The Magical Fourth Year Is Not A Myth

In the era of in-depth analysis, sabermetrics and advanced statistics, fantasy hockey managers are trying to find unique and more complicated ways to beat the opposition and win their fantasy drafts.

A theory that emerged a few years ago on the Internet, most notably on Dobber, is that offensive forwards tend to breakout in their fourth year in the NHL.

John Tavares entered into his 4th NHL season in 2012-13 (Icon SMI)

Most of you would ask, 'What is exactly the magical fourth season?' Well, roughly speaking, offensive players make big jumps in their production in years two through six. In the fourth year, 24 percent of players see an increase in the offensive numbers by around 25 percent.

In 2011-12, several players saw their offensive numbers jumped considerably compared to the previous season. The most notable were James Neal, Blake Wheeler, Max Pacioretty, Wayne Simmonds and Jamie McGinn.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS OFFENSIVE SURGE ONLY APPLIES TO FORWARDS, as defensemen generally take more time to develop as opposed to forwards, Erik Karlsson being the exception rather than the rule.

Back in April 2012 I predicted that some of the fourth-year players would explode offensively in 2013. Now let's study the offensive production of these ten talented NHL players and see how they are doing so far in 2013:

1. John Tavares, New York Islanders Fearless prediction for 2013: 48 games ' 21 goals and 34 assists for 55 points, -1 rating, 18 PIM

The heart of the Islanders’ offense with Matt Moulson, Tavares is a already a true All-Star after recording 81 points in 82 games last season. So far this season, Tavares has already recorded 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points in 21 games, on pace for 57 points. Tavares’ numbers would be even more impressive if he was surrounded by better players.

HIT

2. Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars Fearless prediction for 2012-13: 43 games ' 21 goals and 25 assists for 46 points, +6 rating, 36 PIM

After missing the team’s first few games due a contractual dispute, Benn finally signed a multiyear contract with the Stars and missed only five games. In 16 games this season, Benn has been fairly productive, notching 6 goals and 8 assists for 14 points in 16 games, on pace for 37 points. Benn will have to improve his game in order to propel the struggling Stars into the playoffs

MISS

3. Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche Fearless prediction for 2012-13: 46 games ' 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points, -1 rating, 8 PIM

In the absence of Ryan O’Reilly, who just signed a two-year contract with the team, Duchene had to raise the bar offensively to keep the Avalanche in the playoff race. So far, Duchene has not disappointed his fantasy owners with a production of 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 18 games, on pace for 51 points

HIT

4. Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks Fearless prediction for 2013: 47 games ' 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points,  +7 rating, 15 PIM

After scoring 30 goals or more in the past two campaigns, Couture started the season on fire with 7 points in his first 3 games. However, the Sharks have been struggling lately and Couture’s production slowed down dramatically as a result. On the season, he has 8 goals and 6 assists for 14 points in 19 games, on pace for 35 points.

MISS

5. Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins Fearless prediction for 2013: 46 games ' 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points,  +15 rating, 57 PIM

The hard-working Marchand has been lighting the lamp this season with 10 goals (9th in the NHL) and 3 assists for 13 points in 16 games for the powerful Bruins, on pace for 39 points. Strangely, the super-pest has been quite disciplined this season, getting only four penalty minutes.

HIT

Evander Kane has shown flashes of brilliance this season (Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)

6. Evander Kane, Winnipeg Jets Fearless prediction for 2013: 47 games ' 21 goals and 17 assists for 38 points,  +3 rating, 42 PIM

Kane has been on fire for the surging Jets, recording 10 points in his last 9 games. After sniping 30 goals last season, Kane is even more productive this season with 9 goals and 9 assists for 18 points in 20 games, currently on pace for 43 points.

