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NBA 2013-2014 Season Preview

October 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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The Cover 4.com presents you with NBA 2013-2014 Season Preview! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

THE DAY IS FINALLY NEAR! Second only to my birthday, and slightly more exciting than Christmas; the Rose is finally surfacing out the concrete, and boy isn’t it a beautiful sight? Of course, it’s only right that I start the first topic of discussion for the season with Chicago’s hometown hero, Mr. MVP himself, Derrick Rose. Not only am I excited about his return, but every NBA advocate is eager to see what a season-and-a-half long rehab session can do to a player. So far in the preseason, Rose has not lost a step, in fact, he’s taken control of the floor as if he never left. And I’m going to go ahead and throw this out there. Michael Jordan missed an entire season as well; granted he wasn’t injured, but a season-long absence by a superstar is nothing foreign to the Bulls. What impresses me most is how Rose has gone as far as to share advice with the second best point guard in the league in suggesting that Thunder guard Russell Westbrook not rush to get back on the floor and to properly rehabilitate his injury.

Season Superlatives:

Most Valuable Player – LeBron James (MIA)

  • Only reason why I say this is because LBJ is feeling himself, and rightfully so. Don’t expect to see him post 34 points per game (even though he is capable of doing so), but do expect him to fully utilize the new talents of Michael Beasley in his effort at his third title. But I’m letting you know right now, my mans D-Rose will NOT be “giving” anything to him. October 29 will be a dogfight. Rose is showing the league that he’s back and LBJ is growing hungrier to surpass Jordan.

Rookie of the Year – Victor Oladipo (ORL)

  • Let me tell you something about this 21-year-old stand-out stunner. After coming off a PHENOMENAL summer league season he continues to make sure his name Oladipo is no longer considered foreign with his preseason play. This kid is explosive when driving to the paint, as well as a real threat from the arc. How many rookies can you consider to be multidimensional? Even LeBron had to work on his shot when he entered the league. He’s already averaging six, four and two. No, not six points, six BOARDS, four assists and two steals each game. This guy’s hustle is exactly the spark that will make an immediate impact on any team.

Most likely to NOT Succeed – Utah Jazz

  • Plain and simple: I just don’t see it happening there. They’re too unstable at this point. They couldn’t do it with Deron Williams, so naturally, I don’t see Trey Burke staying much longer than three or four years.

Most likely to Lose Your Money in a Bet – OKC Thunder

  • I’m a believer that Kevin Durant is the most lethal threat in the league, and with Jeremy Lamb and Reggie Jackson as their x-factors, the Thunder WILL be a contender…however, what’s a contender without the their oxygen tank? After last year’s playoff performance, it has been proven that Westbrook is the fuel that keeps this car going. KD just isn’t the same flamethrower without his igniter. Now, for the love of all NBA 2K14 games and tournaments that I will be participating in this season, I REALLY hope that I am wrong. But Westbrook has proven to be such an intricate piece to this puzzle that it will be nearly impossible to replace him.

The Zero to Hero Award – GoldenState Warriors

  • With the most impressive addition of Andre Igoudala in their front court and Andrew Bogut in the back, I see these guys being not-so-silent killers of the NBA. This summer, Poppa Thompson was very active in the mentoring and developing of his young offspring, Klay. With Igoudala in the lineup, the Warriors now have four potential/future all-stars in Iggy, Thompson, Steph Curry and Harrison Barnes bringing some serious energy off the bench, the Warriors will rise this year and present themselves as one of the top contenders if all goes right.

The Sixth-Man – Harrison Barnes (GS)

  • It is almost a sure thing that with Iggy moving into the lineup, Barnes will move into the sixth-man spot, and I believe it for the best. Barnes’ explosiveness and energy will allow the Warriors to compete the entire 48 minutes. Watch him work!

Most Likely to Be Named Top Dawg – The Heat versus The Field

  • As much as I hate to admit it, there aren’t many teams capable of doing what the Heat have the potential of doing. Making the finals three times in a row is a pretty remarkable feat, especially when your star player is at the pique of his prime. Don’t discount the improvements that Chicago, Indiana and Brooklyn have made, but the Heat have something that other teams are still building on: CHEMISTRY! This bulls eye that is on the backs of the Heat organization is going to cause what I believe to be a chemical combustion that will lead to a phenomenal season, and likely a third consecutive ring for LBJ and his troops.

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Malcolm Branch
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NHL Season Preview Part 3:Pacific Division

October 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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The Cover 4.com presents you with the NHL Season Preview Part 3:Pacific Division! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

Today, we have our next installment of our division previews, and again we head out west, this time to the Pacific Division. This division should be one of the most competitive divisions, and solid goaltending is a theme for most of the teams in the Pacific. Another common theme of this division is the story of a successful regular season, followed by playoff disappointment. Let’s look at the ins and outs of the Pacific Division.

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ANAHEIM DUCKS

The Ducks, under the tutelage of Bruce Boudreau, had a surprising second-place finish in the Western Conference last year. But there’s a big piece missing from last year’s team. Bobby Ryan was shipped to Ottawa in exchange for Jakob Silfverberg, a very young and talented forward. Returning are veterans Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne. Selanne has already designated this as the last season of his Hall of Fame career. Former Cup champion Dustin Penner is back in town as well, joining old friends Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf both of whom signed long-term deals with the Ducks. Defenseman Cam Fowler will look to rebound after a sophomore slump, and Bryan Allen and Francois Beauchemin will both be rocks on the blueline. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Ducks is the group of five young, extremely talented players. Forwards Matt Beleskey, Nick Bonino, Kyle Palmieri and Emerson Etem all had their coming out parties last season and look to build off of that. Goaltender John Gibson is possibly the best young goaltender in the game, and he may not even start the season in the NHL. Viktor Fasth and Jonas Hiller look to backstop the Ducks out of the gates.

