Thomas, Ovechkin, Lundqvist expected to seek big paydays
By Colin Smith
PORTLAND, Maine—With one month in the books, the World Hockey League released its first player value report of the 2010-2011 season on Sunday, and to no one’s surprise, Alex Ovechkin of the Stuttgart Scorpions was projected to be the league’s most expensive player next season.
Ovechkin came in at $88 in the early-season ranking and there is still plenty of time for him to increase that cost as he seeks to regain the status he held in 2008 and 2009 as the WHL’s top overall player.
Not far behind the roughhousing Russian, though, were the surprising Tim Thomas (Arctic Eskies) at $86 and the stalwart Henrik Lundqvist (Sparta Praha) at $85. Thomas is off to a blistering 7-0 start with three shutouts and a sterling .967 save percentage. His 69.4 points are best in the league. Lundqvist, meanwhile, came into the year with a hefty price tag and hasn’t done anything to reduce his value, putting up 52.3 points to rank 5th in the league.
The players who have boosted their value the most in the early going are the NJ Wall Flowers’ Sergei Bobrovsky and the Russia Bearhuggers’ Brent Johnson. Both entered the season with price tags of $2, but have climbed to $40 with excellent play between the pipes. Other goalies who could be due for big raises are Michal Neuvirth, Jaroslav Halak, Kari Lehtonen and Mathieu Garon, while among skaters, Mount Vernon’s Justin Williams and Traverse City’s Clark MacArthur have seen the biggest jump in value so far.
Players whose values have taken a big hit so far this season include Marc-Andre Fleury (poor play), Ryan Miller (poor teammates) and Marian Gaborik (poor body).
Beginning this season, WHL owners will have the option of locking up their players in multi-year deals. In addition to costs for 2011-2012, the player value report released by the league on Sunday shows the projected costs for years two and three of any such deals, based on league-mandated salary increases.
Owners for the first time will also have the opportunity to re-sign their players during the season, rather than having to wait until the offseason. Current WHL rules allow any player with 40 games played or 25 goalie starts to be signed during the season. However, sources have reported rumblings that due to the complex nature of tracking games played by individual players, the league may look to change that structure. The most likely option, according to these sources, would be a Jan. 1 open season on signings, allowing teams to sign players any time from January to September. A league-wide vote may even be in the works already.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Merola Gambles Early
Rumor has it that Mt. Vernon Blades GM Chet Merola has an audition lined up with the hit CBS daytime Soap, The Bold and The Beautiful.
Okay, he doesn't, but one thing is for sure - Merola isn't shy about making a bold move if he thinks it will help his team. Earlier this month, Chet was involved in each of the first two trades of the season. One move saw Mount Vernon deal the highly-touted David Perron and veteran Fedor Tyutin to the Brooklyn Cyclones for Kimmo Timonen and grinder Colby Armstrong.
"Timonen was a no brainer", said Merola at a recent press confrence. "He gives me six solid two-way d-men. Armstrong gives a little grit that I may have been missing."
With a D corps of Duncan Keith, Shea Weber, Kimmo Timonen, Alex Goligoski, Paul Martin, and Joe Corvo, it comes as no surprise that the Blades are in the top percentile for point production from the back end.
The second swap was a bit of a jaw-dropper. Merola sent Wojtek Wolski and Fernando Pisani packing to West Palm Beach in exchange for Bowling Green Alum, Dan Sexton. A mere five days after the trade, Sexton suffered a broken nose when WHL free agent Ruslan Salei reportedly hurled a puck from the stands that struck Sexton right on the button. Sexton was dropped two days a later, a surprising move considering that Sexton is only expected to miss two weeks.
"Sometimes deals that look odd at the time turn out to be great, and other times just don't work out the way you would like", continued Merola.
In a separate, yet equally startling situation, West Palm Beach GM, Bob Guarasciso decided to part ways with left wing Rene Bourque on October 16th. Bourque, who was dealing with a head injury at the time, returned via waivers to Beantown, where he spent the 2009-2010 season, and has amassed over 16 fantasy points through three games as of Oct. 26.
At least Guarasciso has Wolski to fall back on. As for Merola, he surely has another trick or ten up his sleeve.
