I didn't provide as many in-season updates as I would have liked, but I do think the first season of he NPHL was a success...
And it wrapped up with Aaron Anderson and Kyle Covell's Busted's 8-4 win over Smitty's Washington Crapitals.
The glorious win did not go without an asterisk though, considering that Busted swept the five goalie categories because the Crapitals didn't register the needed minimum 3 starts from his goalies (Jonas Hiller tweaked his back during Monday's warmups and he didn't play all week and Marc-Andre Fleury's Penguins only played twice). If the Captials' Semyon Varlamov was in the Crapitals' lineup, Smitty would have taken home the title.
In the 3rd-place game, Randy Robles' New York Knuckles took down the overall No. 1 seed Syracuse Bulldogs 7-3 behind his efficient goalie combo of Brodeur and Turco. This is despite making a league-low ONE transaction all season long. Kudos to a solid draft there.
Thanks for the fun season, guys... I look forward to us giving this keeper situation a try (we'll keep 10 guys on each of our rosters about a month before the '10-11 season begins and then draft among the remaining players. Should be awesome! HOLLA!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Getting To Know Your NPH Rivals: Ryan "Smitty" Smith
Name: Ryan Michael Smith
NPH Team Name: Washington Crapitals
Vitals: 29 YOA, married (Karen), one child (Nolan), hails from Geneseo, NY. Currently lives in Washington DC and is an analyst with the US Environmental Protection Agency.
How Do You Know The Other Guys in the League?: I've lived with many of them in long-term relationships.
Where'd Your Team Name Come From?: I live in Washington and Crapitals sounds like Capitals. Go Sabres!
Best Sporting Event You've Ever Been To In Person: I'd have to say that the best sporting event I've been to was when an unranked 'Cuse knocked off a #3 Pitt squad at the Dome en route to a National Championship. We rushed the court 3 times and had to be shooed off by security so that they could finish the game. Or, it was when the Ice Knights beat Potsdam in the first round of the SUNYAC playoffs senior year and I absolutely dressed down the opposing goaltender during the Mini-Game in a silent Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena, "Trickle trickle trickle, right between your legs goalie!" - ah, Tony Scorsone, you are a clutch performer. I think we got our asses kicked by Plattsburgh the next weekend.
Favorite NHL Team: Buffalo Sabres
Favorite Non-NHL Sports/Teams/Players: 'Cuse, Dodgers, Bills, and Tiger Woods (get it!).
Favorite NHL Player: Ryan Miller, Owen Nolan, Tyler Myers, Mike Grier, Brian Gionta
Favorite NHL Player To Hate: Sean Avery, Brett Hull - it was no goal, Bobby Clarke
Favorite Hockey-Related Memory: Winning the Bantam Tier-III National Championship on our home rink in 1995, it's great being a champion. Also, punching that kid from Aquinas in the head with my blocker when he ran me in the playoffs, no penalty.
Best Gambling-Related Story: Knocking Orkin out of his Texas Hold-'em Tournament at his bachelor party, or Come Back Saturday in Vegas on the 2008 trip!
Favorite Piece of NHL Clothing That I Own: My new Sabres St. Patrick's Day winter hat, two of my favorite things combined. The Sabres and St. Patty's Day, how do you go wrong?
Favorite Draft Pick: Iginla, tough to argue with that, they guy does everything. A complete player.
Draft-Day Regret: Vesa Toskala - Do NOT drink the Brian Burke Kool-Aid, you will not be happy with the results, the defensive end in the Air Canada Center is shooting gallery!
Key To Your Season: Goaltending, with so many categories for goaltending it's really hard to win if one of your 'keepers has a bad week. Fleury's been excellent, but I've had trouble keeping a second goalie healthy and sufficient.
NPH Team Name: Washington Crapitals
Vitals: 29 YOA, married (Karen), one child (Nolan), hails from Geneseo, NY. Currently lives in Washington DC and is an analyst with the US Environmental Protection Agency.
How Do You Know The Other Guys in the League?: I've lived with many of them in long-term relationships.
