing teams. Koskinen does have plenty of KHL playoff experience. The largest X-factor for the Hawks is the playoff experience of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, who have done it all to this point. These are clutch performers who can easily change the tide of games, but the help from below is lacking, with a lack of scoring punch. It’s the Oilers series to lose, but don’t be shocked if the Hawks topple them on the strength of their core leaders.

Prediction: Oilers in four

(6) Nashville Predators vs. (11) Arizona Coyotes

One of the major storylines heading into this series is goaltending. Jusse Saros finally overthrew Pekka Rinne as top dog in the Nashville crease, lifting the Preds from the Central division basement. The Coyotes are no slouch in the goaltending department, boasting arguably the best tandem in the NHL in Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta. The Coyotes success begins and ends with their goalies. Should Kuemper go down, the Coyotes are comfortable with their luxury 1B backup. Coincidentally, both of these teams struggle to score, with a lack of star power in Nashville, while the Coyotes star names have taken on more defensive responsibility at the cost of offensive production. The Coyotes still have the edge though, thanks to the proven playoff prowess of Phil Kessel, in addition to Hart winner Taylor Hall, who is capable of dominating games. The Preds need Matt Duchene to contribute more like a first-line center if they are to go deep in these playoffs. At this stage however, the Coyotes possess more upside on offence.

Prediction: Coyotes in five

(7) Vancouver Canucks vs. (10) Minnesota Wild

This is a match up between two teams in very different places, as the Canucks are nearing the completion of a rebuild, while the Wild have exited their prime playoff years.The Wild hold the edge defensively, especially when considering the two-way buy-in of the forward group. This is a veteran team that can lock down defensively to protect a lead. The offence, on the other hand, enters the play-in round as one of the weakest. Breakout star Kevin Fiala was the only Wild player remotely close to a point-per-game pace. This is where the Canucks will look to flex their muscles, as they boast a deep offence capable of scoring in bunches, led by young star Elias Pettersson. It will be interesting to see if the inexperience of this young core is a factor in the series. Goaltending is also a strength, as goalie Jacob Markstrom is coming off a phenomenal season that earned him consideration for the Vezina. The Wild crease is less certain, as Devan Dubnyk turned in a disappointing year, perhaps opening the door for a less experienced netminder to take the reins for the playoffs. Despite the uncertainty, the Wild net should be well insulated.

Prediction: Wild in five

(8) Calgary Flames vs. (9) Winnipeg Jets

The Jets and Flames enter this postseason much farther down the standings than last spring, thanks to lackluster seasons. Both teams could benefit from the long pause and turn the tables come playoff time. It wasn’t long ago that the Jets were a perennial cup contender and they still have the same core intact, minus Dustin Byfuglien. Also, Connor Hellebuyck was just nominated for the Vezina and if he continues his play, there is no limit for this team. They have an elite offence with names like Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Blake Wheeler and while they aren’t spectacular defensively, they are serviceable. The Flames also have good forward depth, but there is concern regarding Johnny Gaudreau and his ability to perform in the playoffs where physicality is more of a factor. The Flames need their top players to step up. Another cause for concern is in the crease, which featured David Rittich and Cam Talbot. Rittich struggled mightily, while Talbot posted a .919 save percentage in 26 appearances. The Flames won’t have much time to waste figuring out who their man is before they find themselves knocked out.

Prediction: Jets in four

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socalrangerstown · 8 years ago

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New York Looks to Strand Predators

Despite Blizzard Niko taking its toll on New York today, the game must go on at MSG as the Rangers take on the Nashville Predators.

Arriving yesterday, the Predators are ready to play in New York and heat up on the ice as the Rangers looks for their fourth win in-a-row. No doubt the Blueshirts are feeling good after a 4-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks that brought accolades for more than one member of the Rangers. Michael Grabner netted two on the evening, bringing his season total to 25 goals. Outstanding for a guy people had all but written off as a cheap addition to the Blueshirts. Alain Vigneault won his 600th game as an NHL coach and Henrik Lundqvist earned a season-high of 43 saves.

"It was awesome. He gave us a chance to win," foward J.T. Miller said of Hank. "That's huge in a game like tonight where I thought they brought their A-game.”

Hank is confirmed to start once again for the Rangers tonight. He has a 6-4-0 record against the Predators with two shutouts.

With only Dan Girardi day-to-day after needing stitches after a blocked shot opened up his ankle on Tuesday night, the Rangers are healthier than they’ve been all season, including Antti Raanta. Raanta hasn’t started for the Rangers since January 14th so he’ll hopefully get the nod next game to keep his confidence up. Clendening will play on a pair with Marc Staal tonight after being scratched four games and Holden will play with McDonagh.

Nashville has been hot as of late, going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. They currently sit third in the Central Division.

Coming off a stunning trade this summer as Shea Weber was swapped for Subban, all eyes have been on the former Canadien. Despite his All-Star appearance, he’s been unspectacular this season with 18 points in 37 games.

In fact, Swedes have been the answer for the Predators offensively this season. Ryan Johansen leads the club with 30 assists and 39 points in 53 games this season, with Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg trailing closely. Arvidsson has 35 while Forsberg has 34 points. Canadian James Neal leads the team with 17 goals in 44 games.

No. 1 goaltender for the Preds, Pekka Rinne has been having one of his best seasons to date, posting a 21-14-6 record with a 2.30 GAA and .923 save percentage with two shutouts to boot. However, it’s backup Juuse Saros who will get the call at MSG tonight. The 21 year-old hasn’t started in the NHL since January 24th. Saros in 5-3-2 with a 1.79 GAA and .941 save percentage.

The Rangers will need to be sharp with their offensive zone entry as Nashville’s defense has been strong in front of Rinne, allowing an average 2.53 goals per game, ninth best in the league.

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anycontentposter · 5 years ago

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Why the Rolex Sky-Dweller Blue Dial Is so Hot Right Now

Not all blues are created equal. Smurf blue, Batman blue, Deepsea blue — all totally different. Despite all being a similar variation of the rich, pigmented blue we’ve come to know and love from Rolex, they all boast a very different feel and aesthetic. Especially in context.

Contrasted against black bezels, blue bezels, yellow gold, white gold, stainless steel, and Everose — let alone their different dial variations — these blues all start to look drastically distinct. However, something about the blue dial on the Rolex Sky-Dweller has particularly made people soar over this watch since its release. Lucky for you, I’m going to tell you exactly what it is.

The Rolex Sky-Dweller is having a moment

The Sky-Dweller has largely had a problem getting off the ground since its introduction in 2012. Despite slick looks, incredible mechanical ingenuity, and a direct appeal to the world’s growing jet-set, this watch received little appreciation upon its initial release.

Much of that can be attributed to the fact that it was only available in solid 18k gold for about five years, giving it a hefty price tag and also making it a bit heavy to wear on the wrist. Although the Rolex Sky-Dweller wasn’t part of the brand’s professional line, the watch offered advanced functionality.

Outfitted with the company’s most sophisticated movement to date, the Caliber 9001, the Sky-Dweller was made to work. It not only keeps track of two time zones, but it can also display the month, date, and even offers an annual calendar complication named SAROS that can distinguish between months with 30 and 31 days.

So when Rolex introduced the Sky-Dweller in Rolesor – what the brand calls the combination of stainless steel and gold on a single watch, it instantly became more enticing. Not only was it now significantly more affordable, but it also felt more wearable.

Blue is the future of the Sky-Dweller

Blue has been an exceedingly popular color for Rolex over the last few years. When they upgraded their Submariner bezels to Cerachrom, the classic blue color profile was carried over onto the next generation of watches. Additionally, on the Batman GMT-Master II, Rolex decided to introduce an all-new blue and black Cerachrom bezel, which made the watch immensely popular, creating waitlists at dealers the morning it was announced. And don’t get me even started on the Yacht-Master II and its blue bezel against its stainless and Everose gold Rolesor case and band.

So, the fact that the blue dial version of the Rolex Sky-Dweller is popular actually shouldn’t be too much of a shock. Blue has always been big for the brand. I think the general shock really stems from the fact that people are just starting to notice and appreciate this watch collection as a whole. However, that’s not to take away from the fact that the blue face on this watch is, undeniably, superb. So much so, that I think the addition of the blue face alongside alloy changes is what is going to cement this watch as a long-time favorite among collectors.

Let’s look at it, shall we? The hue of the blue is cool, dark, and elegant. It has a steely quality that matches the case and band, yet, totally pops against the shimmering white gold fluted Ring Command bezel. The blue face is refined yet adds personality and readability to the watch that’s lacking in the drowned-out-white dial and the sterile black dial version.