"I like to keep two or three steps ahead when it comes to roster mangement. I have a few Ideas in mind, we'll see, it's all part of the fun."
Okay, he doesn't, but one thing is for sure - Merola isn't shy about making a bold move if he thinks it will help his team. Earlier this month, Chet was involved in each of the first two trades of the season. One move saw Mount Vernon deal the highly-touted David Perron and veteran Fedor Tyutin to the Brooklyn Cyclones for Kimmo Timonen and grinder Colby Armstrong.
"Timonen was a no brainer", said Merola at a recent press confrence. "He gives me six solid two-way d-men. Armstrong gives a little grit that I may have been missing."
With a D corps of Duncan Keith, Shea Weber, Kimmo Timonen, Alex Goligoski, Paul Martin, and Joe Corvo, it comes as no surprise that the Blades are in the top percentile for point production from the back end.
The second swap was a bit of a jaw-dropper. Merola sent Wojtek Wolski and Fernando Pisani packing to West Palm Beach in exchange for Bowling Green Alum, Dan Sexton. A mere five days after the trade, Sexton suffered a broken nose when WHL free agent Ruslan Salei reportedly hurled a puck from the stands that struck Sexton right on the button. Sexton was dropped two days a later, a surprising move considering that Sexton is only expected to miss two weeks.
"Sometimes deals that look odd at the time turn out to be great, and other times just don't work out the way you would like", continued Merola.
In a separate, yet equally startling situation, West Palm Beach GM, Bob Guarasciso decided to part ways with left wing Rene Bourque on October 16th. Bourque, who was dealing with a head injury at the time, returned via waivers to Beantown, where he spent the 2009-2010 season, and has amassed over 16 fantasy points through three games as of Oct. 26.
At least Guarasciso has Wolski to fall back on. As for Merola, he surely has another trick or ten up his sleeve.
"I like to keep two or three steps ahead when it comes to roster mangement. I have a few Ideas in mind, we'll see, it's all part of the fun."
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
New Heights for WHL
Members of North American and International media outlets recently caught up with WHL Co-commissioner Colin Smith at an IIHF/WHL Global Summit, and collaborated on the following interview.
What feels different this year compared to the previous three seasons? It's a long road ahead, but do you get a sense that it's going to be a much tougher fight involving more than a handful of teams?
Oh, I think it's clear already that there a number of well-constructed teams who will be in it until the end. At this point of the season last year, there was only one team within 30 points of the first; this year we have seven. There are another six teams who are within 60. So, I'm not expecting a 2009 Saginaw-like runaway or even a 2010esque two-team battle. So far, I'd say the keeper salary cap has done a great job of leveling the playing field.
Talk a bit about the evolution of the WHL draft. This year was the WHL's first ever offline draft. Do you feel that it went well? Did it also present an opportunity for improvement? I've heard that certain measures have already been implemented to ensure a smoother and more efficient experience next October...any truth to this?
Considering some of the trials and tribulations we encountered in the draft testing phase, I thought it went swimmingly. The obvious flaw was that it just took too long. For next year, it's already written into the rules that the draft will only be 16 rounds, so that will cut some time right off the bat. One thing that made it take longer was attempts to draft players who were already gone. I think we can help abate that problem by making the list of available players automatically update after someone is drafted. We have the technology. In addition, we're going to have to be more stringent with the timer.
Continuous improvement seems to be the mantra for fantasy commissioners and GM's alike. Thinking back on the inaugural 2007-08 Yahoo! points league...what have been, in your mind, the most significant upgrades/changes? In other words, what is it that sets the WHL apart from standard leagues?
There's so much packed into the WHL that it's hard to pick just one thing. I would probably go with the addition of keepers and their associated salaries. I think the predetermined salaries helps keep the teams more even and makes things more interesting than just keeping your five top players. It's also nice to be able to use salaries without the grueling length of an auction draft (can you imagine that with 430 players?).
In a lot of leagues, if you're out of the running by Christmas, it's time to pack it in. Not true in the WHL. Why?
Well, obviously in a keeper league there's always next year to build for. If you tune out, you might miss that big breakout player or call-up. But we've also got the most improved race to try to keep teams invested, awarding the top pick to the team that performs the best turnaround in addition to a $50 bonus.
