Fantasy Hockey Coach - Hockey Pool and Keeper Hockey Advice - Forum - Blogs - Boom City by Assistant Coach Rocca http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/blog.php?358-Boom-City fantasy hockey, hockey pools, fantasy hockey coach, pool guide, hockey pool, nhl, prospects, hockey en Wed, 22 May 2013 02:19:17 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/images/misc/rss.jpg Fantasy Hockey Coach - Hockey Pool and Keeper Hockey Advice - Forum - Blogs - Boom City by Assistant Coach Rocca http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/blog.php?358-Boom-City Wild Wild West http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/entry.php?154-Wild-Wild-West Mon, 23 Jul 2012 03:42:52 GMT With most of the big free agents off the market, save names such as Alex Semin and Shane Doan, the focus of many hockey prognosticators now shifts... With most of the big free agents off the market, save names such as Alex Semin and Shane Doan, the focus of many hockey prognosticators now shifts towards the regular season.

While plenty can still happen between now and puck drop, it's really never too early to start taking a stab at where off-season jostling should land teams within the standings.

This weekend, Boom City takes a good long look at the [B]Western Conference.[/B]

The Western Conference remains the most unpredictable of the NHL's two sides. With Central Division boasting four legitimate playoff regulars and the Pacific Division on the rise, teams in the once-powerful Northwest have seen a recent fall from grace over the past few seasons.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1072[/ATTACH]The [B]St. Louis Blues[/B] came close last season, but this year they will finish the task and claim the top seed in the Western Conference. After falling to the upstart and eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, the Blues have learned a valuable playoff lesson, one that will make them all the more difficult to defeat in 2012-13.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1062[/ATTACH]The[B] Vancouver Canucks[/B] were ousted early in the 2012 playoffs by those same LA Kings. Despite the setback, the Canucks are still a bonafide Stanley Cup contender and will be right back in the mix this season. Don't expect them to claim the division title as easily in years past. Led by Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, Minnesota might just have something to say about that.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1068[/ATTACH]The defending Stanley Cup champion [B]Los Angeles Kings[/B] won't be surprising anyone in 2012-13. With Jonathan Quick in net and what is arguably one of the best top six forwards groups in the NHL, the Kings will once again be a formidable force.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1071[/ATTACH]The [B]Chicago Blackhawks [/B]could be without the services of 2011-12 leading scorer Marian Hossa to start 2012-13, but with a healthy Jonathan Toews, the Hawks will battle St. Louis for the Central Division title. Their only setback? The crease combination featuring Corey Crawford and Ray Emery.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1075[/ATTACH]Many expect the [B]Detroit Red Wings[/B] to fall off the face of the earth in 2012-13 when they will be faced with playing hockey under the reality of doing it without Nicklas Lidstrom. I'm not one of those. Detroit might be a bit thin on the blueline, but with Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk leading the charge upfront and Jimmy Howard in net, the Wings should be primed for another record playoff appearance.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1070[/ATTACH]For many years the [B]San Jose Sharks[/B] were considered annual favorites to challenge for the Stanley Cup. Well, those years are quickly fading away as the team's stars slowly age. Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle are no spring chickens, but they certainly aren't decrepit old men either. The Sharks should manage to scrape into the tight Western playoff scene, but they will have to fight tooth-and-nail in the difficult Pacific Division.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1063[/ATTACH]Many pundits have written the [B]Calgary Flames [/B]off after they once again failed to engage in the rebuild that most experts are calling for. The addition of Jiri Hudler, Roman Cervenka and Dennis Wideman should help the offense, but can the aging Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff continue to be difference makers now that they have both eclipsed 35 years of age?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1065[/ATTACH]The [B]Minnesota Wild[/B] made the most noise of any NHL team this off-season. The acquisitions of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter via free agency instantly make the team much more dangerous. With the infusion of strong youthful talent in the form of Mikael Granlund and possibly Charlie Coyle among others, the Wild, who were one of the Western Conference's top teams in mid-December of 2011, aren't as likely to fizzle out in 2012-13.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1074[/ATTACH]The [B]Nashville Predators[/B] suffered a serious loss when Ryan Suter departed to the aforementioned Wild. Offensive enigma Alexander Radulov departed (again) for the Kontinental League. Just when GM David Poile thought things couldn't get any worse, Shea Weber received a 14 year, $110-million offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers and could also be on the way out. If Weber stays, the Preds have a shot at a playoff spot. If Weber leaves, it will be a long season for coach Barry Trotz and fans in Tennessee.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1061[/ATTACH]The [B]Colorado Avalanche[/B] continue to slowly improve as their young talent develops. Matt Duchene fell to injury in 2011-12, which significantly slowed his performance. A healthy Duchene along with the addition of late-bloomer P-A Parenteau should help bolster the Avs offensively. Greg Zanon will add a much-needed stay-at-home presence on the blueline. With all that being said, Colorado still has a way to go before it can consistently crack the West's top eight.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1069[/ATTACH]The [B]Dallas Stars[/B] were just about a playoff team in 2012. This off-season, with new ownership firmly rooted, GM Joe Nieuwendyk was able to mix things up a bit. Steve Ott is gone but Derek Roy will be in once he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery. Then the 40+ club strolls onto the scene. Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr were Nieuwendyk's two most significant additions this summer and while both performed at a high level in 2011-12, it is only a matter of time before Father Time himself catches up with Whitney and Jagr.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1064[/ATTACH]The slow rebuild in Edmonton continues. Slowly. Nail Yakupov brings yet another dangerous weapon to the Oilers ever-growing arsenal of fire power upfront. Justin Schultz will certainly help the pathetic situation on the Edmonton blueline, but he can't do it all himself. With a thin D-core, Devan Dubnyk needs to prove that he can handle No. 1 minutes in the NHL. If he falters, the Oilers will once again fall short of their playoff goal.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1066[/ATTACH]The [B]Phoenix Coyotes[/B] were ravaged this off-season. 2011-12 leading scorer Ray Whitney left for the division rival Dallas Stars. Franchise heart Shane Doan is still an unrestricted free agent and the unstable ownership situation in the desert seems to have pushed Doan out of Phoenix. Mike Smith had a phenomenal year in 2011-12, but can he maintain such a high level of play?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1067[/ATTACH]The [B]Anaheim Ducks[/B] lost power play quarterback Lubomir Visnovsky via trade and replaced him with the Sheldon Souray, the man with a booming shot and wrists of glass. Bryan Allen also joins Souray on the blueline, coming over via free agency from Carolina. Teemu Selanne returns for a 20th season, exciting news for all around the league. It's too bad that the 'Finnish Flash' won't get a shot at the Stanley Cup in Anaheim.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1073[/ATTACH]Things can't get much worse for the lowly [B]Columbus Blue Jackets[/B]. After last year's total car-bomb of a season, the Jackets have nowhere to go but up. With Sergei Bobrovsky in the mix alongside Steve Mason, the Blue Jackets goaltending situation might not be better, but they at least have a second option if Mason can;t rekindle the magic that netted him a Calder Trophy once upon a time. Ryan Murray should be special to watch on the Columbus blueline, but he alone can't save a ship that has already capsized.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1077[/ATTACH][B]Central Division projection:[/B]
[LIST=1][*]St. Louis Blues[*]Chicago Blackhawks[*]Detroit Red Wings[*]Nashville Predators[*]Columbus Blue Jackets[/LIST]
[B]Northwest Division projection:[/B]
[LIST=1][*][ATTACH=CONFIG]1079[/ATTACH]Vancouver Canucks[*]Calgary Flames[*]Minnesota Wild[*]Colorado Avalanche[*]Edmonton Oilers[/LIST]

