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NHL Start 'Em Sit 'Em (3/31)

With the NHL regular season ending Sunday, the lineup decisions you make for your fantasy squad will have life or death implications.  In an effort to aid you on your vision quest to glory, I have scoured the stars hoping for any faint glimmer of a sign of future events, and chosen to kindly share my findings with you my lucky, loyal readers.  To start I have a couple of forwards you may not have heard of before, but whom you should never the less place absolute faith in over the next few days.  To sit, I cruelly pick on a couple of helpless goalies.

It's not that I have anything personal against 'tenders (though God knows, they deserve all the scorn I can muster for making me look as bad as a high school defenseman), it is just much easier to determine bad play over a short period with netminders.  Think about it, if a forward or defenseman goes a few games with no points, it's no big deal.  But, if a goalie gives up 3+ goals a night, for any small period, it's a HUGE deal.  

And with that, I bid you adieu and hope you break a leg (not good luck, because I like you).  
Start 'Em:

Kyle Turris | C
Phoenix Coyotes

Although Kyle's college hockey career ended on a sour note Sunday, losing the draw that led to the game winning overtime goal by North Dakota, his future is bright.  

The third overall pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Turris is a pure talent who has all the tools to excel on the next level.  He has the holy trinity of hockey skills: he can pass, shoot and skate.  

His passing was on full display Sunday night, when seconds after a second period powerplay expired, he noticed defenseman Jamie McBain out of the corner of his eye cutting to the net.  Making a saucer pass so good it should be illegal in 48 states, the puck landed perfectly on McBain's tape to give the Badgers an early 1 - 0 lead.

His scoring was evident all year long, playing as an 18 year old in one of college hockey's toughest conferences, the WCHA, he posted 35 points in 36 games.  

His skating ... well, I don't have a good way to quantify that, I guess you'll just have to take my word for it.  

After signing Monday, he joins a stacked young Coyotes team, along with 2006 8th overall pick Peter Mueller and 2005 17th overall pick Matin Hanzal for this year's final three games to get experience, and start on the road of his long professional career.

If your fantasy squad needs help from above to stay alive, your angel has landed.  

David Booth | LW
Florida Panthers

The collest group of guys on South Beach may be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but that does not mean players have nothing to play for.  And no I am not talking about the indefinable, far too overused, while rarely understood noun "pride," here.

I'm talking about straight cash money.  

Yes sir, every NHL game is an opportunity for players to showcase their talents not only for their own coaches and front offices, but those around the league.  As such, every night counts for guys who are not lucky to have those 10+ year contracts that have been getting popped in like tic tacs around the NHL.

Case in point, David Booth of the Florida Panthers.  Booth was once a high flying Michigan State Spartan, ranking second on the team in scoring as a freshman.  Since then due to injury problems and probably spending too much time on his flowing blond locks, Booth has not lived up to his potential.

Prior to Saturday's loss to Washington, however, Booth was in the midst of his best four game stretch of the season, where he had a point each night.  Four points in four games may not be Crosby level numbers, but for an owner looking for an unexpected late, late-season boost, or a writer desperately trying to finish a column, it is bliss.

Sit 'Em:

Dwayne Roloson | G
Edmonton Oilers

Roloson was playing well earlier this year, as seen in his November numbers, where he had a 2.94 GAA, and a .913 save percentage; but those days are long gone.  

With the pressure going up by the second and his team needing him more than ever, Roloson's been mailing it in.  Over his last six starts, his GAA has sky rocketed to 4.00.  With tough, crucial games coming up against Calgary and Vancouver to close out the season, it is not going to get any easier for Dwayne.  

If he is still on your squad, find him a nice, warm and comfortable seat on the pine for the season's remainder.  

Ryan Miller | G
Buffalo Sabres

Speaking of goalies (gasp, gasp, I can't breathe) under the pressure, Buffalo's Ryan Miller also has been doing his darndest to keep the Sabres out of the playoffs.  On the season, Miller's 2.63 GAA is actually better than last year's when the Sabres won the President's Trophy 2.73.  

But, that has nothing to do with recent reality, where his GAA has been a quite poor 3.5, and his save percentage an even more embarrassing .858 over his last six starts.  Those are both far below acceptable levels for a playoff-caliber starting goalie.  

As a result, his club will more than likely miss the playoffs and if he's on your team, you're probably out of it by now too.  If by some strange twist of fate you still have a chance at a championship, cut your losses and find someone else to start between the pipes.

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