What the blue dial offers is something different – something inviting and wearable. Luxurious yet attainable. It’s everything the Rolex Sky-Dweller didn’t represent when it was first released in 2012. The new blue dial is, quite literally, the new face of the watch. It’s what I see propelling this watch into a major success, far more long-lasting than the initial hype that we’re seeing today.

The post Why the Rolex Sky-Dweller Blue Dial Is so Hot Right Now appeared first on Bob's Watches.

Read more about this at bobswatches.com

https://bestwatchpicks.com/why-the-rolex-sky-dweller-blue-dial-is-so-hot-right-now/

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paradoxicalca · 5 years ago

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r/hockey NHL Power Rankings Week 4: Power Outage Edition

/r/Hockey NHL Power Rankings Week Oct 21, 2019 - Oct 27, 2019Thank YouThank you to all of the volunteers doing the power rankings. Each ranker has their own system and have their own reasonings and analyis. It truly is a lot of work.RankersSpoilerOrganizersSpoilerVisualizationThe visualization contains historical data, so you can see how your team has done over time. Hopefully, we can run this for many years in hopes that we can see the rise and fall of teams by /r/hockey opinion.It automatically updates so feel free to bookmark. You can find it hereProcessHow does this work? Throughout the course of the week rankers are able to access an app that will allow them to rank teams. At the end of the period we calculate the average ranking for every team and collate all of the analysis provided by rankers.The app then generates a post that is first proofread and then posted to /r/hockey!Rankings (29/31 Rankers Reporting)Ranking (avg)TeamDeltaOverall RecordRecord This WeekComments1 (2.68)Colorado Avalanche-8-2-11-2-0Avs had two tough losses sandwiching a great win this week. They looked tired and sluggish in the losses while they dominated for the full 60 in the win. Hopefully the losses can be chalked up to a bit of exhaustion, but the Avs have to play at the level they brought against Vegas more often or they won't live up to their potential this season. The other good/bad news is Rantanen's injury while unfortunate should only really keep him out until December. It will be interesting to see how far our new depth will carry us with MacKinnon still leading the charge, he has a point in every game so far btw. Calder Update: Makar has had his minutes shifted a bit, but it has really benefited him he has started to look a lot more dangerous and managed his first goal and several posts this week. Also he is tied for the league lead in Rookie points with 10 in 11 games. In the loss against Anaheim he looked especially excellent and hopefully is starting to feel more comfortable.2 (2.77)Boston Bruins28-1-23-0-0The Bruins go on a 3-game win streak this week to stay competitive in the buzzsaw that is the Atlantic. Leafs Legend Tuukka Rask played in his 500th career game against the Leafs while noted Leafs-killer David Pastrnak got his 300th career point against them. The Bruins had some respite before their own tight schedule with 3 games in 4 nights. In a Finals rematch with the Blues, a testy game ends with Carlo getting an empty netter to blank the Blues and Mike Milbury reminiscing drafting Zdeno Chara. In a traveling back-to-back, the Bruins almost fell for the trap game when they took the foot off the gas in the yawning minutes of the game with some lazy play to the let the Rangers score a couple. The top line did fight over who would get the hattrick. Bergeron eventually won said battle with an empty netter. The Bruins will host the Sharks on Tuesday.3 (3.13)Buffalo Sabres-9-2-12-1-0Our competitive edge seems to have fallen off. We don't look nearly as dominant as the first few games of the season and our power play looks like it has been figured out by the rest of the league. We are still limiting high danger scoring chances against, yet also allowing high volume shot totals. Finding sustained offensive zone time has been challenging over the last few games, even against teams in the bottom half of the standings. Our goaltending has been fantastic and has consistently given us the chance to win. Brandon Montour looks like he will be joining the lineup for the first time this season and will be a welcome addition to an already much-improved D corps. Coming up this week we have Arizona and then a real test in a back to back weekend against two hot teams in the Capitals and the Islanders. Only Auston Matthews and Alex Ovechkin have more shots on net than Jeff Skinner.4 (5.32)Washington Capitals48-2-32-0-1An amazing comeback performance against Vancouver but after the last couple of weeks it may have been premature to name Samsonov as the next big goaltender. Not that he may not be but as of late Holtby has been playing much much better.5 (5.9)Edmonton Oilers-38-3-11-2-06 (7.06)Carolina Hurricanes-17-3-11-0-1Rough California trip and the Fair traffic took the wind out of the sales of the Hurricanes fans. An outstanding 4-0 win against the Hawks, and 2 shutouts by Mrazek are showing the line shuffling to be working.7 (8.1)New York Islanders68-3-03-0-0Things have picked up and they picked up fast. Proud owners of the NHL's longest winning streak (7 games) the Isles look great right now. They are doing this despite missing a few forwards (Eberle, Komarov, Kuhnhackl, and Martin). Eberle and Komarov should be back sooner than the other two, but they've shown their depth can step up and play good hockey. Barzal continues to dazzle, Nelson dominates in October, and Leddy has shown flashes of him at his best. Most importantly, Varlamov looks comfortable and is playing very well. Looking for the roster moves as the forwards get healthy will be interesting, with Wahlstrom seeing less and less minutes, its likely he is the first to go down.8 (8.97)Nashville Predators47-3-13-0-0Losing back to back games last week must've sparked something in the Preds, because they came out this week and absolutely dismantled the Ducks 6-1, and then recorded their first shutout of the year against the Wild. They did come back down to earth a bit against the Bolts, but were still able to pull out the win in OT; perhaps more importantly it was a game where Saros seemed to be shaking off his annual early season rust, posting his first W on the season. Special teams also hummed along nicely this week, somewhat making up for the abysmal numbers the week prior. On the less than stellar side of things, Forsberg continues to miss games with a mysterious lower body injury, one that is apparently contagious as Duchene now looks to be in the same state of limbo. This week is a 3 game home stand, including the first match-up of the Hawks season series and a Halloween showdown against the Flames.9 (10.03)Vegas Golden Knights-38-5-02-2-0Marc-Andre Fleury masked a lot of the team's mistakes earlier in the week but was exposed against Colorado what seems to be a wake up call for the team. The Golden Knights then turned around on Sunday allowing only 15 SOG while getting 49 of their own against the Ducks.10 (11.06)Pittsburgh Penguins-17-5-01-2-011 (11.71)Anaheim Ducks-47-6-01-3-0As the ducks cool off, the injuries have begun. Also made a trade for Gudbranson. Consistency is not a word painted in the ducks locker room.12 (11.94)Toronto Maple Leafs-26-5-21-2-1It's just a regular week for leafs fans - losing on the second half of a back-to-back, fans are angry with the coaching and lack of team effort, and losing on the second half of a back-to-back. Mike Babcock likes to have the starting goalie play the front half, to secure the two points, and "see what happens in the second". On Monday in Columbus, the Leafs failed to secure two points. A sloppy game ending with an OT penalty shot, losing 4-3. Next up, Tuesday against the Bruins. It went as well as most expected. The Leafs did not look good, a 4-2 loss. A bit of a bounce back on Friday, hosting the Sharks and letting up and early goal, the Leafs kept fighting (although they didn't fight Dillon after a questionable hit in the head on Matthews, forcing him to exit the game but he did return and scored), tying it late in the second and potting 3 goals in the final five minutes of the game to take two points in a 4-1 win. And then on the big Saturday night, the Leafs look pretty bad again, with Montreal beating them 5-2. Michael Hutchison (backup goalie) is 0-3-1, allowing 4+ goals in all 4 of his starts this season, all on the second half of back-to-backs. The Maple Leafs would probably like to upgrade their backup goaltender, but with the well-documented problem of limited cap space, it seems unlikely. Let's see how those big contracts are working out: Marner (6x10.893): 15pts in 13 GP, Matthews (5x11.634): PPG through 13GP including 9 goals. The Leafs will be getting some reinforcements possibly as soon as Tuesday in Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott (torn ACL and shoulder surgery), as they will make their season debuts, as well as John Tavares returning from a broken finger in a week or two.. Let's see if they'll turn it around.13 (12.39)Arizona Coyotes56-3-12-1-0Coyotes manage to attain 4 of 6 possible points this week, after finishing last week having attained 6 of 6. On Sunday night, the Yotes sit in the bottom wild card spot, but have played at minimum 2 less games than all of the teams ahead. The Coyotes D struggled a bit this week, finally allowing more than 2 goals against in a game; this is probably attributed to the Hjalmarson and Oesterle injuries. Regardless, the Yotes face a tough test as they conclude their road trip in Buffalo on Monday night.14 (12.94)Tampa Bay Lightning-35-3-21-0-1I was slightly hoping that Tampa would beat Nashville by 3 goals so that I could declare that Tampa Bay this year has a better goal differential in 10 games than last year but alas that was not in the cards. I think everyone expects Tampa to be the same as last year but that would be folly. They have implemented a new system and while it was slow to start the season it is starting to pay off some dividends 5 on 5. The system is designed in mind for the playoffs and this may result in some additional losses compared to last season as they get accustomed to it. That being said special teams play has been well below par and arguably was the real reason why Tampa had such an incredible season last year. As the team that finished with the #1 power play and penalty kill last season, #11 and #28 won’t cut it.15 (13.29)St. Louis Blues-6-3-33-1-0Perron, ROR, Schenn all look great to start. The rest of the team and general team play need to clean up though, but it's still really early in the season. These boys continue to show flashes of what made them the champs, and the question is less whether they'll make the playoffs and more just their seeding. It's a good time to be a Blues fan.16 (14.74)Vancouver Canucks26-3-11-0-1Horvat lead the Canucks to a spooky comeback against the Red Wings on Tuesday, and Friday night saw a performance that was somehow both scintillating and complacent, where the Canucks allowed the Capitals to climb back from a 3 goal deficit in the third. The good news is that people were upset about the loss instead of just being flippant like we might have seen during the last few years of misery. That means expectations have risen. Wait, what am I saying? People would be overreacting about a loss like that regardless of the team's playoff hopes. But it is a sobering reminder that this surging young team is still fragile, and no win is guaranteed. Either way, if they want to keep scoring 5 goals a game I'm not complaining.17 (17.55)Montreal Canadiens-35-4-21-1-0Though loss against the Sharks, but they always lose against them so no big suprises. Big win against the Leafs, showed how good they can be. As mentionned previously, they need consistency. That is all.18 (17.58)Calgary Flames-26-5-21-1-1Most fans are patiently waiting for the 2018/2019 regular season Flames to reappear, but they're still missing. The Flames are struggling to put in a full 60 minutes of effort and most of the team looks mediocre.. not bad, just mediocre.19 (18.81)Florida Panthers15-2-42-0-1It was a good week for the Panthers; some puck luck against the Pens, a terrible game that ended up as a OTL in Calgary, and a solid victory against the Oilers (f in chat for Mike Smith's balls). It's the start of a brutal road trip for the Panthers, so starting strong was very important.20 (19.06)Philadelphia Flyers25-4-13-1-0The flyers were fun to watch this week which means I am a happy ranker. Elliot played absolute beast mode for the 3 games we won. Hart is still looking in a slump even though we know he is better than how he is playing currently. Our lines are gelling and getting the results that our Advanced Stats(tm) said we should be getting. Hayes has been playing a lot better than his contract value is worth, arguably been our best player only next to TK or Lindblom. If we can get G and JVR and Snek going, and our defense doesnt decided to take certain nights off, we should be in good position to take on most any team in the league.21 (19.1)Winnipeg Jets-26-6-01-1-0Definitely a week to remember for the Jets, Plus number 1, no hometown hockey, man that show is terrible, Plus number 2, Helly is back looking like his former Vezina self, Plus number 3, scoring a goal in an outdoor game, and finally Plus number 4, winning the Heritage classic after getting screwed by a terrible call. We may have only gona 1-1 this week, but there is looks to look forward to with this team. If Helly continues to play like this, and the forwards can get their shooting percentage about 8%, this team may actually surprise a lot of people. Cheers22 (20.35)Columbus Blue Jackets-15-4-22-1-0After going 4-0-2, the Jackets drop an absolute blunder vs the Flyers that really show exposed the special teams pretty hard. The Jackets are easily one of, if not the worst, power play team in the past 3 seasons. 11.43% so far this year, 15.83% last year, 17.18% the year before that -- all well below the league average. For this team to be elite, this problem needs to be fixed about a season and a half ago.23 (23.87)San Jose Sharks14-7-11-2-1The Sharks are still looking to put things together. The defence and goaltending is looking better than the first couple of games, but the forwards are really struggling to get shots on goal. 5v5 play has been awful this season, and will need to improve a lot if the Sharks want to make the playoffs.24 (25.48)New York Rangers-13-5-11-1-1Decent week overall. We pushed the Coyotes to overtime, so that was cool. OT was rough though. Then we exploded and won 6-2 over the Sabres. This team is very young and very inconsistent, so we should expect the unexpected going forward.25 (25.65)Los Angeles Kings14-8-01-3-0Lots of talk about the Kings “trajectory” this season, especially considering they weren’t expected to do much at all. Decent start and Tmac is looking like a decent coaching choice.26 (25.94)Dallas Stars34-8-12-1-0Two steps in the right direction. One step back. It's better than our previous weeks. But we have ground to make up and it looks like we've made 0 progress towards the core issue - scoring. We're sitting at the lowest goals for per game played (1.92), and until that changes, we're not going to win consistently - no matter how great our goalies play. Hell, we actually looked good against the Penguins until things crumbled in the third. But looking good doesn't mean putting points on the board, and those points are the only way to get the W.27 (26.13)Chicago Blackhawks-23-5-21-2-1The Hawks went 2-3-2 on their 7-game home stand and start a 4-game road trip Tuesday. The Hawks scored 2 goals in 3 games before Sunday. The PP has gone 1 for the last 26. Crawford's 58.8 SV% on the PK is the worst in the NHL. Toews, Keith, and Seabrook are without a 5-on-5 point this season. And Toews and Seabrook have both played poorly defensively. Seabrook was a healthy scratch Sunday. Strome was in the doghouse, and Cat joined him Sunday. But they responded by scoring 3 goals. The Top 6 has not worked. The line of Saad-Kampf-Kubalik has been the best line (even after Nylander replaced Saad Saturday). Dach played well, earning his first NHL goal, but hasn't earned significant playing time.28 (27.55)Minnesota Wild34-7-02-1-0The good: The Wild are 3-1 at home. The bad: The Wild are 1-6 on the road. The ugly: The Wild have 6 of their next 7 on the road. The uglier: Whoever was in charge of creating the schedules this season. The ugliest: Devan Dubnyk's 3.92 GAA and .880 SV%, prompting the question every struggling team loves to answer - is there a goalie controversy to add to the dumpster fire?29 (28.45)New Jersey Devils-12-5-20-1-0Well, we only had one game this week and we lost. We didn't even play horribly, all of our mistakes just seemed to get amplified and turn into goals. On the positive side, Hughes is starting to score and we can only hope this is a sign of things to come.30 (28.61)Detroit Red Wings-33-8-10-3-1Today’s regular scheduled blurb will be replaced with a prospects update as that is the only thing worth watching in the Detroit Red Wings organization after an eight straight loss. Moritz Seider is looking comfortable in the AHL despite being only eighteen, impressing his coaches and being rewarded with around 19 to 20 minutes per game. He makes his plays and when he makes a mistake he is quick to fix it by the next shift. Robert Mastrosimone, a 2nd round from this years draft, is climbing the BU roster thanks to an effective work ethic. Rasmussen is slowly improving as a Center in the AHL and he is learning how to use his body to his advantage. Zadina and Veleno haven’t been tearing it up like we all want them too but they are getting their chances and they are clearly having fun competing every game. The Red Wings are going to be a dangerous team in two or three years. The Yzerplan was never an overnight fix, but at least we can see the path to greatness ahead!31 (29.84)Ottawa Senators-13-7-12-2-0(I'm writing this in advance on Friday since there's a very real chance I won't be able to update my rankings on Sunday) A morale win versus the ice-cold Red Wings was a nice deviation from our usual tanking pattern. Fortunately, Losses against the Stars (where Nilsson played like a god) and Islanders (where Nilsson looked like a mere mortal at best) have kept the Sennies Tank Extravaganza firmly in 31st overall at time of writing. Hopefully the Sharks don't choke in Canada's capital so this continues to be the case as we head into a 6-day stretch without a single game in sight...thanks NHL schedulers? r/hockey NHL Power Rankings Week 4: Power Outage Edition Source

