237 replies to this topic

[mrdannyg]

Long overdue, but here it is. Won't be as oft-updated as that of my more interesting bretheren, but I needed somewhere to have everyone criticize me all in one place!

Updates will follow with past and current team history.

Currently making news in Moneyshots land is some sidebets based on this recent draft. The Moneyshots made a highly-criticized pick of Jared Cowen with the 72nd overall pick in this year's draft. So far side bets have included career points bet (FCHL scoring) versus Paul Postma, with future bets expected against Mac Bennett, Dmitri Orlov and Alex Grant. The stakes are an enormous $0.10 per point.

I will ask people hold their comments until after the bets are finalized!

[mrdannyg]

All are encouraged to bring up any Moneyshots-related items for discussion.

[rinswun]

The Moneyshots likely hold the record for the number of tier 1 players and first round draft picks traded. This seems to be the 1st year they have decided to actually make a concerted playoff push.

[strategy]

the moneyshots make the playoffs this year. that's a fact, jack.

[ajs510]

the moneyshots make the playoffs this year. that's a fact, jack.

Agree.

[MapleLeafs]

Gonna go ahead and point out that in the 3 year history of the FCHL, no championship team has ever created their own thread.

[mrdannyg]

Gonna go ahead and point out that in the 3 year history of the FCHL, no championship team has ever created their own thread.

True, though no one in FCHL history who has created their own thread has ever lost a bet involving Jared Cowen, either.

[mrdannyg]

Moneyshots current roster:

Forwards
Nash, Rick 11.5 11.5 11.5 11.5 FA
Gaborik, Marian 11.75 11.75 11.75 11.75 FA
Savard, Marc 8.75 9.5 10.25 11 FA
Bergeron, Patrice 6 6 6 6 6 FA
Sedin, Henrik 3.75 3.75 3.75 3.75 FA
Cammalleri, Mike 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00 FA
Ruutu, Tuomo 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 FA
Vrbata, Radim 1 1 1 1 1 FA
Stempniak, Lee 1 1 1 1 FA
Plekanec, Tomas 1 1 1 1 FA
Latendresse, Guillaume 1 1 1 1 FA
Stastny, Paul 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 FA
Vermette, Antoine 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 FA
Kunitz, Chris 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 FA
Pominville, Jason 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 FA

Defence
Bergeron, Marc-Andre 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00 FA
Niskala, Janne RFA
Girardi, Dan 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 FA
Wisniewski, James 1 1 1 1 1 FA
Jones, Randy 1 1 1 1 1 FA
Backman, Christian RFA
Salmela, Anssi RFA
Bieksa, Kevin 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 FA
Weber, Shea 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 FA
Vlasic, Marc-Edouard 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 FA
Edler, Alexander 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 FA
Seabrook, Brent 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 FA
Kuba, Filip 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 FA

Goalies
St. Louis Blues 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 FA
Colorado Avalanche 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 FA

Moneyshots management also believe they have assembled a playoff team, one that will compete for the championship. I expect to move Edler for a forward. Attempts to get fair value for Plekanec and Patrice Bergeron have failed, and Moneyshots expect to carry both onto their roster at the beginning of the season. Salmela will likely be signed as an RFA, Niskala likely not. Backman was part of a joke, and will not.

Moneyshots also hope to make a deal to upgrade their goaltending.

After several years of bottom-dwelling and building up just to tear down, this is a team that will not be torn down. I have high hopes for big seasons from Kunitz, Vermette and Pominville, enough depth on D led by Weber and a ton of firepower at forward.

The Moneyshots main strength is their contracts. With many star contracts running out this year, Moneyshots have 27 (max 28) players signed through 11/12. This roster will be kept mostly intact, and will likely be even more competitive in the next two years as well. With 15 teams now fighting for potential RFAs, and likely greater distribution in the coming years, Moneyshots believe they have the chance for deep playoff runs in the next two years.

[mrdannyg]

2009 Draft:

15 - Calvin De Haan
52 - Nick Leddy
56 - Vyacheslav Voynov
57 - Cameron Gaunce
70 - Cody Goloubef
71 - Charles-Olivier Roussell
72 - Jared Cowen
74 - Francis Pare
75 - Ben Hanowski

Significant Moves:
None really, made several moves to acquire late picks in the draft. Mainly traded cap and future picks.
De Haan will almost certainly be included in another deal.

