Editor's note: Our Ross Devonport and Michael Hurcomb read, write and
analyze everything Fantasy Hockey on a daily basis for CBSSports.com.
They agree and disagree on a variety of subjects on a weekly basis and
will share their opinions on Fantasy-relevant topics each week.
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Which player should Fantasy owners seek out in a trade?
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Ross Devonport
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Michael Hurcomb
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Mike Smith came over to Tampa in February of last year
and was supposed to be the future between the pipes for the
Lightning. Well, things haven't exactly turned out that way, as
Smith has been a major disappointment since arriving from Dallas
and is currently sitting on the bench watching Antero Niittymaki get most of the starts. Smith's Fantasy owners
have probably been thinking about giving up on him, but I don't
think the Lightning are quite ready to do that yet. Offer up a
low-end starting forward for Smith, as I have a feeling he'll
bounce back at some point and be useful in deeper Fantasy formats.
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Fantasy players need to find a frustrated Alexander Frolov owner. Frolov has definitely hit a road block in
his career and really hasn't been himself since Terry Murray took
over last season. He is also no longer the team's top scorer with
players like Anze Kopitar, Ryan Smyth and Justin Williams
stealing the spotlight. Frolov has been mentioned in trade rumors
since the summer and he is likely to be dealt in the final year of
his contract. Frolov getting a fresh start could be what he needs
to rejuvenate his career.
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Give us a player that is about to have his Fantasy bubble burst?
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Ross Devonport
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Michael Hurcomb
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Wojtek Wolski and the rest of the Avalanche are off to a
great start this season, but I just can't see the Polish star
keeping up his torrid early pace. OK, so he's got all the speed in
the world, but Colorado is going to come back down to earth soon
and this is a guy whose goal totals have decreased in each of his
first three NHL seasons. That's a slightly worrying trend if you
ask me, and while I can see him finishing in the low 50s, I would
deal him now while his value is highest.
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I would be shocked if Ryan Malone
continues his torrid scoring pace. He is currently on track for 57
goals in 81 games. Fantasy owners probably have a better chance of
winning the lotto or dating a supermodel. Malone is in a great
situation playing in a fast-paced system and skating with the
likes of Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier.
But the power forward has never managed 30 goals in a season on
any level. He is a good offensive player, just not a great one.
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Which Ducks goalie would you rather have -- Jean-Sebastien Giguere or Jonas Hiller?
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Ross Devonport
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Michael Hurcomb
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Hiller's 3.03 GAA is scaring the living daylights out of me, but I
think I would rather have him on my Fantasy team than Giguere. If
the Ducks see Hiller as their future, they would surely love to
ship Giguere off somewhere, but the problem is he has monster deal
for the next couple of years and it would be very difficult to
find someone to take that on. Also, the fact that Giguere is
clearly a little fragile mentally is a blow to his value. You need
a rock between the pipes, not a whiner. Hiller just seems to have
the more upside at the moment.
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This might sound a little crazy, but I think I would rather have
Giguere. I like the fact he seems motivated to regain his starting
job after losing it last season to Hiller. Giguere was going
through some personal problems and it really bothered his mental
state. He finally seems past that stage and focused on playing
hockey again. I know he hasn't had a good start to the season, but
once Anaheim starts putting it together, I wouldn't be surprised
if Giguere reverts to the form that makes the Ducks a top
contender.
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Name a prospect long-term Fantasy owners should consider
stashing?
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Ross Devonport
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Michael Hurcomb
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I know it might seem like the easy way out to take the leading
scorer in the WHL and throw his name out there, but Kings prospect Brandon Kozun, a sixth-round pick in 2007, is dominating the
junior ranks for a second straight season. He finished second in
the league in 2008-09 with 108 points -- 12 more than current
Thrashers youngster Evander Kane
-- and leads the league this season with a ridiculous 43 points in
24 games. He might be only 5-9, but Kozun could be the next great
little guy in the NHL if he keeps this up once he makes it to the
bigs.
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My first choice would probably be Jordan Eberle, but I've written about him before, so I will give
you another name -- Flames prospect Greg Nemisz. The 2008 first-round pick seems like a future NHL
star waiting in the wings. He loves to get the tough goals in
front of the net and has the makings to be a solid power forward.
Playing for Calgary he gets to learn from one of the NHL's best
power forwards in Jarome Iginla. We
could see Nemisz as early as next season after he appeared close
to turning pro this summer before being sent back to his junior
club.
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Do you agree with Ross or Michael? Send your thoughts to DMFantasyPucks@cbs.com
and we'll post the best responses. Be sure to put Attn: Fantasy
Faceoff in the subject field. Include your full name, hometown and
state.
