2012 NHL Prospect Guide

Fantasy Hockey Coach Prospects Guide examines the top prospects in the NHL. What you can expect in the Prospects Guide is player profile, projection, potential upside, current player comparison and estimated time of arrival in the NHL. In order to qualify as a prospect for our guide the player must be under the age of 25 and have played less then 20 NHL regular season games. The guide will be roughly 100+ pages and give readers insight into each NHL team's prospect with a fantasy twist. A look at the top 20 prospects for the next four NHL Entry Drafts.

The FHC Prospects Guide will be released every July. $4.95

Have a look at the preview
 To see a preview of the 2012 FHC Prospects Guide click here.

Burn it to the Ground: Rebuilding the Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames over the past several years have been a veteran team with playoff aspirations in mind. Unfortunately they have failed to qualify for the post season for the last three seasons. With a veteran roster that is fifth highest paid in the league and a bare prospect cupboard, it is time to burn the current franchise down, and build it back up again.

The IR Report - Stanley Cup Playoff Edition

The Stanley Cup Playoffs round one begins, but not for players on the IR Report.

The Ottawa Senators Cinderella Season

Originally posted at The Hockey Writers
Every year in the playoffs there are upsets in the first round as a lower seeded team defeats a higher seeded team. On occasion, the upsetting team is able to carry that momentum beyond a single round and become a Cinderella team, going all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. And although rather rare, there have been times when such a team has been able to beat the odds to become the Stanley Cup Champions. The Ottawa Senators are hoping for such a magical run this year.

The IR Report April 4th

In this week’s edition of the IR Report, Jonathan Toews, Daniel Briere, Tyler Myers, Carey Price and a new injury term: Maintenance Day-to-Maintenance Day

Ottawa Senators Top Ten Prospects

Originally Posted on: The Hockey Writers
The Ottawa Senators began what was supposed to be a long slow and painful rebuild last year. The season has not gone according to plan; instead they sit comfortably in a playoff position with less than ten regular season games remaining. A pleasant if not shocking turn of events to be sure. But the thing that has Sens fans most excited is not necessarily the current success the team is enjoying but rather the promise their prospects offer for the future. The Ottawa roster is laden with talented players who are under 30 such as Jason Spezza (29), Erik Karlsson ( 22),  Kyle Turris (22), Milan Michalek (26) and Nick Foligno (23) to name a few. The Hockey News recently released its annual edition of Future Watch and graded the Senators an A- with the fifth overall best prospect depth in the NHL. Among their list of the Sens top ten there are five players in the top 100, and three in the top 50.  The Sens boast in impressive group of young talent consisting primarily of forwards with only one goalie and one defenseman cracking the list. For purposes of this list I only included players who are under the age of 23, and have played less than 50 career NHL games.

The IR Report, March 7th 2012

Injuries mount as Jagr, Duchene, Letang, JVR, Howard and more join the list. Updates on Crosby, Toews, Lecavalier, Markov and more…

Originally posted on: Dobber Hockey

Top Ten Fantasy Value Draft Eligible Players

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers

There are plenty of rankings available each year for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. As fantasy hockey managers we read and pour over these lists and read the scouting report looking for the best fantasy value in the draft. Most pools do not go deep enough to look beyond the top ten players with fantasy value, so here is the only list with that ranking in mind.

Buying or Selling at the Trade Deadline?

As the NHL trade deadline quickly approaches and General Managers scramble to make the moves that will either put them into contention, or jump start a rebuild, fantasy general managers are in the same position. Some teams have the luxury of clearly identifying what direction they are going in. However, few teams in most fantasy leagues secure firm footing at either the top, or the bottom of the standings in their league. As such, many fantasy managers have a difficult decision to make. Am I a buyer, or am I a seller going into the trade deadline?

Fantasy Hockey NHL Injury Update - January 25th

The All-Star break offers players a mid-season reprieve and a chance to clear up the injured reserve list.

Leafs Prospect Update: Brad Ross

Brad Ross joins the Toronto Maple Leafs organization at the 2010 entry draft

Could Brad Ross become the next Darcy Tucker for the Toronto Maple Leafs? 

That was the plan when Brian Burke drafted him 43 overall in the 2010 draft. Ross is a top prospect for the Leafs who is forecast to become a third line shift-disturbing winger.

Ottawa Senators Mid-Season Report Card

Originally posted at: The Hockey Writers
As the 2011-2012 season began, most expected it to be a long arduous season of rebuilding for the Ottawa Senators. Now at the mid-point of the season the Sens find themselves surprisingly in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 50 points.

15 Thoughts on the Calgary Flames

1. Former Head Coach and GM Darryl Sutter has been rumored to be the next Head Coach for the Los Angeles Kings. King’s GM Dean Lombardi recently fired Terry Murray and is seeking a permanent successor. There is an old connection between Lombardi and Sutter, dating back to their days in San Jose that has fueled the speculation of Sutters imminent hiring.

2.  Time for a blow up? Calgary is currently eleventh in the Western Conference after 30 games, and sits three points removed from a playoff berth. It is reasonable to think that Calgary could finish in a top eight spot. History has also shown, anything can happen in the post season, as history is filled with underdogs beating the odds. But Calgary is a veteran laden team, and time is running out on this current group. The value of key players who could accelerate a rebuild is dwindling. So the question is; ride out this group of veterans and pray for a miracle, or trade assets and look towards the future?

Doughty Contract Solution

Image courtesy of: TSN  Photography
Drew Doughty and Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi are currently locked in a bitter and stalemate contract with no solution in sight. Negotiations have stalled, and as training camp continues and the regular season approaches, the threat of Doughty missing regular season games looms. Either one side needs to bend, or another solution needs to be presented. Doughty is a restricted free agent, therefore, one possible solution could come in the form of an offer sheet from another team.  Such an offer to a player of Doughty’s caliber is without precedent and highly unlikely, since the contract would need to be very significant.

Off Season Review: Toronto Maple Leafs

By: Peter Harling

 In Review: After a four game winning streak to start the 2010-11 season, the Leafs struggles resumed and the losses mounted. Captain Dion Phaneuf was lost to a leg injury for sixteen games and didn’t look right when he returned. The goaltending was a concern as both Giguere and Gustavsson struggled to find consistency.

Top Ten NHL Players under Performing for 2011-12

By Peter Harling

As the 2011-12 season approaches and fantasy poolies prepare their lists for the draft seeking that edge. It is important to identify players that will have a break out season or find the sleeper picks. Equally important is to be prepared to know which players are likely to produce fewer points than the previous season.

Identifying Fantasy Value

Winning a hockey pool is all about identifying value, not forecasting and making predictions. It is important to do your home work, review players histories and injuries, and make a well prepared pick list for your draft that draws a variety of opinions. Being properly able to identify value of a player. True fantasy value is how to win a hockey pool.