Two weeks in, have any individual player performances surprised you..either positively or negatively?
Well, I don't think anybody expected what we've seen from Clarke MacArthur, for one. As a Vokoun owner, the thing that's stood out to me most is the improvement of the Florida Panthers. They're consistently outshooting their opponents for a change, and have had the better of the play in every game, although they lack finishers. On the whole, though, I try not to put too much weight into five-game samples.
What feels different this year compared to the previous three seasons? It's a long road ahead, but do you get a sense that it's going to be a much tougher fight involving more than a handful of teams?
Oh, I think it's clear already that there a number of well-constructed teams who will be in it until the end. At this point of the season last year, there was only one team within 30 points of the first; this year we have seven. There are another six teams who are within 60. So, I'm not expecting a 2009 Saginaw-like runaway or even a 2010esque two-team battle. So far, I'd say the keeper salary cap has done a great job of leveling the playing field.
Talk a bit about the evolution of the WHL draft. This year was the WHL's first ever offline draft. Do you feel that it went well? Did it also present an opportunity for improvement? I've heard that certain measures have already been implemented to ensure a smoother and more efficient experience next October...any truth to this?
Considering some of the trials and tribulations we encountered in the draft testing phase, I thought it went swimmingly. The obvious flaw was that it just took too long. For next year, it's already written into the rules that the draft will only be 16 rounds, so that will cut some time right off the bat. One thing that made it take longer was attempts to draft players who were already gone. I think we can help abate that problem by making the list of available players automatically update after someone is drafted. We have the technology. In addition, we're going to have to be more stringent with the timer.
Continuous improvement seems to be the mantra for fantasy commissioners and GM's alike. Thinking back on the inaugural 2007-08 Yahoo! points league...what have been, in your mind, the most significant upgrades/changes? In other words, what is it that sets the WHL apart from standard leagues?
There's so much packed into the WHL that it's hard to pick just one thing. I would probably go with the addition of keepers and their associated salaries. I think the predetermined salaries helps keep the teams more even and makes things more interesting than just keeping your five top players. It's also nice to be able to use salaries without the grueling length of an auction draft (can you imagine that with 430 players?).
In a lot of leagues, if you're out of the running by Christmas, it's time to pack it in. Not true in the WHL. Why?
Well, obviously in a keeper league there's always next year to build for. If you tune out, you might miss that big breakout player or call-up. But we've also got the most improved race to try to keep teams invested, awarding the top pick to the team that performs the best turnaround in addition to a $50 bonus.
Two weeks in, have any individual player performances surprised you..either positively or negatively?
Well, I don't think anybody expected what we've seen from Clarke MacArthur, for one. As a Vokoun owner, the thing that's stood out to me most is the improvement of the Florida Panthers. They're consistently outshooting their opponents for a change, and have had the better of the play in every game, although they lack finishers. On the whole, though, I try not to put too much weight into five-game samples.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
This is Praha! Sparta wins 2nd Cup in 3 years
PRAGUE—Led by the phenomenal goaltending of Ryan Miller, Sparta Praha continued its World Hockey League dominance by securing its second title in three years on Sunday.
After winning the championship in 2008, the Spartans temporarily relocated to Colorado in 2009, only to find themselves a distant second to the runaway Saginaw Spirit. Having returned to the comfort of Prague this year, the Spartans came roaring back, showing remarkable resilience throughout the season in a fierce battle with the upstart Portland Pints, who were seeking their first championship after sixth- and seventh-place finishes the last two seasons.
While Miller was unquestionably the team and league MVP after posting a league-leading 326 points, it was fellow goaltender Evgeni Nabokov who led the charge in the final week, accruing 22 points in three starts as Praha turned a 3-point lead into a comfortable 53-point advantage entering the last day of the season. Miller and right wing David Backes each chipped in over a dozen points in the final push.
“This is truly an amazing moment,” said Miller at the conclusion of Sunday’s action. “I’m so proud to be a part of the great Praha franchise.”
Asked if this helps alleviate the sting of losing to Canada at this year’s Olympics, Miller responded, “While there’s no substitute for a gold medal, there isn’t a hockey player in the world who hasn’t dreamt of raising the World Hockey League trophy since he was a kid.”
