Solid Centers in Keeper Leagues for the 2009-2010 Season
With the fantasy hockey season winding down, managers in keeper leagues need to start considering players to bring over to the 2009-2010 season. This is the second segment in a multi-part series exploring keeper options at center for keeper leagues.
Nicklas Backstrom | Washington Capitals
If Alexander Ovechkin is Batman, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin are Robin-A and Robin-B respectively. The twenty year-old Backstrom might fly under the radar for some owners, but his 66 assists last season should look more like a huge radar blip. His fast frame is a perfect compliment to his line mates that make spectacular plays nightly. There isn’t much more to say about Backstrom as long as he remains on Washington. If the Capital power trio ever gets broken up, worry about St. Nicklas. But…there is no reason to worry about that anytime soon. Let Backstrom rack up the assists while you look for a proven goal scorer.
Mike Richards | Philadelphia Flyers
When the Flyers were among the worst in the NHL, there was a little star about to burst into something bigger. That star is named Mike Richards, and he’s officially here to stay in NHL/fantasy stardom. 75 points last season, and 80 this year, the twenty four year-old Richards is the centerpiece of the Flyer’s future. Don’t be afraid to make him yours either. Philadelphia will certainly continue to surround him with goal scorers while giving him ridiculous amounts of ice and power play time. Richards also has two other intriguing characteristics: he can rack up the penalty minutes AND the shorthanded points. His large ice time totals even means he lines up on the penalty kill a little more than the average star player. All things considered, Richards has the potential to go from stardom to super stardom in the very near future.
Henrik Sedin | Vancouver Canucks
There is something about Swedish twins we all love; especially Swedish twins that score as consistently as the Sedins. Henrik might not be as sexy as his goal scoring brother, but the “passer” of the group racks up power play points all the same. With players as steady as Henrik, sometimes he can get lost in the shuffle. If you need steady, don’t look past Sedin # 33. Don’t forget he also has an improving offense around him and one of the NHL’s top goaltenders behind him every night, meaning his +/- will safely be on the plus side. Give a player that hasn’t missed a game since the 2003-2004 campaign a long hard look.
Jeff Carter | Philadelphia Flyers
This former first round pick from Ontario really hit his stride last season. Even though he did not always get even strength ice time with Richards or Gagne, Carter made the most of what was around him. His talent is in finding the back of the net, which led him to 46 goals last season, tops among centers. Still very young, Carter has shown improvement each season. Carter’s twelve game winning goals left owners salivating at the mouth for a player that probably went un-drafted in shallow formats. Heading into next season, you might be able to take an ignorant owner for a ride when you take Jeff Carter from him or her. The 2009-2010 season might very well be the year Jeff Carter leaves a memory stain on all of us and moves up to a higher level of centers. If you’re looking for a rare breed of center with more goals than assists, look no further.
Jonathan Toews | Chicago Blackhawks
Two seasons ago, fantasy owners were trying to make a sneaky pick by grabbing this rookie center who carried loads of upside for an up and coming Chicago organization. Although very few knew how to pronounce his name, fantasy hockey talk everywhere was buzzing about Toews. He missed a substantial amount of time his rookie season due to injury which may have hindered his development and led to a slightly disappointing 54 point season. Patient owners were rewarded this past season, however, when Toews was able to appear in all 82 games. Often playing with fellow stud Patrick Kane, Toews led the Blackhawks to the playoffs for the first time in recent memory. As Toews continues to mature, the sky is the limit. Owners may not reap immediate rewards, but owners displaying patience will be fending off trade offers for Toews in the coming years. Take note, even with an extremely small sample size, Toews has increased his scoring output fifteen points a season. That would put him at 85 for 2009-2010.
Saucerpass is currently running a keeper league series uncovering different levels of players at all 5 positions. We have already looked at goaltenders and left wingers, and will continue to breakdown every position until we’ve covered most options for next season:
Keeper Centers for 2009-2010
Keeper Left Wingers for 2009-2010
Top Tier Left Wingers
Solid Left Wingers
Serviceable Left Wingers (Part 1)
Serviceable Left Wingers (Part 2)
Questionable Left Wingers (Part 1)
Questionable Left Wingers (Part 2)
Keeper Goaltenders for 2009-2010
Top Tier Goaltenders
Solid Goaltenders
Servicable Goaltenders
Questionable Goaltenders (Part 1)
Questionable Goaltenders (Part 2)
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I treat Backstrom as a top tier C now. 88 points as a sophomore including 22 goals. I’d take him before Savard in a league.
Thanks for the comment Jstainer. A case could definitely be made for Backstrom to be moved up a tier, but until his body of work spans another season or two I’ll keep him a notch (a very, very small one) below some other centers.
Yeah I totally understand. 2 seasons does not a superstar make