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CALGARY FLAMES

Dark days are here for the Flames. After the very heart and soul of the Flames, Jarome Iginla, was moved to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline last year, any hope for the Flames began to fade. Since then, franchise goalie Miikka Kiprusoff has called it a career. Defenseman Mark Giordano was named captain this offseason, and he is deserving of the honor. Veterans Lee Stempniak, Curtis Glencross and Mike Cammeleri will lead the way to a presumably awful season for Calgary. An interesting player to watch is Sven Baertschi, who enjoyed moderate success as a rookie last season, and he comes in with a pedigree. Expectations are high for the kid, but let’s be serious, the Flames top two goaltenders are Joey MacDonald and Karri Ramo. Yikes.

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EDMONTON OILERS

The future is now for this Edmonton Oilers team, and they need to seize it. It seems like over the past few seasons, we have come into the year thinking this is the year the youthful Oilers emerge, and we come out of the season wondering where it went wrong. Injuries to star players like Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall have severely hampered Edmonton over the past few seasons, but inconsistent goaltending has ultimately sunk them. Unfortunately for Oilers fans, the goaltending situation has not been resolved. Devan Dubnyk has shown some flashes of his skill, but has yet to develop into a consistent NHL goaltender. The good news is Dubnyk is another year older, more mature and confident. The same goes for RNH, Eberle and Hall. The Oilers have high top-end talent with those three, supported by Sam Gagner, Ales Hemsky and Nail Yakupov. In addition to talent, the Oilers have taken steps to solidify their bottom six as well, bringing in underrated player Boyd Gordon from Phoenix. Gordon is the type of guy that excels defensively at even strength and on the penalty kill. You won’t see him on the power play unit, but he will log of ton of minutes short-handed, and he can pitch in the odd goal on occasion. Ben Eager, Mike Brown and Ryan Smyth provide the grit and toughness that the star players need in order to create space. On the blueline, the Oilers are very underrated. Franchise defenseman Justin Schultz looks to take the next steps in his progression, and free agent signing Andrew Ference will help solidify their top-four that also features hard hitting Ladislav Smid and skilled puck-mover Denis Grebeshkov. The Oilers could sneak into the playoff hunt, but only if they stay healthy and get consistent goaltending.

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LOS ANGELES KINGS

The beat goes on for the Kings as they should be in contention for the Stanley Cup yet again this year. Last year, the Kings lost to the eventual Cup champion Blackhawks in the Western Conference Finals, a year after winning the Cup themselves. There are many holdovers from the past two seasons. Captain Dustin Brown is the heartbeat of the team, and he brings it each night. He’s a true warrior of the game.  The forward ranks boast the skill of Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Justin Williams, supported by the grit of Mike Richards and Trevor Lewis, along with the power forwards Dwight King, Kyle Clifford and Jordan Nolan. The well-rounded group of forwards needs to find more consistent scoring, but the Kings do not need to find too many goals to win every night, as their backend may be the best in hockey. The defensive corps has some tight competition among their ranks as there are eight legitimate top-six NHL defensemen on their roster, led by franchise defenseman Drew Doughty. We know what it comes down to every playoff series, and that is goaltending, and the Kings have the best goalie in the world right now. Jonathan Quick nearly single-handedly won the Stanley Cup for his team two seasons in a row. His performances the last two playoff years have been as good, if not better, than those of Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur in the past, and Quick is still considered young. If the Kings can develop a consistent scoring touch, without sacrificing defense for it, they could be a dominant team in the league and should contend for the division title.

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PHOENIX COYOTES

It seems that financial stability has come to Glendale, and that should benefit the on-ice product tremendously. Phoenix hopes to return to the form of two seasons ago, and put a rough year last season in the past. Franchise goaltender Mike Smith has been locked up long-term, and that should make things better for the Yotes, as their success depends squarely on his shoulders. Smith battled injury last season and did not have the year he wanted in a lockout-shortened season, but he should be able to bounce back splendidly this year. Gone is Boyd Gordon, who is a vastly underrated player, but standout center Mike Ribeiro joins the club, and adds some needed skill. Ribiero will join Antoine Vermette, Mikkel Boedker and Radim Vrbata in leading the offense, supported by the likes of Martin Hanzal and captain Shane Doan. The Coyotes play a simple, solid, well-rounded game, and feature an abundance of players that play that style, like forwards David Moss, Lauri Korpikoski, and defensemen Zbynek Michalek, Derek Morris, and Rusty Klesla. Phoenix’s top two defensemen, Oliver Ekman-Larrson and Keith Yandle, rival any team in the NHL’s top pair. Goaltending will tell the tale of their season.