Where'd Your Team Name Come From?: I live in Washington and Crapitals sounds like Capitals. Go Sabres!
Best Sporting Event You've Ever Been To In Person: I'd have to say that the best sporting event I've been to was when an unranked 'Cuse knocked off a #3 Pitt squad at the Dome en route to a National Championship. We rushed the court 3 times and had to be shooed off by security so that they could finish the game. Or, it was when the Ice Knights beat Potsdam in the first round of the SUNYAC playoffs senior year and I absolutely dressed down the opposing goaltender during the Mini-Game in a silent Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena, "Trickle trickle trickle, right between your legs goalie!" - ah, Tony Scorsone, you are a clutch performer. I think we got our asses kicked by Plattsburgh the next weekend.
Favorite NHL Team: Buffalo Sabres
Favorite Non-NHL Sports/Teams/Players: 'Cuse, Dodgers, Bills, and Tiger Woods (get it!).
Favorite NHL Player: Ryan Miller, Owen Nolan, Tyler Myers, Mike Grier, Brian Gionta
Favorite NHL Player To Hate: Sean Avery, Brett Hull - it was no goal, Bobby Clarke
Favorite Hockey-Related Memory: Winning the Bantam Tier-III National Championship on our home rink in 1995, it's great being a champion. Also, punching that kid from Aquinas in the head with my blocker when he ran me in the playoffs, no penalty.
Best Gambling-Related Story: Knocking Orkin out of his Texas Hold-'em Tournament at his bachelor party, or Come Back Saturday in Vegas on the 2008 trip!
Favorite Piece of NHL Clothing That I Own: My new Sabres St. Patrick's Day winter hat, two of my favorite things combined. The Sabres and St. Patty's Day, how do you go wrong?
Favorite Draft Pick: Iginla, tough to argue with that, they guy does everything. A complete player.
Draft-Day Regret: Vesa Toskala - Do NOT drink the Brian Burke Kool-Aid, you will not be happy with the results, the defensive end in the Air Canada Center is shooting gallery!
Key To Your Season: Goaltending, with so many categories for goaltending it's really hard to win if one of your 'keepers has a bad week. Fleury's been excellent, but I've had trouble keeping a second goalie healthy and sufficient.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Getting To Know Your NPH Rivals: Chris Schmidt
Name: Chris Schmidt
NPH Team Name: Winnipeg Jets
Vitals: 25, Grew up in Northport, Long Island currently live in South Windsor, CT. Graduated SUNY Cortland '06. Work for Travelers Insurance.
How Do You Know The Other Guys in the League?: Know most through Nick in one way or another.
Where'd Your Team Name Come From?: The legendary relocated franchise.
Best Sporting Event You've Ever Been To In Person: Numerous Islander & Yankee games however I was at the NY Giants/Dallas Cowboys game January 2nd, 2005 when Tiki Barber set the single-season and career franchise rushing records by scoring on a 3-yard run with 11 seconds to play, leading the Giants to a 28-24 victory which was also Eli Manning's first career victory.
Favorite NHL Team: New York Islanders
Favorite Non-NHL Sports/Teams/Players: Yankees, Giants, Arsenal
Favorite NHL Player: Mark Streit and John Tavares
Favorite NHL Player To Hate: any Ranger
Favorite Hockey-Related Memory: unfortunately--- not many, although the playoff series against the leafs was exhilarating even tough the isles didn't win it.
Best Gambling-Related Story: First time I sat to play hold'em at the Turning Stone and won $160 which funded about 15 cases of Busch Light.
Favorite Piece of NHL Clothing That I Own: Isles jersey signed by various players over the years.
Favorite Draft Pick: Semin in the 3rd and Tavares in the 9th
Draft-Day Regret: fairly satisfied
Key To Your Season: With 6 guys on IR-- getting healthy.
NPH Team Name: Winnipeg Jets
Vitals: 25, Grew up in Northport, Long Island currently live in South Windsor, CT. Graduated SUNY Cortland '06. Work for Travelers Insurance.
How Do You Know The Other Guys in the League?: Know most through Nick in one way or another.
