Pre-Season Preview: #8 Lake Erie Shtonsters

Coach: Evan Tynan
Trophy Case: POH5 Manager of the Year

POH5 Regular Season Finish: 5th
Postseason Finish: First Round Loss

Pre-Season Rank
Forwards: 9th
Defensemen: 10th
Goaltenders: 3rd
Coaching Pedigree: 5th
Overall: 8th
Projected Win Total: 62

Keepers:
C Joe Thornton (3rd Year in Lake Erie)
RW Jarome Iginla (3rd Year)
RW Marian Hossa (3rd Year)
D Jack Johnson (2nd Year)
G Martin Brodeur (3rd Year)

Outlook
GM Evan Tynan enters his fourth season with the Shtonsters. In his first three seasons, Tynan has led the franchise to three consecutive playoff berths, including a POH4 Finals appearance. Joe Thornton (32 years old), Jarome Iginla (34), Marian Hossa (32) and Martin Brodeur (39) all return for a third straight season in Lake Erie. With the nucleus of the team growing a bit long in the tooth, concerns have been raised about the future of the franchise. The 26-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury may be the long-term answer in net for Tynan. But outside of centerman Mike Richards (26), there isn't a whole lot else on this team in the way of keeper potential. The front line of the Shtonsters can best be described as underwhelming. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise for a team that annually focuses on the goaltending categories. Johnson, Mark Streit, Chris Pronger and Ryan Suter form a skank group of blue-liners, and much will be expected of Streit after missing all of the 2010-11 season. Brodeur, Fleury and Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom form one of the best goaltending trios in the league. The question remains: will the goaltenders be stout enough all season to support a less-than-stellar group of point scorers? The answer to this question will go a long ways in determining the fate of the Shtonsters in POH6.

Players to Watch:

RW-Marian Hossa

Since signing with the Chicago Blackhawks two seasons ago, Hossa has missed 45 games. As a result, the production we've come to expect from the Czech product hasn't quite been there. He has five times topped the 35-goal mark, and if he can stay on the ice for 75+ games this season we'll likely see anywhere between 35-40 goals.

D-Mark Streit 

After finishing last season with no elite defenseman options on the roster, Tynan took a chance on young Jack Johnson...hoping the young Los Angeles King would continue developing in POH6. But make no mistake, Streit is the man to watch on the Lake Erie defensive front. Streit totalled 62, 56 and 49 points in the three seasons following 2010-11 (which he missed with a shoulder injury). If he gets back to that level and avoids further injury, this could be a strong defensive unit.

G-Martin Brodeur

Most Princes of Hockey analysts suspect this will be Brodeur's final season with Lake Erie whether or not he comes back for the 2011-12 season. The future hall of famer needs to stay on the ice in order for the Shtonsters goaltending unit to live up to it's expectations in POH6. The Devils are widely expected to be better this season, and Brodeur could enjoy one last trademark campaign before floating off into fantasy irrelevancy.

Pre-Season Preview: #9 Branson Bull Frogs

Coach: Dustin Larson
Trophy Case: Nothing

POH5 Regular Season Finish: 9th
Postseason Finish: DNQ

Pre-Season Rank
Forwards: 8th
Defensemen: 5th
Goaltenders: 6th
Coaching Pedigree: 10th
Overall: 9th
Projected Win Total: 58

Keepers:
C Steven Stamkos (3rd Year in Branson)
C Pavel Datsyuk (3rd Year)
C Danny Briere (2nd Year)
D Ryan Whitney (2nd Year)
G Henrik Lundqvist (3rd Year)

Outlook
Dustin Larson enters his fourth season in Princes of Hockey with a club most would consider his most talented yet. Still, questions linger about whether or not Larson---who has finished second-to-last in each of his last two campaigns---has what it takes to guide a team to the post-season. The franchise moves to Branson, Missouri, and will dawn the new mascot name "Bull Frogs". Some wonder whether it is a direct slap in the face to fellow GM Nick Lake by combining his past two team names (Istan Buls and Prague Phrogs). The top of this lineup features a group of proven scorers in Steven Stamkos, Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk. But beyond the top-three there are plenty of question marks. Danny Briere, a holdover from last year, should provide a bit of depth for the Bull Frogs, who will depend heavily on their Centermen this year. Along the right side of the ice, things look bleak in Branson with Shane Doan, Dustin Brown and Teddy Purcell. Sophomore forward Taylor Hall is a developmental piece who doesn't figure to score a ton this year, but could be considered a dark horse keeper option heading into POH7. The defense is led by keeper Ryan Whitney, who very quietly plowed his way to 27 points in just 35 games in 2010-11. If he keeps up that pace, the Bull Frogs will be formittable on the blue line. The goaltending should be respectable at the very least. Cam Ward gives some depth to this group, while Henrik Lundqvist returns for a third year in Branson. Mike Smith needs to improve on his 2.89 GAA from last year, and prove that he can handle the starting gig in Phoenix, a team known for it's defensive system.

