Puckjunkie.com Premium Article Sample
Top Risk Picks 2008/09

September 15, 2008

Scott Brattly

As a successful poolie, you know that much of the skill in winning your pools is in selecting players that you believe are on the edge of a breakout year while avoiding guys who may look like they should perform but, for one reason or another, don’t. Here’s our risk list for this year. Be they pool killers or just guys that underachieve, we’re selecting these guys with the notion that expecting production out of them could be a mistake. So without further adieu, and in no particular order, let’s get to this year’s risk picks:

Kristian Huselius – 07/08 was a schizophrenic year for Huselius. The first half Huselius was on fire and playing very well while in the second his offense dried up, and he bounced to a number of different lines, lost his confidence and ultimately, coach Keenan lost confidence in him. It was actually sad really, and while Huselius is a very talented player he has a tendency to have his offense dry up for long stretches of time. Huselius signed with Columbus to fill the offensive voided left by the traded Nikolai Zheredev. Much of Huselius's success will depend on how he endears himself to defensive-minded coach Hitchcock. We think it’s a pretty tall order and there is a huge risk that he will repeat his season of last; decent in the first 30 games and then venturing into the fantasy gulag for the remaining 50.
 

Care to read more? You'll need to subscribe to the Puckjunkie Predictor, the definitive fantasy hockey cheatsheet. Need more convincing?