[B]Pacific Division projection:[/B]
[LIST=1][*]Los Angeles Kings[*]San Jose Sharks[*]Dallas Stars[*]Phoenix Coyotes[*][ATTACH=CONFIG]1076[/ATTACH]Anaheim Ducks[/LIST]

[B]Western Conference projection:[/B]
[LIST=1][*]St. Louis Blues*[*]Vancouver Canucks*[*]Los Angeles Kings*[*]Chicago Blackhawks[*]Detroit Red Wings[*]San Jose Sharks[*]Calgary Flames[*]Minnesota Wild[*][I]Nashville Predators[/I][*][I][ATTACH=CONFIG]1078[/ATTACH]Colorado Avalanche[/I][*][I]Dallas Stars[/I][*][I]Edmonton Oilers[/I][*][I]Phoenix Coyotes[/I][*][I]Anaheim Ducks[/I][*][I]Columbus Blue Jackets[/I][/LIST]
[COLOR=#3E3E3E][COLOR=#3E3E3E]-30-[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#3E3E3E][COLOR=#3E3E3E]Assistant Coach Rocca[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[URL="https://twitter.com/#!/RoccaFHC"]@RoccaFHC[/URL][COLOR=#3E3E3E][COLOR=#3E3E3E] & [/COLOR][/COLOR][URL="https://twitter.com/manovrboard"]@manovrboard[/URL]