Where'd Your Team Name Come From?: The legendary relocated franchise.
Best Sporting Event You've Ever Been To In Person: Numerous Islander & Yankee games however I was at the NY Giants/Dallas Cowboys game January 2nd, 2005 when Tiki Barber set the single-season and career franchise rushing records by scoring on a 3-yard run with 11 seconds to play, leading the Giants to a 28-24 victory which was also Eli Manning's first career victory.
Favorite NHL Team: New York Islanders
Favorite Non-NHL Sports/Teams/Players: Yankees, Giants, Arsenal
Favorite NHL Player: Mark Streit and John Tavares
Favorite NHL Player To Hate: any Ranger
Favorite Hockey-Related Memory: unfortunately--- not many, although the playoff series against the leafs was exhilarating even tough the isles didn't win it.
Best Gambling-Related Story: First time I sat to play hold'em at the Turning Stone and won $160 which funded about 15 cases of Busch Light.
Favorite Piece of NHL Clothing That I Own: Isles jersey signed by various players over the years.
Favorite Draft Pick: Semin in the 3rd and Tavares in the 9th
Draft-Day Regret: fairly satisfied
Key To Your Season: With 6 guys on IR-- getting healthy.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Getting to Know Your NPH Rival: JORDAN WEINSTEIN
Name: Jordan Weinstein (aka Jordy)
NPH Team Name: The Six Hole
Vitals: 30, born and raised in BROOKLYN NY, live here again. SUNY Geneseo, IT guy at a lawfirm in NYC
How Do You Know The Other Guys in the League?: College mostly and through Loucks
Where'd Your Team Name Come From?: from playing hockey, any time someone had a good scoring chance, especially from point blank and they failed to score by hitting the middle of the goalie, aka the logo, we started calling that the "6 hole" as in, for you non-hockey fans, there are 5 typical 'holes' to shoot for, there is no 6 hole, so if you hit the 6 hole you were a douche and getting made fun of b/c you should have scored and don't ever hit that logo again! It's sarcasm. It's funny. if you play hockey.
Best Sporting Event You've Ever Been To In Person: can't think of one
Favorite NHL Team: Rangers
Favorite Non-NHL Sports/Teams/Players: I like hockey
Favorite NHL Player: ever - Mike Gartner, current - Dion Phaneuf
Favorite NHL Player To Hate: Avery - yes, even though he's a Ranger
Favorite Hockey-Related Memory: When Messier punched out Ulf Samuelson in like 1991.
Best Gambling-Related Story: no brainer - when I played one of my first poker tournaments at the Sahara a few Decembers ago and ended up going the distance - well getting 2nd place, but seeing as I barely knew what I was doing it was just as good. and clutch went to the airport and got our flights changed to the next morning for free since we wouldn't have made the redeye.
Favorite Piece of NHL Clothing That I Own: my very new Mike Gartner Rangers jersey I got as one of 3 groomsman gifts this summer
Favorite Draft Pick: hard to say, I like a lot of the later ones, like Arnott in the 19th round - if he gets healthy. or briere in the 10th if he can stay healthy... Also picking up Emery might prove to be genius
Draft-Day Regret: not getting Phaneuf
Key To Your Season: maybe a making a big trade... Emery anyone?
Anything Else?: I love lamp
NPH Team Name: The Six Hole
Vitals: 30, born and raised in BROOKLYN NY, live here again. SUNY Geneseo, IT guy at a lawfirm in NYC
How Do You Know The Other Guys in the League?: College mostly and through Loucks
Where'd Your Team Name Come From?: from playing hockey, any time someone had a good scoring chance, especially from point blank and they failed to score by hitting the middle of the goalie, aka the logo, we started calling that the "6 hole" as in, for you non-hockey fans, there are 5 typical 'holes' to shoot for, there is no 6 hole, so if you hit the 6 hole you were a douche and getting made fun of b/c you should have scored and don't ever hit that logo again! It's sarcasm. It's funny. if you play hockey.