HIT

7. James van Riemsdyk, Toronto Maple Leafs Fearless prediction for 2013: 46 games ' 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 points,  +4 rating, 30 PIM

van Riemsdyk is finally healthy and getting plenty of ice-time with the surprising Maple Leafs. In 22 games this season, JVR has been scoring goals in bunches with 12 goals and 4 assists for 16 points, on pace for 26 goals and 35 points

HIT

8. Michael Grabner, New York Islanders Fearless prediction for 2013: 48 games ' 18 goals and 15 assists for 33 points,  -4 rating, 8 PIM

After a career-year in 2010-11 when he scored 52 points in 76 games with the Isles, Grabner’s offensive production has been almost non-existent. This season, the speedy winger has only recorded 7 goals and 3 assists for 10 points in 21 goals, on pace for only 23 points.

MISS

9. Viktor Stalberg, Chicago Blackhawks Fearless prediction for 2013: 48 games ' 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points,  +3 rating, 23 PIM

Part of the supporting cast for the NHL leaders, Stalberg has been contributing in different ways this season. The problem for fantasy owners is that he has not contributed much offensively with only 5 goals and 3 assists for 8 points in 20 games, on pace for a mere 19 points in 2013.

MISS

10. Kyle Turris, Ottawa Senators Fearless prediction for 2012-13: 45 games ' 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points,  +8 rating, 35 PIM

With Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson and Milan Michaek all missing time due to injuries, Kyle Turris was expected to carry the offensive load with captain Daniel Alfredsson. Despite the Senators’ success in recent games, Turris hasn’t recorded a single point in his past 5 games giving him only 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points in 21 games, on pace for 27 points.

HIT

Overtime

Mikkel Boedker, Phoenix Coyotes

After producing only 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 82 games for the defensive-minded Coyotes, Boedker is currently leading the team in scoring with 4 goals and 11 assists for 15 points in 20 games, on pace for 36 points in 2013.  Over a full season, Boedker would finish with more than 60 points, more than doubling his career-best 28 points in his rookie season.

Colin Wilson, Nashville Predators

After recording 34 and 35 points in the past two campaigns, Wilson has become the team’s #1 pivot this season. In 21 games, Wilson has 5 goals and 10 assists for 15 points, on pace for  34 points in only 48 games for the goal-starving Predators.

Eberle and Hall are strong candidates to explode offensively in 2013-14 (Michael Ivins-USA TODAY Sports)

As you can see, this theory is not a myth, so don't hesitate to rank fourth-year players higher on your draft lists next fall when you get ready for your fantasy drafts as they will most certainly provide you with a definite edge over the competition and could turn out to be the best bargains at the draft!

Some players to consider for next season are Taylor Hall, Tyler Ennis, Jeff Skinner, Jordan Eberle, Tyler Seguin, David Desharnais and Derek Stepan.

Follow me on Twitter for more updates on fantasy hockey and the NHL in general.

Author information

Fred PoulinFreelance translator/writerA long-time Joe Sakic fan, Fred, 34, is a freelance sports writer and translator. Fred earned a Bachelor of Translation in 2002 at Laval University in Quebec City. He also writes on the Montreal Canadiens for HabsAddict.com and he is an associate editor and a baseball columnist on Dobberbaseball.com. He is also fluent in English, French and Spanish.TwitterFacebookGoogle+

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Corey Crawford's Injury: Why So Secretive?

(Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE)

During last nights game against the St. Louis Blues, Corey Crawford was caught stumbling back to the bench after the first period. The intermission rolled around and Ray Emery started in goal at the start of the 2nd period and finished the game for Crawford. So what happened?

After the game, Joel Quenneville stated that Crawford’s latest upper-body injury is unrelated to his previous one, so either A. Crawford’s previous injury was falsely perceived as a “concussion,” and this time around he truly does have one, or B. Crawford’s previous injury was accurately perceived as a “concussion,” and this time around he does not have one.

I would lean towards answer B (no concussion), judging by Joel Quenneville’s reaction. At the same time, it was not helpful when he stated: “I don’t think there was a defining moment or blow.”

That is also discouraging to know, suggesting that this injury could be of the lingering variety. But by stating this injury is unrelated to his previous one (widely considered a concussion), what could this mean?

