So we have this special channel called “toddler tunes” which plays nothing but songs geared to the 2 & under crowd. It’s around 5% goofy sounding songs, 5% slowed down instrumental pop music, and 90% songs about eating and/or sleeping. (I think thats what industry experts call “catering to your audience.”) Anyway we put the channel on all the time cuz the little one likes it but the songs get stuck in my head like you can’t believe. For the better part of 3 weeks now I’ve had a chorus of “…and now it’s time to sleep” beating my brain into submission. The rest of the song I couldn’t tell you, but those 6 words of the chorus will not leave me alone… Why am I telling you this? “Because you feel the music flowing through you!” No VTB thats not it. It’s because whenever I think of that chorus my next immediate thought is potential sleepers in hockey. So let’s preview summa dem:
Anthony Stewart – LW (Car): Stewart decided to stay in the South while all his teammates from last year went up to Winnipeg. He must not have wanted to be the only black man in Manitoba. HI-OOOOOO! A-Stew is the older brother of the more talented Chris Stewart, and he’s already 27 but was a first rounder back in the day just like his brother. His minor league career was average at best, but he finally got a chance to play full time for the Thrashers last year – and he put up 39 points (10 of them on the Power Play) in 80 Games. He’s now with Carolina and the only thing keeping him off the same line as Eric Staal is Tuomo Ruutu, who is somewhat injury proned. Besides it’s Carolina, more than likely they ain’t going anywhere this year they’ll be shuffling lines all season. Best case scenario, Stewart catches a break and ends up clicking with Staal on the top line/power play. But don’t go crazy, thats a serious long-shot… 50 points and 15PPP’s is the upside so don’t think he’s anything more than a serviceable bench guy in a 12 team league.
Michael Frolik C/RW (Chi): This M.F. was drafted (2006 1st round) and developed by the Florida Panthers, which doesn’t exactly guarantee success. (The other guy we just talked about is also a former 1st round pick of the Panthers. Makes one wonder why they haven’t made the playoffs in 11 years?) But now Mi-Fro is free from the oppression of the Panthers and ready to break out. He played quite a bit with Patrick Kane towards the end of last season and I think that will continue. I could even imagine the #2 line in Chicago being Kane-Frolik-Sharp (top line= Hossa-Toews-Brunette). Even if it’s not those exact combinations, Frolik should be somewhere in the top 6 in Chicago. The down side? No clear path to Power Play minutes… Let’s go nuts and say 25G/30A/220SOG/10PPP’s.
T.J. Galiardi – LW (Col): Is it just me or does his name sound like a custom drink at a bar in Tijuana? “Tonight’s special is the TJ Galiardi, it comes with a lime and salt!” He’s a Calgary native though so I’m sure he’s strictly a beer drinker… It’s his 3rd full season and he’s still just 23, but he only played in 35 Games last year due to a wrist injury. In 2009-2010 he put up 15 Goals on 120 Shots — he’ll do better this year. At some point in the season somebody not named Matt Duchene is going to have to score for Colorado, so why not TJ? If I had to guess, I’d say something like 18G/30A/150SOG. That probably relegates him to WWF (no not that, i mean Waiver Wire Fodder) but if you’re in a deep league he could work as a #3 LW…
Tomas Fleischmann – LW (Fla): Much like Galiardi on Colorado someone is going to have to score Goals on the Panthers. Enter Fleisch-mann. He was red hot for Colorado last year after they traded for him (21 Points in 22 Games) but its tough to believe in it since prior to that he had 138 points in 283 career games. But we’re talking sleepers here, so don’t draft him expecting a stud. I’d expect 18G/25A/12PPP’s and hope for more. So if that can help your team then he’s worth drafting.
I’ll probably have a couple more sleeper posts so stay tuned… On an administrative note, I’m doing the RCL Leagues. If you are interested in becomming a commisioner let me know in the comments, I’ll email you with instructions. I’m hoping to have 4-5 commissioners by Monday and all next week we’ll have people join those 4-5 leagues. Chorus – And now it’s time to sleep.