While the Spartan goalies prospered, garnering a combined 28 points in crucial matchups on Tuesday and Saturday, Portland’s tandem of Tomas Vokoun and Jonathan Quick foundered. The duo produced only 17.5 points in 20 starts over the last month of the season, including a devastating -5 in the final week.
Praha’s championship team was most notably marked by two things: a seeming revolving door of player personnel and an unwillingness to back down in the face of adversity.
The Spartans signed and dressed more players than any other team in the WHL and were one of only two teams to reach the 60-acquisition limit. This has been a hallmark of Praha’s success: its 2008 championship team led the league with 117 acquisitions and even the imposition of movement limits hasn’t deterred General Manager Mark Edwards’ penchant for wheeling and dealing.
Though Praha had a strong draft, bringing in such season-long stalwarts as Miller, centers Anze Kopitar and Ryan Kesler and defenseman Drew Doughty, it was the talent Edwards brought in midseason that made the difference. The December acquisitions of Alex Ovechkin, who gave the Spartans 119 points in 29 games before being dealt to Stuttgart, and Nabokov, who stabilized the second goaltending spot after Steve Mason’s struggles, were especially critical for Praha, which faced a 92-point deficit on December 18.
Other key trades for Praha included bringing in Nicklas Lidstrom, who looked lost in Montreal but blossomed with 80 points in 42 games in Prague, and Bobby Ryan, who had 95 points in 44 games. Ryan, in turn, helped Edwards bring in goaltender Chris Mason, who struggled early, but finished strong, providing a crucial 51 points in just 13 starts while in Prague.
After slowly chipping away at Portland’s 92-point cushion, bringing it down to 46 on Feb. 7, the Spartans had perhaps their most important stretch of the season, posting 116 points in four days to take a 22-point lead. Though the Pints came back to take a slim lead into the Olympic break, it was back and forth from that point on. Even when Portland went up by 40 with three weeks to go, it took only four days for Praha to come back.
“On behalf of the entire Pints organization, I would like to extend my congratulations to Mark Edwards and the Spartans,” said Portland General Manager Colin Smith. “Mark has shown once again why he is the premier front office man in the league, even if he is a rat bastard. Clearly we still have some work to do to bring a championship to Portland, but Pints fans can take some solace in knowing that Edwards is still a lousy chess player.”
Though Praha’s championship came at a price—Edwards had to relinquish his first-round pick in this year’s draft to bring in Nabokov—the Spartans have a bevy of exceptional keeper options and extra picks in the second and third rounds. Vegas will be hard-pressed not to have them as the early favorites for the 2011 title as well.
After winning the championship in 2008, the Spartans temporarily relocated to Colorado in 2009, only to find themselves a distant second to the runaway Saginaw Spirit. Having returned to the comfort of Prague this year, the Spartans came roaring back, showing remarkable resilience throughout the season in a fierce battle with the upstart Portland Pints, who were seeking their first championship after sixth- and seventh-place finishes the last two seasons.
While Miller was unquestionably the team and league MVP after posting a league-leading 326 points, it was fellow goaltender Evgeni Nabokov who led the charge in the final week, accruing 22 points in three starts as Praha turned a 3-point lead into a comfortable 53-point advantage entering the last day of the season. Miller and right wing David Backes each chipped in over a dozen points in the final push.
“This is truly an amazing moment,” said Miller at the conclusion of Sunday’s action. “I’m so proud to be a part of the great Praha franchise.”
Asked if this helps alleviate the sting of losing to Canada at this year’s Olympics, Miller responded, “While there’s no substitute for a gold medal, there isn’t a hockey player in the world who hasn’t dreamt of raising the World Hockey League trophy since he was a kid.”
While the Spartan goalies prospered, garnering a combined 28 points in crucial matchups on Tuesday and Saturday, Portland’s tandem of Tomas Vokoun and Jonathan Quick foundered. The duo produced only 17.5 points in 20 starts over the last month of the season, including a devastating -5 in the final week.
Praha’s championship team was most notably marked by two things: a seeming revolving door of player personnel and an unwillingness to back down in the face of adversity.