I have another suggestion. What if Corey Crawford has vertigo? Surely, the Blackhawks medical staff would not clear Crawford to play if he was still suffering from a concussion, and if there was no defining moment to spark the concussion symptoms again, maybe he has a medical condition such as vertigo.

I’m not a doctor, but before Crawford left the net, he was seen hunched over. As he lifted his head it was clear that he stumbled, perhaps due to dizziness and could easily be perceived as a concussion. However, this could be identified with BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), and it doesn’t take a doctor to see that. According to Mayo Clinic, here is the main symptom of BPPV:

“Symptoms of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo are triggered by specific changes in the position of your head, such as tipping your head up or down, and by lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed. You may also feel out of balance when standing or walking.” [SOURCE]

With that in mind, take a look at the footage of Corey Crawford stumbling below:

This would need to be a fairly severe concussion for him to stumble like that, and I doubt the Blackhawks doctors would clear him to play if that were the case, nor would Crawford be able to pass the concussion test.

Now maybe it’s a stretch to suggest this, but it isn’t all that uncommon among NHL players. The story with Crawford sounds all too familiar with Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller. Hiller himself has been suffering from this condition for a few years now, although before the season started, he stated that he was symptom-free. Jeff Hackett, another goaltender diagnosed with vertigo, wasn’t as lucky as Hiller and was forced to retire early.

All of this is pure speculation, so take it with a grain of salt. But if Crawford’s injury is kept hidden from the media, perhaps it’s something we all weren’t expecting. But who knows, let’s hope for the best, and that best certainly is not vertigo.

What do you think happened to Corey Crawford?

Author information

Ton DeFrancescoProud Founder/Editor-in-Chief of IndianHeadNation.com -- Ton has covered the Chicago Blackhawks for five years. Over a span of almost two decades, he has played and coached at various levels.TwitterFacebookGoogle+

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

J.T. Miller Adjusting To Life With the New York Rangers

J.T. Miller is enjoying the ride.

After averaging a point per game in the OHL last season, the Rangers’ first round pick in the 2011 Draft became an AHL all-star this season, and won a Gold Medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships.

Now, Miller is playing on a consistent basis with the New York Rangers. And the 19-year-old is loving every minute of it.

Miller vs. Seguin (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

“It’s everything I ever expected,” an enthusiastic Miller said after the Rangers 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. “I’m just trying to earn my keep here, play my role, and keep it as simple as possible.”

Miller’s style of play has paid dividends for him. The Blueshirts felt strongly enough about the rookie’s play to keep him on Seventh Avenue while sending Chris Kreider down to the AHL for more seasoning.

“He’s been more consistent,” Rangers head coach John Tortorella said of Miller. “He’s made more of a difference in recent games compared to some of the guys we sent down. In the last game (against Winnipeg), I thought he found another level.”

That’s not to say that the transition has been smooth sailing for the 19-year-old, who has two goals and two assists in 11 games with the Rangers. “The defense here (in the NHL) is real tough to play against,” Miller said. “Also, defensively, if you’re in the wrong spot, the other team will embarrass you.”

Although Miller has become a better defensive player, Tortorella would prefer for him to play on the wing instead of center, thus alleviating some of the defensive pressure off of him.

“He doesn’t prefer the middle,” the Rangers bench boss said. “It was hard for him (playing center). He still has a ways to go in learning how to defend as a winger too. And rightfully so, as he’s just a kid.”

Another part of Miller’s game that Tortorella would like to see him develop is playing while fatigued. “He doesn’t know how to play when he’s tired,” Tortorella said after the victory over Tampa Bay. “He has to learn how to play when you’re tired on the ice and still get something done.”

While the 19-year-old realizes that Tortorella is pushing him, he appreciates how the Rangers’ bench boss’ guidance has helped his game. “He’s an intense guy, and he demands a lot out of his players,” Miller said of Tortorella.

“That’s a good thing, obviously. He’s a great coach for that. He knows his stuff and definitely wants the best out of his players.”