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lostlegendaerie · 3 years ago

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Would you explain why BaS fucks up Liz character? I know they fuck it up just by playing it but i cannot get it into words. Brain just goes "ew yucky"

Hello, sorry this is late, I have no idea what happened but this will be. a little long and angry. Also, full spoilers for both Bioshock Infinite and both DLCs, I cant find read-mores on mobile

1) her abilities

literally the first thing they do is rip all of her super cool reality bending powers out of her? they couldn’t find a way to integrate them into the DLC itself, even though they could have just Used The Mechanics They Already Had to have her manipulate tears + they added the idea of This Is The Only Elizabeth Left to make things even MORE shitty for her (if I’m remembering things correctly, I don’t care to look it up because the developers certainly didn’t). They basically remove everything about her that made her interesting and cool in the first place to... make her section be a stealth focused one? Because only female characters should be stealthy? Genuinely I don’t know why they made this choice, or any of the choices in here, other than a lack of imagination/resources to do something Actually Really Off The Wall with this but on that note:

2) her intelligence

really this section should be “the writing was bad” but I don’t. Listen to me. I don’t care if you have people in the narrative state that a character is being stupid and the character defends their actions/acknowledges that it’s stupid. it’s still bad writing to have characters do objectively dumb things for objectively pointless reasons, especially for *objectively stupid plotlines.* you really want me to believe that FONTAINE didn’t know the code phrase to control Jack, and the ONLY WAY to get it to him was to have a slip of paper hand delivered to him? the game has teleportation plasmids and a huge mechanic is characters talking to each other over the radio, you are absolutely killing me personally and everyone who signed off on that should go do manual labor for the next ten years to build character.