Players to Watch:

C-Steven Stamkos

Two years ago, young Steven Stamkos was entering his second year in the league when manager Dustin Larson selected the sharp shooter in the 11th round (No. 84 overall). Heading into POH6, Stamkos is without question the face of the Branson franchise (and perhaps the most sought after fantasy player in the world). Steven will likely need to improve on his 91-point 2010-11 season if the Bull Frogs are going to finish in the top-six.

LW-Ilya Kovalchuk

Larson went ahead and took the most talented player on the board after winning the right's to the No. 1 pick in the POH draft in this spring's lottery. Will the Bull Frogs get the worthless sack of fuck that caused Winnipeg GM Joel Hafnor to trade him for two pieces of lint and the corpse of goaltender Marty Turco last year? Or will they get the man who scored 31 points in 33 games after the All-Star break? Kovie will have a lot to do with Branson's success (or failure) in POH6.

D-Ryan Whitney

Whitney was on pace for 63 points in 2010-11 before sustaining an injury that kept him out of 47 games. If he continues on that torrid pace in POH6, Branson will have themselves a dynamic game changer on the blue-line. Look up and down the rosters of the six playoff teams from last year, and almost every one of them had an impact defenseman.

Pre-Season Preview: #10 Newfoundland NorthStars

Coach: Nick Ewing
Trophy Case: Nothing

POH5 Regular Season Finish: 7th
Postseason Finish: DNQ

Pre-Season Rank
Forwards: 10th
Defensemen: 8th
Goaltenders: 9th
Coaching Pedigree: 8th
Overall: 10th
Projected Win Total: 49

Keepers:
C Matt Duchene (2nd Year in Newfoundland)
C Ryan Kesley (2nd Year)
LW Alexander Semin (2nd Year)
D Duncan Keith (2nd Year)
G Ryan Miller (2nd Year)

Outlook
The Newfoundland NorthStars relocated after unsuccessful stints in both Saskatoon and Charlestown in coach Nick Ewing's return to Princes of Hockey. Despite moving to Newfoundland, where a $12.5 million state of the art facility was put in place to improve results for Ewing & Co., there is skepticism whether or not the talent-level is high enough to compete in POH6. The first round (No. 3 overall) selection of David Backes had many POH GM's scratching their head. Backes, who gains much of his value from PIM (which is not a category in POH), is now expected to lead a re-building project for the NorthStars. Ryan Miller remains the centerpiece of the franchise, though he struggled during POH5. Miller will be joined between the pipes by Winnipeg's Ondrej Pavelec and Dallas' Kari Lehtonen---neither of whom experienced great seasons in 2010-11. Forward Matt Duchene represents a beacon of hope entering his third year in the league, and should make the leap to a point-per-game scorer with the expected resurgence of the Avs. But fellow keepers Alexander Semin and Ryan Kesler have injury concerns, and when you pair that with a subpar draft, you get the feeling it could be tough sledding for Newfoundland's fantasy hockey club.


Players to Watch:

Goaltender Ryan Miller

Miller must improve on his 2.59 GAA, 34 W, 5 SO campaign if the NorthStars have any hope of being among the league leader in goaltending categories.

Forward Matt Duchene

We all know the hype, now it's time for Newfoundland's Matt Duchene to deliver on all the expectations. He is the clear cut top prospect within the NorthStars organization.

RW-David Backes

There is a great deal of pressure that comes with being a first round selection, especially in Princes of Hockey when the top-50 players are already off the board. Backes will be leaned on heavily this year, and a repeat of his 31 Goal, 31 Assist POH5 season simply won't be good enough this time around.

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