Miller can provide offense, as evidenced by his two goals in just his second NHL game. His ability to control the puck in tight areas and make plays is impressive for a player of Miller’s age and experience.

Right now, the Rangers hope that Miller can use those skills to provide offense on the club’s third line.

J.T. Miller (Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports)

“Brian (Boyle) and I have been having some great chemistry together,” Miller said. “We’re getting our chances but we haven’t been able to put one in yet. It’s only a matter of time before we get one.”

Despite dealing with the tough learning curve, Miller’s confidence in his game has never wavered. And his head coach has noticed.

“He’s sure of himself, and he has the right type of confidence,” Tortorella said. “He makes some mistakes, but he hasn’t flattened out like some other kids might have.”

The Rangers’ decision in February to put Miller on the fast track to the NHL spoke volumes about how the organization values his potential. Their decision to keep him after five games — and burn a year off his entry-level contract — said just as much.

As is the case for any young player, there will be bumps in the road for Miller. But the Rangers are willing to take the ride.

And rightfully so.

 

 

 

Author information

Michael RappaportMichael Rappaport is a junior at New York University majoring in Sports Management. He is one of the Featured Writers for the New York Rangers for The Hockey Writers, and joined THW in January of 2012. In addition to his work for THW, Michael has been featured in numerous publications such as New York Hockey Journal, Yahoo's Puck Daddy Blog, The Huffington Post, Spector's Hockey, and Kukla's Korner to name a few. You can talk hockey with Michael by sending an e-mail to michael.rappaport@nyu.edu, or if you want to shoot a quick message, following @Mike_Rappaport on twitter.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

NHL Realignment Will Save the Phoenix Coyotes

Captain Shane Doan re-signed with the Coyotes hopeful a deal would be reached. That still hasn’t happened. (Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE)

A new proposal for NHL realignment has been making the rounds. Of course, everyone's concerned with how the changes will affect rivalries and the beloved playoff format. These are legitimate hockey concerns. There is one other driving factor that needs to be considered: the financial impacts.

One team that should be particularly concerned, especially with their ongoing financial struggles and recent ownership challenges, is the Phoenix Coyotes.

It's no secret that the Coyotes have struggled to attract fans despite their improved play on the ice. They've been ranked in the bottom three in league attendance six years running. While their numbers are up this year, so are everyone else's, leaving them at the back of the pack.

Realignment Impact on Attendance

The realignment proposal and game breakdowns were beautifully captured by CBC’s Elliotte Friedman. Based on the rotations of home games played against teams in the division (two or three)  and against teams in the conference (one or two), I calculated a split of games so as to accurately and fairly weight the attendance figures. Since the current schedule is unbalanced, I combined 2010-11 and 2011-12 for all team when calculating averages.

(Division rivals in dark red)

Detroit and Chicago are the some of the top draws in Phoenix, both bringing in an average of over 15,000 fans per night over the past two seasons and making up five of their eight biggest crowds over that time. Under the new proposal, the Coyotes would lose one home game against Detroit, leaving them with just one matchup in Glendale. The Blackhawks, remaining in the West but in the other division, would alternate years of two games and one game in Phoenix. Mathematically, that's losing a game-and-a-half to two of the largest-drawing shows that come to town. Obviously, the Coyotes are getting screwed by the league here, right?

Not so fast.

While they lost games against Detroit and Chicago, they also give up games to poorer-drawing teams like the Nashville Predators, who've brought in an average of fewer than 8,500 fans per game over the past three years. They also lose games to Minnesota and the Los Angeles Kings, who, up until this year, were barely drawing 11,000 to Phoenix. (As cup champions, the Kings drew significantly more fans in their lone game in Arizona in 2013, so there will be potential seats lost in years when they only play the Kings at home twice.)  The Coyotes also give up a game to Columbus, who moves to the East, and two games to Dallas, who moves to the other Western Conference division. Those teams are both right in the middle of the pack with attendance in Phoenix.

