ASK SLAM!
By CHRIS NICHOLS -- SLAM! Sports
Hi Chris, before I ask my question, I just wanted to say that I... (Scratch that)...we really appreciate your insight and advice. I have written to you often and every time you have replied, frankly I don't know how you do it, since you probably get tons of mail. In any case I simply wanted to say thank you. Now to my question, I was offered a trade and here are the players involved. My players: T. Bertuzzi & P. Datsyuk. His players: B. Leetch & M. St. Louis. I would go for it but the only hic-up is Leetch, I don't know if he will last the rest of the season and need I say that he's on an underachieving team.
Thanks Pratik.
Thank-you. I do get quite a bit of email each day, but I make it a point to give everyone a response. I should point out again to everyone though, that only emails with subject lines related to hockey will be opened.
Onto your trade: do not do it. I like Leetch to be productive for the rest of the season and St. Louis is also going to produce, but Bertuzzi is in a whole different class above them both. Datsyuk is also pretty nice.
Hi Chris, Great work! I am in a bind. I am currently 6th but only 5 points from first. My goalies are hurting. I have Ozzie (who has stunk), Esche (hurt) and Vokoun (OK). I can deal for Weekes or Nabokov. I am leaning towards Nabokov. I have Thornton, Jagr, Heatley, and Savard as trade bait. Would you trade any of them for these goalies? He wants Jagr, but I am leaning towards Thornton. My plus minus is in the tank (-35 already). PS: Dunham hasn't saved the pathetic Rangers!
Thanks Dave
Nabokov is probably the best bet, mostly because he should win more games than Weekes. I would try to get him without giving up one of those four players though. You'll need that offense to get to first too.
Hey Chris, I need your help once again. I'm in an 18-person Yahoo H2H with all major stats counting. I have been offered Hejduk and Lalime for Tkachuk and Nurminen. I'm deep on LW (Naslund and Havlat) and need scoring help on the RW. What do you think?
Thanks again, Steve
Take that deal immediately. Hejduk is great and Lalime, although having some rough games lately, still is the #1 guy on a great team.
Chris, I went against your advice and now I'm paying the price. I am now crawling back to you for help! I dealt Theodore for Thornton and while I now love my centers with him and Forsberg, my goalies have collapsed. After Esche went down, that meant my only solid goalie left was Nabokov, what with Turek been getting lit up and word coming out of Edmonton that Conklin has beaten out my Salo. So do I hang with these guys and see if Turek or Salo get dealt to a better situation or do I go to the wire (it's ugly there though - Mason, Potvin, Divis, Anderson, Markannen, Caron and I guess the new Philly guy when Yahoo adds him). Are there any undervalued goalies that might get hot that I could seek in trade? My only saving grace is I'm doing well in the goalie cat's and am a few games ahead of the pace.
Thanks, Chris
That's not much to choose from. I assume guys like Biron, DiPietro and Kipper are taken already. I wish you hadn't dealt Theodore. There's not much you can do right now. I wouldn't be rushing to start either Turek or Salo, although both guys are still capable of good games. Goalie value from owner to owner is relative, so you'll just have to feel out your league and see who you might get on the cheap.
Chris: I'm leading our pts only pool thanks to your advice. My roster: R.Blake, Sakic, Tanguay, Forsberg, Datsyuk, Lindros, Heatley, Demitra, Antropov, Naslund, Bertuzzi, B.Morrison. I have been asked to give up: Iginla, Kovalev, and Mccabe to obtain Kovalchuk, Lidstrom, and Modin. The offer is from the G/M 38pts behind me. The problem is I'd love to have Kovalchuk but Iginla is hot and I think I may be giving up too much, just to get the 1 guy I really want. Your advice Fantasy Guru?
Thanks Grapes
I would generally advise guys that are in first to not tinker with their roster by trading a bunch of people. Generally, you'll regret it by the end of the year. In this case, I would target Kovalchuk and give up Kovalev and a lesser player. I would also keep Iggy if I was in your spot.
I need some advice on the status of Mogilny...is it time to pick him up again before everyone expects him to be back?
MH
I'd probably grab him. He should be back after the All Star break or thereabout.
Chris: Thanks for your great help! I know you're not a fan of Pasi Nurminen (except Wins) and I was looking to trade him to somebody with woeful goaltending. I have Roloson, Khabibulin and Grahame as well. I could deal Pasi for maybe Lidstrom or Kariya (am I crazy to make those offers?) and pick up Kiprusoff. Should I do it?
Mike in CT
I would act quickly. If you can't get someone in a deal, drop Nurminen and grab Kipper. What you can get for Nurminen totally depends on the marketplace. I've seen crazier trades go down. By the way, I actually am a fan of Nurminen's play - just not in fantasy.
Hi Chris: I can really use your help here. I'm 2nd place in a keeper league, 28 pts out of 1st. Points are awarded on goals and assists only. I've got an offer where I can pick up Conroy and St.Louis for Doan, 2nd rookie pick, and K.Primeau. Pointwise, I see an improvement with Conroy over Primeau, but St.Louis and Doan is a push. I lose youth here obviously. Would you do it? And how many points is Conroy good for?
Thanks, Anthony Laaper
I wouldn't do it. Doan and St. Louis are very similar, but I'd rather have the pick than Conroy. He's been too sporadic offensively this season for my taste.
Chris, I'm in a total points keeper pool, and would like to know the status of Chistov (Anaheim) and what's your take on his future in the bigs. Thanks for the advice and enjoy your columns.
------Gunner
Chistov is in the minors and I wouldn't hold out much hope for him this season. Long-term, the guy definitely has offensive upside. He just needs to work hard and one day the light bulb will go off and he'll realize what he needs to do in order to succeed at the NHL level.
Have a fantasy hockey question? Drop me a line at
chris_nichols@canoemail.com. I do my best to answer all questions within 24 hours, depending on the volume of emails. Please keep the questions short. Your fantasy questions may be answered in our Ask Slam! section.
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