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Money
These boys are money. Promote them to the top of your list and draft with confidence.
Offense
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Claude Giroux
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PHI
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Giroux reported in with the breakout season that many expected him to produce last year. He was a huge reason why the Flyers were comfortable letting go of Carter and Richards. He is now the go-to guy on the Philly offense and may challenge the big dogs for the scoring title when all is said and done in 2012.
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Ryan Kesler
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VAN
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Kesler offers the complete package when it comes to fantasy value. Goals, assists, +/-, PIMS... he's even become a power play demon, with 15 goals. You need game winners - how about 7 last season? He's now turned in perfect attendance for 3 straight seasons. What's not to like here?
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Alex Ovechkin
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WAS
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Ovechkin saw a huge decline in his stats last season, but don't let that scare you away from reinstating him as this year's top draft choice. With Crosby's health concerns, and Stamkos's late season collapse, #8 is the best bet out there to dominate fantasy hockey in 2011-12. Look for him to get back to 50 goal form.
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Corey Perry
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ANA
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6 seasons in the NHL and his numbers have risen steadily in each of them. He surged late in the year to reach 50 goals and earn himself a Hart Trophy in the process. No reason to expect much of a drop off this year. At age 26, he's in his prime, he's healthy, and he has top notch talent around him. All signs point to another strong fantasy season.
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Daniel Sedin
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VAN
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Daniel finally broke through with the best season of his career (by far) in 2010-11. He topped 100 points and 40 goals and should make a good run at that again this year. With Daniel, you have the guarantee of one of the top set up men in the game being on the ice with him every shift. No other forward comes with that promise. That makes him a safe pick to be in the top 10 in goals and points for the foreseeable future.
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Henrik Sedin
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VAN
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If your league is bullish on goals, you may be looking at the wrong Sedin. Otherwise, Henrik is as safe a bet as any to lead your fantasy team to victory this season. He hasn't missed a game in six straight seasons. He's topped 60 assists in the last five seasons. And when Daniel gets a goal, he's sure to tally a point (which is often).
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Steven Stamkos
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TAM
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Stamkos was well on his way to collecting all the hardware last season when he stumbled significantly in the 2nd half. Just remember, this kid is still 21 years old and has another 15+ seasons to dominate the NHL. He's arguably the best sniper in the league and still has plenty of talent around him in Tampa to set up those one-timers. He should recover just fine and challenge for those trophies again this season.
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Defense
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Dustin Byfuglien
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WIN
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Byfuglien was pure gold for the first half of the season, putting him on pace for insane goal and point totals. He cooled off significantly mid-winter, but still finished with an impressive 20 goal, 53 point performance in his first season back on defense with the Thrashers. He'll be the face of the Jets this season and will likely given free reign to roam and do his thing. Expect another solid return on your early investment with him this time around.
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Zdeno Chara
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BOS
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Chara has been a model of consistency for fantasy defensemen over the past 8 seasons, sticking around the 40 point territory, contribuing with about 10 or so goals, and piling up the PIMs. You can't ask for much more, and you know what you'll get. Draft him with confidence.
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Drew Doughty
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LOS
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Doughty was a bit of disappointment with "just" 11 goals and 40 points in his third season. That's mostly due to the insane totals he posted as a sophomore. There's little doubt that he'll rebound and put up another 50+ points this time around as the Kings continue to strengthen their ability to score goals all around. Now if he would just sign that contract and get on with it...
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Shea Weber
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NAS
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Weber was rewarded this summer with a huge contract, and he's about to show the NHL that he deserved it (and the next big money deal coming next summer). He's my pick for Norris and fantasy MVP on the blueline this season. The last three seasons, he's put up goal totals of 23, 16 and 16. And he's just now entering his prime years.
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Keith Yandle
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PHO
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Yandle finally cracked the title of "best defenseman that nobody talks about" last season. He was at or near the top of the defensive scorers all season long. A quick look at his stats by season shows he's heading in the right direction, with dramatic increases in points in each of his 5 seasons with Phoenix. You'll have to spring early to snag this superstar defenseman this time around.
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Goalies
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Ilya Bryzgalov
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PHI
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Normally, I don't advocate for highly ranking a high-profile player after a relocation. However, this one seems to line up. Despite their post-season woes, the Flyers generally support very good regular season goalie stats. Bryzgalov has been a proven commodity for several years now. While his GAA rose slightly last season, so did his save percentage. He registered another 7 shutouts to give him 15 over the past two years. Few goalies can match that. He's a solid Top 5 goalie right now that you can believe in.
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Marc-Andre Fleury
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PIT
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Fleury endured perhaps the toughest season of his career last year, and came out on top. After a horrible start to the year, and calls for his demotion to Scranton, he rallied his game (and the team's) and went on a tear in early winter. Ultimately, he played so well that some gave him consideration for the Hart trophy. Expect him to build on his strong numbers from last year and perhaps even top them.
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Henrik Lundqvist
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NYR
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For the 6th straight season (every season of his career), Lundqvist has kept his GAA under 2.5. While the leaderboard changes every season, this guy remains a steady top 5 option. It's that consistency that makes him your safest option for a #1 goalie this year. He quietly posted his best shutout and save percentage numbers of his career in 2010-11. Look for another fine season from the King.
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Roberto Luongo
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VAN
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Luongo recovered nicely after a disappointing season in 09-10. He posted career bests in GAA and save percentage, yet faced major scrutiny early in the playoffs. Despite the presence, and constant threat, of Schneider behind him, this is Luongo's crease. He's a solid #1 goalie and should put up top 10 numbers again.
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Ryan Miller
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BUF
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2010 was a disappointing year for Miller, mainly because he set the bar so stinkin high the year before. He still finished top 10 in most categories and registered 5 shutouts for the third straight season. Buffalo added some defensive help this summer and you should feel confident in a return to power by Miller this year.
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Tim Thomas
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BOS
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No matter what this man does, the questions will never go away. How long can he realistically keep this up? I'd say, short of an injury, you run with him until he breaks. A repeat of his ridiculous 2010-11 season (and post-season) is unlikely. But a complete crash and burn is equally unlikely. However, bear in mind, Boston does have a quality up-and-coming in Rask who will demand more playing time, if only to rest Thomas after a long grueling season. Rank him high, but not at the top.
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