What the Coyotes Gain

One of the biggest scheduling changes under the new alignment is that all 29 teams will make an appearance at Jobing.com Arena. While some Eastern Conference teams tend to draw poorly ' New Jersey, Carolina, and Ottawa all playing in front of less than 9,000 fans on their last visit ' they're offset by the one-time spikes in ticket sales to see the Bruins (17,459), Flyers (14,913), Penguins (14,642), who always bring out the fans. They'll also come out in force to see their former conference-rival Red Wings on their lone visit. Having one opportunity to see a team ' every team, under the new schedule ' should help motivate fans to head to the arena.

The Canucks always draw a crowd in Glendale (Chassen Ikiri).

The Coyotes have also seen their attendance grow against teams that they'll be playing more frequently, most notably the Canucks, who brought in 16,691 in their last trip to the desert. A total of 14.1% of projected attendance will come in games against the Canucks and Sharks. The Jets and Oilers, both also on the rise in Glendale, will come to town more frequently under the new realignment proposal.

Overall, the team's attendance, based on 2011-12 figures, will increase an estimated 3% because of realignment. Sure, that's not a significant increase, but it is a positive change ' even with fewer visits from the Wings and Hawks. Factor in the increased attendance this season ' up 27% over the first eight games ' and you're looking at a significant increase. Even if the initial excitement of a post-lockout season wanes slightly, a more conservative increase of 13.5% compared to 2011-12, half the current season's increase, would boost attendance to a projected 14,360 per game. That would get them out of the attendance-rankings basement and back to the kind of numbers they were pulling back in 2008-09. Plug in the average ticket price of $40.32, courtesy Five for Howling, and that's a hard-dollar boost of almost $70,000 per game ' nearly $15,000 of which can be attributed to realignment and the subsequent schedule changes. Sure, it’s no wealth of riches, but that amounts to an estimated increase of $600,000 per year just from the schedule change.

There are additional financial benefits outside of the ticket revenue. Realignment will see the Coyotes spend less time traveling and changing time zones. While confirmation of the realignment plan and the subsequent schedule are far off, it's safe to assume that the team will be making a few east coast swings to pick up those inter-conference games. If they're not able to reduce their mileage, they can certainly make it easier on the players and find opportunities to reduce spending.

Phoenix has plenty of concerns these days. The ownership situation is still a huge issue in Phoenix. Greg Jamison has yet to find a way to close the deal and purchase the team.  General Manager Don Maloney has his hands full with maintaining the quality of the product on the ice, especially with Mike Smith in the final year of his contract and a handful of players entering Restricted Free Agency at the end of the season. The proposed realignment should give the Coyotes a more favorable schedule.  Provided they can ice a quality team, they should benefit from the change.   Realignment should also help with attendance, ultimately boosting the Coyotes' bottom line.

Of course, that's assuming they're still in Phoenix when realignment rolls around.

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Follow Josh on Twitter – @joshsmith29

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Author information

Josh SmithJosh is a life-long hockey fan. He grew up as a fan of the New York Rangers, but thanks to their general mismanagement and years of mediocrity, developed a great appreciation for every team across the league. He's been writing about hockey on various sites since 1995. Follow him on Twitter at @joshsmith29 or reach him via email at joshuasmithTHW@gmail.com.TwitterGoogle+

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

NCAA Women's Hockey: Conference Playoffs Preview

Current PairWise Rankings:

• 1. Minnesota
• 2. Cornell
• 3. Boston College
• T-4. Boston University
• T-4. Harvard
• T-4. Clarkson
• 7. Mercyhurst
• T-8. North Dakota
• T-8. Wisconsin
• T-8. Northeastern
• 11. Quinnipiac
• 12. Dartmouth

WCHA Playoffs

Quarterfinal Round (Friday, March 1st to Sunday, March 3rd, best-of-three)

#8 Bemidji State (6-24-2, 5-22-1 WCHA) @ #1 Minnesota (34-0-0, 28-0-0 WCHA)

#7 St. Cloud State (9-22-3, 5-21-2 WCHA) @ #2 Wisconsin (21-9-2, 17-9-2 WCHA)

