Straight Gangster, No Chaser

It's almost time for fantasy GM's (and leaf fans) to pack their bags and start picking there playoff pool rosters. Before your plane leaves, I think it would be appropriate to take a little time out to recognize certain player's performances throughout this year. 

The straight up gangsters if you will. 

Although with a twist I might add. Let's create a roster that shows not only the superstars, but the undervalued, the waiver wire heroes and standout rookies. We will go four lines deep with 4 goalies. I present to you the 1st annual All Gangster Squad for 2008-09.

1ST LINE
You may notice Sid the Kid didn't make the team. Fact is there is only room for one superstar centre on this roster and Sid was outplayed all season long by fellow Penguin Evgeni Malkin. If you owned Malkin this season chances are you are well on your way to finishing in the money. He is what Joe Thornton should have become at age 27 and Malkin is only 23. I have seen few players that can dominate a shift like Malkin. His mix of physicality and finesse is rare. Just wait until he actually acquires a personality. Lookout. 

Anaheim Duck right winger Corey Perry edges out some stiff competition but when its all said and done Perry is who I want on my roto right wing. Arguments can be made for fan favourite Jarome Iginla or Detroit's Marian Hossa but Perry's season has been undeniable. 69 points and counting has been a career high for Perry but when you mix his 103 PIMS with his 273 shots on goal with a little sprinkle of his chemistry with Getzlaf and Ryan, you get a fantasy stud on your hands. He came relatively cheap on draft day to boot. 

What can be said about Alexander Ovechkin? Can he reach the 60 goal mark once again? He doesn't have too many games remaining but if anyone could it would be O.V. It is scary to think of what's to come from this kid. Even the mighty Don Cherry couldn't get in his way. 

His partner in crime on the power play, blueliner Mike Green has absolutey exploded into a superstar. 30 goals? If anyone thought that was in the realm of possibility for a defenceman in today's game. Please speak up, and if you have any winners for tonight's card , I'm listening. 

Zdeno Chara has become the total package. Posessing everthing you could possibly want in franchise blueliner. His all around game is as consistent as anyone in the game today. He will be the reason the Bruins advance to the conference finals. Yes I just said that. 

Now our starting goaltender, the Wild's Nik Backstrom. No Luongo, no Marty, even Nabokov can't compete with the seaon Backstrom has put together. He doesn't lead the league in any one of the major categories but has contributed the perfect blend of upper echelon numbers in each one of them. He deserves the starting nod.

2ND LINE 

Kovalchuk, Getzlaf and Alexander Semin are 3 players that have enjoyed monster campaigns this season. Yet all three are perceived as lesser value than their star counterparts. 

Four years ago you couldn't tune into a hockey game and not hear Ilya Kovalchuk mentioned in some capacity. With the influx of Sid "The Golden Boy" Crosby and super russians O.V. and Gino, Kovalchuk has not only taken a hit in real life but in fantasy as well. Any Thrashers fans out there? You need to support this kid cause when he goes, the franchise goes with him. Kovalchuk's 2nd half has been one for the ages. 

Ryan Getzlaf may be the most undervalued unappreciated and underexposed superstar in the entire NHL. Your looking at the next captain of Team Canada. At least he should be. Getz is one
of those across the board contributors. 64 assists, 89 points, 105 PIMS. 

Alexander Semin broke out of the gate absolutely on fire with Ovechkin's absence. He slowly was brought back to the pack and endured some injuries himself but there might not be a player on any team this talented that stands in the shadow of another. 73 points with a plus 24 rating in 58 games. If he stays healthy next year, he could enter the status of the elite. 

Shea Weber started the year like a man posessed. Hit a wall at the mid way point then came back to life for the stretch run. 22 goals, 29 assists. Sounds more than a second line forward but Weber has special written all over him. Would you draft him over Phaneuf next year? That should be interesting. 

What a trade for San Jose acquiring Dan Boyle. Since day one of his arrival he has hit on all cylinders. Boyle was wasting away in Tampa and had not been fully recognized as a top defenseman in the fantasy world. Those days are over.

Another player who is a prime example of being tossed out of any conversation invoving valuable fantasy commodities due to his previous performances is Carolina's Cam Ward. Ward has regained the trust of many owners who turned there back to him after 2 subpar seasons. The talent was always there. It's a matter of the team in front of him. The Hurricanes can be great one day and bomb the next just like Ward but, its what your statline looks like at the end of the year that counts. Over the years I've heard the "sun shines on a dog's ass" argument numerous times. Well looks like this kid actually has what it takes.

3RD LINE

Anybody can draft a team but to win a championship , it's all in how you manage it. Working the waiver wire is essential in obtaining that edge and everybody is gunning for it. Staying ahead of the game is a daily grind. 