[URL="http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/blog.php?358-Assistant-Coach-Rocca"]Boom City - Assistant Coach Rocca's Blog[/URL]
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]]> Assistant Coach Rocca http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/entry.php?154-Wild-Wild-West Eastern Conference Expectations http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/entry.php?152-Eastern-Conference-Expectations Sun, 15 Jul 2012 20:47:03 GMT With most of the big free agents off the market, save names such as Alex Semin and Shane Doan, the focus of many hockey prognosticators now shifts... With most of the big free agents off the market, save names such as Alex Semin and Shane Doan, the focus of many hockey prognosticators now shifts towards the regular season.

While plenty can still happen between now and puck drop, it's really never too early to start taking a stab at where off-season jostling should land teams within the standings.

This weekend, [I]Boom City[/I] takes a good long look at the [B]Eastern Conference[/B].

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1043[/ATTACH]Don't expect much to change in the Eastern Conference this season. Apart from some reshuffling within the divisions, the powers that be will remain in the conference's top eight seeds.

Despite a first round upset at the hands of the Washington Capitals, the [B]Boston Bruins [/B]remain among the class of the east. With Tuukka Rask taking over in net and the Tim Thomas distraction long over with, expect the Bruins to once again be the cream of the Eastern Conference crop.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1038[/ATTACH]A healthy Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin means the [B]Pittsburgh Penguins[/B] will be a tough train to slow in 2012-13. If Marc-Andre Fleury falters like we witnessed in the 2012 playoffs, Tomas Vokoun is a great insurance policy and could capably carry the team in a way that Brent Johnson failed. The Penguins are my pick as 2013 Stanley Cup victors and Sidney Crosby will bring home his second Art Ross Trophy as league scoring champ.
[LEFT]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1037[/ATTACH]The Adam Oates era in Washington is just beginning and it certainly provides a bright hope for Capitals fans. Expected to allow his superstars, namely Alex Ovechkin, to turn on the offensive guns, Oates and the Capitals have all the tools and fire-power to take the Southeast Division banner. After a breakout performance in the 2012 playoffs, a full year from Braden Holtby will be exciting to watch.[/LEFT]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1048[/ATTACH]The Atlantic Division is possibly the toughest in the league and the Rangers will be hard-pressed to repeats as champions. But with Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist in net, they will certainly be in the mix. Losing Brandon Prust and replacing him with Arron Asham will be a much more significant loss than many might think. Not to mention, the goal-starved Rangers will be without offensive dynamo Marian Gaborik to open the season.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1049[/ATTACH]Looking more and more as though Chris Pronger will be forced to retire, the Flyers lost two studs on the blueline with Matt Carle returning to the Tampa Bay Lightning via free agency. Luke Schenn will help ease the pain, but Pronger is irreplaceable. Philadelphia's success will largely rely on the play of enigmatic netminder Ilya Bryzgalov. I wouldn't be holding my breath.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1039[/ATTACH]The [B]Tampa Bay Lightning[/B] suffered through horrendous goaltending courtesy of Dwaye Roloson in 2011-12. With Roloson gone, Anders Lindback in and the defense bolstered with the signings of Matt Carle and Sami Salo, the Bolts should return to the playoff mixer in 2013. Steven Stamkos will continue his offensive explosiveness and help carry the team to the post-season.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1040[/ATTACH]The [B]Florida Panthers[/B] surprised many by winning the Southeast Division in 2012. They won't catch anyone sleeping this season. Jonathan Huberdeau should be a nice addition to the top-six but the Panthers overachieved in 2012 and won't repeat as division champions.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1044[/ATTACH]Many expected the [B]Buffalo Sabres[/B] to be a playoff team in 2012, but a poor start prevented that from coming to fruition. After parting with Derek Roy and Brad Boyes, the Sabres added some much needed size and grit by bringing in Steve Ott. With Ryan Miller between the pipes, a return to the dance shouldn't be out of the question.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1041[/ATTACH]Jim Rutherford and the [B]Carolina Hurricanes[/B] made the biggest splash at the 2012 entry draft, acquiring Jordan Staal from the Pittsburgh Penguins. That addition alone improves the squad but the 'Canes still lack depth up front. Carolina will be better, but there is still work to be done if they want to return to the post-season.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1045[/ATTACH]Most people in hockey projected the[B] Ottawa Senators [/B]to finish in the Eastern Conference cellar in 2011-12 and they proved their doubters wrong. Still, the young Sens did overachieve and the rebuild is not yet complete. Expect a regression in 2012-13.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1050[/ATTACH]The [B]New Jersey Devils[/B] lost their heart and soul when captain Zach Parise bolted for greener pastures in Minnesota. It is unlikely that 40-year-old Martin Brodeur will recapture the magic he displayed during the 2012 playoffs. Two such blows and New Jersey will be on the outside looking in this season.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1042[/ATTACH]Winnipeg fans will be forced to wait for playoff hockey beyond 2013. While everyone in the Southeast Division addressed significant needs, the Jets biggest acquisitions came in the form of well-known underachievers, Olli Jokinen and Alexei Ponikarovsky. The thought of a line featuring those two with Nik Antropov is enough to make any Jets fan shudder.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1046[/ATTACH]While adding James van Riemsdyk will help the offense, the Leafs biggest hole remains in the crease. Until GM Brian Burke finds a more permanent fixture in the blue paint, Toronto fans will continue to wait on playoff hockey. James Reimer and Ben Scrivens are simply not the answer.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1051[/ATTACH]Despite drafting great young prospects, the [B]New York Islanders[/B] have been unable to develop them properly and have also failed at surrounding their young gems with reliable depth. For whatever reason, GM Garth Snow just can't seem to bring it all together. Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart will be great additions in 2012-13, but not enough to drag the Isles out of the Eastern Conference basement.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1047[/ATTACH]The rebuild is just beginning in Montreal and boy does it have a long ways to go. The additions of Colby Armstrong and Brandon Prust will give the Habs added size, toughness and character, but they much more than just that if they are once again going to contend for a playoff spot.

