Rather than comment on the All Star game and the absurdity of 21 Goals in 60 minutes (9 in the 3rd Period alone), I wanna look at some buy low guys heading into the 2nd “half” of the season. All you need to know about buying low is that it’s anything but a science. Often guys having bad seasons this late in the year are just gonna keep being terrible. Season long slumps are not a figment of buy-low advocates imagination and I’m sure there will be a guy (or 2) in this post who will prove that. “Nice Disclaimer DC! Sitting on the fence is an art I perfected many years ago.” Hey quiet VTB, the readers aren’t supposed to know that… Okay onto the meat of the potato – our first buy-low candidate: Lubomir Visnovsky. I normally don’t pimp 35 year old dudes, but the Ducks have been playing better and this geezer is still the quarterback of one of the scarier Power Play units in the league. Plus he was out for a month with a broken finger so his season totals look terrible. BUTT, since coming back from the broken finger Lubo has been back to his old self: 4G/9A/+5/7PPP/36SOG in 19 Games. That’s about the pace I think he’ll carry for the Ducks remaining 34 Games.
Martin St. Louis – RW (TB): I’m sure some of you are groaning over this choice. I’ll be the first to admit I have an unhealthy loyalty to this guy and it’s been on full display for months. But seriously, in the last 18 games St. Louis has 23 Points. The only beef I have with this turnaround is the lack of Power Play Points (just 3 of the 23 are PPP’s). But Power Play points are fungible, and at some point those will start to come in bunches (okay last of the old farts, I promise)…
Henrik Zetterberg – C/LW (Det): H to the Z hasn’t had this bad a season since 2004 when he was a 2nd year scrub playing behind S to the Y-zerman. 9 Goals in 50 Games just isn’t something a proud man like Henrik will take lying down, and here’s why: 9 Goals on 152 Shots equates to a 5.9% Shooting percentage. Five Point Nine. That’s worse than 6. And 6% is terrible. That is going to go up and I’m as sure of that as I am cell phones cause brain cancer (And no I have no proof of this, but how can you be sure when cell phones have only been around for about 20 years? Think about it…) Okay enough beating around the bush (or as I like to call it – what I do to my wife after a 12 pack) I’ve got a guarantee: Zetterberg will notch 13 Goals in the Wing’s last 32 Games to get to 22. Why 22 you ask? Because like I said earlier, Zetterberg is a proud man. There’s no way he’ll end a season with fewer Goals than his rookie year.
Kari Lehtonen – G (Dal): I alluded to Lehtonen being a good buy-low candidate exactly 6 days ago. And since I’m such a nice guy, I won’t even make you scroll down to look it up: “Last night was easily his best performance of the season, and that’s saying something. I agree he’s been slumping lately, but lest ye forget Lehtonen was one of the top Goalies in the NHL in October. I’m always gonna be weary of his health, but right now if you can get him for the right price I’d do it.” Lest ye forget indeed…
Alex Goligoski – D (Dal): So far in 2011-2012 Go-Go-Goski has 16 Points in 37 Games. Which is exactly 1 point more than what he did last season after being traded from Pittsburgh (but in 14 fewer games!). That tells me he is either A) Hiding an injury, B) Brad Richards was his BFF, C) Worried about the “business” side of hockey, or D) He doesn’t like YOU because YOU drafted him!… No it’s not B. And sorry Goligoski owners it’s not D either. The answer is C. He just signed a shiny new contract and the anxiety is gone. Well, at least that’s my theory…
Corey Crawford – G (Chi): Mark this one under ‘it can’t get any worse’. I didn’t like CC coming into the season but I didn’t think he’d be this bad. The ‘Hawks are a good team (meaning Wins will be there) and Ray Emery is always a hip check away from catastrophe. Other than that (and just a good ol’ fashion gut feeling) there isn’t much else for me to hang my hat on.
Tobias Enstrom – D (Wpg): Here is another guy who’s missed alot of games this year making his overall value look worse than it really is. Enstrom is a proven 50 Point Defensman who gets tons of time on the power play, and this season has been no different. 4G/15A/9PPP’s in just 30 games is near elite production (in those categories). And those of you who are Enstrom haters I have to admit: I have a Tobias BIAS!