3) her relationship to Booker/the character

she’s your kid she’s your kid she’s your kid she’s your kid she’s your kid she’s your kid she’s your kid she’s your kid she’s your kid she’s your kid and you made her a femme fatale ‘interested’ in an alternate universe version of her biological dad. literally if I ever meet ken Levine or whoever wrote this it’s on sight. it was bad enough seeing her first period pad on display in the base game and her inhuman proportions (seriously look at Elizabeth’s character model next to Rosalind Lutece or any other woman in the game, she does Not Look Human) but you just. you. you went the whole nine yards. You couldn’t even for posterity’s sake make up a new character for BaS one. All you would have had to do was model different hands and get a new voice actor. But no. we had to make it incest. In a triple A game.

#there’s triggers in here probably I’m sorry #incest mention #bioshock infinite #Bioshock bas #bioshock infinite burial at sea #saro posts a hot take

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wiinterrose · 4 years ago

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( xavier serrano , cis male , he / him, 23 ) no way ! i swear i saw 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐄𝐋 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒 walking down danforth avenue ! i just saw a post about them on 6secrets ! i think it said something like “𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐓 𝟓 𝐀𝐌 : 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐄𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 ?”. isn’t that wild ? i guess that makes sense since they’re apparently 𝐃𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐒 and 𝐂𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆. fans will claim that they’re 𝐎𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 and 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐂. i mean , it’s not like i know them personally — they’re a famous 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑 / 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐁𝐄𝐑. whenever i think of them, i think of 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓-𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐒, 𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐘 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐋𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒, & 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐓 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒. i wish i would have asked for an autograph ! ( oliver, they / them, 22, est ).

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘

— also feel like it makes sense that he did gymnastics. and trained in classical ballet.

— he went to university of toronto for college, studying kinesology and dance, and danced at one of the prestigious studios in the city.

— he makes enough dancing, but certainly not enough to make him RICH. no, that come from an impromptu vlog he did while on tour with aforementioned singer. having already garnered a following from world of dance, he soon rose to youtube fame as well, something he never could have predicted. i feel like his videos are very just, day in a life with various random athletic challenges mixed in, and various workout and flexibility tips. he also still does pieces and duets with other prominent dancers just for fun too. his natural charisma and attitude really just carries him through easily lmao.

— it was like for over a year and a half he lived in this insane dream, and then mikey and matt broke up and he was devastated ( behind closed doors and with curtains pulled tightly shut ).

𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐂

— mikey gets around. has definitely been trying to forget matty with other warm bodies but honestly it’s not working

— straight up does not get cold. never wears more than a hoodie, probably danced shirtless in the middle of winter just fine. at least being from winnipeg is good for one ( 1 ) thing.

— i feel like people call him flower. idk guys. maybe im just thinking too much abt hockey goalies.

— always posting on instagram stories. u kno the type.

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

— i feel like he has a bit of ethan dolan’s personality & dumbass energy idk guys...

— extroverted. i think ??

𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

— 6′1″. chocolate brown eyes. curly brown hair. he has a lithe but extremely fit build due to his career. his core strength is especially impressive.

— needs glasses but usually only wears contacts unless he’s in his apartment late at night.

— PINTEREST BOARD

𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

first and foremost i want to say that i like to vibe and brainstorm with people to come up with unique connections between our characters but here are a few ideas :

— ( f ) a close friend he has had on his channel a few times and fans passionately ship them but they’re really just good friends. maybe they play into the drama a few times as well tho. — the singer whose tour he danced on — singer whose music videos he’s been in — mayhaps even actors for that tv show / movie he was in ( v small role but whatevs. maybe they just Vibed yknow ) — flirtationship 😔 — always ye ol good hookup l o l — we keep running into each other idk maybe we should talk ??

TAKEN CONNECTIONS PAGE HERE

𝐎𝐎𝐂

#sixhqintro #( the way all of five words have changed in this entire thing #despite the fact i know i COULD write it better but #am too lazy too alsdkfj )#( new graphics psd i like better tho alsdkfj )

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thrashermaxey · 6 years ago

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Forum Buzz: Has Laine Peaked?

Welcome to the first edition of “Forum Buzz,” a column where I dissect some of the most popular recent threads from the DobberHockey Forums. Pretty much everything within the forums might be covered here, with the exception of trades (since those get their own separate write-ups on the site and are usually also covered in the next day’s Ramblings) and signings (since those tend to be covered in Alex McClean’s weekly Capped column). With that out of the way, let’s dive right in!

Topic #1 – What to do about William Karlsson?

When Karlsson came out of nowhere to post top tier fantasy numbers last season, most poolies figured he’d have a hard time equaling that success for 2018-19. But by the same token, they likely believed his output wouldn’t drop as much as it has. In the forum thread, the discussion centered on the players for whom Karlsson could be traded; but before turning to that question, we need to be able to determine if the “real” William Karlsson is what we’re seeing this season so far, what we saw last season, something in between, or perhaps something better than the 2017-18 version or worse than the 2018-19 version.

Unfortunately, unlike with most players, we can’t really focus on Karlsson’s outputs from seasons before his breakout 2017-18 campaign, since his role was so different. The exception is IPP or the percentage of points he received on goals scored while he was on the ice since if a player is talented he should have a high IPP regardless of his point total. In Karlsson’s case, his previous full season IPPs were 60.6% and 58.5%, which are not very good for a forward and pale in comparison to his 70.6% from last season. That being said, his IPP this season is still a relatively healthy 67.9%, which at least is one positive sign. But a high percentage of points scored means a lot less if one’s presence on the ice doesn’t lead to goals, and sure enough Karlsson’s 5×5 team shooting percentage last season was a high 10.62%, yet this season it’s a somewhat low 7.37%. Based on this data, I’d probably say the “real” Karlsson might lie closer to what we’re seeing from him for 2018-19.

While past results don’t automatically apply to present circumstances, let’s also look at other forwards who, like Karlsson and since 2000-01, had 43+ goals and 78+ points in a season by age 25. A total of 15 other forwards met these criteria, with none having failed to again score 66+ points in another season, but four (Jonathan Cheechoo, Simon Gagne, Thomas Vanek, Jeff Carter) failing to post 78+ points in another. So this is good news for Karlsson owners, yes? Maybe not, as everyone else who was on the list had at least 229 SOG in the season where they met the criteria, versus Karlsson’s 181 last season.

The lowest SOG total from any of the 15 players was Thomas Vanek, whom I think might be the closest comparable to Karlsson, as Vanek was a top-six fixture yet still had a somewhat up and down career and never had 250+ SOG in a season. Some might try to compare Karlsson to Cheechoo, who quickly flamed out; however, that was a case of someone doing well by virtue of playing wing on a line with – and thus riding the coattails of – arguably the top NHL player at the time in Joe Thornton. Karlsson doesn’t fit that bill and seems cut more from the Vanek cloth. The only wrinkle with the comparison is Vanek received more ice time – especially on the PP – than what Karlsson will get, at least as long as Karlsson is playing in a Gerald Gallant system; so whereas Vanek went on to produce 60-70 points most seasons, Karlson might land closer to 60.

Long story short, I’d use 55-65 points per season as a likely output from Karlsson in future campaigns, with a better chance at going above 65 than below 55. Chances are you can buy him for a lower price than that, while if you’re trying to sell good luck since you’ll likely run into doubting Thomases.

Topic #2 – Is it reasonable to question whether we’ve already seen the best from Patrick Laine?

Part of what makes the forums so much fun is that “hot takes” can turn into serious discussions. In this thread, for example, names like Nail Yakupov, Alexander Daigle, and Nikita Filatov – each of whom made a splash but quickly faded – were mentioned as possible comparables to Laine. Before dismissing this as ludicrous, consider how ludicrous it must’ve been to think that those three players (especially Yakupov and Daigle) would see their careers not pan out long term after starting off so strong. Could Laine be at risk of being a fantasy fire that is extinguished after burning so bright to start? Let’s see what the data tells us.

First off, Laine scored 36 goals as an 18-year-old, with Sidney Crosby being the only other player to do so since 1990-91. Moreover, even if Laine doesn’t score another goal this season, he’ll already have more than 100 by age 20. To stress how remarkable that is, since 1990-91 two other players accomplished that same feat – Ilya Kovalchuk (106 goals) and Steven Stamkos (119 goals). Not only that, but both of them did so while playing over 4500 total minutes, whereas Laine will be lucky to break the 4000-minute mark given his deployment.