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SAN JOSE SHAKRS

Led by one of the best netminders in the game in Antti Niemi, the Sharks have the potential to contend for the division this season, but it stands to reason that the Sharks are skating on thin ice. For the better half of the last decade, the Sharks have put together great regular seasons, only to be ousted in the playoffs, without even reaching a Stanley Cup Final. Granted, it seems like every year they are eliminated by the eventual Cup champs, but no matter, they still lose. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are nearing the points in their careers where it’s time to you-know-what or get off the pot. The money the two command is extensive, but as long as they produce, that is no problem, but both tend to be streaky. Thornton is a power play wizard, dishing the puck all over, but is marginal at even strength. Young stars Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and Brent Burns are the future of this team, and have showed that they can carry the offensive load. The Sharks brought in a clutch playoff player in Tyler Kennedy from the Penguins (Kennedy has more career playoff winning goals for Pittsburgh than Sidney Crosby does) to help address their playoff struggles. The defensive platoon includes Cup-winning veterans Dan Boyle and Brad Stuart, and is supplemented by Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Justin Braun and Jason Demers. The story has been the same for the Sharks, regular season success, followed by post-season disappointment, and I see no reason to believe that regular season success won’t be the story again this season. The trick will be changing their playoff fortunes.

John Tortorella

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

The 2013-14 Vancouver Canucks will be a vastly different team from last season. Gone is goaltender of the future Cory Schneider, who was shipped to the Devils at the draft, leaving embattled Roberto Luongo to carry the load between the pipes. Bobby Lu’s struggles are well documented by the intense Vancouver media. Speaking of which, that media has their wet dream of a coach in John Tortorella, who swaps cities with former Canucks coach Alain Vingeault, who heads to the Rangers. Torts is a task master on the players, and often a little too candid during his media time. Torts will do what he does, and that is take the public pressure off of his players and place it on himself, while in turn upping his pressure on the players behind closed doors. It will be a big change, but after playoff disappointment after playoff disappointment, it may be a good change for the organization. One key for the Canucks will be keeping Ryan Kesler healthy. Kesler is a world-class player at his best, but has not come close to being healthy the past three seasons, spending an enormous amount of time injured. The Sedin twins will put up their points, and Alex Burrows will too. A lot of pressure will rest on David Booth, Zack Kassian and Chris Higgins, who will have to supply the crucial secondary scoring. I believe free-agent pick-up Mike Santorelli could wind up playing an important role for them by the end of the season, but he first needs to develop consistency. Kevin Bieksa anchors a solid defensive corps with the likes of Jason Garrison and Dan Hamhuis behind him. The Canucks, more specifically Tortorella, will probably still look to upgrade the defensive corps, but Torts has a way of getting a lot out of his young players.

We will see if the teams of the Pacific will be able to shake their ever-growing history of playoff failure, and match LA is the Cup win column. Thanks for reading, and please stop back tomorrow as we finish our season preview with the newly formed Metropolitan Division. For now, we leave you with our picks for the three automatic division playoff bids:

Anaheim Ducks

Los Angeles Kings

San Jose Sharks

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Chris Dazen & Patrick Riley
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NBA Greatest Moments:Jordan & the Jazz

September 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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Now, I’m a Bulls lover, and a Michael Jordan enthusiast, however whether you share the passion, I’m sure we can all agree that when MJ announced his retirement, we knew basketball wouldn’t be the same. And this final shot proved to really let that thought fester and force us to never forget his legacy on the game.

On this day, the Utah Jazz had the Delta Center PACKED to capacity, and everyone knew the ball would end up in Jordan’s hands to do what he does best in the final seconds of close games ─ win the game. Chicago believed in him and trusted him, and the Bulls’ bench knew this decision was a no-brainer. He was the NBA’s worst-kept secret, however nobody could find a way to contain him. (This is why he is considered G.O.A.T.).

What was special about this play is that no plays needed to be called. All Jordan needed was the ball and some time to do his thing. You would’ve thought the Jazz would have already learned that when the game is on the line, and there’s more pressure on him than the deepest depths of the Pacific Ocean, that’s when His Royal Airness comes out of hibernation.

Michael-Jordan-going-1-on-1-against-Bryon-RussellWith the Bulls behind by three points in the final minute or so of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, MJ scores on a drive to the basket. In the immediate following play, MJ rips up Karl Malone and brings the ball back downcourt. Now, don’t get me wrong, Bryon Russell is one of the greatest defensive players of ALL time (at least to me he is), but Super Michael made it seem like Russell was taking a lesson from the Gods. With a beautiful pullback (and possible slight push), MJ knocks down the game-winning 20-footer with 5.2 seconds remaining to give the Bulls an 87-86 win to cap off the repeat of the 3-peat!

MJ had done it. Finishing with 45 points, he takes home his sixth MVP award in eight years and leaves us with the most beautiful goodbye letter with this final shot. “Let’s face it, we all hopped on Michael’s back. He just carried us,” Bulls sharpshooter Steve Kerr recalls. “That guy is just ridiculous. He is so good it’s scary.”

Psh…YEA, HE IS!!

“As soon as Russell reached, he gave me a clear lane. I made my initial drive, and he bit on it, and I stopped, pulled up and I had an easy jump shot,” Jordan said. “I had a great look, and it went in. Once it went in I knew from that point on, we’ve been hanging around long enough, it was the game-winning basket, and it was a matter of playing solid defense. Our defense has held us strong all series, we wouldn’t be in this scenario without the defense. All we had to do was play defense for 5.8 seconds, and I knew we could do that.”

Said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, “You can’t afford to give them second chances, with Michael Jordan out there, he was going to make the plays, he was able to do that and you live with that.”

Cheers to the greatest memory of the great Michael Jordan and his final shot…in a Bulls jersey.

