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.