#6 Minnesota State (10-19-5, 6-17-5 WCHA) @ #3 North Dakota (23-10-1, 18-9-1 WCHA)

#5 Ohio State (17-14-3, 12-13-3 WCHA) @ #4 Minnesota-Duluth (14-14-4, 13-13-2 WCHA)

Favorites: Minnesota is the obvious favorite to win the whole tournament, having been head and shoulders above the competition all year. They are the first team in history to win every single regular season game. The Gophers’ offense lacked some of its prowess in their last series against St. Cloud State, but they were without three-points-per-game forward Amanda Kessel. Enough cannot be said about the job Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson and his staff have done this year in Madison, and after earning the #2 seed, the Badgers will hope to go far behind solid team play and junior goaltender Alex Rigsby’s .941 save percentage. North Dakota is another contender; led by Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux, they will look to their top-six players to lead them deep into the playoffs and help them secure a slot in the NCAA Tournament. But they’ll definitely need to get solid goaltending to help them along as well.

Dark Horses: The Ohio State vs. Minnesota-Duluth series will be filled with gutsy, gritty team play and whoever comes out on the winning end of it will give the higher seeds at the Final Five a lot to handle. With the best-of-three first round, upsets are a hard task for the underdog teams, but Minnesota State is a team who might be up for the challenge; they’ve had some success against top opponents this year.

Hockey East Playoffs

Quarterfinal Round

#8 Connecticut (3-28-3, 1-19-1 WHEA) @ #1 Boston University (23-5-3, 18-2-1 WHEA), Sat. March 2nd, 3 PM E.T.

#7 Maine (5-23-4, 2-16-3 WHEA) @ #2 Boston College (25-5-3, 17-2-2 WHEA), Fri. March 1st, 7 PM E.T.

#6 Vermont (8-20-4, 6-11-4 WHEA) @ #3 Northeastern (21-10-2, 13-7-1 WHEA), Sat. March 2nd, 7 PM E.T.

#5 Providence (14-15-5, 8-10-3 WHEA) @ #4 New Hampshire (14-15-4, 10-8-3 WHEA), Sat. March 2nd, 1 PM E.T.

Favorites: Boston University and Boston College have been neck-and-neck with each other for most of the year, and they enter the postseason as conference favorites. Both teams are deeper up front than the rest of the competition in Hockey East. The Terriers have had some hot and cold stretches, but have been playing well in recent weeks. The Eagles have maintained a level pace for much of the year since finding their stride a few weeks into the season. They are led by sophomore forward Alex Carpenter, who has quietly been one of the most consistent players in the country this season, perhaps second only to Kessel. Northeastern had a few tough stretches throughout the year, but enter the postseason on a hot streak, and are led by star forward Kendall Coyne.

Dark Horses: Providence has got the right kind of philosophy to upset in a single-elimination tournament. They showed that last year when they made it all the way to the Hockey East championship game. Look for freshman forward Molly Illikainen (11 goals, 29 points, 33 games) to make an impact if the Friars make a postseason run this year. And after the way they’ve handled themselves against the league’s top two teams the last two weeks of the season, Vermont is also worth keeping an eye on. Goaltender Roxanne Douville made 53 saves last Saturday to help the Catamounts tie Boston College, 1-1, and if they can get above-average goaltending against Northeastern, they’ll have a shot at an upset again.

College Hockey America Playoffs

Quarterfinal Round (Friday, March 1st to Sunday, March 3rd, best-of-three)

#6 Penn State (7-24-2, 1-17-2 CHA) @ #3 Rochester Institute of Tech. (14-15-5, 7-8-5 CHA)

#5 Lindenwood (7-24-3, 7-10-3 CHA) @ #4 Robert Morris (13-14-3, 9-10-1 CHA)

Favorites: As the only nationally-ranked team in the conference, Mercyhurst is a heavy favorite in the tournament, although they won’t play until next week because they earned a first-round bye. The Lakers are much deeper than every other team in the conference, especially up front. It’s going to be a tough task for anyone else to beat them, but as we saw last year, anything can happen in the playoffs.