So that means he’s golden, right? Maybe; or maybe not. If we go back a couple of seasons further than 1990-91, we see the case of Jimmy Carson, who had 186 points (92 goals) as a teen then 100 more points (49 goals) at age 20…………….before never again scoring 74+ points and being out of the NHL by age 27. Can we liken Laine to Carson? It’s hard to say; but Carson’s fate certainly makes for a negative comparison, which is just as relevant as the positive comparisons to the accomplishments of the likes of Kovalchuk, Stamkos and Crosby.

As for Laine’s metrics, both his 5×5 team shooting percentage and IPP dropped last season as compared to his rookie campaign and are on pace to drop again this season. While to some degree that means bad luck could be hurting his output, it also does concerningly call into question his effort level. On a positive note, his SOG rate is higher than in any past season, which cuts against him not trying as hard. And despite recently being removed from PP1 perhaps to send him a message, his share of PP minutes is still at 69.2%, so clearly the team values him with the man advantage.

If I’m a Laine owner, I’m worried. As much as the Stamkos, Kovalchuk and Crosby comparisons are a relief, the Carson comparison is off-putting. Winnipeg is winning despite Laine’s struggles, so the team doesn’t need to bend over backwards to appease him, especially with another young talent like Nicolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic putting forth the effort – and stats – expected of them. My advice would be if you own Laine you should hold and hope, but I wouldn’t trade for him if his owner expects to get elite value in return – the risk is too great.

Topic #3 – In a trade, what’s a fair return for Erik Karlsson now?

When you have a player who’s a UFA to be, it’s never easy to place a present value on him since in most cases he could see his value rise or fall depending on where he signs. With Karlsson, however, I think we’ve seen from this season he can be counted on for elite production no matter where he lands, as after a bit of a shaky first couple of months in San Jose he’s turned his season around and played at his usual elite level. In fact, he’s done so well that the question becomes whether that’s occurring now because he’s on a team with another top fantasy d-man in Brent Burns, or whether he’d likely do better going back to being a team’s true #1 rearguard. Let’s look at the numbers.

For 2018-19, Karlsson’s share of PP minutes is right around the average of what it was the last two seasons in Ottawa, but his overall ice time is down by roughly two minutes from his average over the previous five seasons despite seeing the second highest percentage of minutes on the PK of his career. Despite this, his SOG rate is on pace to be the second highest of his career and his PPPt rate the highest. The result of all this is Karlsson sitting at his usual 70+ point production rate, which I think is the big key to focus upon – to wit, Karlsson is a player who finds a way to produce at his customary rate no matter how he’s used. And at age 28, he’s poised to still stay at an elite level for years to come.

Given this, what do I think a fair return for Karlsson would be? The forum thread focused on draft picks in a 16 team dynasty league, and I tend to agree with respondents from the thread that getting picks for Karlsson is a bad idea. He’s simply too good and too far above what is considered very, very good for a fantasy d-man for any package of picks to be worthwhile. In fact, short of receiving a top-five netminder or a guaranteed 90+ point younger forward in return, plus perhaps another pick or player as a kicker, Karlsson likely should never be packaged as part of a trade.

Topic #4 – Is Juuse Saros worth trading for Martin Jones, to try and win now?

In keeper leagues, there are always factors in evaluating trades beyond just how skilled players are. Of these, perhaps the most important is whether you’re in win-now mode or rebuilding, plus how the player's involved figure to factor into their teams’ plans in the near to not so near future. With these things in mind, many Saros owners have been waiting patiently for him to become the #1 goalie on a Nashville team seemingly poised to succeed for many years to come. Prior to this summer, Saros inked a deal for $1.5M per season through 2020-21, while Pekka Rinne, coming off one of his best seasons in 2017-18, was extended – also through the 2020-21 campaign – at $5M per season.

Going purely by the numbers, this shows Nashville expects Saros to be the back-up. That being said, Rinne will be 37 years old next season, and no age 37+ netminder has played 40+ games since 2013-14. Moreover, since 2010-11, there are a mere two instances of age 37+ goalies who won 30+ games. As such, despite his fatter contract, Rinne might end up ceding the net to Saros prior to 2020-21.

As for Jones, he just turned 29 and is signed to a contract, which, in terms of amount ($5.75M per season) and duration (through 2023-24) demonstrate the team considers him their top guy, yet also not so high as to exert significant pressure on those who own him in cap keeper leagues. Moreover, in view of his contract, stats, and the lack of near term elite goalie prospects for the Sharks, Jones’ starting job is likely among the most secure in all of the NHL, which in today’s fantasy hockey landscape is far, far less common than it used to be. In terms of how the Sharks compare versus Nashville, on paper they’re an older team which could have trouble playing at the same level in another season or two.

My take on the situation is I’m parting with Saros to get Jones. For one, even if Rinne fades, he’s still signed for two more years and likely will factor into the picture enough for Saros to put up worse overall stats than Jones for those two years. We also can’t be sure that Saros will be a great goalie once he’s “the guy”, as for all the netminders (like Jones) who were back-ups and then seized the reins once they were given a chance to be a starter, there are far more who faltered. With Jones, you know what you’re getting, which is a solid tier 2 netminder with a stranglehold on his starting gig; and that’s worth moving Saros for not just to win now but also to reap the benefits of Jones for years to come.

********

Questions needed for Mailbag column

As a reminder, I’m always seeking questions for my monthly mailbag column, where I answer your fantasy hockey questions. Please continue to send me your questions either by private messaging them to me (rizzeedizzee) via the DobberHockey Forums or by sending an email to [email protected] with “Roos Mailbag” as the subject line. My inaugural mailbag column will run two weeks from today, after next week’s tournament/poll.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/fantasy-hockey-rick-roos/forum-buzz-has-laine-peaked/

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thegloober · 6 years ago

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Who has been the most surprising player for each team to start the season?

Jaden Schwartz’s start to the 2017-18 season came out of virtually nowhere. True, he had kept in line with his career averages the season prior when he went out and potted 19 goals and 55 points in 2016-17, but his start last season was something else. Through the first nine games, he had scored six goals and 13 points and formed one formidable offensive unit with Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Schwartz’s fast start was indicative of the kind of season he would go on to have himself, too. Though injuries hampered his final totals — he missed 20 games, which has unfortunately been the story of his young career — Schwartz saw career-bests for production. His 24 goals and 59 points in 62 games made for the highest goals, assists and points per game rates since he broke into the league in 2012-13 as a full-timer with the Blues.

This season, though, Schwartz’s start is surprising for another reason. In six games for St. Louis, he has just two points, both assists, while the injury bug has reared its ugly head again with Schwartz missing two games due to a foot injury. Luckily, Schwartz’s early struggles has been overshadowed by a more positive start to the season by one of his Blues teammates, who you’ll find noted below in this rundown of the most surprising starter for each team this season:

Anaheim Ducks We’ve said it already, but Max Comtois has benefitted more than anyone from the injury woes in Anaheim. The rookie has had a few games with top-six minutes and he’s consistently finding the scoresheet through the first 10 games of the season. His seven points are tied for the Ducks’ team lead, and he’s going to make it awfully difficult for Anaheim to demote him if he keeps this up.

Arizona Coyotes Vinnie Hinostroza was one of the key pieces in the deal that sent the remaining seasons of Marian Hossa’s dead-money contract from the Blackhawks to the Coyotes, and he’s made the most of his opportunity in Arizona. He made Chicago regret their decision to move him with two goals in his return to the Windy City, but it’s his shot generation that has us taking note. His 21 shots are third behind only Derek Stepan and Christian Fischer among all skaters in Arizona. He’s producing and could be a minor breakout candidate if he keeps this up.

Boston Bruins Upon his signing in Boston, we noted that Jaroslav Halak could help push Tuukka Rask this season. Instead, the 33-year-old keeper looks like he’s could be a candidate to split starts with the Bruins’ long-time No. 1 netminder. He’s deserving of the time he’s getting, too, posting a .933 save percentage in five appearances thus far, which is significantly better than Rask’s .901 SP performance in five outings.

Buffalo Sabres Maybe surprise is the wrong word to use given he has a history of 30-goal seasons, but Jeff Skinner is certainly grabbing the bull by the horns in Buffalo. Brought in to fill the net, he’s done just that with five goals and seven points through nine games. He’s second only to Jack Eichel in scoring for the Sabres, and Skinner is either playing his way towards a healthy extension in Buffalo or a big-money pact come next summer.

