The Goods: Extreme Makeover Hockey Edition

07/25/2010 11:29 PM -  Ian Gooding

There’s no project like the fixer-upper, because the reward for success is never more satisfying.

It’s like taking an old car left for dead and refurbishing it into that beauty driving down the highway. Or purchasing an old house that has been condemned and renovating it into something that can not only be lived in, but also admired. I don’t fix cars or houses very well (I have only a working knowledge of both, even though I own both), but I’m going to take a stab at refurbishing a fantasy hockey team left for dead.

Since I do not currently run my own dynasty league team (Evan Reynar runs the fantasyhockey.com Experts League keeper team), I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to inherit my own keeper league team, complete with salaries, free agency, and entry draft. The former owner vacated the team after finishing tied for last in with a 4-17-0 record. I don’t let my fantasy league teams slip that far, but it’s clear that I have a lot of work to do if I am to restore this team to contending status. My goal in any league is to finish “in the money,” but judging by the team I have, finishing above .500 for the season will be a success.

As I attempt to put my stamp on this team, I will keep you posted on my progress. If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to post them below.

League facts

12-team head-to-head points league counting G, A, +/-, TOI, GA, SV, L, SO, W. Positions: 3 C, 3 LW, 3 RW, 5 D, 2 G, 3 BN, 5 minor leaguers. $100 million budget.

The first order of business is to sort out the contracts. I’ve separated the players that I would like to keep from the players I don’t want to keep, both for signed and unsigned players.

Free agent “superstars” with expired contracts (projected salary in parentheses)

Roberto Luongo (11.45), Dan Boyle (14.11), Sergei Gonchar (9.24)

These are players who played for the team last season whose contracts have expired. I would only have to match the highest offer in order to keep the player, but other owners have to exceed my highest offer by 20 percent (called the hometown discount). Luongo underachieved last season, so his salary might make sense (I know I’m biased, since I’m a Canucks fan). I would try to keep one of the two defensemen, although Gonchar’s projected salary makes more sense than Boyle’s.

Signed – to keep

Scott Gomez (3.50), Brenden Morrow (1.87), Drew Stafford (2.14), Thomas Vanek (8.41), Ryan Kesler (1.50), Matt Carle (5.03), Kris Letang (1.99), Brent Seabrook (3.38), Paul Martin (2.70), Cam Ward (2.75)

Thank heaven Gomez’s contract isn’t as hefty as his real-life contract. Morrow, Kesler, and Ward offer solid value at their prices, so I will be hanging onto them for sure. I’m high on Martin this season, since he should inherit the Pens’ power play, which should be more to his liking than New Jersey’s. Vanek’s and Carle’s prices are a little high. If Vanek rebounds to 40-goal form, then his salary will make sense. Carle might receive less icetime this season with the glut of d-men that Philly have, but having Chris Pronger as his defense partner should only help.

Signed – salaries too high (would drop or trade at the right price)

Todd White (5.20), Chris Higgins (2.81)

White scored just seven goals and 26 points last season, which was a huge dropoff from 73 points the season before. Higgins scored just 17 points split between the Rangers and Calgary, down from 52 points two seasons before with Montreal.

Unsigned – offer contracts

Evander Kane (2.33), Alex Pietrangelo (1.10), Derick Brassard (2.94)

Both Kane and Pietrangelo offer sleeper potential as young players – the types of players you want on your keeper league team for solid value. Brassard offers potential, but his (-17) ranking last season is cause for concern.

Unsigned – undecided

Kris Russell (3.41) – Russell’s value this season will depend on whether the Jackets walk away from an arbitrator’s ruling for current power-play QB Anton Stralman.

Unsigned – won’t offer contracts

Owen Nolan (0.50), Rostislav Olesz (2.31)

Nolan may have played his last game, as he remains unsigned by an NHL team. Olesz has never scored more than 30 points in a season, which is due to injuries to some degree. Still, the Panthers have to be running out of patience by now.

To draft

Tyler Seguin (0.50) – Since I have the second overall pick in the entry draft, and since Taylor Hall is being selected with the first overall pick, this one only makes sense. Seguin looks like a great player to build my dynasty league team around, considering that I’m very weak at forward.

One last thing: Don’t forget to check back with fantasyhockey.com for the 2010-11 Draft Guide, which should be available around mid-August.

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Compliments? Ideas? Email Ian at ian@fantasyhockey.com. Or follow fantasyhockey.com on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, general hockey discussion, and any fantasy hockey questions that you have. You can also become a fan on Facebook.