Best Sporting Event You've Ever Been To In Person: can't think of one
Favorite NHL Team: Rangers
Favorite Non-NHL Sports/Teams/Players: I like hockey
Favorite NHL Player: ever - Mike Gartner, current - Dion Phaneuf
Favorite NHL Player To Hate: Avery - yes, even though he's a Ranger
Favorite Hockey-Related Memory: When Messier punched out Ulf Samuelson in like 1991.
Best Gambling-Related Story: no brainer - when I played one of my first poker tournaments at the Sahara a few Decembers ago and ended up going the distance - well getting 2nd place, but seeing as I barely knew what I was doing it was just as good. and clutch went to the airport and got our flights changed to the next morning for free since we wouldn't have made the redeye.
Favorite Piece of NHL Clothing That I Own: my very new Mike Gartner Rangers jersey I got as one of 3 groomsman gifts this summer
Favorite Draft Pick: hard to say, I like a lot of the later ones, like Arnott in the 19th round - if he gets healthy. or briere in the 10th if he can stay healthy... Also picking up Emery might prove to be genius
Draft-Day Regret: not getting Phaneuf
Key To Your Season: maybe a making a big trade... Emery anyone?
Anything Else?: I love lamp
Monday, October 26, 2009
NPH Update Thru 3 Weeks
After three weeks of NPH action, one team has quickly thrust itself into the bullseye as "the team to beat".
Busted, co-owned by Aaron Anderson and Kyle Covell, crusied to a 9-1-2 blowout win over Skate Hard. That came on the heels of a 10-1-1 win the week before. It's safe to say the team is as hot as the real-life team of its star player, Sidney Crosby.
Special kudos have to go out to Avs starting goalie Craig Anderson, who has started 11 straight games as his backup, Peter Budaj, recovers from some sort of mutant strain of H1N1 or something. Anderson has 8 wins already, more than half his win total from last year in part-time duty with the Panthers.
Busted has a date with the last-place team in the Tri-State Division, Winnipeg jets, this week. The Jets only have 5 scheduled games by its goalies this week (Kiprusoff and Chris Mason) so the Busted hot streak could continue.
W-L-T Pct Pts Last Week Waiver Moves
Ira S. Wilson
1. Busted 24- 8-4 .722 52 9-1-2 4 3
3. Washington Crapitals 18-16-2 .528 38 6-5-1 1 6
4. Syracuse Bulldogs 17-15-4 .528 38 4-6-2 6 3
6. Ice Squires 16-16-4 .500 36 6-4-2 2 3
10. Skate Hard 11-22-3 .347 25 1-9-2 8 5
Tri-State
2. Bristol Redstoners 19-14-3 .569 41 5-6-1 5 2
5. The 6 Hole 17-16-3 .514 37 5-6-1 7 4
7. Moose Factory Moose 16-18-2 .472 34 9-2-1 9 1
8. New York Knuckles 16-18-2 .472 34 6-5-1 3 -
9. Winnipeg Jets 11-22-3 .347 25 2-9-1 10 5
Busted, co-owned by Aaron Anderson and Kyle Covell, crusied to a 9-1-2 blowout win over Skate Hard. That came on the heels of a 10-1-1 win the week before. It's safe to say the team is as hot as the real-life team of its star player, Sidney Crosby.
Special kudos have to go out to Avs starting goalie Craig Anderson, who has started 11 straight games as his backup, Peter Budaj, recovers from some sort of mutant strain of H1N1 or something. Anderson has 8 wins already, more than half his win total from last year in part-time duty with the Panthers.
Busted has a date with the last-place team in the Tri-State Division, Winnipeg jets, this week. The Jets only have 5 scheduled games by its goalies this week (Kiprusoff and Chris Mason) so the Busted hot streak could continue.