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Malcolm Branch
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The Cover 4 Greatest Basketball Moments: The “One-Two” Step

September 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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The night was March 300, 1997. In the red corner you have His Royal Airness himself, Michael Jordan. Jordan was set to make an appearance at the brand new Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia. In the blue corner you have the young rookie, whom we know as “The Third- Degree,” aka “AI,” aka “The Answer,” aka “Me, Myself and Iverson,” but most commonly addressed simply as Allen Iverson. It’s every young hooper’s dream to make it to the League and compete against those whom they look up to, with the hopes of even teaching THEM a thing or too. Unfortunately, the only time 90 percent of us can “live” that dream is when we turn on our game systems. But for Iverson, this night would provide AI with the opportunity to showcase one of the greatest moments in basketball history.

The initial hesitation-stutter crossover exposed MJ’s lack of balance in comparison to the much quicker AI. After Mike regroups himself, Iverson then gives Jordan one more crossover, plus a sidestep and then pulls up for a free-throw line jumper…SWISH!

Now, naturally, being a Bulls fan and a lover of all things Jordan, I felt like my ankles had been broken in spirit with MJ. But nonetheless, this play capped off a tremendous rookie campaign for this Rookie of the Year. Who would have thought such a simple one-two crossover can leave such a memorable impression?

Now, we have all heard word by now about AI OFFICIALLY announcing his retirement this past week (despite being absent from any global roster since the 2010-’11 season). Even though this potential/possible/”questionable” (all pun intended) HOF inductee may not have been able to afford a burger last year, he answered the questions of all doubters and left rich moments that will forever be remembered.

Cheers to Allen Iverson!

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NHL Fantasy Preview!

January 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Where does Malkin sit on the list of top centers for 2013?

Where does Malkin sit on the list of top centers for 2013?

With the lockout now over, the NHL is prepping for a marathon sprint of a season. With a 48-game schedule in the works and due to be released in the next day or so, the wheels of hockey are once again churning, and it is almost time to drop the puck. For those of us who play fantasy hockey, if you’re like me, you’ve probably not kept up with any of the players playing overseas, and have not had a chance to make your “big board” for your draft. Since autopick is never an option, here is your crash course for your top picks for your fantasy drafts. Please keep in mind these rankings are for standard scoring leagues.

Claude Giroux

Claude Giroux

Center

1. Evgeni Malkin – Pittsburgh

*Coming off of an MVP season in the NHL last year, Malkin has continued his dominance overseas in the KHL posting 65 points in 37 games during the lockout. With a healthy Sidney Crosby back in the fold, look out.

2. Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh

*Speak of the devil, Crosby is primed to terrorize the NHL like he did prior to suffering multiple concussions. The best player in the world is back and healthy for the first time in two-and-a-half years, and with the short season, his point production heavily outweighs the risk of injury for your team.

3. Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay

*Stamkos is working his way to the prime of his career, and the goal scoring machine is usually a fast starter during the season, if he’s around when your pick is up, he’s a pretty safe pick.

4. Claude Giroux – Philadelphia

*While Giroux will push Crosby, Malkin and company for the scoring title and MVP, he was injured with another concussion while playing in Germany. He left his team a month or so ago to go seek help from Dr. Ted Carrick, the same doctor who helped return Sidney Crosby for good. While Giroux should be good to go, the injuries are a point of concern.

5. Henrik Sedin – Vancouver*Either Sedin is always a good pick up in fantasy. They always post globs of points and Henrik is terrific at faceoffs, but hits and PIMs are going to be hard to come by.

6. John Tavares – New York (Islanders)

*A budding superstar in the NHL, Tavares is a fantastic all-around talent and plays in every situation. He is the type of player that can keep your team competitive when you’re having the fantasy-dreaded “off week”.

7. Eric Staal – Carolina

*Staal has been around seemingly forever, but at age 28, he is in the prime of his career. Always a top fantasy player, the Hurricanes’ lineup will be bolstered by the addition of Jordan Staal, and that may energize Eric as well.

8. David Backes – St. Louis

*Backes could be a great sleeper pick. Not too many casual hockey fans know about him, but he makes a great addition to any team. While he won’t be pushing 100 points, even in an 82-game season, Backes is consistent point producer and plays with an edge helping out your hits and PIMs.

9. Brad Richards – New York (Rangers)

*Don’t let the addition of Rick Nash to the Rangers fool you, this is still a John Tortorella coached team and defense comes first. Thank being said, Richards is one of the premier passers in the league and is playing with Nash and Marian Gaborik.

10. Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles

*Kopitar burst on to the national scene last season during the Kings’ run to the Stanley Cup. Kopitar though has always been a valuable fantasy player and looks only to continue that trend this season.

Alex Ovechkin

Alex Ovechkin

Left Wingers

1. Alex Ovechkin – Washington

*The great 8 will be looking to burst out of the gates the season and one can expect that first year Caps coach Adam Oates will unleash Ovechkin without restriction. Looking to return to form and just oozing with talent and skill. Despite previous down seasons, Ovi is still a good choice as a top pick.

2. Ilya Kovalchuk – New Jersey

*Kovalchuk really came into his own as a Devil last season, and despite losing team captain Zach Parise through free agency, Kovalchuk looks to pick up right where he left off for the Eastern Conference champion Devils.

3. James Neal – Pittsburgh

*After a dreadful late 2010-’11  with the Pens after coming over from Dallas, Neal enjoyed a terrific full season with Pittsburgh last year posting 40 goals and 81 points. Oh yeah, he’ll be working a power play unit with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

4. Daniel Sedin – Vancouver

*See Henrik Sedin, subtract faceoffs

5. Milan Lucic – Boston

*Lucic is coming into the season healthy and that is huge for the style that he plays. Lucic will be a force at even strength and on the power play and will add to your fantasy teams toughness stats such as hits and PIMs

6. Zach Parise – Minnesota

*I wouldn’t expect Parise to come out of the gates hot. He spent his entire career with Jersey and now that he is in his first year with the Wild, you have to account for an adjustment period. With Parise’s talent and work ethic, don’t pencil in TOO much time to adjust, he will be a solid pick for any team sooner rather than later.

