2021 DHL Week In Review - Week 2
Nov 1, 2021 9:28:03 GMT -5
Moscow Red Army, St. Roch Hawks, and 7 more like this
Post by Morweena Reimnoceri on Nov 1, 2021 9:28:03 GMT -5
DHL Weekly Review - Week 2
Matchups:
Moscow (1-0-0) v. Morweena (1-0-0) - Morweena wins 9 - 3
Simi Valley (1-0-0) v. Oslo (0-1-0) - Oslo wins 6.5 - 5.5
Melbourne (0-1-0) v. Nebraska (1-0-0) - Melbourne wins 9.5 - 2.5
St. Roch (1-0-0) v. Portland (0-0-1) - Portland wins 9 - 3
Tampa Bay (0-1-0) v. Castleford (0-0-1) - Tampa wins 9 - 3
Vegas (0-1-0) v. Haukiputaan (0-1-0) - Vegas wins 8 - 4
Matchup of the Week: Simi Valley v. Oslo
Predictable? Maybe, but like the final score suggested it was a close matchup and therefore here we are. However, it really was back and forth and if I’m not mistaken, came down to a 29 save victory from Darcy Kuemper (3 more saves than Cal Peterson) to TIE the category between the two teams at 128 and thereby allowing Oslo to slip through victorious. Also, hits and shots and wins were kinda close, but whatever. Great matchup this week fellas. It’s really helping me come around on the Saturday night thing.
Performance of the Week (skaters): Melbourne Bushrangers (25 goals, 28 assists, +17, 159 shots, 8 STP, 93 hits, 37 blocks, 18:51 TOI)
This was a great week from the youngsters in Melbourne; 6 points from Lucas Raymond and 4 from Trevor Zegras. Not bad at all, add in Alex Killorn (4G, 2A - 6pts), Johnny Gudreau (2G, 3A, 5pts), and Kyle Connor (1G, 4A, 5pts) and you’ve got yourself a solid base for victory. If this is an indication of what it’s going to be like on a weekly basis going up against the Bushrangers then I think we are in for a long season.
Performance of the Week (goalies): Oslo Mastodon (4 wins, 1.79 GAA, 128 saves, .934 SV%)
I think we all had an idea that if Bobrosky could regain even a bit of his previous form we’d all be in for a bad time when Oslo comes to town...and...well, so far he’s done it. The Panthers and Bob are rolling. Kuemper and the Avs are rolling. Rosslo and the Mastodon are therefore rolling.
Player of the Week: Jacob Markstrom (3 GP, 3 wins, 0.33 GAA, 93 saves, .989 SV%)
Should also point out that stat line included back-to-back shutouts vs, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. No big deal. Just an average week for Markstrom allowing only 1 goal (from Kevin Rooney - whoever the fuck that is). Now, I don’t want to take this moment away from Tampa and Markstrom, but how nice would it have been to have a little “2” show up under an “S/O” category in the statline after a performance like that. Sure….Castleford would have then lost 10-3, but who cares?! It’s not like we are getting 20 points for a win like that. A win is a win is a win, and this is my pitch to bring back shutouts as a category!
3 Stars:
1) Roman Josi (1 goal, 5 assists, +5, 9 shots, 3 STP, 4 blocks, 24:44 TOI)
2) Frederik Andersen (2 GP, 2 wins, 0.50 GAA, 57 saves, .983 SV% - 1 shutout)
3) Alex Ovechkin (4 goals, 1 assist, +2, 16 shots, 2 STP, 3 hits, 2 blocks, 22:49 TOI)
Other Notes:
All The Kids Can Call You TyJo - What is the deal with GM Michael’s love affair with Tyler Johnson? Is it just that he’s a former Lighting player and there are leftover feelings from the glory days? Or does this run deeper? Either way, I’m absolutely here for it - more love for obscure NHLers.
Moscow Burn Army - In an interesting twist, the normally mild-mannered Red Army GM Adam took the Vegas message boards to poke the indecisive bear after former-former Aces Wild player Zach Whitecloud re-upped with their NHL affiliate. For those who missed it:
dynastyhockey99.proboards.com/post/28045/thread
Big Red...please keep this up...please ramp it up...burn us all to the ground. I would have even been willing to be the first victim...but...you lost.
Arm Barn?! - Peta, in their tireless efforts to make sure that bulls’ feelings aren’t hurt over a thing that I am 99.99999999999% sure they are not aware exists, has proposed that baseball change the name of the bullpen to the arm barn. Yeah - this has nothing to do with hockey, but can we just all take a moment and think to ourselves that in the entire world, with everything that’s going on, this - THIS - is what they decide is important to bring up.
On another note - the cake I made last week told me that it was offended that hockey uses the term icing. It said to me that it doesn’t want to be associated with not being able to make a line change and having the offensive zone team get to choose what side of the ice to take the faceoff on. The cake doesn’t like that it’s not completely fair - they suggested that instead of icing it be called an “oopsy you shot the puck too hard down there and now we are going to have to try that again”. Doesn’t roll off the tongue, I admit, but not bad for an inanimate object to come up with.
A Trade! - We had a trade! It wasn’t a very exciting trade, but it was a trade. The Coyotes acquired Dylan Cozens for $5 and a 5th both of which are from next season. I’m not entirely sure why this one was made...but hey, I love trades. Well done fellas.
