Surprises and Demises

With the season nearing its end it is time to look back at the studs and duds of this hockey season. It has been a season full of parity, and many unlikely players have risen to the occasion while some have simply faded into oblivion. In this article I will ignore the obvious studs as well as the obvious duds, as otherwise the article would consist of Alexander Ovechkins and Jeff Cowans.

Surprises:

1. Pascal Leclaire - Columbus, G - Slowed by injuries in the second half, Leclaire was on a torrid pace before concussions got the better of him. Tied with nine shutouts for the NHL lead, Leclaire has also posted a sparkling .919% save percentage on a less than stellar Blue Jackets squadron. He seems to have grown into the goaltender that Columbus was hoping for when they drafted him eighth overall in 2001. Only time will tell if this was simply a fluke year, or Leclaire’s coming out party.

2. Alexei Kovalev - Montreal, RW - Known throughout his career as the constant underachiever, Kovalev seems determined to shed that label this season. The extremely talented Russian is playing with a consistency not seen since his glory days with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is leading his team in almost every category (Points, goals, assists, plus/minus, power play goals) and seems intent on winning. Perhaps he is only trying to market his new skills video, but the Montreal Canadiens certainly aren’t complaining.

3. Brad Boyes - Boston, RW - Essentially traded for nothing in the off-season, he has proven why he was drafted in the first round in 2000 this season. He has cooled off significantly in the second half, however his 38 goals are a stat that simply jump out at you. Playing on a lackluster team like St. Louis means that Boyes hasn’t seen much spotlight, but if he scores like this next year I guarantee many people will take notice.

4. Patrick Sharp - Chicago, LW - Sharp’s stats are somewhat mediocre; however his 7 shorthanded goals are a stat that is unequalled in the NHL this year. He has outscored most teams shorthanded by himself. Sharp seems to have found a rhythm this season and seems to be extremely comfortable playing second fiddle on a Chicago team filled with youngsters. Only time will tell if Chicago has overpaid Sharp on his new extension, but if Sharp continues to produce like this, I’m sure they wont be complaining.

5. Mark Streit - Montreal, LW - The multi-talented Streit (He plays both forward and defense) showed flashes of brilliance last year and was considered a top notch sleeper by some. He has not disappointed. He has posted 54 points, 30 of those coming on the power play. Not bad for a ninth rounder and someone who was largely undrafted in fantasy leagues.

Demises:

1. Jaromir Jagr - New York Rangers, RW - Jaromir Jagr is a supreme talent, when he wants to be. There is no way of telling if Jagr is trying his best, but his showing this season has been very unproductive for his standards. High priced help did nothing to help Jagr (Gomez and Drury), and he lost his line mate Nylander to Washington. Unless Jagr somehow manages to score at a ridiculous pace, he will miss his quota and making him an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Maybe next year Jagr will awaken from his slumber, and if he does, watch out!

2. Sheldon Souray - Edmonton Oilers, D - Perhaps it is unfair to clump Souray into this group, but he surely disappointed all owners who drafted him. In a season stopped short by various injuries, Souray only managed to post 10 points and a tepid -7 rating. Not exactly all star numbers.

3. Marian Hossa - Atlanta Thrasers, RW - Hossa has been relatively uninspired this season, mostly due to the fact that he toiled in Atlanta before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. His first game with the Penguins did not go exactly as planned, as he twisted his ankle. A fitting occurrence in a season where Hossa has looked no where near his best. On pace for over 30 fewer points than last season, Hossa owners are surely unimpressed. A free agent in the coming off-season, he will command at least 7.5 million even after his mediocre season this year.

4. Simon Gagne - Philadelphia Flyers, LW - Much like Souary, Gagne’s season was cut short by a slew of concussions. He was uninspired in the games he played, scoring only 7 goals in 25 games. Not acceptable for a player coming off back-to-back 40 goal seasons.

5. Patrick Marleau - San Jose Sharks, C - This season has been horrendous for the Sharks captain. Expected to produce around 80 points this season, Marleau has posted only 40 in 71 games played. Maybe even more embarrassing is the -16 rating Marleau has somehow obtained on a dominating club. Marleau has been playing “well” of late, and the Sharks sure hope he gets his 6.3 million dollar butt into gear.

That concludes my list of studs and duds, this is purely my opinion and I am sure that many of you do not agree with me. I ignored certain players (Vanek) because of their current pace and others (like Khabibulin) because of their constant underachievement. There are many other players that could be included on this list but I’ve selected only the “best”.

(6 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)  Loading ... Questions or comments for Ben? Post them in the Cafe Forums! Want to see your own fantasy wisdom published? Check out the Cafe's Pencil & Paper section!