7. Taylor Hall – Edmonton

*With the shortened schedule, young guys like Hall and his Oiler teammates could be surprise names at the top of the scoring charts. Hall has improved his play every year since being the first overall pick in 2010. If Hall can stay healthy, he has the potential to be one of your team’s top players.

8. Scott Hartnell – Philadelphia

*The long-maned Hartnell will miss departed future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr from his line, but playing with Claude Giroux still bodes well for Hartnell’s fantasy line. Hartnell also isn’t afraid of  a little confrontation  and gets significant power play time.

9. Rick Nash – New York (Rangers)

*While the newly acquired Nash could be a force in the stats, his attitude (at times) mixed with coach Tortorella’s attitude (at times) may not be a good mixture and with Torts running an extremely defensive minded team, the fantasy points by Nash may come at a slower clip than expected.

10. Loui Eriksson – Dallas

*Eriksson is bar none the most underrated player in the NHL today. With a ton of size and a great skill set, he will flourish offensively with the additions of Derek Roy and Jaromir Jagr to the Stars and the emergence of Stars’ star Jamie Benn

Patrick Kane

Patrick Kane

Right Wing

1. Phil Kessel – Toronto

*This may be the year that Toronto finally reaches the postseason,and Phil Kessel will be a big part of that. After finding his scoring stride early last year, he anchored the Leafs top line through a tantalizing three-quarters  of a season before the Leafs collapsed and fell out of contention. Look for Kessel and the Leafs to come out of the gates hot again.

2. Patrick Sharp – Chicago

*Sharp has the ability to play any forward position and is a consistent point producer. He will add to your team’s entire offensive stat line and plus-minus as well.

3. Corey Perry – Anaheim

*Entering a contract year, Perry will look to get off to a great start. If you can overcome the plus-minus stat that is sure to be lousy from playing on Anaheim’s lousy team, Perry will be a great draft choice. A 50-goal scorer and former MVP, he should still look every bit of each of those.

4. Tyler Seguin – Boston

*Another budding superstar in the league, the blazing fast Seguin sees time in every situation for the Bruins. Look for him to be a consistent producer of every good stat your fantasy league has to offer.

5. Jarome Iginla – Calgary

*While entering the twilight of his career, Iginla can still play at a high level. He may be a good investment pick seeing as he will still produce with Calgary’s OK team, but should the Flames fall out of contention, Iginla may be moved to a contender.

6. Jordan Eberle – Edmonton

*While he hasn’t put his skills together to the fullest yet and pushed the Ovechkins and Malkins of the league for a scoring title, Eberle has still been a consistent young star with the upstart Oilers. With the likes of Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakapov, and Ryan Whitney playing with Eberle, the point potential is there.

7. Patrick Kane – Chicago

*After an off season, Kane looks back to return to his dynamic form  from the Cup winning season. Loaded with talent and playing with Jonathan Toews, Kane is another safe, proven pick for your team.

8. Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay

*A perennial fantasy stud, St. Louis is getting older, however he still provides valuable production for any fantasy team even in the most competitive of leagues. Playing with Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier won’t hurt either.

9. Jeff Skinner – Carolina

*Skinner is another young emerging star that the NHL boasts, however he has had injury trouble the last couple years. Being a smaller player, he faces that risk, but the additions of Jordan Staal and Alex Semin to the Hurricanes should offer more time and space for Skinner.

10. Joe Pavelski – San Jose

*A type of under-the-radar player, Pavelski has seen better and better seasons each year he has been around. Although he is listed as a winger, he also sees time at center, adding to your squad’s faceoff stats.

Erik Karlsson

Erik Karlsson

Defense

1.Erik Karlsson – Ottawa

*The defending Norris Trophy winner, and deservedly so, Karlsson is primed for another great season. Although Ottawa’s season was somewhat of an overachievement last year, a lot of its  success hinges on Karlsson. He will see plenty of ice time and will put up a ton of points.

2. Kris Letang – Pittsburgh

*After an injury-derailing season last year, Letang looks to get back on track as an elite defender in the NHL. Before concussion issues sidelined him last year, Letang was neck-and-neck with Karlsson for the defensive scoring lead and Norris consideration. As far as fantasy goes, Letang may not put up as many points playing on a star-studded Penguins team, but Letang plays with more of an edge than Karlsson, so his PIMs will help, and his +/- will probably be better as well.

3. Dustin Byfuglien – Winnipeg

*All around talent aside, Byfuglien brings versatility to your lineup, as well as Winnipeg’s. In most leagues, he is listed as a defenseman and a winger. Although he will see the occasional forward shift with the Jets, he is a top pairing defenseman. This bodes well for your team if he is on it because you can slot him in a forward position, while he is playing defense, therefore he sees more ice time. His style of play sees him stock up on a ton hits and shots, along with working the point on the power play.

4. Brian Campbell – Florida

*A solid overall pickup every year, expect a pump in Campbell’s numbers coming off of a solid year last season. The Panthers were an underrated squad last year, and took the eventual Eastern Conference champion Devils to double OT of Game 7 in their series. Campbell’s fantasy numbers dropped late last season, so as a veteran, he may benefit from the short season.

5. Zdeno Chara – Boston

*Chara is a fantasy stud year after year and this season should be no different. One of the safest picks on D as his production is consistent and being a behemoth, his durability is of little concern.

