Bucket of Pucks

Waiver Wire Report: NHL Fantasy Free Agents, Week of 12/7

This week's Waiver Wire Report has nice potential options for your fantasy teams.  Their numbers will make you wonder why they're not more widely owned.  See who we're talking about after the break.

Waiver Wire Report: NHL Fantasy Free Agents, Week of 11/2

As most hockey fans know, it was 50 years ago this past weekend that Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante brought us the hockey mask for the first time.  In honor of this historic hockey moment, BucketofPucks Waiver Wire Report will kick off this week with a "Hat Tip" to this game changing event.

To begin with TSN has a fun Gallery of the Best Goalie Masks of the Year, check it out and see who you think has the most awesome mask of this season.  Ranger's goalie Henrik Lundqvist just had a new mask made to honor this great hockey moment.  It has the original hockey mask on it, along with a ticket to the actual Montreal-New York stub in which Plante had his nose broken by Ranger forward Andy Bathgate's shot.

Hockey commentator Stan Fischler, also known as "The Hockey Maven" recently recounted this great hockey story.  Upon breaking his nose on the Andy Bathgate shot, Jacques Plante skated right off the ice and went to the lockeroom to get patched up.  Causing a 21 minute delay in the game.  After receiving some medical attention, Plante broke out the mask, as he'd been toying with it and using it in practices.  Canadiens coach Toe Blake would have none of it and was furious at Plante for even suggesting it.  Given the fact that Blake had no backup goaltender he eventually relented.  Emerging from the locker room the revelation was shocking to those who first saw it.  The Canadiens rallied around their goalie and won the game 3-1.

What I find to be a particularly fun fact, that not everyone remembers, as Fischler tells the story:  Toe Blake was so against the mask, he insisted the Plante play the next game without it.  A game in which Montreal got trounced.  So Blake said to Plante he could wear the mask until he was healed.  It was then that the Canadiens went on a 10 game winning streak and the game of hockey was changed forever.

Now let's get to this week Waiver Wire pick, right after the break:

Forsberg Chronicles: Is he finally healthy? NHL Scouts head to Sweden.

In the latest chapter in the annual Peter Forsberg ritual of speculation, Forsberg's broken foot has healed after taking a month off and he will suit up for the Swedish National team in next weekend's Karjala Cup.

Having endured numerous surgeries and failed attempts in returning to the ice, it seems that this time Forsberg is healthy enough to attract interest from scouts all over the league, including the Philadelphia Flyers

Assuming Foppa is healthy enough to make his way back to the NHL (a decision that must be made by December 1st if he is to play this year) let's take an in depth fantasy look at where Forsberg might end up and what kind of Fantasy Hockey impact he'd have. Remember, this is all speculation until Forsberg proves he's healthy.

Avalanche Goalie Peter Budaj has the H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu).

While I still think the media's obsession with the "Swine Flu" is overblown, it has now creeped into hockey coverage, as the first major sports athlete has contracted the H1N1 Virus, and he plays in the NHL.

The Colorado Avalanche have confirmed that back up goaltender Peter Budaj has been diagnosed with the so called 'Swine Flu" and has been segregated from the team since showing symptoms earlier this week.

The Avs have called up minor league keeper Tyler Weiman to backup Craig Anderson who will get his 12th consecutive start in goal. Anderson will continue to start until Budaj recovers and joins the team on their road trip so Weiman has no fantasy value unless Anderson gets injured. Budaj has yet to start a game this season while Anderson has a sparkling 8-1-0-2 record with a 2.14 GAA and a surprising .936 SV%. Continue to start Anderson with confidence.

Waiver Wire Report: NHL Fantasy Free Agents, Week of 10/26

As mentioned in last week's BucketofPucks Quick Hit's NHL Fantasy Injury Report, injuries are starting to pile up at an alarming rate this first month of the season.  Where injuries are a part of every sport, there is a disturbing trend emerging.  That is the increase of concussion related injuries.

In the last few years, there has been a rise in concern and some action related to concussions in most of the major sports.  In hockey alone, we've seen an improvement in head gear for both goalie and skater to better protect players but has that been enough?  In the NFL there has been rule changes penalizing players for blows to the head, not unlike hockey rules relating to stick fouls.  You must always be responsible for your stick, whether it be intensional or not.  With recent injuries to Toews, Tucker, Souray and Booth, it might just be time to consider similar action.

Hits that injure anyone almost always have a debate to them, whether it was dirty and/or intentional.  But with the NHL's "always responsible for your stick" rules in mind, coupled with League offices monitoring all the games for instant replay.  Maybe it's time for the NHL to combine the 2 for a safer game, in an effort to reduce this rising problem.

