Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles
Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles
Roto Exclusive : Guest Contributions and Featured Articles
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Quick Hits<br />
by Br<strong>and</strong>on L<strong>and</strong>ry<br />
In this edition of ‘Quick Hits’, you’ll be getting a speedy tidbit of knowledge on every team in the NHL.<br />
This includes sleepers, trends <strong>and</strong> my own predictions.<br />
Ducks – Viktor Fasth has won the Honken Trophy two years in a row for the AIK. Hiller came 24 th in<br />
goalies with over thirty starts for goals against average last season. The moment Hiller falters, Fasth will<br />
be given every opportunity to take the starting gig.<br />
Bruins – Nathan Horton is expected to be healthy for day one of training camp after the doctors cleared<br />
him for contact in July. The Bruins scored 3.54 goals per game with Horton, <strong>and</strong> 2.69 without the former<br />
first-round pick.<br />
Sabres – With the departure of Derek Roy, the Sabres are now without a<br />
number one center going into the 2012-13 season. Ennis was stapled<br />
between Foligno <strong>and</strong> Stafford to end last season where the three ignited<br />
the Sabres offense <strong>and</strong> Hodgson saw shifts next to Thomas Vanek. My<br />
guess is that Steve Ott or Cody Hodgson will get the first crack at playing<br />
top powerplay <strong>and</strong> even strength minutes.<br />
Flames – Not much is known about Czech Roman Cervenka aside from that the Flames expect him to be<br />
in a top-six role <strong>and</strong> that as a teammate of Jaromir Jagr <strong>and</strong> Alex<strong>and</strong>er Frolov, he outpointed them both<br />
easily. Don’t hold your breath for this Calgary Flame.<br />
Hurricanes – The ‘Canes powerplay finished in the bottom ten last season, but have<br />
added both Alex Semin <strong>and</strong> Jordan Staal to their weapon arsenal. The Staal brothers<br />
aren’t expected to be in sync the level of the Sedins’, but there isn’t much else to do in<br />
Thunder Bay, so the duo should click off the bat.<br />
Blackhawks – Viktor Stalberg recorded the most points out of any player to not have<br />
any on the powerplay. The likely extended hiatus of Marian Hossa <strong>and</strong> departure of<br />
Andrew Brunette may force the Hawks brass to toss the former college st<strong>and</strong>out onto<br />
the second unit. 50 points would bring him into the Andrew Ladd, Jiri Hudler, <strong>and</strong><br />
Mikhail Grabovski range.<br />
Avalanche – Could the stitching from ‘C’ to ‘A’ have that great of an impact on Milan Hejduk? The glass<br />
half full says that he’ll have less pressure <strong>and</strong> will return to his mid-fifty point totals. The glass half<br />
empty says that this will give Joe Sacco an easier decision in burying him on the third line.<br />
Blue Jackets – The last time Columbus played a season without Rick Nash, Geoff S<strong>and</strong>erson cracked the<br />
thirty-goal mark while leading the squad with 56 points. We should look for the team leader to put up<br />
similar totals, with a bunch of high energy young scrappy forwards driving the Jackets forward.<br />
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