Tune in next weekend when Boom City scopes out the landscape in the Western Conference.
[B]




Atlantic Division projection:[/B]
[LIST=1][*][ATTACH=CONFIG]1053[/ATTACH]Pittsburgh Penguins[*]New York Rangers[*]Philadelphia Flyers[*]New Jersey Devils[*]New York Islanders[/LIST]



[B]Northeast Division projection:[/B]
[LIST=1][*][ATTACH=CONFIG]1054[/ATTACH]Boston Bruins[*]Buffalo Sabres[*]Ottawa Senators[*]Toronto Maple Leafs[*]Montreal Canadiens[/LIST]


[B]Southeast Division projection:[/B]
[LIST=1][*][ATTACH=CONFIG]1052[/ATTACH]Washington Capitals[*]Tampa Bay Lightning[*]Florida Panthers[*]Carolina Hurricanes[*]Winnipeg Jets[/LIST]

[B]Eastern Conference projection:[/B]
[LIST=1][*]Boston Bruins*[*]Pittsburgh Penguins*[*][ATTACH=CONFIG]1055[/ATTACH]Washington Capitals*[*]New York Rangers[*]Philadelphia Flyers[*]Tampa Bay Lightning[*]Florida Panthers[*]Buffalo Sabres[*][I]Carolina Hurricanes[/I][*][I]Ottawa Senators[/I][*][I]New Jersey Devils[/I][*][I]Winnipeg Jets[/I][*][I]Toronto Maple Leafs[/I][*][I]New York Islanders[/I][*][I]Montreal Canadiens[/I][/LIST]
[COLOR=#3E3E3E]-30-[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#3E3E3E]Assistant Coach Rocca[/COLOR]
[URL="https://twitter.com/#!/RoccaFHC"]@RoccaFHC[/URL][COLOR=#3E3E3E] & [/COLOR][URL="https://twitter.com/manovrboard"]@manovrboard[/URL]

[URL="http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/blog.php?358-Assistant-Coach-Rocca"]Boom City - Assistant Coach Rocca's Blog[/URL]
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]]> Assistant Coach Rocca http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/entry.php?152-Eastern-Conference-Expectations Breaking down the Jordan Staal trade http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/entry.php?147-Breaking-down-the-Jordan-Staal-trade Tue, 26 Jun 2012 02:57:19 GMT Attachment 954 (http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=954)The NHL entry draft is consistently full of big splashes. Friday... [ATTACH=CONFIG]954[/ATTACH]The NHL entry draft is consistently full of big splashes. Friday night in Pittsburgh was no different than any other year.

Before the [B]Carolina Hurricanes[/B] arrived at the podium to make their first round selection, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the Hurricanes had traded said pick, along with [B]Brian Dumoulin[/B] and [B]Brandon Sutter[/B] to the draft host [B]Pittsburgh Penguins[/B] in exchange for [B]Jordan Staal[/B].