I was very happy to get Leddy and Voynov so late, and think Gaunce and Russell could easily be stars in the league. Goloubef was mainly a depth pick - I think he'll end up a starter in Columbus by default. Cowen has been the subject of much mockery, but that late in the draft I'll take 25 points a year. Pare may have been a mistake, as I've since been told he has almost no shot at the NHL. With his fantastic AHL stats I hope he earns a trade out of Detroit's glutted system. Hanowski is a flyer. A perfect late round pick who will likely never get a sniff, but could eventually be a star.

[Zach6668]

Everyone who has watched the Pens rookie camp has been pretty impressed with Hanowski so far. Long way to go for a guy fresh out of high school, though.

[MapleLeafs]

True, though no one in FCHL history who has created their own thread has ever lost a bet involving Jared Cowen, either.

Ah, but which one would you rather win!

[mrdannyg]

Ah, but which one would you rather win!

Excellent question. I'll leave that one to the philosophers. So here's a couple other offers, to consolidate previous ones.

Either Jared Cowen vs Dmitri Orlov ($0.10/point)
or
Cowen + Voynov vs Orlov + Grant ($0.12/point)

[mrdannyg]

For trade history, I encourage anyone interested to check it out:
http://www.realfantasysports.net/fchl/completed_trades.php

I have been by far the most active trader as alluded to above. Sometimes I'm a genius, sometimes I am significantly less than genius. Bad trades have been numerous. In general, I spent the first few years trying to collect good contracts, but mainly just building up a farm system. This offseason I have turned it around, trading off assets into productive players. Unfortunately I didn't have the success Nell did, and did not develop anyone like Parise or Green. As such, I've had to deplete my farm more than I would've liked. However I believe I still have an average farm and set of future picks.

In the past I've been very active buying late picks for small amounts of cap. It will take some time to see if that was the brilliant strategy I think it was. I was often willing to pay much more for picks than others, and have been mocked accordingly. Also, I often underestimated the poorness of my team, and traded away high picks. Over three drafts I have made 4 first-round picked, owned at some point at least a dozen, and currently have none on my own picks on my farm team.

Without further ado, draft history:
11 - Angelo Esposito
12 - Jakub Kindl
13 - Jakub Voracek
25 - Bobby Hughes
39 - Karl Alzner
42 - Ty Wishart
44 - Logan Couture
56 - Jan Mursak
61 - Dave Bolland
65 - Jamie McGinn
71 - Tomas Zaborsky
73 - Kevin Quick
80 - Ruslan Bashkirov
81 - TJ Brennan
82 - Ivan Vishnevskiy

Notes: Esposito was not my choice - a deal was already arranged to deal him (and Boston Goaltending) for James Van Riemsdyk, Ottawa Goaltending and Giordano.
- Many rookie mistakes here, including Kindl, Hughes, Wishart. Some, like Bashkirov and Hughes are busts, though not necessarily bad picks. Vishnevskiy, Bolland, Mursak, McGinn, Voracek and Alzner were all traded for decent value

WORST PICK - Tough choice. Kindl could still pan out. Hughes is a mess, and was a mistake in the first place.
BEST PICK - OK, not really a pick. But Matt Niskanen was acquired during the draft for a late pick and $0.50.

2008:
32 - Jyri Niemi
45 - Mathieu Perreault
53 - Nicolas Deschamps
55 - MA Bourdon
58 - Jamie Benn

WORST PICK - Niemi did not have a good follow-up year.
BEST PICK - Jamie Benn. He is awesome! I'm stoked with this draft, and still have everyone except Benn on my roster. Perreault, Deschamps and Bourdon had great years, received pro deals, and could all be NHL'ers, though last year most people wouldn't have given them a great chance. Trading Benn was a necessary, as it was demanded as part of the Shea Weber deal.

CURRENT FARM TEAM:
Hughes, Ville Leino, Colin Wilson, Deschamps, Zaborsky, Perreault, Bashkirov, De Haan, Cody Franson, Niemi, Brennan, Quick, Niskanen, Bourdon, Wishart, Leddy, Voynov, Gaunce, Pare, Hanowski, Cowen, Goloubef, C-O Russell.

I believe my farm to be above-average, largely due to depth. Not one of the top couple teams with not many stars, but I should get several serviceable NHL'ers. Most of my 2009'ers are going to take several years to develop, but between Voynov, Gaunce, Hanowski and Russell, I think I have at least one star player.

[mrdannyg]

Some potential news coming in Moneyshots-land! Moneyshots expected to make only one more deal this summer, a deal that had been completed months ago but was waiting on finalization. Rumours are flying though about that deal now getting worked up again, and possibly expanded. Rumours may even involve a third team, and the potential for a second deal in the later stages of negotiation.