W-L-T Pct Pts Last Week Waiver Moves
Ira S. Wilson
1. Busted 24- 8-4 .722 52 9-1-2 4 3
3. Washington Crapitals 18-16-2 .528 38 6-5-1 1 6
4. Syracuse Bulldogs 17-15-4 .528 38 4-6-2 6 3
6. Ice Squires 16-16-4 .500 36 6-4-2 2 3
10. Skate Hard 11-22-3 .347 25 1-9-2 8 5
Tri-State
2. Bristol Redstoners 19-14-3 .569 41 5-6-1 5 2
5. The 6 Hole 17-16-3 .514 37 5-6-1 7 4
7. Moose Factory Moose 16-18-2 .472 34 9-2-1 9 1
8. New York Knuckles 16-18-2 .472 34 6-5-1 3 -
9. Winnipeg Jets 11-22-3 .347 25 2-9-1 10 5
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Getting To Know Your NPH Rival: NICK LOUCKS
This is the first of ten installments in NPH's "Getting To Know You" series. A no-holds-barred, hard-hitting Q&A with one of the owners in the league.
We'll start with myself... In the weeks and months ahead, I'll send each one of you a survey in which I'll use the answers here on the blog, introducing yourself to everyone else in the league, since a lot of us don't know each other well.
Name: Nick Loucks
NPH Team: Syracuse Bulldogs
Vitals: Just turned 29; born in Syracuse, NY in 1980; graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 2002. Emplyed at ESPN since 2002.
Where'd Your Team Name Come From?: I love all things Syracuse, the Syracuse Bulldogs were in a hockey movie (SlapShot) albeit an overrated one, and our family has had two pet bulldogs before.
Best Sporting Event You've Ever Been To In Person: 2003 ALCS Game 7 - The Aaron Boone game. The biggest travesty of the 2004 ALCS is that the awesomeness of the entire 2003 ALCS gets lost in the mix.
Favorite NHL Team: Don't really have one. My wife is on her 3rd different favorite team since I've known her (Caps after Avs and Senators). I guess I find myself pulling for the Penguins lately because I've got a few guys on their team, they have sweet jerseys and I think Sid the Kid is pretty clutch.
Favorite Non-NHL Sports/Teams/Players: I'm a Syracuse hoops fan first and foremost. Love the Yanks. The 4 sports figures on my Mount Rushmore of Sports ar Donovan McNabb, Derek Jeter (classy all the way), Larry Bird (childhood hero) and Jim Boeheim.
Favorite NHL Player: Don't really have one, but I'll have to say Malkin as an investment in my future, since he's the cornerstone of my franchise for the rest of his career.
Favorite NHL Player To Hate: Don't really have one yet... Listen, I HATED the sport of hockey until about 2 years ago, and now it's at "I can stand it" status, mainly because of fantasy. I haven't gotten burned by anyone in that endeavor yet so no one has reached "hate" status yet.
Favorite Hockey-Related Memory: A bunch of us Geneseo grads went back to campus a couple years after graduating, drank all day (including the parking lot in bootleg homeade 2-liter Pepsi bottles) and just marched around the Ira S. Wilson hockey arena taunting the opponents, fans and friends alike.
Favorite Piece of NHL Clothing That I Own: I got a sweet Retro Sport Toronto Maple Leafs t-shirt from the NHL Store via the mother-in-law a couple years ago which is sweet. Some of my buddies are big fans of an old-school Sabres thermal number too.
Favorite Draft Pick: Gotta go with backing into Malkin with the No. 2 overall pick. I was REAL tempted to take Crosby there though. I think Erik Johnson in the 14th and Paul Stastny in the 18th were steals. They'll be Bulldogs for years to come.
Draft-Day Regret: I took Pavelski instead of Jonathan Toews at the beginning of the 5th round because I had just read something about him before the draft. I think Toews may haunt me for years to come. I could have had John Tavares in the 9th round instead of Michael Frolik, but a part of me felt like my future brother-in-law SHOULD have him instead so I let him slide.
Key To Your Season: Malkin and my 2-headed goalie monster of Roberto Luongo and Ryan Miller. If they stay healthy all season, I think I'll make the playoffs. Yeah, you heard me.
We'll start with myself... In the weeks and months ahead, I'll send each one of you a survey in which I'll use the answers here on the blog, introducing yourself to everyone else in the league, since a lot of us don't know each other well.
