Dale Earnhardt Jr's Dedicated Fans

Fair-weather or bandwagon fans are common in virtually every major sport. These are the fans that "loyally" follow their favorite sports figures or teams only when they are winning. Having lived in South Florida for a number of years, I can attest how this rings true in regards to the four major sports teams in the area: the Dolphins, Marlins, Heat, and Panthers. For example, watch a replay of any Heat game last year, and what stands out is the sea of empty yellow seats at the American Airlines Arena. But this year, with Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosch in town, all season tickets have been sold out.
But it is refreshing to see NASCAR fans are different. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has not won a race in over two years, his last victory coming in May 2006. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, he has made the Chase only once with his best points finish at 12th. Yet Junior is perennially regarded as the fans most popular driver.
Yes, Junior fans may be obnoxious or overly boisterous. Their loyalty, however, cannot be questioned.
Ben Montedonico of Stock Car Spin writes an excellent article on Junior's dedicated followers. You can read it at http://stockcarspin.com/2011/02/03/does-junior-nation-finally-deserve-a-win/.

Jeremy Mayfield

Jeremy Mayfield wants nothing more than to race again. He realizes that his NASCAR career is likely over. Jeremy continues his legal battle against NASCAR claiming the racing body falsely accused him of a failed drug test. In a six-minute interview with Steve Byrne for Speed's NASCAR Race Hub, Jeremy claims that he just wants to race again. He is currently trying to assemble a dirt race team and is even contemplating drag racing. Jeremy was unable to reveal details about his legal battle because of its ongoing litigation.
Ben Montedonico of Stock Car Spin gives a good account of the interview. You can read it at http://stockcarspin.com/2011/02/01/jeremy-mayfield-i-just-want-to-go-racing/.

Travis Pastrana's NASCAR Debut

X Games star Travis Pastrana made his NASCAR racing debut in the Toyota All Star Showdown Saturday night. And what a race he ran. Starting 20th in the 40 car field, he remained mid-pack for over 200 laps avoiding the multitude of accidents that marred the race. He eventually made many clean passes and found himself in the front-pack toward the end of the contest. He eventually finished in sixth place, a remarkable run for his first race. According to Ben Montedonico of Stock Car Spin, Pastrana's driving skills, the exhilaration he exuded after the race in his post-race interview, his positive attitude and "contagious excitement," make Pastrana one to watch down the road. Ben believes Pastrana has a bright future and may be "just what the doctor ordered for NASCAR."
Read Ben's article at http://stockcarspin.com/2011/01/31/travis-pastrana-impressed-in-nascar-debut-in-more-ways-than-one/.

Hockey Links-January 31, 2011

School of Block: Down the Stretch- The Goalie Guild- Justin Goldman

Justin Goldman declares who he feels are the netminders who will give us the most fantasy value for the remaining ten weeks of the regular season. He believes each has the ability to make adjustments with alacrity and improve every aspect of his game. I don't see any being on the waiver wire in even the shallowest of leagues, but maybe you can pry them away from an unsuspecting owner. They are:

Miikka Kiprusoff- With only an .885 save-percentage and a 3.09 goals-against-average in January, Kiprusoff's confidence was shaken. In ten January games he was pulled twice. But prior to the All-Star weekend, in a game against the Canucks, he made a remarkable first-period glove save that seemed to be the catalyst that restored his swagger. The result was a Calgary shootout win with Kipper making 41 saves on 44 shots, followed by two wins in which he allowed only one goal per contest. Is it possible that this could be the turning-point where the 34 year-old Finn rights the ship?

Ryan Miller- Last season's Vezina Trophy winner has many poolies kicking themselves for selecting him in the first-round of their 2010-11 drafts. His .913 save-percentage and 2.68 goals-against-average fall short of expectations. But Justin feels a number of things bode well for Miller's fantasy value improving toward season's end. First, he has won his last four starts, stopping 125 of 143 shots. Second, we must take into account Miller's two-plus week absence in November due to injury if we are going to properly project his wins, saves, and shutouts for the rest of the year. Third, with Buffalo six points out of a playoff spot, Miller will draw from his experience on Team USA in the Winter Olympics a year ago to help bring the Sabres into the post-season. Do you feel these and Miller's sound "economical" and butterfly style will, as according to Justin, improve Miller's value?

Henrik Lundqvist-The King has a 1.97 goals-against-average and a .934 save-percentage in January despite going 5-4-1. He is currently on pace to play a whopping 70 games and win 36. Justin feels, however, that he will win 40 because of 1) his experience and his ability to make the huge, timely save in close games, 2) his save percentage at home (.924) and on the road(.925) are virtually identical, and 3) he an Tim Thomas lead the league in shutouts (7). Justin even believes that Lundqvist will add 4-5 more shutouts before the season's end. Do you?

