Power Rankings
1. Mr. Momentum – Last Week 2
MM moves to the top of the heap for the first time all season with a 6-3 win over COF. While a solid case could be made that ST should remain first despite a loss to GIWI, GM Donesh Mazloum’s team holds up well against them. Only a stat correction kept MM from claiming top spot in league standings and despite flying under the radar a bit they still only have one matchup loss this season. Any debate between which of MM or ST truly reigns supreme should be answered this week as the two teams duel. Bragging rights, home ice advantage, and more than likely the Presidents Trophy are up for grabs.
2. Stammer Time – Last Week 1
The king is dead! ST’s record breaking winning streak to start to the season is over and with it, despite the impressive streak, they see their season long run atop the power rankings end as well. Somewhat surprisingly ST’s 6-3 loss to GIWI saw ST get swept in goalie stats thanks to a historic week by GIWI’s goalies. ST can take solace in the fact that it was a hot week from an opponent rather than a cold week from themselves, that resulted in their first loss. On the negative side however, despite GIWI’s hot run of late, ST did lose to the second worst team in the league. Next up is the team that came closest to breaking the streak earlier this year and ST’s closest rival in the standings. Should be a battle.
3. Getting Iggy With It – Last Week 5
It may be a case of too little too late but GIWI’s 6-3 win over previously undefeated ST vaults them from 5th to 3rd in this weeks power rankings. This team has been trending upwards for the last month with a beatdown over COF and two tight matches against playoff bound MM and GT, but it’s this win against ST that has people whispering about a cinderella story. They only thing going against them is the crater they dug themselves into to start the season. GIWI will need big wins against OR and GT and some help to close out the season in a playoff spot but this team is looking to ride its current momentum to a epic come from behind story.
4. Girouxsome Twosome – Last Week 3
It seems that by changing their team name they have changed their team identity as well. While 2012 DM was known as a run and gun team that either won big or lost big, 2013 GT grinds out hard fought battles. Over the last month GT has a category won/loss differential of -1 and they have had a margin of victory or loss of more than 3 only once this season, in the season opener. While this teams offence is not nearly as dominant as it was last year it is still upper echelon in most stat categories. Where this team really struggles is in the net where they have a losing record in all categories except wins. While the grind out style of victory is less exciting, the lack of fireworks may be a blessing as if they avoid any huge losses this team will make the playoffs and have a chance to defend their title.
5. Optimus Reim – Last Week 4
While still third in the standings and a likely playoff participant OR is putting up points in the least inspiring way possible. A 4-3 loss to GT last week makes it 6 weeks (a full rotation) since they last beat a playoff team. The pros for this team is that they seemingly enjoy defying common logic as they are in third place despite rolling with a senior citizen, and Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender, and a Tampa Bay goaltending reject in their puck stopping core. Add this to their rag tag group of forwards who only have one top 20 scorer and it’s a minor miracle this duct taped dingy is still afloat let alone solidly in a playoff position.
6. Chance of Fleury’s – Last Week 6
With a 6-3 loss to MM, COF has now lost more consecutive weeks than any team in league history. This seems an especially impressive feat when you look at the 2012 GIWI team that went 3 consecutive weeks without a single category win or the 2011 OR team that finished the last half of the season winless. All COF is playing for now is some semblance of pride and trying to avoid only having one matchup win in a entire season. COF main attention has been focused on 95 days from now for a while, that’s when they have the privilege of drafting Drouin, Mackinnon, or Jones.
Pittsburgh Penguins Fantasy Studs
1. Cory Schneider (GIWI) – 4W, 1.25GAA, .957SV%, 1SO; One of two GIWI goalies that had absolutely monster weeks
2. Nicklas Backstrom (GIWI) – 3W, 1.00GAA, .972SV%, 1SO; Regarded as a unnecessary pickup by most, Backstrom is making GM Refahi look smart
3. Alex Ovechkin (MM) – 5G, 3A, 4PPP, 0GWG, 20Shots; I guess we didn’t flush him down the toilet, starting to return to elite status
4. Marc-Andre Fleury (COF) – 2W, 0.98GAA, .965SV%; Another great week makes it back to back weeks on the stud list
5. Nazem Kadri (GT) – 3G, 4A, 1PPP, 0GWG, 12Shots; Seems like yesterday he was an underachieving bum who could do nothing right, according to Toronto media
New York Rangers Fantasy Duds
1. Jimmy Howard (GIWI) – 0W, 4.00GAA, .789SV%, 0SO; Didn’t want GIWI to dominate the goalie stats too much
2. Taylor Hall (MM) – 2 Shots; Has had a solid year but is a different player than the reckless shot machine we’ve become accustomed to
3. Wayne Simmonds (OR) – 2 Shots; The first of two Flyers needs to pick it up if Philly is to avoid a surprising missed playoff
4. Scott Hartnell (OR) – 3 Shots; Hartnell down…. to the minors…. cause he’s terrible
5. Justin Schultz (ST) – 2 Shots; Started off the year strong but has played terribly of late and has even been passed on the pp depth chart by Ryan Whitney
– Start thinking of BOG topics you want to bring up this offseason
-Get. Amped.
Fantasy Hockey 365 