Though the Moneyshots are comfortable with the current squad, the GM has shown he is always on the lookout for value, even if it means overloading one aspect, requiring future deals.

More news as it becomes available...

[MapleLeafpoker]

BEST PICK - Jamie Benn. He is awesome! I'm stoked with this draft, and still have everyone except Benn on my roster.

This pretty much says it all.

Gonna go ahead and point out that in the 3 year history of the FCHL, no championship team has ever created their own thread.

Gonna go ahead and bump this up too.

[mrdannyg]

Gonna go ahead and bump this up too.

The times are a' changin my friend.

[MapleLeafpoker]

The times are a' changin my friend.

I know. Its bummin me out.

[mrdannyg]

TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT:

Rinswun gets:
Chris Kunitz (0.75/0.75/0.75)
Cody Franson - Farm

DannyG gets:
Patrick Elias (7.5/7.5/7.5)
$7.50 09/10
$6.75 10/11

The Moneyshots are happy to welcome Patrick Elias to the team. This deal was a surprise, as I figured I was done with big acquisitions. I don't think I realized how good Elias was last year until I checked it out. He is up-and-down, but with Parise and Zajac, I think a couple good years are ahead. This deal was largely a Parise-hedge. With Nell's team looking very good, I figure Elias will mostly likely finish one tier behind Parise. If Parise is Tier-1, this is a good deal for a tier-2 player. If Parise doesn't kill like this year, I think I stand a good shot at Nellykins.

Kunitz was expendable due to my forward depth. A lucky trade to Pittsburgh brought up his value, so I wanted to cash out now. I'll look pretty silly if he scores 35 goals, but he did not look good next to Sid during the playoffs. Franson was a nice farmhand since he only had a $1 cap hit, but I no longer think he is a star in the making. Still could pan out, but I'm always wary of guys developing slower than expected. With Weber, Roussel and Franson, someone was expendable.

Moneyshots are quickly turning into the Blackhawks of the NHL. Acquisitons are not being fully thought-out, and cap is becoming a big issue. Another acquisiton is likely coming, and the team faces a cap shortage this year, with potentially significant shortages in the next two. It is yet to see what will happen. The current strategy is to rely on a resurgance by Patrice Bergeron to enhance his trade value.

[Zach6668]

Kunitz was expendable due to my forward depth. A lucky trade to Pittsburgh brought up his value, so I wanted to cash out now. I'll look pretty silly if he scores 35 goals, but he did not look good next to Sid during the playoffs.

The Penguins don't win the Cup without the contributions of Kunitz. Sure he "only" had 14 points in 24 games (only slightly below his career PPG average), but he was a game changer with the way he played. Didn't help that he had to face the Zetterberg line in the Detroit series. He was quite underrated in the first 3 rounds, nonetheless.

From a pure fantasy value, ok, maybe he wasn't fantastic in the playoffs, but to say he did not look good, well, that's just wrong.

He'll put up 20-30 goals next year, and 55-65 points. His playmaking is a bit underrated (as demonstrated in the playoffs), but he'll score too. He is more of a grinder than a sniper, though, although he's a legit top 6 forward.

Nonetheless, I like this deal for you. Elias' number surprised me a bit too.

[mrdannyg]

The Penguins don't win the Cup without the contributions of Kunitz. Sure he "only" had 14 points in 24 games, but he was a game changer with the way he played. Didn't help that he had to face the Zetterberg line in the Detroit series. He was quite underrated in the first 3 rounds, nonetheless.

From a pure fantasy value, ok, maybe he wasn't fantastic in the playoffs, but to say he did not look good, well, that's just wrong.

He'll put up 25-30 goals next year, and 55-60 points. His playmaking is a bit underrated (as demonstrated in the playoffs), but he'll score too. He is more of a grinder than a sniper, though, although he's a legit top 6 forward.

Nonetheless, I like this deal for you.

I actually just meant he had a big nasty zit on his chin. Nastay.

lollerskates. I've read things saying he'll score 35 goals with Crosby, and I think people forget he had good linemates in Anaheim too. They weren't Sidney Crosby, but then again, they probably didn't beg for backrubs after games either. Homo.

I think Kunitz is a very good player, but I agree with your fantasy assessment.

I had a hard time finalizing this deal, as I didn't expect to trade any more farm. The deal worked out too well in terms of what it accomplished - traidng away a Nashville D, getting a Parise-hedge, etc. There's one more deal that's been in the mix for months, but I don't expect any other significant deals.

I do hope to do something about my goaltending before the draft.