Fantasy Hockey drafts are nearing and we want to help you as best we can. You've likely been flipping through the preseason magazines, checking out our cheat sheets, reviewing projections, three-year averages, etc., but that is not going to get it done. We'll look at some players who are long on name, but short on talent at this point of their career. Let someone else pick those players and grab the player on Draft Day who leaves your less informed fellow owners exclaiming "Who?", while you mutter under your breath, "You'll see."
Sleepers
Eric Belanger, C, MIN: Belanger split time between Atlanta and Carolina and has been mostly a journeyman during his NHL career. However, he has averaged 16 goals over the past four seasons and might be ready to take the next step. With the offensively-conservative Minnesota Wild? As they like to say in St. Paul, you betcha! He is currently in line for either first- or second-line duty, which would line him up with either Pavol Demitra and Marian Gaborik or Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brian Rolston. Belanger is the definition of sleeper heading into 2007-08.
Johan Franzen, C, DET: Franzen might be best-known for taking a jab to the midsection from Jamie McLennan in the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Flames last season. However, he really matured in those playoffs and is ready for bigger responsibilities in 2007-08. He is currently battling Jiri Hudler for the center spot on the second line for the Red Wings. When, not if, he wins that job, he will be worth a middle-round pick in all Fantasy leagues, especially in leagues that heavily reward plus/minus rating.
Chris Mason, G, NSH: While plenty of savvy Fantasy owners and hockey fans know who Mason is, some of your more casual fans are unaware that the Predators made him their No. 1 goaltender during the offseason. While we expect the Predators to dial it down a notch on offense following the loss of forwards Scott Hartnell and Paul Kariya and playing until December without Steve Sullivan (back surgery), we think he is in line for 30-35 wins and a sparkling goals against average. He's done it before in place of Tomas Vokoun when he was injured. Now it's his show in the Music City.
Drew Stafford, W, BUF: The youngster from Milwaukee was the 13th pick overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played his first professional season in 2006-07 and needed just 34 games to produce 22 goals and 22 assists for Rochester of the AHL. The Sabres decided he was ready. And was he ever. In his first taste of the NHL, Stafford posted 13 goals and 14 assists in just 41 games and gained valuable playoff experience, potting two goals and adding two assists in 10 postseason games. The sky is the limit for this kid and he will be get some big-time power play time. We wouldn't be surprised to see him flirt with 40 goals, that's how much talent he has.
Shea Weber, D, NSH: Weber exceeded all expecations with 17 goals and 40 points last season, and that was with a roster including Kimmo Timonen, who has since been shipped to Philadelphia. Marek Zidlicky remains, but this is now Weber's team. When the Predators need someone to run the point it will be Weber, and that has to make Fantasy owners in keeper leagues smile. Some of your less studious Fantasy owners will be grabbing at the Roman Hamrliks, Ed Jovanovskis and Derek Morris' of the world and you'll be putting together a winning roster starting with Weber.
Kyle Wellwood, C, TOR: The youngster for the Maple Leafs is projected onto the second line this season and will be skating with Darcy Tucker. He has set the bar high for himself, aiming for a point per game. While we certainly don't expect that to happen, we like the kid's attitude. We also like the company he'll be keeping, as he'll either have free agent acquisition Jason Blake or Alexei Ponikarovsky along with him and Tucker. Wellwood had an injury-plagued 2006-07, but he had 42 points in 48 games.
Dainius Zubrus, C/W, NJ: Zubrus had stops in Buffalo and Washington last year and struggled with consistency. He seemed lost after being without his scoring pal Alexander Ovechkin from the Capitals. Well, he moves on to New Jersey, a team not known for its offensive prowess. However, Zubrus is expected to skate with Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta on the team's top scoring line. While those guys certainly aren't Ovechkin, Gionta is just one year removed from a 48-goal, 89-point performance and Elias has averaged a point per game over the past two seasons. That will rub off on Zubrus, who is a must-start Fantasy option again.
Busts
Niklas Backstrom, G, MIN: The Minnesota Wild were in a bind last season when Manny Fernandez went down with a knee injury. All Backstrom did was step in and produce 23 wins and a sparkling 1.97 GAA in his stead. In fact, he was so good that the team decided to part ways with Fernandez during the offseason. Before you decide to hang your hat long-term on Backstrom, understand that the Wild like to use a two-goaltender system. Also, they consider Josh Harding as the goaltender of the future, and he will get more starts than your typical backup. Look for perhaps a 60-40 split, which hurts Backstrom's Fantasy appeal.
Ed Jovanovski, D, PHO: Jovanovski was once one of the top Fantasy defensemen in the NHL. In fact, he averaged 47 points from 2000-03. However, injuries have severely limited his Fantasy appeal and a lot of owners are saying enough is enough. The less studious Fantasy players will see Jovo's name and jump on him hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. Know that he has missed at least 26 games in each of the past three seasons, so let someone else make the mistake.
Robert Lang, C, CHI: After being an offensive force in his time in Washington, Lang has taken a huge step back in terms of offensive production. We expected to see him turn into a star with the Red Wings, but for whatever reason, he never did anything of note while in Hockeytown. With a loss in offensive production, the best part of his game was his plus/minus rating. Well, a move to the Windy City will mean a severe hit in that category as well.
Paul Mara, D, NYR: Mara was atrocious spending time with the Bruins and the Rangers last season. After two seasons in Phoenix from 2003-06 with a total of 89 points, he managed just five goals and 18 assists in 78 games. The frustration obviously got to him, as he posted a career-high 113 penalty minutes. Mara will begin his first full season in New York, but it might be a long and rocky one for him and his Fantasy owners.
Rick Nash, W, CLB: Nash was tied for the league-lead in goals in 2003-04 with 41. Ever since then, he has managed 58 goals and 111 points. That's pretty good production for a middle-round draft pick in your Fantasy leagues, but that's completely unacceptable for as high as Nash has been going. He'll likely be an early-round pick on Draft Day in your league this year, too. However, he has developed a propensity for injury and his plus/minus rating will always be poor in Columbus.
Joni Pitkanen, D, EDM: Pitkanen has always been a fine defenseman with a lot of offensive production. However, he has primarily been the man teams depend on for offense from the defenseman position. He has usually had to do it himself in his days in Philadelphia. Now in Edmonton, he is not even the top rearguard on the depth chart. Sheldon Souray joins him in Edmonton and will be the man along the point. Each will see a poor plus/minus rating playing with the re-building Oilers, but Pitkanen might see a drop in production since he is not shouldering the load as much.
Marty Turco, G, DAL: Okay, okay. I know this is going to be a controversial selection. And I am not saying he is going to go sub-.500 or be the worst goaltender in the league. However, where most Fantasy owners will take Turco, which is very high, I do not think his Fantasy value will match. Turco is still a fine goaltender with a lot of years in front of him, but don't be surprised to see 1) Mike Smith gets a lot more looks this season, limiting Turco's starts and 2) The Stars to go the route of the Nashville Predators and part ways with their starter for the up-and-comer at some point.
You can e-mail your Fantasy Hockey questions to DMFantasyPucks@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Fantasy Hockey in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state/province. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.