Dark Horses: Syracuse has jumped from last in the four-team CHA last year to second in the league this year, and they’ll definitely be looking to advance to the championship game and try and unseat Mercyhurst. Goaltender Kallie Billadeau will be very important for the Orange; she’s got a .941 save percentage and 1.53 goals against average this season. Robert Morris won the CHA championship last year, upsetting Mercyhurst in the final, and they’ll be looking to make a run again. The Colonials’ Rebecca Vint is arguably the best player in the conference who doesn’t play for the Lakers, but it remains to be seen if they’ve got enough pieces around her to really contend.

ECAC Playoffs

Quarterfinal Round (Friday, March 1st to Sunday, March 3rd, best-of-three)

#8 Colgate (11-19-3, 6-13-3 ECAC) @ #1 Cornell (23-5-1, 18-3-1 ECAC)

#7 Rensselaer (10-20-4, 8-12-2 ECAC) @ #2 Clarkson (26-8-0, 18-4-0 ECAC)

#6 Dartmouth (16-8-5, 11-7-4 ECAC) @ #3 Harvard (21-5-3, 17-3-2 ECAC)

#5 St. Lawrence (17-12-5, 12-6-4 ECAC) @ #4 Quinnipiac (19-10-4, 13-6-3 ECAC)

Favorites: With just one point separating Cornell, Clarkson, and Harvard, it’s difficult to say who’s got the edge over the other two top seeds. Clarkson and Harvard were playing better in the first half than the second half of the year, while Cornell’s been playing some of their best hockey of the season in recent weeks. The results of these three teams against each other have been mixed, which will make the postseason very interesting. The Big Red are probably the strongest up front, whereas the Crimson and Golden Knights have been better defensively. Harvard in particular boasts a strong blue line. All three teams have very solid goaltending, and it’ll be difficult for anyone to upset any of them.

Dark Horses: Dartmouth is definitely a team to keep an eye on; they’ve got a great defensive mindset, can skate with anyone in the conference, and are capable of containing the opponent’s most productive players. They ended the regular season with a huge 7-2 win over St. Lawrence, and have tied both Cornell and Harvard this year. Quinnipiac also has a good shot at a postseason run, and that may or may not be due to their off-ice talents (see below). The Bobcats have a capable netminder in Victoria Vigilanti, and a good and mostly underrated line-up of skaters led by the electric Kelly Babstock, who’s tied for first in the conference with 28 goals and 55 points.

 

Author information

Gabriella FundaroAn avid sports and hockey fan. Currently working towards a journalism degree and covering women's hockey for THW.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Why Stay Broke? DraftKings Could Fill Your Wallet!

Either way Ryan O’Reilly is getting paid, why shouldn’t you? (Icon SMI)

Players seem to be getting extensions and today Ryan O’Reilly signed a lucrative offer sheet from the Calgary Flames to the tune of two years, ten million dollars. Needless to say, in seven days or less, O’Reilly will break the bank one way or the other. He will definitely have lots of money to play the latest that DraftKings has to offer. There are plenty of contests and different options for the daily fantasy hockey fan. For those still hesitant to get into the game, there are always options.

Deposit bonus. Did we say deposit bonus?

Yes we did! When you drop some dollars into your DraftKings account for the first time, it is matched 100%. We are not talking 20.30, or 40 but 100 percent! That is a bonus any daily fantasy player can get behind. This isn’t hard. If you put in $50 then they match it. Its like offer sheets only better for you. The money doubles and there are no other places that you can find that kind of deal. NONE! If you can, then there must be a catch because at DraftKings, there are no catches, no snags, no gimmicks. You want to win money, don’t you? This is the site to try ladies and gentlemen!

I’ll buy that chance for a dollar……

Here is another way to earn some money. For those who want to dip their feet in the water a bit more gradually, there is the NHL Daily Dollar contest from DraftKings. A dollar gives you a chance at a $50 prize pool. Hey, that isn’t so bad, right? Think of all the things that people waste more than a dollar on then just imagine the possibilities of turning four quarters into something more. This is not a difficult decision and hopefully DraftKings can serve all your daily fantasy needs.