Talk about opening the night with a bang.

I've been listening to some chatter over the weekend about who won this deal and here is what I have come to conclude: there is no true outright winner. Both teams addressed needs that they needed to address. If anyone gets the slight edge, it is the Hurricanes because they acquired the clear-cut best player in the transaction. If you're a Penguins fan, you can't be disappointed with the quantity and quality of return that came back though.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]955[/ATTACH]Did the [I]Carolina Hurricanes[/I] pay a hefty price for [I]Jordan Staal[/I]? Absolutely. Staal had made it very clear that he was not going to return to the Penguins at the conclusion of the remaining year on his contract, so in that lay the possibility that the 'Canes likely could have landed Staal free of charge via free agency. That being said and despite the big price Carolina paid, I still agree with what they did. They targeted an upper-tier player that they desired greatly and they did what it took to bring him into their fold. That should instill a great amount of confidence in Staal who will look to finally blossom into the 60 to 75 point, two-way forward that he is capable of being.

As for the fantasy impact this trade will have on Staal, I imagine it will be a significant one. Gone should be the days of hovering around 50 points for Jordan Staal. Carolina will give him every opportunity to take on a significant role. Speculation has it that brother Eric will move back to the wing in order to give Jordan the No. 1 center spot. The potential in a top line featuring Eric and Jordan Staal screams "breakout." If your fantasy buddies are sleeping, they might look at Jordan's stat sheet and expect another typical 50-point season. If you draft Jordan, you will have your buddies shaking their heads when he hits the 65-point range for the first time in his career.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]956[/ATTACH]As for the [I]Pittsburgh Penguins[/I], they received a fantastic return in exchange for the young Staal including the eighth overall selection, [I]Brian Dumoulin[/I] and [I]Brandon Sutter[/I].

Upon receiving Carolina's 2012 first round selection, the Pens promptly selected swift puck-moving defenseman [B]Derrick Pouliot[/B] of the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks. I had the opportunity to see Pouliot play this season when the Winterhawks made a couple trips to my current place of residence in Kamloops, B.C. My best assessment of Pouliot is that he is calm, collected and confident when the puck is on his stick. He owns the fantastic ability to dictate the play by the carrying the puck the length of the ice in order to set up the offense for Portland. For a team with a skilled star like Sven Baertschi, Pouliot made it difficult to decide who to focus on more. While I don't expect to see him jump straight into the Pittsburgh lineup this season, it wouldn't surprise me to see him make that transition next season. Many pundits compare Pouliot to the smooth-skating power play ace already on the Pittsburgh blueline, Kris Letang. In a deep keeper league, Pouliot is certainly worth owning as he will likely be a notable fantasy contributor in the near future.

After three years at Boston College, Brian Dumoulin signed his first NHL contract prior to being dealt from the Hurricanes to Pittsburgh. Dumoulin is a quality offensive prospect who has NHL size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) and is very mobile. He was an impressive plus-27 in his final year of NCAA hockey and capped that with seven goals and 28 points in 44 games. With Zbynek Michalek being shipped west to Phoenix, Dumoulin could have an outside shot at one of the Pens top seven 'D' spots, although he will have stiff competition in other youngsters Simon Despres and Joe Morrow. Again, Dumoulin isn't worth much in your standard annual league. He carries much greater value in a deep keeper league as he could eventually develop into a reliable, two-way blueliner.

Brandon Sutter is the piece that will make the most immediate contribution to the Penguins lineup. He will slot in on the Penguins third line and should admirably fill the vacancy left by Jordan Staal. Will he completely replace Staal? No. But he will certainly make parting with him easier. Sutter was a consistent 30-point scorer in Carolina, with his career high being 21 goals and 40 points in 2009-10. On a much stronger and deeper Penguins squad, there is nothing to say that Sutter can't once again hit that 40-point mark. Heck, he might even eclipse it. At 23 years of age, he is another deep keeper league-worthy asset.

-30-

Assistant Coach Rocca
[URL="https://twitter.com/#!/RoccaFHC"]@RoccaFHC[/URL] & [URL="https://twitter.com/#!/manovrboard"]@manovrboard[/URL]

[URL="http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/blog.php?358-Assistant-Coach-Rocca"]Boom City - Assistant Coach Rocca's Blog[/URL]
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]]> Assistant Coach Rocca http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/entry.php?147-Breaking-down-the-Jordan-Staal-trade How will Bob Hartley change the Calgary Flames? http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/entry.php?145-How-will-Bob-Hartley-change-the-Calgary-Flames Thu, 14 Jun 2012 03:31:07 GMT Attachment 857 (http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=857)*Bob Hartley* was appointed to the helm of the *Calgary Flames*... [ATTACH=CONFIG]857[/ATTACH][B]Bob Hartley[/B] was appointed to the helm of the [B]Calgary Flames[/B] ship on May 31.