6. Shea Weber – Nashville

*While Weber is still the premier total package defenseman in the league today, the loss of Ryan Suter via free agency could hurt Weber’s fantasy numbers. Don’t be surprised if, in typical Predators’ fashion, the next man steps up (Kevin Klein), and Weber and the Preds don’t miss a beat.

7. Alex Pietrangelo – St. Louis

*This will be the year that Pietrangelo solidifies himself as a top-tier defenseman in the NHL. Benefitting from the great coaching of Ken Hitchcock, the Blues rode Hitch all the way to the playoffs last season. In a jam-packed Western Conference and Central Division, the young Blues team is primed to make a run this season, and Pietrangelo will be a catalyst for that. A wildcard in terms of fantasy players, Pietrangelo sees a ton of ice time for the Blues in all situations, but the Blues have been inconsistent in the scoring department winning a lot of goaltending duels.

8. Dan Boyle – San Jose

*Another perennial fantasy producer, Boyle is in good position to put up another good season with the Sharks. Boyle is not an overwhelmingly physical player, but he puts a ton of pucks on net, works the point on the power play and has a great outlet pass that can set some of the younger Sharks’ players up to score off the rush. Expect his plus-minus, assists and power play Points to compete for best in the league, however don’t expect a ton of goals.

9. Ryan Suter – Minnesota

*Suter is finally out from the Shea Weber shadow he played his entire career under and is now the top dog on the Minnesota Wild blueline. While he may not see too much of an increase in time on the power play, expect an increase in shots, goals and assists, now that he won’t have to defer to Weber. The only caveat to his fantasy numbers maybe his plus-minus seeing as the Wild are not nearly as sound defensively or in net as the Predators were with Suter.

10. Drew Doughty – Los Angeles

*Doughty is looking to build off of an impressive run to the Cup with the Kings last season, that saw him provide some splash plays. Doughty’s offensive numbers will be there as he quarterbacks the Kings top power play unit, but defensively he is not on an elite level yet. While still young and learning the position, Doughty’s fantasy value can vary from offensive specialist to all-around stud.

Jonathan Quick

Jonathan Quick

Goalies

1.Henrik Lundqvist – New York (Rangers)

*Coming off an exceptional year that saw him win the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender and garner serious MVP consideration, look for more of the same from King Henrik this season. The Rangers play a stifling defense-first system and sport an impressive core of young defensive talent who gained some valuable experience last year with the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. The addition of Rick Nash will also help Lundqvist as it will be hard for the other team to get quality scoring chances on him while they are playing more defense in their own end.

2. Jonathan Quick – Los Angeles

*Last year’s Conn Smythe winner, Quick was no doubt the single biggest reason that the Kings not only won the Cup, but even made the playoffs. Quick backstopped an abysmal Kings’ offense by posting shutout after shutout last season and keeping every game within reach for the Kings to win. Once the Kings found their scoring touch, well the rest is history. Look for Quick to see less shots per game this season behind a defending champion Kings team that is only getting better.

3. Pekka Rinne – Nashville

*Although the Preds lost a top-pairing defenseman in Ryan Suter, expect this season to be more of the same Nashville Predators perseverance against all odds type of year. Although, aside from Shea Weber, the Predators lack superstar power up front, Rinne is a superstar caliber player, destined to toil in the anonymity of Nashville in the NHL. Rinne will be available in many leagues for a while, while bigger names come off the board. Don’t be afraid to take Rinne over the likes of Ward, Fleury or even Luongo.

4. Mike Smith – Phoenix

*Another leader of a band of misfits, the Phoenix Coyotes will go as far as Mike Smith takes them. From a fantasy perspective, Smith may not post the most shutouts, but his goals against average and save percentage will be tough to match. Smith could even compete for the Vezina this year if Phoenix has another outstanding year.

5. Jaroslav Halak – St. Louis

*Halak is another solid overall choice and shutout machine playing in a defensive system. Halak has proven himself as a big time goalie in Montreal and St. Louis, single-handedly shutting down the likes of Malkin, Ovechkin, and Crosby in playoff series. One problem that presents itself with Halak is the stellar play of his goaltending partner, Brian Elliot. The tandem posted outstanding numbers last year and although Halak’s stellar play earned him the starting gig, Elliot’s play earned him significant playing time, even in a backup role.

6. Cory Schneider – Vancouver

*Schneider is in line for his first season as a starter in the NHL after overtaking the much maligned Roberto Luongo as the starter in Vancouver. Although Luongo’s play has been wildly inconsistent, Schneider’s outstanding play down the stretch last season cemented his role as starter this season and forcing the Canucks hand in probably dealing Luongo. With amazing talent himself while getting the majority of the starts, Schneider will be playing behind one of the best defensive corps in the game, so expect his wins to be near the top of the league along with his goals against average.

7. Ryan Miller – Buffalo

*Buffalo’s only hope at a successful season, Miller is looking to rebound off a sub-par season for himself. Miller is one of the most talented goaltenders in the league and arguably the most valuable to his team. If Miller’s save percentage and goals against numbers are in good standing, so will his, and Buffalo’s wins. You can also expect Miller to face a lot of shots playing behind a less than overwhelming Sabres offense.

8. Carey Price – Montreal

*Price is a phenomenal talent that has people drawing comparisons between him and Patrick Roy. Although he isn’t quite in the same breath as Roy, he is a fantastic goalie on an average team. Price’s shots faced and save percentage look to be quite high, although his wins and goals against average may leave a lot to be desired playing behind the Habs skaters.