Antti Nieme-Up until December, not many would have predicted to see the 27 year-old from Vantaa, Finland on this list. Since then his play has steadily improved. Before losing to the Kings last Wednesday, he had won four consecutive games. Add Antero Nittymaki's nagging injuries, and Niemi now has the opportunity to nail down the starting gig in San Jose. As Justin rightly points out, the Sharks appear to play with more confidence in front of Niemi, which in turn boosts Niemi's confidence in himself. In addition, his phenomenal .901 power play save-percentage (15 PP on 152 shots) is 4th best in the NHL. We also cannot forget what he accomplished for the Blackhawks last year in helping them win the Stanley Cup. Justin feels that despite Niemi's mediocre statistics and "average" butterfly skills, his experience and mental toughness will help steer the Sharks into the playoffs, and help profoundly his fantasy value for the remainder of the 2011 campaign. Do you agree?

Among the goalies without any playoff pressure, Justin considers Devan Dubnyk, Martin Brodeur, and Kevin Poulin as sleepers down the stretch. Except for Brodeur, I would pass on the rookies unless I was in a league that did not consider save-percentage or goals-against-average. Who are your sleepers?

Hockey Links

Steven Stamkos leads the NHL with 67 points and also 38 goals. Evgeni Malkin has 37 points and 15 goals in comparison. Moreover, Geno has missed his last three games with a gimpy knee that has plagued him for most of the 2010-11 campaign. Yet Jeff Angus over at Dobber Hockey claims he would trade Stamkos for Malkin; "Unless it is a league that HEAVILY weighted goals (two or three to one, for example), give me Malkin seven days a week." Jeff doesn't clarify whether he means a one-year league or keeper, but I'll assume he means the latter. In which case who would you rather have, Stamkos or Malkin?

Corey Pronman at Hockey Prospectus evaluates some of the top future prospects in the upcoming 2011 NHL Entry Draft in his "From Daigle To Datsyuk" series. He is high on center Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, whose stock is recently on the rise. Corey feels that it is not a matter of "if" Huberdeau will be chosen in the first round of the draft, but "how high" in the first. In another article in the series, Corey looks at the 12 rookies that were selected for the SuperSkills Competition at the 2011 All-Star Game. He offers an interesting statistic that bodes well for FHS darling Logan Couture. Thus far the Sharks are shooting around a paultry 8-percent when Couture is on the ice, making it probable that his point total will even get better as the season progresses. Yes!

In her Frozen Fantasy blog, Janet Eagleson presents a striking chronological similitude between the career paths of Sidney Crosby and Eric Lindros: both junior hockey greats, both number-one overall draft picks, both dominant their first five NHL seasons, both suffering concussions in their sixth season of play. Let's all hope this is where their career parallels will end. Crosby started skating again this past weekend, albeit when he will return to normal hockey activity remains unknown. Janet is especially disgusted that Crosby may have suffered TWO concussions in a matter of days. The first occurred when he was hit by David Steckel, the second when he was slammed into the glass by Victor Hedman. If true, it would be unconscionable that he was allowed to play that last game in Tampa.

Fantasyhockey.com writer Steven Ives presents his 2010-11 mid-season awards. Prior to the season, Steven predicted that Lord Stanley's Cup would be moving from Chicago to Vancouver, and in his post proudly reiterates his reasons why. But he is also self-deprecating, and informs us that the team he felt would represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final would be none other than the New Jersey Devils. He calls John MacLean the "Rich Kotite of the NHL" and equates MacLean's coaching strategies to "Paris Hilton’s conceptualization of quantum physics." Steven's award winners are for the most part well deserving and should not stir much controversy. He feels that the Nashville Predators success in spite of their lack of talented forwards and multiple injuries is due to superior coaching. Thus, Steven presents the Jack Adams trophy (Coach of the Year) to Barry Trotz.

Down Goes Brown believes that the new "schoolyard" draft system will be the highlight of the 2011 All-Star Game. Yes, an innovative idea. But is it worthy of the NHL's self-adulation that already has been repeated ad nauseum? What else will be new? The SkillsCompetition? Nope. The game itself? Nope. Down Goes Brown makes the NHL's brain-trust look like preschoolers with the ten suggestions he offers. One idea, for example, is a " Lame Duck - Cory Clouston delivers a fiery motivational speech to members of the Ottawa Senators, who compete to see who can go the longest without rolling their eyes and tuning him out completely. (Note to organizers: this event will require a timer that can measure thousandths of a second.)" Forget about the stodgy beau monde of the NHL. We need more Down Goes Brown.

Please feel free to offer any suggestions in the comments about articles, blogs, publications, etc. you feel would be of interest to the fantasy hockey community.

Jokinen Tutors Skinner

Jeff Skinner scored the only goal for either team in the shootout tiebreaker as the Carolina Hurricanes pushed back the Calgary Flames, 6-5, at the RBC in Raleigh, N.C. Tuesday night. Skinner, the youngest active player in the NHL at 18 years of age, deked Calgary goaltender Henrik Karlsson, and blistered the game-winning wrist shot past Karlsonn high on his glove side.

It was the Canes third consecutive victory and their eighth straight game in which they have earned at least a point going 6-0-2 in that span. They now find themselves sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with 48 points, three points behind Atlanta and Montreal, but seven points ahead of 10th place Buffalo. In addition, they have three games on hand on the Thrashers and are actually percentage points ahead of them in terms of win-loss percentage (.571 to Atlanta’s .567).