Name: Nick Loucks
NPH Team: Syracuse Bulldogs
Vitals: Just turned 29; born in Syracuse, NY in 1980; graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 2002. Emplyed at ESPN since 2002.
Where'd Your Team Name Come From?: I love all things Syracuse, the Syracuse Bulldogs were in a hockey movie (SlapShot) albeit an overrated one, and our family has had two pet bulldogs before.
Best Sporting Event You've Ever Been To In Person: 2003 ALCS Game 7 - The Aaron Boone game. The biggest travesty of the 2004 ALCS is that the awesomeness of the entire 2003 ALCS gets lost in the mix.
Favorite NHL Team: Don't really have one. My wife is on her 3rd different favorite team since I've known her (Caps after Avs and Senators). I guess I find myself pulling for the Penguins lately because I've got a few guys on their team, they have sweet jerseys and I think Sid the Kid is pretty clutch.
Favorite Non-NHL Sports/Teams/Players: I'm a Syracuse hoops fan first and foremost. Love the Yanks. The 4 sports figures on my Mount Rushmore of Sports ar Donovan McNabb, Derek Jeter (classy all the way), Larry Bird (childhood hero) and Jim Boeheim.
Favorite NHL Player: Don't really have one, but I'll have to say Malkin as an investment in my future, since he's the cornerstone of my franchise for the rest of his career.
Favorite NHL Player To Hate: Don't really have one yet... Listen, I HATED the sport of hockey until about 2 years ago, and now it's at "I can stand it" status, mainly because of fantasy. I haven't gotten burned by anyone in that endeavor yet so no one has reached "hate" status yet.
Favorite Hockey-Related Memory: A bunch of us Geneseo grads went back to campus a couple years after graduating, drank all day (including the parking lot in bootleg homeade 2-liter Pepsi bottles) and just marched around the Ira S. Wilson hockey arena taunting the opponents, fans and friends alike.
Favorite Piece of NHL Clothing That I Own: I got a sweet Retro Sport Toronto Maple Leafs t-shirt from the NHL Store via the mother-in-law a couple years ago which is sweet. Some of my buddies are big fans of an old-school Sabres thermal number too.
Favorite Draft Pick: Gotta go with backing into Malkin with the No. 2 overall pick. I was REAL tempted to take Crosby there though. I think Erik Johnson in the 14th and Paul Stastny in the 18th were steals. They'll be Bulldogs for years to come.
Draft-Day Regret: I took Pavelski instead of Jonathan Toews at the beginning of the 5th round because I had just read something about him before the draft. I think Toews may haunt me for years to come. I could have had John Tavares in the 9th round instead of Michael Frolik, but a part of me felt like my future brother-in-law SHOULD have him instead so I let him slide.
Key To Your Season: Malkin and my 2-headed goalie monster of Roberto Luongo and Ryan Miller. If they stay healthy all season, I think I'll make the playoffs. Yeah, you heard me.
Must-Have Notes
Here are some key notes we all should know about... Time to put it them all in one place... A constitution of sorts...
- This is a dynasty league. 10 of the 20 players that are on our rosters one week after the NHL Trade Deadline will be kept going into the 2010-11 season next year. Signing Day will be roughly one month before the start of the next NHL season.
- This is a weekly league that you set your lineup for the week on each Monday.
- You can trade draft picks for future years, but if you do so, you must immediately pay for that year's fees at that time.
- 4 teams will make the playoffs. There will be 1-week semifinals and a 1-week finals/consolation. The NPH Bowl will be the Finals and no games will take place in the final week of the NHL season. (Yahoo! won't allow 2-week matchups in the playoffs as we initially hoped).
- 10 teams times $50 entry fees = $500 pot.
Payouts: NPH Bowl Winner: $225
NPH Bowl Loser: $125
3rd-Place Game Winner: $75
3rd-Place Game Loser: $50
Regular-Season Top Seed: $25 bonus
- The draft order for next year is based on where we finish this year before (based on total points)
- The trade deadline is on the site... It's March 4th.
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