I watched the replay of Richards hit on Booth and I didn't feel it was dirty.  I did however feel Richards could have made more of an effort to avoid hitting him as he did.  Richards has a bit of a reputation for hitting players in vulnerable positions.  The NHL should look to force players into avoiding these vulnerable hits that expose players.  Whether it been a passing shoulder to the head or a hit forcing a player head first into the boards, like Souray being tripped or Tucker being checked.  What I'm suggesting is have the NHL "War Room" add to it's responsibilities keeping an eye on hits to the head and making players more responsible for their contact.

All this injury talk leads us right into our Waiver Wire picks for the week.  See who we've got on tap for you, after the break:

Darcy Tucker taken off the ice on a stretcher after being hit

Colorado Avalanche forward Darcy Tucker was taken off the ice with a neck brace and strapped to a backboard, after being checked into the boards in the offensive zone early in the second period.

Hit from behind by Carolina Hurricane forward Tuomo Ruutu as Tucker was playing the puck.  Tucker went face first into the boards and fell on his back onto the ice.  He lay motionless for several minutes as Avalanche trainers and doctors attended to him.  Tucker appeared conscious as he was taken off the ice, but there was a pool of blood left on the ice from where he was lying for more than 5 minutes.

There was no immediate word as to the exact nature of Tucker's injury.  Ruutu was assessed an major penalty for boarding and given a game misconduct.

For the Fantasy Impact follow us after the crease:

Waiver Wire Report: NHL Fantasy Free Agents, Week of 10/19

As most teams have played 8 or 9 games into the season, we're starting to get an idea of how teams are starting to shake out.  Although, it's still to early to definitively determine individual players booms or busts, now is the time to take a chance or two with those weaker "back end" of your fantasy roster spots.

So, if you have a roster spot or two that you can open up by either poor production or injury, this weeks Waiver Wire Report has just what you maybe looking for.  Most of the players on this weeks' list are off to a hot start or taking advantage of some injury opportunity.  Over the next 2-4 weeks these players will prove themselves as the real deal or flashes in the pan.  Either way, they could help those in need for the short term and just might surprise you, as permanent fantasy players for your team.

This weeks' Waiver Wire Players after the jump:

Waiver Wire Report: NHL Fantasy Free Agents, Week of 10/12

Injuries are one of the main reasons for fantasy owners to keep a close eye on who's out on their leagues waiver wire.  The first couple of weeks of this years hockey season has only served as a reminder of that.  With injuries, both short-term and long-term, to a number of players a lot of fantasy owners planned to depending on.  Now in a pinch, it's never a bad idea to key on a player that's slotted to replace an injured players spot.  There's always a few unexpected players every season to bloom from replacing a teammate that's gone down with an injury, especially these days with Salary Cap restrictions make trades harder to pull off.

Luckily for the stricken fantasy owner, it's still early in the season.  Meaning there's usually plenty of players out on the waiver ware to replace those players off to a disappointing start or those felled by the injury bug.  Come and see what players are still readily available in more than 50% of public fantasy leagues:

DRAFT: Top Ranked NHL Fantasy Centers

When drafting your fantasy hockey team there are many strategies on how to approach constructing your team.  You may want to start with a goaltender, who many consider the backbone of their team - especially if you're in a league where goalie stats are equal to offensive ones (ie: your standard 5x5 category leagues).  You may choose to draft wingers high, since elite scoring depth at that position isn't as deep as others.  Particularly if you're league designates LW/RW, rather than just the generic F or W.  Maybe you focus your top picks on the defense, stockpiling elite D and filling your roster with solid secondary scorers.  Or perhaps you subscribe to the best player available when it comes around to your turn to select.

Whatever way you go, the center position is undoubtedly the deepest position to draft.  Just look at the last 4 years statistics and you'll find an average of 23 out of the top 50 scorers play the pivot.  This just confirms that most offense goes through a team top centers.  Armed with this knowledge, you can start your draft with some of the best scorers in hockey.  Or you can look for balance on your fantasy team and still know they'll be an elite center to choose from in the 3rd to 5th round.  It also means you can find productive secondary scoring from a center in the mid-late rounds, long after the LW, RW and D have dried up.

With this in mind BucketofPucks has doubled the traditional Top 10 list to 20.  Find out who's there after the jump

NHL Fantasy Hockey 2009 - High Risk / High Reward Players - Part 2

Every season in your Fantasy Draft there are players who are surefire bets and they get picked accordingly. Then there are those guys that, due to their injury history or shaky previous performances, make it tough to judge if or when they should be drafted.

Last week in Part 1, we covered some of the more notable Risky and possibly Rewarding players available in the draft. This week, we’ll cover the gamut - from the lunch pail guys that are chronically injured to those household names with reputations to overcome.  As usual, all advice below is based on a 12-team, 16 round draft.