9. Tuukka Rask – Boston

*After losing his starting job to the enigmatic Tim Thomas and seeing Thomas post one of the best seasons from a goalie in recent history, Rask has his starting job back with Thomas sitting out the year because he’s a complete weirdo. This, however, doesn’t change the fact that Rask is a terrific goaltender playing on a great team. Rask’s stat line probably won’t feature one mind-blowing stat after another but will see a solid line all the way across. Rask is not an ideal workhorse for a fantasy team but can be a tremendous compliment to your main keeper.

10. Marc-Andre Fleury – Pittsburgh

*Ok, forget about the redonkulous playoff series loss to the Flyers last year. Fleury is a perennial  regular season stud. Last season, many of the Penguins players were pushing for Fleury to receive MVP and Vezina consideration. While teammate Evgeni Malkin won the MVP and Fleury wound up with consideration for neither award, he still posted a fantastic regular season. This season, Fleury has the privilege of playing behind the likes of Crosby, Malkin, James Neal and Kris Letang, just to name a few. Fleury may be a fantasy trap though as he will not put up too many shutouts and his save percentage and shots faced will not be overwhelming, however his wins, and goals against average may be too good to pass up.

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All We Want for Christmas is Hockey: Top 10 Most Missed Players

December 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Henrick Lundqvist makes a beauty of a save! Where is he on our top 10?

Henrick Lundqvist makes a beauty of a save! Where is he on our top 10?

It is now mid-December and the NHL and NHLPA not only have yet to strike deal for a new collective bargaining agreement, but seem to be taking steps backwards as some of the biggest egos in professional sports continue to make this lockout about themselves and not the game. We are all frustrated as hell, and are sick to death of the daily public relations battles taking place in the media. So today, I’ve put together a list of the Top 10 players I miss watching play on a nightly basis.

10. Jordan Eberle – forward, Edmonton Oilers

Jordan Eberle is a fantastic young player and the captain-In-waiting for the young upstart Edmonton Oilers. The 22-year-old winger has put up some pretty good numbers throughout his brief NHL career, playing in 147 games and posting 52 goals and 67 assists for 119 points. More impressive than his stat line is actually watching this kid play. He is truly one of the smartest hockey players in the league today. I have said it once, and I will say it a thousand more times, Eberle is going to give the Crosby- Malkin- Ovechkin- Stamkos – Giroux group a run for their money as best player in the world sooner rather than later. Eberle has a knack for scoring big goals and always seems to be one step ahead of the play. His on-ice demeanor is reminiscent of Steve Yzerman…. perhaps one of the best compliments you can pay to a player.

9. Shea Weber – defenseman, Nashville Predators

If I am starting a franchise tomorrow, Weber would be the first defenseman I pick up if I have the chance. He is one of those players who dominates in nearly every facet of the game. He is big, strong, fast and skilled. Weber is the type of player that you create on your favorite video game to just dominate everyone. Weber has a supersonic shot, a snarly style of physicality and deservedly-so wears the “C” on his sweater in Nashville. He IS their franchise, especially since signing that massive blockbuster free agency deal in the offseason. You pretty much have to have the NHL Center Ice package to ever see him play as Nashville is the NHL equivalent to the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. They’re the team you always forget exists because they are never on TV and national newsworthy news rarely comes out of there, but Shea Weber is reason enough to tune in to Preds games if you have the opportunity. He is the prototypical defenseman in the league today, and the measuring stick for all others at his position

8. Pavel Datsyuk – forward, Detroit Red Wings

Entering the twilight era of his career, Datsyuk is still a treat to watch. By far the slickest player in the NHL, his hands are a gift from the hockey gods. I miss seeing Pavel trapped in a corner and tiptoe out through the defenders by putting a couple quick moves on his man, turning them inside out, then proceeding to generate a prime scoring chance.Lets face it, he finishes the play more times than not. The creativity with the puck that Datsyuk shows in one-on-one situations and shootouts is unparalleled in the league today. Quite honestly, he makes some of the best defenders and goalies in the league look ridiculous. Datsyuk and fellow Red Wing Henrik Zetterberg are the reigning faces of Hockeytown, which is reason enough to tune in to watch them play. But the flash that Datsyuk has mixed with his flare for showing how skilled he is should make any hockey fan miss watching him. In addition to the skill, he is often times nominated for the Lady Byng trophy for most gentlemanly player, so you don’t have to deal with a Sidney Crosby-esque yapping at the officials or Sean Avery-esque shenanigans.

7. Alex Ovechkin – forward, Washington Capitals

Despite The Great 8’s drop in production over the last couple seasons, there are few players as fun to watch as Ovechkin. His combination of size, speed and skill is truly unique. He has a laser beam of a shot that has the accuracy of Bruce Lee’s nunchucks and can be one of the most in-your-face players in the league. He is one of the few players in the league that keeps the crowd on the edge of their seat, no matter what arena in which he’s playing. Another aspect of Ovechkin’s game that makes him fun to watch is how physically involved he gets in games, which is rare for a star player of his caliber. He does not back down from anyone and can even take on the role of agitator, just ask Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Scott Hartnell. Ovechkin at his best is the most entertaining player to watch in the league but unfortunately over the past few seasons, Ovi at his best seems to come out only occasionally and he has had trouble consistently playing at a level that saw him pot 60 goals in a season.