The Spartans signed and dressed more players than any other team in the WHL and were one of only two teams to reach the 60-acquisition limit. This has been a hallmark of Praha’s success: its 2008 championship team led the league with 117 acquisitions and even the imposition of movement limits hasn’t deterred General Manager Mark Edwards’ penchant for wheeling and dealing.
Though Praha had a strong draft, bringing in such season-long stalwarts as Miller, centers Anze Kopitar and Ryan Kesler and defenseman Drew Doughty, it was the talent Edwards brought in midseason that made the difference. The December acquisitions of Alex Ovechkin, who gave the Spartans 119 points in 29 games before being dealt to Stuttgart, and Nabokov, who stabilized the second goaltending spot after Steve Mason’s struggles, were especially critical for Praha, which faced a 92-point deficit on December 18.
Other key trades for Praha included bringing in Nicklas Lidstrom, who looked lost in Montreal but blossomed with 80 points in 42 games in Prague, and Bobby Ryan, who had 95 points in 44 games. Ryan, in turn, helped Edwards bring in goaltender Chris Mason, who struggled early, but finished strong, providing a crucial 51 points in just 13 starts while in Prague.
After slowly chipping away at Portland’s 92-point cushion, bringing it down to 46 on Feb. 7, the Spartans had perhaps their most important stretch of the season, posting 116 points in four days to take a 22-point lead. Though the Pints came back to take a slim lead into the Olympic break, it was back and forth from that point on. Even when Portland went up by 40 with three weeks to go, it took only four days for Praha to come back.
“On behalf of the entire Pints organization, I would like to extend my congratulations to Mark Edwards and the Spartans,” said Portland General Manager Colin Smith. “Mark has shown once again why he is the premier front office man in the league, even if he is a rat bastard. Clearly we still have some work to do to bring a championship to Portland, but Pints fans can take some solace in knowing that Edwards is still a lousy chess player.”
Though Praha’s championship came at a price—Edwards had to relinquish his first-round pick in this year’s draft to bring in Nabokov—the Spartans have a bevy of exceptional keeper options and extra picks in the second and third rounds. Vegas will be hard-pressed not to have them as the early favorites for the 2011 title as well.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Trade Deadline Round up
The dust has finally settled from the furious activity leading up the WHL trade deadline which passed on Wednesday. Here is a recap of the transactions from deadline day and eve.
West Palm <-------> Portland
Jarome Iginla---------Alex Burrows
Stephane Robidas----Roman Hamrlik
10th (MVB), 15th ----6th (WTF), 14th
New Jersey <----> Montreal
Troy Brouwer-----Carey Price
4th----------------18th
California <----> Portland
Simon Gagne-------Matt Cooke
11th, 13th----------8th, 15th
W. Edmonton <----> California
Brian Rolston------Kris Letang
Nick Schultz-------Alex Steen
5th, 7th-----------7th, 10th
Beantown <-------> Stuttgart
Niclas Bergfors----Guillaume Latendresse
New Jersey <-------> Stuttgart
Craig Anderson-------Erik Johnson
16th (PINT)----------12th
New Jersey <------------> Sparta
Henrik Zetterberg, 13th---2nd (CSKA)
California <-----> Sparta
Marek Zidlicky-----Christoph Schubert
16th---------------8th
A quick review of some key rules pertaining to keepers and trades:
* To be keeper-eligible, a player must be on a (not necessarily your) WHL roster by the trade deadline and remain on that roster for the rest of the season. This means that a player who is dropped after the trading deadline will lose keeper eligibility.
* There are two reasons for the keeper eligibility deadline: 1) to prevent a run on young, cheap players at the end of the season or in the offseason, which would circumvent the draft; 2) to make owners show at least a modest (one-month) commitment to a player before keeping him.
* Just like the NHL, trading is open during the offseason. Trades may be made from the day after the end of the regular season up until the keeper selection deadline (Sept. 8). Any player who is keeper eligible (see requirements above) will retain that eligibility if traded.
