I Got Nothing...Hope you Like it!

Yeah as much as I hate to admit it, I've been racking my brains all week for something to write about for the Point, but I can't come up with anything specific.  Not like last week, anyway.  Last week I could have gone on and on about that mess.  But seeing as how it's pretty much behind anybody that ever gave a damn, it's not worth beating to death anymore.

So in any case I've decided to approach this week's edition of On Point Seinfeld-style.  It's about....nothing. Nothing in particular anyway.  Have to say I haven't really had my mind on the Caps too much this week.  Mrs. Blueliner has been getting on me about certain things needing to be done, and being the dutiful husband that I am I put my energy into that.  Ahhh, life, it loves to get in the way of what you want to do....

Another part of why I can't really get my head around writing about hockey is the fact that it's just, well, the preseason.  You know where the games mean....nothing?  Don't get me wrong, I'm just as excited as the next hockey fan now that it's all starting up again.  But given last year's playoff results, pardon us Caps fans if we want to jump ahead a ways to games that matter.  Let's just get on with it and drop the puck for real!

So just as I type all that, I have tonight's Oilers-Canucks preseason game on in the background (thank you NHL Network!!!!).  Wouldn't you know it---it's 4-1 Oilers already after one period?  But again, it's preseason, so I'm not reading too much into it.  Canucks fans need not worry--keep in mind they did just play last night plus the fact that the Oilers have loaded up on their "A" lineup to make the hometown crowd happy. I'm noticing a couple things, though.  First, Oilers' management must think a lot of their No.1 draft choice Taylor Hall since he's wearing Kevin Lowe's old number 4 at his urging, no less.  Second, the fact that Dustin Penner's having a decent game makes me look good for my decision to pick him up midway through last year's foray into fantasy hockey--my first.

Speaking of fantasy hockey, yes, I dove into it headlong last year and absolutely loved it.  Not having much in the old bank account I of course went the free route via Yahoo!  I highly recommend it for anyone who's always wanted to play but didn't think they could. No, my team the Balmer Bumblers (bumbled into this from Balmer, get it?) didn't win my league but darned if I didn't lead it for most of the season and ended up finishing second.  Not bad for my first time out if I do say so myself.  I'm feeling pretty good about my chances this year, but I'm no expert by any stretch.

Not that that will stop me from offering some advice.  It occurred to me last season that leagues are not won and lost by the first-tier group, the starters.  No, they're won by how your second-string and bench guys do.  I might have won my league if I had figured that out sooner than I did.  That said, unless your in a "keeper" league, where you have the same guys from year to year, do keep an eye on the top 50 scorers in the league.  Yahoo's in-house stats listings made it so easy to do that.  All you have to do is focus on a few guys that are doing well in certain categories.  This is especially beneficial if you're in a rotisserie league.  And don't be afraid to drop a guy who's dragging your team down.  It's just fantasy...you're allowed to be an SOB.

By the way, my "sleeper" pick (as if there is such a thing) this year is Kings' center Anze Kopitar.  This on recommendation from The Hockey Guys podcast.

I just realized that, as this is supposed to be a Caps-centered blog, I haven't really said much about them.  Big news this week is their giving a decent contract to Tom Poti.  Can't say I'm surprised at this--he is the only reliable veteran presence in their D-corps.  I'm happy to see him committed to the team, but it doesn't exactly do anything to quiet the critics who say we need a true stay-at-home D-man.  This would be the kind of defenseman that clears the crease, bangs heads, and does all the nasty work that comes with keeping a team's goal totals down.  Even if we had a journeyman level type of guy who can do that I would feel at least a little better about things.  As it happens, the Caps' style of play may lead to some lonely nights for the goalies.  This year's fortunes ride on how well they keep their end clean, not that I'm revealing anything new.

Well, that's pretty much all I've got for right now.  Just a bunch of nothing. Maybe next time I'll do a Kramer-like entrance for my intro, who knows?  I certainly feel like George Costanza sometimes--hopeful but often empty-handed.  At least my wife isn't as annoying as Elaine.   Consider this a squandered power play.