My first thought was: what will this mean for Calgary's on-ice style of play?

For years the Flames have played a slow-paced, cautious style of hockey under the tutelage of previous coaches [B]Brent Sutter, Mike Keenan and Jim Playfair[/B]. Some years, this provided the team with moderate success but in recent years, it brought nothing but heartbreak as the Flames have missed the playoffs for three years running.

All of that is about to change with [I]Bob Hartley[/I] taking over.

Following a stint in Switzerland with Zurich, Hartley has returned to the NHL. After being hired, Hartley was interviewed by Flames TV. For those who saw the interview ([URL]http://video.flames.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=11&id=179917&cmpid=embed-share-video[/URL]) one thing was very apparent; Hartley wants to bring an up-tempo and exciting brand of hockey to the [I]Calgary Flames.[/I]

Uhh...what does up-tempo mean?

I apologize. As someone who has followed the Flames for years, up-tempo is a foreign word to me.

Regardless, I believe that Hartley will do as he promised, which is exciting if you are a Flames fan or someone who owns one of Calgary's upper-tier players on one of your fantasy teams.

While generally considered a tough coach to play for, Hartley also has a reputation of letting his star players do as they please, especially on the ice. That means the likes of [B]Jarome Iginla, Alex Tanguay, Mike Cammalleri, Jay Bouwmeester and Mark Giordano[/B] will be given more freedom on the ice.

Jarome Iginla will once again surpass the 30-goal mark in 2012-13 and has a great chance of exceeding 75 points.

Alex Tanguay should have a rebound year after a somewhat disappointing 49-point performance. Expect him to jump back closer to the 60-point plateau.

Mike Cammalleri's disastrous 2011-12 campaign is now in the review mirror. Rejuvenated by a return to a familiar dressing room with familiar teammates, Cammalleri seemed to find his game down the stretch run. 60 points isn't out of the question for the undersized forward.

After tearing up the Southeast Division with Florida, Jay Bouwmeester has had three less-than desirable seasons in Calgary. His minus-21 rating was the worst of his career since his rookie season rating of minus-29. Under Hartley, Bouwmeester should be allowed to play the free-flowing, end-to-end game that made him so successful in Florida. Expect him to finally break the 30-point barrier in Calgary and perhaps even creep towards the 40-point mark.

Despite missing more than 20 games due to injury, Mark Giordano still posted 27 points in 2011-12. In a healthy campaign under Hartley, expect Giordano to once again break the 40-point mark.

[B]Miikka Kiprusoff[/B] is still expected to be the man behind the mask in Calgary for 2012-13. With no competent backup in sight, the Flames' workhorse will continue to get a boatload of starts, meaning 35 wins is not out of the question and 40 even a strong possibility.

One intriguing fantasy wildcard to look out for in 2012-13 will be rookie [B]Sven Baertschi[/B]. The high-flying Swiss youngster lit up the Canadian Hockey League in 2011-12 with the Portland Winterhawks and impressed many during a five-game emergency call-up with the Flames late in the season. His goal-scoring ability will be welcomed with open arms on a team that has long suffered from a severe lack of secondary scoring.

Don't get me wrong here, things aren't all of a sudden bright and shiny in Calgary with the signing of Bob Hartley. This is still a team that is going to battle for one of the last few playoff spots in a very competitive Western Conference. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, but [B]Jay Feaster[/B] seems to be moving the team in the right direction. Bob Hartley should squeeze a little bit more out of his soldiers. Whether that gets the team into the playoffs or not is another question, but at the very least it should earn you a few extra fantasy points.

-30-

Assistant Coach Rocca
[URL="https://twitter.com/#!/RoccaFHC"]@RoccaFHC[/URL] & [URL="https://twitter.com/#!/manovrboard"]@manovrboard[/URL]

[URL="http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/blog.php?358-Assistant-Coach-Rocca"]Boom City - Assistant Coach Rocca's Blog[/URL]
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]]> Assistant Coach Rocca http://www.fantasyhockeycoach.com/entry.php?145-How-will-Bob-Hartley-change-the-Calgary-Flames