West Palm <-------> Portland
Jarome Iginla---------Alex Burrows
Stephane Robidas----Roman Hamrlik
10th (MVB), 15th ----6th (WTF), 14th
New Jersey <----> Montreal
Troy Brouwer-----Carey Price
4th----------------18th
California <----> Portland
Simon Gagne-------Matt Cooke
11th, 13th----------8th, 15th
W. Edmonton <----> California
Brian Rolston------Kris Letang
Nick Schultz-------Alex Steen
5th, 7th-----------7th, 10th
Beantown <-------> Stuttgart
Niclas Bergfors----Guillaume Latendresse
New Jersey <-------> Stuttgart
Craig Anderson-------Erik Johnson
16th (PINT)----------12th
New Jersey <------------> Sparta
Henrik Zetterberg, 13th---2nd (CSKA)
California <-----> Sparta
Marek Zidlicky-----Christoph Schubert
16th---------------8th
A quick review of some key rules pertaining to keepers and trades:
* To be keeper-eligible, a player must be on a (not necessarily your) WHL roster by the trade deadline and remain on that roster for the rest of the season. This means that a player who is dropped after the trading deadline will lose keeper eligibility.
* There are two reasons for the keeper eligibility deadline: 1) to prevent a run on young, cheap players at the end of the season or in the offseason, which would circumvent the draft; 2) to make owners show at least a modest (one-month) commitment to a player before keeping him.
* Just like the NHL, trading is open during the offseason. Trades may be made from the day after the end of the regular season up until the keeper selection deadline (Sept. 8). Any player who is keeper eligible (see requirements above) will retain that eligibility if traded.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Trade deadline looms; WHL owners review rules
With the trade deadline approaching, Mark and I felt we should review some of the rules, just so everybody’s on the same page.
* The trade deadline for the 2009-10 season is [b]Wednesday, March 10[/b] at noon.
* To be keeper-eligible, a player must be on a WHL roster by the trade deadline and remain on that roster for the rest of the season. This means that a player who is dropped after the trading deadline will lose keeper eligibility.
* There are two reasons for the keeper eligibility deadline: 1) to prevent a run on young, cheap players at the end of the season or in the offseason, which would circumvent the draft; 2) to make owners show at least a modest (one-month) commitment to a player before keeping him.
* Just like the NHL, trading is open during the offseason. Trades may be made from the day after the end of the regular season up until the keeper selection deadline (Sept. 8). Any player who is keeper eligible (see requirements above) will retain that eligibility if traded.
To reiterate Mark’s email, the current poll is to gauge interest in increasing the number of keepers after NEXT season. The 5 player, $200 cap keeper system will remain in place for this 2010 offseason. We would not change that midseason since everyone is making their plans based on that system.
That said, we are very pleased with the strong turnout in the poll! Thanks to all 16 teams that have voted. It appears that more than half of the league owners (13) approve of increasing keepers following the 2010-11 season, so we will likely hold a formal vote on that during the summer.
We’ve received some other great suggestions and valid concerns and we are taking them all into consideration. I am sure that there will be at least a couple other changes up for official vote during the summer.
Thanks again to everybody for your contributions to the league!
* The trade deadline for the 2009-10 season is [b]Wednesday, March 10[/b] at noon.
* To be keeper-eligible, a player must be on a WHL roster by the trade deadline and remain on that roster for the rest of the season. This means that a player who is dropped after the trading deadline will lose keeper eligibility.
* There are two reasons for the keeper eligibility deadline: 1) to prevent a run on young, cheap players at the end of the season or in the offseason, which would circumvent the draft; 2) to make owners show at least a modest (one-month) commitment to a player before keeping him.
* Just like the NHL, trading is open during the offseason. Trades may be made from the day after the end of the regular season up until the keeper selection deadline (Sept. 8). Any player who is keeper eligible (see requirements above) will retain that eligibility if traded.
To reiterate Mark’s email, the current poll is to gauge interest in increasing the number of keepers after NEXT season. The 5 player, $200 cap keeper system will remain in place for this 2010 offseason. We would not change that midseason since everyone is making their plans based on that system.
That said, we are very pleased with the strong turnout in the poll! Thanks to all 16 teams that have voted. It appears that more than half of the league owners (13) approve of increasing keepers following the 2010-11 season, so we will likely hold a formal vote on that during the summer.
We’ve received some other great suggestions and valid concerns and we are taking them all into consideration. I am sure that there will be at least a couple other changes up for official vote during the summer.
Thanks again to everybody for your contributions to the league!
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