6. Erik Karlsson – defenseman, Ottawa Senators

The smooth-skating Karlsson is another member of the up-and-comers club in the NHL and is coming off of his breakout season. The 22-year-old Swede finished third in the 2011-2012 season in assists with 59, and tenth in the NHL in points with 78 points in 81 games. His efforts were acknowledged with a Norris Trophy nomination for best defenseman in the league. Karlsson is a treat to watch because of his skating. He can move up and down the rink nearly effortlessly. Karlsson also has a mad offensive prowess and is a nightmare for penalty killers to defend on the power play. His shot won’t overwhelm goalies but his accuracy is surgeon-like. He can put a pass on his teammates tape from 150 feet away, or he can skate the puck out of trouble if needed. Although he is not physically dominant in his own zone, he sees the game well enough to play sound positional defense. When this youngster is playing, he jumps out at you and is a standout on a nightly basis.

5. Zdeno Chara – defenseman, Boston Bruins

“Big Z”, as he is known to teammates and friends, is a monster in multiple ways. Towering above the league at 6 feet 9 and 255 pounds, Chara is an imposing force on the back end for the Bruins. A full display of his physical strength was on display when he nearly killed Montreal’s Max Pacioretty when he checked him into the stanchion between the two teams’ benches. In addition to his freakish physical specs, Chara is a dangerous player and fun to watch because of his skill. He has the hardest slap shot in the league and he uses it quite often. He is an anchor on the Bruins power play and has the numbers to justify all the ice time he gets. I also enjoy watching Chara skate up and down the ice. With his long swooping strides, he may not be the most graceful player, but he certainly is effective.

4. Henrik and Daniel Sedin – forwards, Vancouver Canucks

The twins have been running the show in Vancouver ever since they were drafted second and third overall in the 1999 entry draft. For those of you who have never had a chance to watch these two play together, do yourself a favor and hit up YouTube and watch the mastery that the twins have in the offensive zone. Perhaps as a duo, the Sedins are the most creative and inventive playmakers in the league, tending to leave defenders befuddled and looking foolish. The two have been playing on the same line their ENTIRE life and it shows. They know where each other are at all times on the ice and together generate at least a couple tic-tac-toe or give-and-go plays per game. The Canucks pushed Boston to Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Bruins, so in their 40-year existence , the Canucks have yet to capture a Cup. The brothers are in starting the downside of their careers, even though one of the brothers is always in the hunt for a scoring title and any hopes that Vancouver has rests on the shoulders of the Sedins and whichever goalie is in-between the pipes. I really wish we could watch them on their quest for glory in North America instead of the Swedish Elite League.

3. Claude Giroux – forward, Philadelphia Flyers

Giroux is coming off a fantastic season in which he emerged as one of the true superstars in this league, finishing third overall in scoring with 93 points, despite missing five games with a concussion last season. Giroux was partly responsible for the re-emergence of former superstar Jaromir Jagr when he played with Giroux and Scott Hartnell last season. Philadelphia is perhaps one of the most hostile environments in all of sports and Giroux flourishes there. He brings the mob to their feet on a nightly basis with his incredible display of skill and brains. Over the past couple seasons, Giroux has emerged as Philadelphia’s heart and soul, and a great antithesis to Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Giroux can play with those guys and once the puck drops again on an NHL season, Giroux will once again insert himself into the conversation of world’s best player, as long as the Crosby-like concussion issue that he currently is dealing with clears up. Having been injured playing in Germany during the lockout, Giroux has returned to the States to seek similar treatment as Crosby had with his well-documented concussion issues.

2. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin – forwards, Pittsburgh Penguins

Two of the games utmost elite talents, entering the prime of their careers and both having played the best hockey of their careers recently, what’s not to love about these two? We all remember the other-worldly tear that Sidney Crosby was on before his concussion problems derailed the better part of the next two seasons. We also remember Evgeni Malkin putting on GameShark for the 2009 playoffs and leading the Penguins to the Stanley Cup. Last season, Malkin had the goal of the year (which was one of 50 that he scored all year) and won the scoring title and MVP. At the ages of 25 and 26, Crosby and Malkin have won every noteworthy award between the two of them; Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe, Rocket Richard Trophy, Lester B. Pearson award and so on and so forth. Pundits of the game have had one of these two as the best player in the game for the past three seasons or so. Both are one of a kind talents and bring different aspects to each game for the Penguins. Malkin has a blistering shot and has won the accuracy shooting at the All Star game, while Crosby is a cerebral assassin, and uses his brain as a weapon, always seeming to be in the right spot. These two are separately worth the price of admission each night, but together, it is the best deal in hockey.

  1. Henrik Lundqvist – goaltender, New York Rangers

King Henrik, for my money, is the most exciting player to watch in the NHL. He plays the toughest position in professional sports, in one of the toughest and most historic arenas in history, for one of the most demanding coaches in the league and he excels. Fresh off his Vezina Trophy victory last season for best goaltender in the league, Lundqvist will be looking to get off to a hot start next season. His play last season was truly MVP-worthy and his dominance in the playoffs helped the Rangers push the Devils to six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, only being bested by the best netminder of my generation, Martin Brodeur. There is nothing in the game more fun to watch than a goaltender put on a brilliant display in a game, and Lundqvist does it nightly. The Rangers are an Original Six team having had many great players throughout their existence, and Lundqvist is surely up there with some of the best. Henrik is one of those rare goalies that could easily be his teams captain, and garners the respect of his coaches, teammates, fans and media alike.

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Thank you for reading The Cover 4! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

Oh yeah, tell your friends too!

Pat Davis
Sports Activist for The Cover 4
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Filed Under: Hockey Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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