In his first action since Dec. 28, a six-game absence because of a lower-body injury, Jussi Jokinen scored 2 goals and added an assist to gain the game’s first star. His night could have even been better had not Karlsson robbed him of a hat trick on a magnificent save at point-blank range with seconds to go in the overtime period.

Jokinen, who turned 27 in April, was drafted in the sixth round, 192nd overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. The Finnish forward played four years for Kärpät of the SM-liiga, the top Finnish league before making his debut with the Stars in 2005. He played in 81 games that rookie season finishing with 55 points (17 goal, 38 assists) scoring on 15.9-percent of his total 107 shots.

In his 2006-07 season he scored 48 points (14 goals, 34 assists) playing in all 82 games. He floundered, however, the following season scoring only 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 52 contests. During trade deadline day on Feb. 26, 2008, Jokinen was dealt by Dallas to the Tampa Bay Lightning along with Mike Smith, Jeff Halpern, and a 2009 fourth-round draft pick in exchange for Brad Richards and Johan Holmqvist. Jokinen finished the year in Tampa Bay scoring 14 points (2 goals, 12 assists) in 20 games with a very low 5.3-percent shooting percentage and a dreadful minus-16.

Unfortunately he did not show improvement at the start of the 2008-09 season. After only 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists) in 46 games, the Lightning had seen enough. On Feb. 4, 2009, Jokinen was placed on waivers. When he was not claimed, he was traded three days later to the Hurricanes in exchange for Wade Brookbank, Josef Melichar and a 2009 fourth-round draft pick.

Things began to click for Jokinen in the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs. Jokinen will always be remembered by the Hurricane faithful for his game-winning goal against the New Jersey Devils in Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs when he scored with 0.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the series at two games apiece. The win helped propel Carolina to a quarterfinal meeting with the Boston Bruins in which Jokinen scored an overtime winning goal in Game 3, and the regulation game-winner in Game 4. Carolina eventually would win the series in seven games. The Canes 2009 run for the Cup finally ended when they were swept in the semifinals by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 2009-10 season in Carolina was Jokinen’s breakout year. He again showed his durability playing in 81 games and finishing the regular season with 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) on 180 shots, shooting at a remarkable 18.8-percent clip. The 30 goals led the team, and he won over 50-percent of his faceoffs while playing slightly over 16 minutes per game.

Scouting reports show that Jokinen is skilled and “polished.” He is a sound two-way forward and rarely makes mistakes with the puck. He is also versatile and can line up at any three of the forward positions. The knocks on him are that he is not very big or strong, and at times can be intimidated by bigger NHL defensemen. In addition, he also lacks consistency in the offensive zone.

Jokinen is regarded as arguably the best shootout specialist in the NHL. He entered the 2010-11 season as the active career leader scoring on 27 of 56 shootout attempts, an impressive 52-percent clip. When he failed to convert on his first five attempts this year, he became somewhat flummoxed, fossicking for that seemingly Sisyphean initial tally. Finally, on Dec. 11, 2010 he scored the game’s lone shootout goal against St. Louis which the Canes won, 2-1. “I’d been struggling bad this year,” Jokinen said. “I know I can score in shootouts. I’m just glad the coach kept his confidence in me.” For 2010-11 he now has scored on two of eight shootout attempts.

Jokinen was just starting to play well this season shortly before his injury. In 36 games he has 29 points (8 goals, 21 assists) and has scored on 11.1-percent of his 76 shots. He presently stands at plus-2 for the year. In the last 15 games he has been even or plus and finished Tuesday’s game at plus-3.

Even though Jokinen was denied on his shootout attempt last evening, Skinner attributed his shootout goal to the mahatma of the specialty shot. He claims he observed and learned from Jokinen’s attempt on Karlsson. The NHL wunderkind said, “I tried to copy Jussi.” Some very sage advice coming from the kid.

Capital 3, Panthers 2

Photo by Anna Armstrong

The Florida Panthers traveled to the nation's capital Saturday to take on the Washington Capitals in their first game of a home-and-home series. The Cats, playing their fifth game in seven nights, were attempting to avoid fatigue. In addition, they were coming off a difficult defeat Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Florida jumped out to a 2-0 lead, only to see Carolina storm back and hand the Panthers a 5-3 loss. Subsequently, they fell six points behind the Hurricanes in their hunt for a playoff birth.

The Caps, winners of New Year's Day's thrilling NHL Winter Classic, lost their last game to Tampa Bay, 1-0 on a Martin St. Louis overtime goal Tuesday. Alex Ovechkin was limited in practice this week because of what is believed to be an ailing left wrist. He recently received a cortisone shot and claims he is fine.

Florida struck first at 3:49 of the first-period when David Booth snagged a puck in the right corner and sent a pass to Dmitri Kulikov at the left point. Kulikov then found a wide open Mike Santorelli parked in front of the net, who pushed the puck past Washington goalie Semyon Varlamov.

Please read the rest of the story at The Hockey Writers.