Calgary Flames Elias Lindholm wasn’t the more notable of the two players acquired in the summer blockbuster between the Flames and Hurricanes, but he’s been a revelation in Calgary. Not only is Lindholm second in average ice time among all forwards, he’s leads the Flames with six goals and his nine points put him in third place behind Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau. Calgary certainly isn’t complaining.

Carolina Hurricanes Speaking of the swap between the Hurricanes and Flames, it doesn’t appear Micheal Ferland plans on slowing down any time soon. Though his ice time is lagging behind that of primary linemates Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen due to the difference in power play minutes, Ferland is filling the net unlike any other skater in Carolina. His six goals are tops on the team and his nine points put him second in team scoring. A consistent half-point per game scorer in Calgary, he looks like he could be the league’s best third wheel this season.

Chicago Blackhawks Alex DeBrincat appears to be every bit the offensive dynamo he was drafted to be, and his performance as part of Chicago’s top line has been outstanding. But that’s a matter of meeting potential for DeBrincat. The real surprise for the Blackhawks has been Henri Jokiharju. Though not fair to say he was shoehorned into the lineup, it’s safe to suggest few saw him fitting in as a top pairing defenseman quite this quickly. His five assists aside, Jokiharju has performed well alongside Duncan Keith and seems to have the confidence of the coaching staff.

Colorado Avalanche Last season, Alex Kerfoot got off to a red-hot start only to fall apart during the back half of the season. To wit, he scored eight goals and 13 points in his final 39 games after putting up 11 goals and 30 points in his first 40 outings. Kerfoot looks to have rediscovered that early-season scoring touch, though, with one goal and six points in nine games to start the campaign. The Avalanche need consistency in the middle of the lineup, and Kerfoot providing that would be a boon to the top-heavy attack.

Columbus Blue Jackets Seth Jones’ injury forced blueliners into bigger roles in Columbus, and none more so than Markus Nutivaara. His average ice time in the Blue Jackets’ first eight games is two and a half minutes higher than it was last season, and he’s met the challenge with some impressive offensive output. He has five assists through eight games, all at even strength, and he’s fired 17 shots on goal. A deep blueline looks like it has another piece with which to work.

Dallas Stars So, Miro Heiskanen was supposed to be NHL ready this season. That much we knew. No one knew exactly how NHL ready he was, though. At this point, it appears Heiskanen might be a candidate to fall into the Charlie McAvoy category by season’s end, which is to say the Stars defender will be one of the best rookies in the league but won’t get the credit he deserves given his offensive totals won’t match up against those of the freshman forwards. His 20:40 ice time average is third among defensemen in Dallas.

Detroit Red Wings The absence of Mike Green, whose return date remains up in the air, opened up opportunity in Detroit. No one has seized that opportunity quite like Dennis Cholowksi. The rookie rearguard has consistently skated the biggest minutes on the Red Wings blueline, with his 22:14 average leading the team and two games in which he’s skated nearly 25 minutes. Better yet, though, he’s contributing with two goals and five points in seven games. The 2016 first-round pick looks ready for the big stage.

Edmonton Oilers No one should be even the slightest bit surprised by Connor McDavid anymore. Darnell Nurse, though, has really risen to the occasion with Andrej Sekera sidelined. His average ice time is two minutes clear of last season’s career high and he’s been far and away the best thing going on the Oilers’ blueline. Of course, no Oiler has offensive numbers that are all that impressive given McDavid has accounted for most of the offense in Edmonton, but Nurse’s goal and three points are tops among Oilers blueliners.

Florida Panthers He’s by no means a rookie and he’s actually coming off of quite the campaign, but it’s hard not to take note of Evgenii Dadonov’s continued success. With three goals and eight points in seven games, Dadonov is tied for the Panthers’ team scoring lead and he’s been every bit the top-line player he was last season. In fact, the only forwards with more ice time than Dadonov are Vincent Trocheck and Aleksander Barkov, which indicates just how hard coach Bob Boughner is willing to lean on Dadonov.

Los Angeles Kings There’s not a lot to write home about when a team has dropped five in a row by a combined score of 25-7. Alex Iafallo has been one of the lone bright spots in Los Angeles, though. With two goals and seven points in nine games, Iafallo is already well on his way to smashing his rookie season production of eight goals and 25 points, and he is getting to see more ice time for the Kings. His average is up nearly a minute per outing, which includes additional power play time.

Minnesota Wild Frankly, there were times during the final three months of the 2017-18 campaign where Devan Dubnyk looked pedestrian. Blame that on what you will, but he was nowhere near the Vezina Trophy candidate he had been twice in the three seasons prior. Dubnyk looks like he’s back in form this season, though, with an absolutely dazzling performance to start the season. His .944 SP through six games is proof that he can still be a game stealer for Minnesota, and he might be the best thing going for the Wild through the early season.

Montreal Canadiens Montreal’s early-season surprise honor can go to no one but Tomas Tatar. Traded twice in the past several months, first at the deadline to the Golden Knights and later to the Canadiens in the Max Pacioretty deal, Tatar has been excellent for the Habs and has seemingly bounced back from his disastrous time in Vegas. His three goals and eight points in eight games put him first in Canadiens’ scoring and he’s formed a nice trio with Philip Danault and Brendan Gallagher.

Nashville Predators An injury to Pekka Rinne has thrust Juuse Saros, the heir apparent to the Predators’ crease, into the spotlight. And boy, has he delivered. Heading into Tuesday night, Saros had won all four games he in which he had appeared, posted one shutout and had an outstanding .945 SP. He was beaten five times on 32 shots by the Sharks on Tuesday, but Saros’ early performance has only furthered his standing as the heir apparent in Nashville.

New Jersey Devils How can we not take a second to talk about Kyle Palmieri? The Devils winger has been a consistent goal scoring threat since his arrival in New Jersey, but he’s taken it up a notch through the early going this season. His seven goals in six games has set an unrealistic pace — he’s shooting 32 percent on 22 shots on goal and that won’t hold — but barring an extended slump or a spell on the injured list, Palmieri seems a lock to snap his career high of 30 goals.

New York Islanders Veteran Valtteri Filppula took a significant pay cut to head to the Islanders this summer, his cap hit dipping from $5 million last season to $2.75 million for the current campaign. He’s sure not performing like a player making half of what he did last season, though. Filppula’s four goals and six points put him first and second, respectively, in scoring for the Islanders despite the fact he’s played primarily bottom-six minutes.

New York Rangers Not all surprises are good surprises, which brings us to Vladislav Namestnikov. Remember last season, when Namestnikov had 35 points through his first 42 games in Tampa Bay? Well, after being shipped to the Rangers late last season and then getting a two-year, $8-million extension, he has paid New York back with one assist in eight games and he’s found himself in coach David Quinn’s doghouse. Namestnikov’s ice time average is less than 11 minutes, down about more than six minutes from his average over the course of the 2017-18 season.

Ottawa Senators The performance of the Senators as a whole has been remarkable, but Maxime Lajoie has been especially impressive. Given the influx of young talent and fresh faces, Lajoie was a relative unknown outside Ottawa to begin the season, but he’s maintained an average ice time up above 20 minutes per game and his seven points in eight games has put him on the radar. It should be said, too, that Lajoie is consistently finding his opportunities. His 23 shots are the most of any Senator.

Philadelphia Flyers We’ve long known what Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux can do. Same goes for Wayne Simmonds. And while the performances of Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton and Shayne Gostisbehere have been likewise impressive, the only thing anyone can talk about lately when it comes to the Flyers is Gritty. Sure, technically he’s not a player, but when is the last time a mascot has captured the imagination of the sporting world quite like this? The average North American is probably more likely to recognize Gritty than they are Giroux.

Pittsburgh Penguins Is it fair to call Evgeni Malkin’s start surprising? It’s not as though Malkin scoring like one of the best players in the world is anything new, but it feels like his early season dominance has been lost in the shuffle. He has the best points per game rate of any player in the league and his three goals and 13 points have him three points off the league’s current scoring lead with two games in hand. This could be a big, big year for ‘Geno.’

San Jose Sharks Timo Meier was long considered one of the top prospects in the Sharks’ system and he had himself a fairly impressive campaign in 2017-18, scoring 21 goals and 36 points in a middle of the lineup role in San Jose. Meier looks primed to develop into a top-six contributor for the Sharks, though, and he’s turning heads in the early season with a five-goal, eight-point start through nine games this season. He’s tied for the team goal-scoring lead with Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski.

St. Louis Blues The Blues’ signing of David Perron to a four-year, $16-million pact seemed like an overreaction to his 66-point season in Vegas. Prior to the 2017-18 campaign, Perron had never cracked 60 points and had gone four seasons without hitting the 20-goal plateau. The veteran winger has fit in perfectly back in St. Louis, however, and his five goals and nine points already give him a healthy start on eclipsing 60 points for the second time in his career. Maybe he’ll even score 30 goals for the first time.

