Hey Everyone,

It's NHL All-Star weekend!

Quick things to note, FA is currently closed until Feb 4 at 12pm ET. I have updated projected cap space for next year (this assumes all expiring contracts expire and aren't extended). The last few trades may be adjusted it slightly if you were a team involved, so please be mindful.

Use this information to plan extensions for Backyard first extension period of the season, you may start posting extensions now and if you wish to make any during this period, they must be posted by Feb 4th at 12pm ET.

(note that extensions take effect after the season ends, please refer to the Contracts and Extensions sections in the Rules Handbook)

One last thing, I will be on vacation until Feb 4, and will not be around Profsl or Fantrax until then. If there are any moves that need to be processed on Fantrax, Cho has graciously agreed to help out while I'm gone.

One last last thing, if you didn't see the post yet, we're happy to welcome back Tony to Backyard NHL. The former champ is trying his hand at turning Vegas around.

Hey everyone,

I'll be on vacation from Jan 26-Feb 4 and won't be checking Profsl very much, if at all. It's getting close to the trade deadline, so I hope that I come back to some trade inquiries.

Everyone on Detroit is available.

Backyard NHL is proud to welcome back a former champion 

Tony is rejoining the league, replacing Gilly as GM of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Welcome back Tony!

Detroit places Jordan Staal on IR and calls up Chytil

It's halfway through the season and the standings are very tight. There could be a lot of movement in the second half and any team is capable of leap-frogging others with a little bit of puck luck and an apple a day to keep the doctor away.

1. New York Rangers     (9-3) – These Broadway Blueshirts are scoring like nobody’s business and they lead the league in Fantasy Points Scored. If the season ended today, MacKinnon would be Backyard’s Mario Lemieux Award winner for top scorer. Not to mention that this team has been getting quality goaltending from 3 guys, even with Schneider not being the tender he once was. DeSmith should take a backseat to Murray again, but if not, then this season could be the Rangers’ to lose.

2. St. Louis Blues           (9-3) – Why have the league’s top point getting skater when you could have both #3 and #4 in Kucherov and Pasternak? The reigning Champs are looking to repeat and are in a great position to do so. Both Rask and Griess have been splitting starts and it still hasn’t really slowed this team down. Can their d-corps get any better? Burns, E. Karlsson, Hedman, and Pulock are serious point getters on the backend.

3. Detroit Red Wings      (10-2) – This may be my best year in Backyard and it’s still not good enough to have me at the top of the Power Rankings. This team is built around solid depth with no true superstars. It certainly helps having Freddy Andersen in goal but who knows how long this injury will last, it has the potential to derail Detroit’s season. 

4. Toronto Maple Leafs   (9-3) – The team with longest winning streak is Detroit’s rival and neighbor. They are another team with great depth. With Koskinen looking like the new guy in Edmonton, if Bobrovsky can return to form, this team will have 3 great goaltenders when most teams are lucky to have 2 good ones.

5. Washington Capitals (8-4) – Even though their record is nothing to sneeze at, if the Capitals end with an middle of the pack Fantasy Points Against, their record will be stellar. Right now, this team has been scored on the 3rd most in the league. Johnny Hockey and Patty Kane help this team just scored right on back and edge out those wins.

6. Colorado Avalanche    (8-4) – If this team had even 1 starting goaltender, it would be that much more scary to face. For now, McDavid, Matthews, and Marner are like 3M wrapping the world in Scotch Tape. They even have a strong supporting cast with Zibanejad, Meier, Stone, and Seth Jones.

7. Chicago Blackhawks    (8-4) – Chicago has been making move after move this year, tinkering for success. Trading for Crosby has worked out well it seems as he leads the team in scoring. The Blackhawks may just sign or trade their way into a deep playoff run.

8. Montreal Canadiens    (7-5) – Halak has been a pleasant surprise for Montreal this year. After coming into a certain backup role for Boston, Halak has forced the Bruins into a 1a 1b situation. Eichel, Giroux, and Stamkos are 3 #1 centers that a team dreams of having. We all may come to regret letting the Canadiens pick up Pirri in FA if he sticks in the NHL for the rest of the season.

9. Philadelphia Flyers      (7-5) – Philly is neck and neck with its in-state rival Penguins. King Henrik has shown that he still has gas left in the tank. Fellow Swedish supermodel, Roman Josi, is having yet another great year in Nashville. It will be interesting to see where this team ends up.
 
10. Calgary Flames             (6-6) –
      Pittsburgh Penguins    (6-6) –
      Boston Bruins              (6-6) –
      Edmonton Oilers         (6-6) –
      Buffalo Sabres             (6-6) –
Any of these teams could make a move and rise in the standings. Very few teams can be considered out of the race at our halfway point.