First let's start with my nominee for waiver wire steal of the year. Sabres center, Tim Connolly. Connolly was in and out of the lineup as usual to start the year. Nobody was surprised and the faith of fantasy owners willing to stick it out was dwindling by the day. Well Connolly has rewarded anybody who stuck with him or anyone lucky enough to snatch him up off waivers. Connolly's recent run of 17 points in 15 games has put many owners over the top and help seal 1st place finishes. His 43 points in 44 games has just reminded everyone how talented this guy really is. 

David Backes and Alex Burrows hold something in common. They're both emerging power forwards in this league. Finding a guy who has 30 goal ability who can also put up 100 plus penalty minutes is a long sought after trait in fantasy. Both Backes and Burrows came basically free to any owner willing to invest. Backes's 4 goal performance the other night put a grin
on my face that hasn't left since. I picked him up about 2 weeks into the season and have been reaping the benefits ever since. Burrows remains one guy I was after all year but was not only beaten to the punch on waivers but trade talks as well. Next year things will be different for these three.

Rob Blake, the old man. Well the old man has played this season like he just finished celebrating his 25th birthday. 44 points , 188 SOG, 108 PIMS with a plus 19 rating for a guy just about 10 % owned at the start of the year. Sign me up. 

Duncan Keith has emerged to be a relevant fantasy force this season. Always touted to become a solid defenceman Keith has the potential to become a much bigger asset down the road. Nothing flashy but you know what your getting. Am I the only one who keeps calling this guy Keith Duncan ? He will only get better as do the Blackhawks. Keith has transformed from waiver wire steal to potential keeper for next year. 

Pekka Rinne has always had immense potential and has now entrenched himself in Nashville. Better yet he's taken Dan Ellis and practically removed any dignity he had left as a starting goalie. He has been that good. He has to live up to his new found billing next year and the jury will be out in full force but his play this season leaves me no choice but to make room for him on this roster. From backup to goalie by committee to full fledged star in one year.

4TH LINE

Trying to pick six rookies out of this year's class was a tough task. Needless to say the future talent in this league is off the charts and there's more coming. 

The one who standouts the most to me and is probably the no.1 rookie on many lists out there is Bobby Ryan. Not only for the numbers he has managed to put up in a lttle more than half a season but also for the fact of how he got his opportunity to do so. His 2nd overall draft selection after Crosby came with expectations that quickly turned into disappointment for many reality and fantasy outlets out there. A prime example of what makes me sick in the world of sports. When a player is drafted , everybody expects instant results, and when we don't get them the claws come out. Words like bust, underachiever and failure get tossed around without any backup. This needs to stop , I mean really are we this ignorant? Ryan has proved his worth this season and will be a perrenial top pick for years to come. 

Its scary to think of what he can become in a few years. Patrik Berglund has helped lead the 2nd half charge of St.Louis and I don't think Ive even heard his name twice on any hockey source out there. The Blues have assembled one impressive arsenal full of emerging young studs. Just think , about 2 months ago John Davidson was getting thrown under the bus with pure disregard of the big picture. Reminds me of Carey Price. Funny how both those situations seem to be working out now. Berglund is one to watch if the Blues make it in the West and without question next season. 

Michael Frolik, aka Baby Jagr , aka the next great czech. At the beginning of the season Frolik was getting minimal playing time , all he needed was a shot to show what he can do. The Panthers can go ahead and pat themselves on back for that one because that was the best decision they could have made. To say Frolik has impressed would be a complete understatement. You can't help cheer for Florida right now, right Chris? A prime sleeper pick for 2010. 

Now the blueline. The age old " young defenceman take years to develop " tag line could be seeing itslelf losing it's relevance very quickly. There are tons a solid young defenceman out there and the ones making the biggest impression have been the King's Drew Doughty and the thrashers Zach Bogosian. Both top 5 picks and future norris candidates. There have been rough patches but both have displayed some eye popping abilities. Doughty the smooth assassin who excels in all areas of the game and Bogosian the rough and rugged Phaneuf clone with the booming slapshot. Only difference between them is Doughty plays for a future contender and Bogosian laces up for a future franchise moving to Kansas City. 

Last but certainly not least is the netminder who if we didn't need to fill the rookie category could have made the starting lineup on this roster. Yup you guessed it, Justin Pogge. Pogge has demonstrated the ability to dominate in year one. Wait,  April fools was last week. My apologies. Even mentioning Pogge in the same breath has Stevie Mason would be an insult to the Mason family. Columbus has a system in place that enables a goalie to succeed but a talent like Mason could succeed anywhere. I've been routing against him all season long since my main rival has rode his coattails to a 2 point lead with days to go. However I can't let my biases get in the way. Mason will be a top 5 goaltender in your draft next year and has become one of the most important keepers in fantasy hockey.

That just about does it for this year's squad. All we need now is a head coach and GM. I might dip into the AHL ranks for the head coach but John Ferguson Jr. surely will be available for the GM job. He's qualified right ?

Who's your bonafide gangster , overlooked all star , waiver wire steal or top rookie ?

mholian5@yahoo.ca