Tampa Bay Lightning If there was a Johnny Bower Award for long-tenured minor leaguers who break out in the NHL, it would have gone to Yanni Gourde last season. At 26, he was playing his first full campaign in the big league and blew everyone away with 25 goals and 64 points. He’s proving he was no flash in the pan, too, with four goals and eight points in seven games so far this season. He’s going to get paid, and paid well, on his next deal if he keeps this up.

Toronto Maple Leafs Morgan Rielly has proven throughout his young career that he’s no slouch offensively, but no one would have seen his outburst to start this season coming. After scoring a career high 52 points last season, Rielly is already more than one quarter of the way to a new career-best mark with four goals and 14 points in nine games. Offense is no concern for the Maple Leafs, and Rielly could put himself in the Norris Trophy conversation on his scoring alone if he continues to score as he has through the early season.

Vancouver Canucks Expectations were high for Elias Pettersson given his performance in the Swedish League last season, but no one would have guessed he would be miss-four-games-and-still-have-the-team-points-lead good. Before he was sidelined with a concussion, Pettersson had scored five goals and eight points in five games. He’s set to make his return soon, too, which makes every Canucks game worth watching. He could be on his way to setting Vancouver’s rookie scoring record.

Vegas Golden Knights The Golden Knights’ first line has been as good as ever, with Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith combining for 23 points in eight games, but there hasn’t been much else for offense in Vegas. In fact, the real surprise has been how ineffective Max Pacioretty has been. Expected by many to bounce back from a down year in Montreal last season, Pacioretty has one goal in eight games. He’s not even on pace to best last season’s disappointing 17-goal output.

Washington Capitals The Capitals committed big to John Carlson in the off-season, inking him to a monster eight-year, $64-million pact, and he’s repaying them early with gaudy numbers in the early season. In eight games, Carlson has ripped home five goals and 13 points. There’s no chance he maintains this pace, of course, but he looks like he could be on his way to matching and bettering last season’s career highs of 15 goals and 68 points.

Winnipeg Jets Through two seasons, Josh Morrissey has registered 46 points in 163 games. His career best was last season’s seven-goal, 26-point effort, which came when he averaged slightly more than 20 minutes per game. But an injury to Dustin Byfuglien vaulted Morrissey onto the top power play unit, where he’s produced some magic. His seven points in nine games put him on pace to smash last season’s offensive numbers, and Winnipeg might want to start thinking about what retaining Morrissey is going to cost when the two-year bridge deal he signed this summer comes up.

Tags: anaheim ducks, arizona coyotes, boston bruins, buffalo sabres, calgary flames, carolina hurricanes, chicago blackhawks, colorado avalanche, columbus blue jackets, dallas stars, detroit red wings, edmonton oilers, florida panthers, lists, los angeles kings, minnesota wild, montreal canadiens, nashville predators, new jersey devils, new york islanders, new york rangers, nhl, ottawa senators, philadelphia flyers, pittsburgh penguins, san jose sharks, st. louis blues, tampa bay lightning, toronto maple leafs, vancouver canucks, vegas golden knights, washington capitals, winnipeg jets

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About the Author

Jared Clinton

Jared Clinton is a writer and web editor with The Hockey News. He’s been with the team since 2014. He was born, raised and resides in Winnipeg, where he can be found missing the net on outdoor rinks all over town.

Source: https://bloghyped.com/who-has-been-the-most-surprising-player-for-each-team-to-start-the-season/

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yahoo-roto-arcade-blog · 7 years ago

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Fantasy Hockey pickups: Weighing options before NHL trade deadline

Tobias Rieder could receive a fantasy boost after being dealt to the Los Angeles Kings. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By Neil Parker, RotoWire Hockey Writer Special to Yahoo Sports

Deals are beginning to trickle in ahead of the NHL trade deadline, and while there’s been more bark than bite in recent years, it’s still an exciting time of year.

The swap between Arizona and Los Angeles was interesting and could provide a notable boost in value for Tobias Rieder. On the flip side, considering how many netminders are nursing injuries and the number of teams in need of an established goaltender, the Coyotes might have gotten ahead of the market and landed a coveted asset.

For fantasy purposes, staying ahead of your opponents is the name of the game. It’s time to take a long look at the strengths and weaknesses of your competition; remaining active on the waiver wire is one means of preventing competitors from improving.

This can be particularly important in goal. Similar to last week’s recommendation of Anton Khudobin, handcuffing your own top goalie’s backup and/or another solid No. 2 is in play at this stage of the season. Additionally, looking two or three days ahead at potential streaming options is also a sneaky way to take advantage of the free-agent pool.

[Batter up: Join a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for free today]

Here’s the schedule for the next scoring period from Feb. 26-March 4:

Two games: Ducks, Coyotes, Sabres

Four games: Hurricanes, Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Panthers, Kings, Wild, Canadiens, Predators, Devils, Flyers, Lightning, Golden Knights

All other teams play three games

Remember to keep an eye on who is cut in your leagues because potential upgrades come in all forms. Also, remember to check the players previously covered in this space listed below.

(Yahoo ownership rates as of Feb. 22).

FORWARD

Bo Horvat, VAN (33 percent): The top-line center’s recorded four goals, two assists and two power-play points while logging a hefty 19:35 of ice time (3:15 with the man advantage) through his past five games. Horvat has also connected with linemate Brock Boeser for 4.22 goals per 60 minutes this season, so a prolonged hot streak isn’t out of the question.

Clayton Keller, ARI (46 percent): Offensive peaks and valleys are part and parcel for most rookies, so catching Keller in the middle of a heater could provide a nice boost. He’s collected three tallies, five helpers and a plus-8 rating through his past six games, and the Coyotes also have a favorable upcoming schedule, including five consecutive home games.

Zach Aston-Reese, PIT (10 percent): A carryover from last week, Aston-Reese is worth a look in the majority of fantasy settings. The 23-year-old winger should be able to post serviceable numbers as long as he’s flanking Sidney Crosby at even strength, and there is enough talent in Pittsburgh that he could be demoted and still move the needle. Additionally, in settings including hits, the Northeastern University product has been credited with 25 body checks through his past seven games.

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Bryan Rust, PIT (22 percent): Sticking with the Pens, Rust has recorded five goals, eight assists and 26 shots while averaging 17:18 of ice time through 12 games since returning from an upper-body injury. He also has long-standing chemistry with current center Evgeni Malkin, and it also helps that Pittsburgh is pacing the league in goals per game (4.33) since the All-Star break.

Kevin Hayes, NYR (10 percent): The 25-year-old American has marked the scoresheet in five of his past six contests for three goals, four assists, three power-play points and 18 shots. There’s uncertainty surrounding the Rangers heading into the trade deadline, but Hayes should stick in a top-six role and receive more consistent power-play time moving forward.

Tobias Rieder, LA (1 percent): As noted, there’s potential for Rieder to shine in the City of Angels. He was just finding a groove this season with two goals and three assists through his final four contests with the Coyotes, and the Kings are desperate for a talented and speedy winger to play in a top-six role.

DEFENSE

Nate Schmidt, VGK (25 percent): It’s surprising Schmidt is available in so many leagues. He’s picked up two goals and seven assists through his past 10 games to improve to a respectable 1.35 points per 60 minutes for the campaign. Additionally, Schmidt offers a solid cross-category profile with 85 shots, 93 blocks and a plus-18 rating.

Justin Braun, SAN (9 percent): There’s a good chance prospective owners will have missed the offensive outburst from Braun, as he’s unlikely to extend his current four-game point streak much longer. However, he’s been receiving more minutes of late and is a solid source of hits, blocked shots and plus-minus. It’s definitely worth adding that Braun is also in the midst of the best offensive season of his career.

Vince Dunn, STL (1 percent): St. Louis continues to lean on the rookie in more offensive situations, including with the goalie pulled against the Sharks on Tuesday. Dunn is also quarterbacking the No. 1 power-play. It hasn’t translated to noteworthy scoring success yet, but both he’s too talented not to land on the scoresheet more frequently if his current role remains intact.

GOALIE

Antti Raanta, ARI (39 percent): The Finn is 7-3-4 with a .937 save percentage and 1.97 GAA since the calendar flipped to 2018, and as mentioned, the Coyotes have a favorable upcoming schedule. Considering his form, the addition of Darcy Kuempershouldn’t significantly cut into Raanta’s workload, either.

Petr Mrazek, PHI (50 percent): Expect Mrazek to receive the bulk of starts through the end of March. The Flyers are making a strong push for the playoffs, and Mrazek has been a solid fantasy asset in the past. His ownership is probably going to skyrocket over the next week, too.

