#1 - Team Shake 'N Bake
Illya Kovalchuk
At last, we come to the number one ranked team. Team Shake 'N Bake has earned the top spot with just one vote not going to him as the top team. After becoming the first team to win the Presidents Trophy and the TOFHL cup in the same year, Team SnB now looks to become the first team to win the cup twice.
In 2011 Dru saw his team finish outside of the playoffs for the first time, but what he did at that trade deadline and offseason set his team up for future success as is apparent now. When a team wins in this league, it usually means they exhausted most of their resources (picks and minors) in order to acquire players at the deadline and have success in playoffs. This was not the case as Dru was able to stash enough assets away from his off year to set him up for the 2012 draft while having a dominant team in the previous season. He set himself up with a bevy of early picks after winning the cup, not an easy task. That is just flat out good GMing.
Team SnB selected three players in the first round of the 2012 draft. Thomas Vanek, Dany Heatley, and Niklas Backstrom. The Backstrom selection was key as uncertainty circles around the Luongo situation in Vancouver and Halak is set to split time again with Brian Elliot. His goalies might be the one weak link on this team. The forwards and defensemen are all solid and mostly in their primes.
With The Presidents trophy winner now awarded money, it will probably be going home with Dru this year. This team is set up for success now and has a very good shot to repeat as champs. That being said, until his goalie situation is ironed out, this team is not flawless. It will be fun to watch the other top teams try to knock the reigning champs off their thrown.
Here's to another great season (hopefully) and I hope you all enjoyed the Preseason Rankings. I will be doing Weekly Power Rankings which will be displayed on the main page on the right hand side. The Rankings will start in the order of these rankings and will be changed each week as I see fit.
Good luck to all!
- The Commish
In 2011 Dru saw his team finish outside of the playoffs for the first time, but what he did at that trade deadline and offseason set his team up for future success as is apparent now. When a team wins in this league, it usually means they exhausted most of their resources (picks and minors) in order to acquire players at the deadline and have success in playoffs. This was not the case as Dru was able to stash enough assets away from his off year to set him up for the 2012 draft while having a dominant team in the previous season. He set himself up with a bevy of early picks after winning the cup, not an easy task. That is just flat out good GMing.
Team SnB selected three players in the first round of the 2012 draft. Thomas Vanek, Dany Heatley, and Niklas Backstrom. The Backstrom selection was key as uncertainty circles around the Luongo situation in Vancouver and Halak is set to split time again with Brian Elliot. His goalies might be the one weak link on this team. The forwards and defensemen are all solid and mostly in their primes.
With The Presidents trophy winner now awarded money, it will probably be going home with Dru this year. This team is set up for success now and has a very good shot to repeat as champs. That being said, until his goalie situation is ironed out, this team is not flawless. It will be fun to watch the other top teams try to knock the reigning champs off their thrown.
Here's to another great season (hopefully) and I hope you all enjoyed the Preseason Rankings. I will be doing Weekly Power Rankings which will be displayed on the main page on the right hand side. The Rankings will start in the order of these rankings and will be changed each week as I see fit.
Good luck to all!
- The Commish