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For the fantasy hockey fans, it has not been an easy time of it at all. In some ways, daily leagues have had it worse with players flying in and out of lineups. Then there are the ones that appear almost last minute. Sometimes they work but many times they do not. Starting next week, there will be even more on some daily finds that will surprise you. Perhaps even there is that one decision that has the player perplexed. Hopefully at The Hockey Writers, we can try to make that choice a less painful one.

What did we have in mind? You can follow me over at @ChrisWasselTHW on Twitter. No question is too big or too small. Also, I will not duck the toughest of questions. The goal is to always have an open dialogue and hopefully we can post some of those interactions right here. Thanks again for reading and of course good luck in those daily leagues. Let’s win some money!

 

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Chris WasselSenior Fantasy Hockey Writer at The Hockey WritersSimply a hockey and fantasy hockey writer who shoots straight from the hip. We will shout it down from the mountain tops if necessary. No question is too big or too small and in fantasy hockey there is no such thing as a stupid question. Now a proud, accredited member of the FSWA. You can find me on Twitter at @ChrisWasselTHWTwitterFacebookGoogle+LinkedIn

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Jarmo Kekäläinen Already On Thin Ice In Columbus

The NHL's most patriotic (American) brand has gone European. The Columbus Blue Jackets, named for Ohio's rich Civil War history, recently announced the hiring of Finish general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen. Kekäläinen didn't waste any time bidding farewell to Jokerit, the Finish Elite squad he recently turned around on and off the ice, to become the league's first ever European-born GM. Considering the Jackets' wealth of youth and draft picks it was an easy decision and a move Jokerit had been anticipating. The opportunity is great and the challenge daunting, but, if successful, Jarmo can tack on another awe-inspiring NHL first to his résumé: making the Blue Jackets to relevant.

Luck has rarely been on the their side since the Blue Jackets inception in 2000/01. With no playoffs wins and countless draft busts to their credit, it's shocking that Mr. Kekäläinen is only the third GM in the troubled team's history. Unlike his predecessors, Jarmo won't enjoy a long honeymoon. Not under team president John Davidson's watch. How Kekäläinen manages the team in his first next six months will determine the fate of the franchise for a decade or more.

Jarmo and the Jackets will be center stage at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. (Alaney2k / WikiCommons)

Thanks to trades with Los Angeles and the Rangers, Columbus holds three first round selections in June's NHL entry draft. Factor in a likely top five pick at the top of round two and the Jackets are looking at four picks in the top 35. That's a potential goldmine in a deep draft like this one, but Columbus has a history of missing on picks. Kekäläinen's track record as an assistant GM with Ottawa and St. Louis speaks for itself. With so much on the line this summer, Kekäläinen can't afford to miss. The selections courtesy of New York and L.A. will forever be compared to Vorachek, Carter, and Nash.

In addition to the draft, Kekäläinen must carefully manage an interesting crop of prospects. The farm system is loaded with talent, but the Jackets are notorious for mishandling their young players. The new management must find a way to get more out of underachievers Derick Brassard, John Moore, and Ryan Johansen. At the very least, they have to get these kids to stick at the NHL level consistently. Oshawa Generals captain Boone Jenner and 2012 second overall selection Ryan Murray may be the most talented players in the Columbus system. Their development and stabilizing the goaltending position are critical to turning the franchise around sooner than later.

The 2012 offseason will be one Columbus fans won't soon forget. Whether it's another disaster or the franchise facelift fans have been waiting for is entirely up to Jarmo Kekäläinen. He'll be asked to do more for this organization in his first five months on the job than Scott Howson accomplished in five years. Jacket backers have an exciting summer ahead of them. If Jarmo Kekäläinen is as capable as he looks on paper, the next winter might be even better. Heck, maybe the Jackets will still be in contention by the first snowfall.

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Roarke Boes

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.