Current race...

1. Los Angeles Kings 25%
2. Tampa Bay Lightning 18.8%
3. Chicago Blackhawks 14.2%
4. New York Islanders 10.7%
5. Toronto Maple Leafs 8.1%

Sorry for all the questions, but why are the Blackhawks in 3rd position to draft him? I thought they had a good season going.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&am...e=StandingsPage

I be darned. Thanks.

They did, until Toews went down, Havlat forgot how to score goals (he's scored in exactly 4 games all year), Khabibulin forgot how to win games (tonight was his first win since December) and the Hawks went 4-10 in January.

Losing to Los Angles 9-2 was basically the beginning of the end, that's the game they lost Toews in and they haven't been the same since.

Williams and Adams' injuries hurt also. They are the type of players that were supposed to keep a young team from going on losing streaks. Sopel was injured for a while there also. I know it sounds bad, but I don't want the Hawks to get Stamkos, too many young guys already.

If the Hawks ended up with the #1 overall, they'd be foolish not to trade down a couple spots for an extra pick and take one of the defensemen. If they end up drafting #2 or #3 I'd expect them to take Doughty or Pietrangelo.

Current race...

1. Los Angeles Kings 25%
2. Tampa Bay Lightning 18.8%
3. Toronto Maple Leafs 14.2%
4. Chicago Blackhawks 10.7%
5. New York Islanders 8.1%

That adds up to 76.8 -- the remaining 24% either all goes to LA or is split evenly...

I think the rest of the non-playoff teams get a small percentage as well.

yes, but the max they can move up to is the #2 or #3 pick IIRC (if I recall correctly).

Correct. The most you can move up is three places.

Chicago moved from 5 to 1 last year, right?

sorry, if you're not in the top 5, the most you can move up is 3 places.... I think it's the top 5 anyway

Proven that another one of Dale's prospects are overhyped stiffs..

Back to junior you will soon go....

Keep pinning your hopes on DRAFT PICKS...big success you will be...

I think Serge's hockey forum posts really illustrate why poker is such a profitable game for people who understand it. People get so rilled up over the short term swings, and somehow convince themselves that something happens 5 games into the season, that it's how the long-term will fall, so they trick themselves into thinking they are long term winners. Heh.

ya ok...you are way off...

Stamkos was hyped as the rookie of the year by all of the media.. He has done nothing so far averaging about 9 minutes a game...I dont think its a huge assesment that he will not be the impact player that he has been touted, especially NOT YET.

To take your argument further..Poker is profitable because you have to think outside the box and go against what the masses think is the right thing and they have been telling you to do..

Just because Gruven said Stamkos is rookie of the year and the Leafs will finish last , doesnt mean it will happen.

I wasn't referring to solely this post.

So far everything I have is coming true....

And my predictions, are conventional.

That's exactly my point.

i misspoke..My predictions ARENT conventional...

I am probably biased about the Leafs, I agree totally. However if you step back and analyze the Pittsburgh Penguins, you would see that they are an ok team, that should struggle to make the playoffs..

If they get shoddy goaltending, which has been the opposite so far, they will challenge for the lottery.

It has been proven that teams that are top heavy offensively havent done well in recent years.

Check the Senators of last year who probably had the best top three forwards as a group and the Tampa Bay lightning led my vinny,Stlouis and richards.

Defence and depth wins championships. Last year the Penguins were far deeper and far better defensively.

I didn't mean your anything about convention. I merely mean that it's ridiculous for you to analyze things as if they are final when we are only 5 games into the season. Look at what the Pens record was last year at this time, or even deeper into the season. There's short term variance in hockey as well.

I don't disagree that the Pens aren't as good as the Cup finals team last year, that's obvious, but it takes time for new guys to start to play well together, and it takes time for injured players to return, etc.

I also don't disagree with the Sens and Bolts analysis, but they had major leaks elsewhere in their teams. The Lightning had nobody else at all, literally. The Pens have filled all their holes with capable players, and except for the injuries, their defense is quite good. Even with the injuries, they have the depth to still have Sydor be a healthy scratch, etc. I just think it's too premature to compare them to either of those teams. The Sens had serious team issues with Emery, and Spezza, while he can score, is a friggen turnover machine who doesn't play defense.

This is why the season is 82 games, not 5.

fair enough...but can i still gloat when the Leafs beat the Pens on Saturday?

No, Serge is always right on these... remember when Simon Gamache was the next Wayne Gretzky?

show me where I said that...

by the way there is one spot left on my final prop bet of the year..Leafs bottom half of GAA, scared?

Absolutely, as long as I can gloat when I'm watching the Penguins in the playoffs in April, and the Leafs are golfing.

I think Serge's Stamkos post really illustrates why fantasy hockey/sports is such a profitable game for people who understand it.

Hasn't Stamkos looked pretty good so far though? That's at least what I've heard the hockey analysts say when watching tv. If he's playing well and isn't out of place the chemistry with his teammates will come and so will the points. The Lightning as a whole have struggled so its no surprise he's not scoring.

If he has played well, they would play him more than 9 minutes a game.

He played 18 minutes his 2nd game. So far its looking like Melrose is an idiot to me.

Thats very possible..As a lot of people (including me) had Tampa improved this year...Maybe Melrose is the problem..

If there was a way to prove it I would bet big money that Serge hasn't seen Stamkos play for more than 3 minutes this season.

He played 6 minutes against Carolina and 9 minutes against the Islanders because in both those games, the Lightning had 9 penalties to kill and Stamkos doesn't kill penalties yet.

what did they do the other 42 minutes??

The owners have already had a discussion with their coaching staff regarding Stamkos' low ice time.

Make of that what you will.

I think its nothing but bad for the Lightning. The owners are putting a team together like the Kansas City Reserves of the FCHL.

Update:

GP - 7
Pts - 0
TOI/G - 11:09

so no Calder I guess eh?

Any chance he gets sent back to Sarnia?

I dont see how Tampa could do that after the marketing program they pitched all summer to their fans.

My question is, where are they sending Vrbata (1pt), Malone (1pt), Roberts (0)?

I dunno. They could keep using all that marketing stuff just in a different way.

The Habs pasted Maxime Lapierre's face all over the city last summer and he got sent to the AHL before the season started.
Thats a whole different story though.

Stamkos home coming tonight in Toronto....We will hopefully show him some realy hockey, and send him back to junior after tonight...

While Stamkos is far from being labeled a bust, it will be EXTREMELY difficult for him to win the rookie of the year...Ironically he was most peoples shoo in candidate..

last season niklas backstrom had 9 points last year in his first 21 games last year - ended the season with 69 in 82. mueller started off with 2 points in his first 12 and ended up with 54 points. its not as if there is a rookie jumping out already, i think he still has a good chance. the lightning have already said he'd stay up all year.

Holy crap this kid is good. I watched him last night away from the puck...... sooooo impressive. Pay no attention to his lack of points. This kid will score in bunches.
As of today, I would definately say Doughty is the best of the draft playing in the league, but don't count Stamkos out.

There's plenty of kids with offensive skills these days but to see such a young player with his talent when he doesn't have the puck is scary.

I agree.... the only one I've seen in the past couple of years with the same awareness away from the puck is Toews...

The kid did have some great speed and create a few great chances.

According to NHL 09 Crosby's Offensive Awareness is 99 and Defensive Awareness is 92. Toews is 90 and 79 respectively. Just saying.

I can't find Stamkos as he wasn't in the game upon release. I'll try to remember to look for him since the rosters were updated.

I really like this jersey. Becoming one of my favourites.

After the likes of Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin.......its becoming impossible to be a highly touted rookie and live up to standards.