Question For The League - Speaking of trades, I have a question for the league. I already messaged GM Tim about this, but I’d like to hear from everyone else since you are by far more aware of your team than I am.
Context: Last season Nebraska and I made a trade involving Freddy Andersen and Alex Nedelkjovic (I can’t find the actual trade for whatever reason, but that’s the focal point for me). After the trade was completed, Freddy did not play a single game until one of the last days of the season and Neddy snagged the starting job for the Hurricanes. Personally, I thought I had ripped Tim off so badly that I have repeatedly reached out to offer condolences. Flash forward to this season. Andersen has been lights out and Nedeljkovic is stuck behind a yet-to-be-rebuilt Red Wings team.
My question - has anyone ever had a trade that seemed so lop-sided to start off only to have a full 180 in the next season?
Morweena’s Mailbag:
Q: Hi there,
I'm a degenerate gambler. Like, an absolute mess. And that's what brings me to your little corner of the internet, actually...
You see, I'll wager on just about anything, which includes this fantasy hockey league yous got going here.
I'm desperate. REAL desperate. I'm talkin', "Probably won't have the physical ability to use a computer or phone anymore" level of desperate if I don't turn things around by this time next year, so you've got to help me out if you want me to keep comin' 'round these parts, you see? Anyways... I need every edge I can get, and I know a good source when I see one, which is why I'm writing you for this here mailbag.
For reasons unknown, I find myself particularly drawn to this "Vegas Aces Wild" team, so have mostly been keeping an eye on them. I mean, signing and buying out the same player twice in like a week? Good stuff. And that's actually what my question is about:
It looks like Vegas has 6 contracts bought out so far. I've looped in my bookie on this action, and he's set an over-under of 11.5 for total number of contract buyouts that Vegas is going to have by the Signing/Trade Deadline. What do you think? Should I take the over, or should I take the under on this line?
Perilously yours,
-Billy Red
A: Mr. Red, I am far from an expert on gambling - however, I would without a doubt take the over on this one. The ownership in Vegas has a fun little situation where they have piles and piles of cash to spend on players but tend to favour players who are on cheap contracts. Combine that with the fact that instead of seeing this players as actual humans with lives and families, they see them more like...say….a page on the internet full of stats and numbers...or even just a name on a spreadsheet. So, they sign these players only to cut them, only to sign them and cut them again when they are hurt and at the lowest points in their lives. It’s a vicious cycle, but it’s just how they are. Hope that helps, and good luck with not becoming a skin bag full of bone dust!
Q: Mr. Alex,
I am number one Buckaroos fan who is most happy today. The Buckaroos beat the Hawks like a prison snitch in week two. Portland undefeated so far! In second place! I watch game and celebrate. This me:
Question is what happened in offseason to make Portland so good after being so bad? How Buckaroos fans get nice things this year?
Luke in Burkina Faso
A: Well sir, I think a big reason that Portland has gotten off to such a great start is that their youngsters are becoming relevant now and they have insulated them with far better players. If we take a look back to the opening night roster from 2020/21 Portland boasted names like, Artturi Lekonen, Alex Galchenyuk, Haydn Fluery, Dennis Choloski, Henri Jokiharju, and Joel Armia. These players are bad players. They will not, and did not, bring victory or glory. However, fast forward one year and the opening night roster boasts Alex Ovechkin, MacKenzie Weegar, Andrew Copp, Andrei Vasilevsky, and Cole Caulfeild. These are winners - good players. This is why we see the Buckaroos being good.
Q: Sir,
How did the Mastodon beat the Kings? As a Kings season ticket holder I've come to expect better from this franchise. Paul Catalano has proven to be smarter than every other GM in this league and has built the perfect team. So what happened? The Mastodon were a wounded animal yet they beat perfection? How? Make this make sense to me because right now this loss has shaken my faith in all I thought I knew in this world.
Gerry,
Simi Valley
A: As I sort of outlined, it was a close match and did come down to the last day and 3 saves. While we are all as surprised as you are, I think it might be time to temper expectations towards the Kings. Sure, they’re back-to-back Champs, but they are not the same team they once were. Like all great teams they lost key parts of their winning roster to free-agency and well, they might not have what it takes this year.
Q: Yo,
Check it...Tony D is leading the league in STP for Dmen and is 15th ranked Dman in DHL but he's making $1. Is he the best bang for the buck in the DHL right now?
Tony in Carolina
A: No, sir. He is not. Sure, he’s cheap and sure he is leading (along with 3 other players) defencemen in STP, but he plays 8 - 10 minutes less than most other defencemen, doesn’t hit, barely blocks, and is a garbage person. If you wanted bang for your buck, I would look at a player like Kevin Shattenkirk who is making $0 and has a very similar stat line. Also, is likely less of a garbage person. As we have demonstrated in Morweena, if you are shitty human, we don’t value what you bring to a team as much. So have all the STP you want, there are still better options.
^^ D'Angelo ^^ Shattenkirk
Q: The Rangers hand out a hat, the Flyers hand out a vintage Starter jacket - what does the Morweena player of the game wear in the postgame locker room?
Tony in Vegas
A: Fantastic question Tony - we go a little bit further here in Morweena, as you might expect, and hand out a “lifesize transformer suit” of the game to our MVP each night. Since the players have not allowed me to bring media outlets back into the dressing room yet, I have provided an example of something similar below:
Fun twist, they actually can drive home in the suit we provide so long as they’re not in “robot mode”
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