Ryan Miller, ANA (30 percent): The veteran has stopped all 61 shots through two appearances (one start) since John Gibson sustained a lower-body injury. Gibson’s considered day-to-day, but he also missed time earlier this month with a lower-body issue. As a result, Miller is a relevant asset in most settings — especially with Anaheim allowing just 1.93 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five since the beginning of January.

Curtis McElhinney, TOR (9 percent): The Maple Leafs have three back-to-back sets remaining on their schedule and should clinch a playoff spot over the next few weeks. McElhinney stands to receive a handful of starts through the end of the season and has won seven of 10 starts with a .932 save percentage, 2.24 GAA and two shutouts. He also boasts tremendous upside if Frederik Andersen were to ever miss time.

Players to consider from past columns: Evgenii Dadonov, Sam Reinhart, Micheal Ferland, Ondrej Kase, Nico Hischier, Anthony Mantha, Matt Duchene, Teuvo Teravainen, Tom Wilson, Mathieu Perreault, Ryan Spooner, Timo Meier, Kevin Fiala, Alex DeBrincat, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Zach Hyman, Kyle Palmieri, Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, Alex Goligoski, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Jeff Petry, Mike Matheson, Esa Lindell, Alexander Edler, Travis Dermott, Juuse Saros, Kari Lehtonen.

#_author:Yahoo Sports Staff #_category:yct:001000854 #_lmsid:a077000000CFoGyAAL #_uuid:e97b3b38-cbb8-36d8-951e-4154b22c1700 #_revsp:54edcaf7-cdbb-43d7-a41b-bffdcc37fb56

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othersportsnews-blog · 7 years ago

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Fantasy hockey - waiver wire pickups, players to drop

New Post has been published on https://othersportsnews.com/fantasy-hockey-waiver-wire-pickups-players-to-drop/

Fantasy hockey - waiver wire pickups, players to drop

Florida Panthers centre Vincent Trocheck is out there in almost half of all ESPN fantasy hockey leagues. Image by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Illustrations or photos

Each individual 7 days, we are going to mine the waiver wire for lesser-owned property to assistance your squad, whether or not you favor dynasty or the redraft format — and we are going to also toss in some tips for DFS players out there. Classified by situation, the players are ranked in descending order by ownership proportion in ESPN.com leagues. We will also consist of some former go-to fantasy property who might be overvalued — in the limited- or lengthy-phrase — for one particular purpose or a different.

Forwards

Vincent Trocheck, C, Florida Panthers Possession proportion: 53.5

Subbing in for an hurt Aleksander Barkov (reduce-system injuries) along with Jaromir Jagr on a Panthers leading line, the younger centre has scored in 3 straight (furthermore two assists) on thirteen shots. Whilst the odds of Trocheck remaining unclaimed in your redraft or keeper are slim, he is a ought to-begin in all formats. And give the 23-calendar year-aged further imagined in every day fantasy level of competition.

Sebastian Aho, LW/RW, Carolina Hurricanes Possession proportion: ten.

Capturing on internet with greater frequency, the 19-calendar year-aged Finn has loved a productive thirty day period, with 5 objectives and 5 assists in a dozen online games. Also well worth appreciating is Aho’s constant leading-6 and electricity-engage in part, along with Teuvo Teravainen and Lee Stempniak.

Zach Hyman, C/RW/LW, Toronto Maple Leafs Possession proportion: 7.1

Skating on an even-toughness line with Auston Matthews has it truly is perks, as illustrated by Hyman’s 7 assists in 7 latest online games. I like Connor Brown (ownership proportion: 7.6) for the very same positional purpose — with the included reward of Brown also looking at valuable minutes with the gentleman-advantage.

Sven Baertschi, LW, Vancouver Canucks Possession proportion: 6.three

Jelling very well with Bo Horvat at even toughness and competing with Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin on the electricity engage in, Baertschi is purple very hot with 3 objectives and two assists in 3 online games. He’s also well worth thing to consider as a every day fantasy asset Wednesday, compared to Arizona’s porous defense.

Kevin Labanc, LW/RW, San Jose Sharks Possession proportion: 1.4

The Sharks’ persistence in actively playing Labanc in a leading-6 part is having to pay out personal scoring dividends. Skating on a line with Logan Couture and Mikkel Boedker, the flexible winger has 3 objectives and two assists in his past 5 online games. The 21-calendar year-aged rookie — who averaged almost two factors per recreation with the OHL Barrie Colts in 2015-sixteen — also attained his 1st electricity-engage in level of his occupation this past 7 days, compared to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Justin Bailey, RW, Buffalo Sabres Possession proportion: .1

Possessing viewed this child shut up during his junior hockey times with the Kitchener Rangers, I’m not shocked to see him battle for the chance to produce in a outstanding part. Soon after a temporary NHL flavor very last period, Bailey is receiving the chance to strut his target-scoring things in a leading-6 place along with Evander Kane and Sam Reinhart. Give the 21-calendar year-aged rookie a lengthy, tricky seem in deep dynasty leagues.

Jordan Schroeder, C/RW, Minnesota Wild Possession proportion: .

With two objectives and two helpers in 5 online games, the 26-calendar year-aged AHL regular is earning the chance to skate on a Wild leading line with Zach Parise and Eric Staal. As this kind of, Schroeder might merit a whirl as a cheapie dim horse in every day fantasy engage in.

Defensemen

Nick Holden, New York Rangers Possession proportion: forty six.eight

If, perchance, Holden is still out there in your sizable redraft league, snag him ASAP. If not, goal the 29-calendar year-aged as a every day fantasy asset when the matchup feels favorable. Whilst the limited-phrase target-per-recreation speed (4 contests) is obviously unsustainable, the defender has completely settled in very well with his new squad in New York.

Mattias Ekholm, Nashville Predators Possession proportion: forty one.eight

As lengthy as P.K. Subban continues to be sidelined with an upper-system injuries (herniated disc?), Ekholm features greater fantasy price. It is no incident the 26-calendar year-aged has scored a target and 4 assists during the leading defender’s absence. And Subban is loosely projected to skip at the very least a different 7 days or so.

Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg Jets Possession proportion: 36.6

Frankly, the productive chill following this season’s early deal drama lasted lengthier than we anticipated. Even so, Trouba has given that cobbled his act collectively, gathering two objectives and 7 assists in ten online games. His part on a electricity engage in including Patrik Laine, Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers even more suggests the 22-calendar year-aged will not be lengthy for earning factors with the further skater both.

Take into account riding Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen when he is rolling very hot. Image by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire

Goaltenders

Kari Lehtonen, Dallas Stars Possession proportion: 22.4

With 3 straight wins and one particular blemish-no cost reduction visual appeal in spot of a floundering Antti Niemi, Lehtonen is on one particular of his favourable tears. Have interaction the veteran netminder in the format of your picking out prior to this constructive streak skids to an abrupt halt.

Michal Neuvirth, Philadelphia Flyers Possession proportion: 6.5

Maybe the multi-7 days absence (knee injuries) will assistance reset Neuvirth forward of the season’s 2nd half. Maybe not. But we’re not convinced Steve Mason — who has stuttered of late — has the structure to continue on shouldering the load for the Flyers both. Now that he is been activated off IR, Neuvirth merits monitoring in deeper leagues.

James Reimer, Florida Panthers Possession proportion: three.6

Whilst Roberto Luongo continues to be ranked Florida’s No. 1 netminder, Reimer has sparkled this past thirty day period, surrendering only 7 objectives in 4 commences, furthermore one particular fantastic — if temporary — reduction visual appeal. 4 factors shy of a postseason berth, the Panthers will not chorus from riding Reimer’s very hot hand, if vital.

Decreased anticipations

Jamie Benn, LW, Dallas Stars Possession proportion: 99.9

Suffering a insignificant foot injuries during Saturday’s tilt with the Panthers, Benn is slated to skip his 1st recreation (to injuries) in almost 4 several years. Without the need of “Mr. Tough” in the lineup, the Stars’ leading device of Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza and a recovered Patrick Sharp (concussion) projects most promisingly forward of Wednesday’s matchup with the Montreal Canadiens.

Pekka Rinne, G, Nashville Predators Possession proportion: 93.4

In admittedly noticeably less appearances in comparison with Rinne’s workload, backup Juuse Saros has been the far better goaltender in Nashville of late. Which is a stark truth. And when latest historical past supports an about confront from the Predators’ No. 1 goalie, ESPN’s Sean Allen suggests this kind of a turnaround is barely confirmed:

“… The calendar has flipped to a new thirty day period, so in concept, that usually means Rinne is about to go on a tear as the ideal goaltender in the NHL until eventually February. Right? Right?!? Whilst that is one particular way to seem at items – a different is that Rinne has experienced one particular fantastic thirty day period sandwiched in between two terrible kinds this period. Backup Juuse Saros appears to be like far better with each individual begin, which usually means owners of Rinne certainly have to handcuff him at this level.”

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