Janet Eagleson?

Question

This season, in my research for fantasy hockey, Janet Eagleson caught my attention because of some of her statements in her columns. She is a fantasy analyst for Rotowire.com and the resident NHL expert for GoTV networks. In the past two weeks she has made two statements that just struck me as off the wall. This week stated that Joe Sakic will retire because of his sports hernia. Last week she claimed that Jeff Carter will be traded this season because the Flyers will no longer be able to afford him due to the Mike Richards contract.

The Sakic prediction is not totally crazy given his age but I still think it is a little far fetched. He has had 1 seasons below 75 points in the last 5 years and was just shy of a point per game this season. The man has shown few signs of slowing down at all prior to this injury.
http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/nhl/news;_ylt=Ao609Wr6L2XaOkn01PfrZKFNC5kB?slug=je-frozen_122907

The statements about a pending Carter trade are totally off the wall in my opinion. The deal that Richards signed should improve the chances of the Flyers signing the remainder of their young talent. It averages to just under $6M per season and is a bargain for the Flyers.
http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/nhl/news?slug=je-frozen_122107

It appears to me that she is just making a few off the wall predictions in the hope that a few of them come true and on the off chance that one of them does she can throw out an "I told you so."

The questions: Is anyone else familiar with Eagleson? Do you agree or disagree with her predictions? Is she known for what I perceive to be somewhat off the wall predictions?

Puck: Good comparison to Yorio. I really couldn't stand reading her columns. Carter is a RFA after this season. Looking at the Flyers numbers, they are definitely going to be tighter next season than I originally thought. They have quite a few players unsigned heading into next season. The following players are RFA's at the end of the year: Carter, RJ Umberger, Riley Cote, Denis Tolpeko, Ryan Potulny, Stefan Ruzicka, Randy Jones, Alexandre Picard and Nate Guenin. The following are UFA's: Jim Dowd, Jesse Boulerice, Jason Smith, Jim Vandermeer and Rory Fitzpatrick.

I would make Jason Smith my first priority then I would be looking at Carter, Umberger and Jones. By my estimation, they should have about $6M available without a cap bump next year. All three should be looking at getting raises but I don't see anyone on the list getting a major raise. That is especially true for Carter who was very disappointing last season and inconsistent this season.

Bob: I agree that his upside is very promising. How far does the adversity he has been through so far drive his number down? He did have mono his rookie year, joined the rest of the team in having a horrible season last year and has been inconsistent this year. Richards also slumped a bit last season but obviously has bounced back this season. Richards is more of a multi-dimensional player than Carter IMO. If Carter is agreeable, I could see a short term contract to give him another year or two to work through, develop and establish himself. I also agree that if they cannot sign him, someone will take a chance and offer him a big RFA number. If I am the Flyers, I don't know that I would pass up multiple 1st round picks for the guy.

Also, if Sakic comes back from the injury and continues to put the numbers up he has over the last few years (he has averaged about a point per game) until 2010, how does he NOT make the Olympic team?

Answer 1

I just Googled her and I find her claim to fame is that she is an author of two books. One on hiking in the woods, the other on Maple Syrup. Just the training to be a Hockey writer.
Unless she has a famous relative who is feeding her information. Then maybe she knows something.

Answer 2

Lubers- LMAO, she had caught my eye with some stuff as well. Especially the Carter thing. I actually found some truth to it in that the Flyers cap number for next year is up there but it will probably go up again so that should help. Also, Rathje is still showing for next years number so that should come off (not sure how, retire, buy-out).

PUCKDAT- A better question is who WOULD NOT want Carter- a 22 year old power forward who is on pace for 30 goals. Sheesh. Only going to get better and I could see him being a 40, perhaps even a 50 goal scorer in the NHL so to answer your question of who would want him- 30 teams. Gauranteed. Especially if getting 30 goals as a 22 year old is not performing to expectations.

Flyers have to FIND a way to keep him. Otherwise he is going to break out somewhere else.

If he is not signed by the time the summer rolls around, I could see another team making him a very lucrative offer which may force Philly to take the compensation, not much unlike Penner with Ana/Edm this year.
So I think the whole premise does have validity. However, Carter has said he wants to play his whole career in one city so he may give Philly a discount. I think he will stay but Holmgren will need to be creative to find a way to make it happen. I also don't think they will be able to do it long term-maybe a 2 year deal worth 6 million or something.
Remember that Umberger is also going to be an RFA and Lupul will after next year. Jason Smith is an UFA after this year and another guy I would like to see them retain.

As for the Sakic one- she is just blowing smoke in hopes that done the road it makes a fire.

I wouldn't compare her to Kara Yorio. She was just out to lunch. At least this lady has theory behind her stories. Sakic is getting up there. Philly does have cap issues next year.

Answer 3

I've seen her columns a few times and I take what she has to say in the same manner I do that Yario chick. 'Whatever beotch.'
I will say that Richards 6M per season is still a decidedly larger hit against next season's cap than the two players combined for this season which in math terms means something may indeed have to give. I'm not up to date on whether Carter becomes a RFA or UFA at season's end but if either is true, the Flyers may deal him. Just who out there might want him is another question. He still isn't producing at a level he was expected to so with any number of cheaper players ready to step in and give the Flyers the same things Carter does but at less than half the price, her claim could indeed come to fruition.
Which would be worse? Carter leaving or her claim coming true.

LMAO - yup being an expert on Maple Syrup ought to make you a great hockey writer.

I see Carter has 13 goals. Is that not one of his best totals already? Yes, he has up sides and I didn't realize he had scored that much already so then it would seem it may be even harder to keep him long term if he scores 30. Cap math will bite the Flyers in the backside on this.
Can't see a cap increase of 10% next year. I'd say 5 tops, which is 2.5M.

Answer 4

Well, since anyone with a computer can be published, its up to us - the discerning readers - to determine what is reliable. Until you posted this question I never heard of Janet Eagleson.

Although Carter is somewhere between Mike Richards and Joni (The Human Turnover Machine) Pitkanen, I don't see the Flyers moving him this season - unless they go deep into another annual funk.

If they move him for any reason at this point, it would be for a blue chip player. A year or two from now, it could be for the fact that he isn't panning out.

It has been my observation that there isn't a female writer out there that can write about hockey. It could be that they are the means by which potential female fans could also be turned onto fantasy hockey. But for the traditional male hockey enthusiast she just doesn't spark my interest.

Answer 5

I know for a fact Sakic will be back this season. Unless something goes wrong and his injury worsens. If that doesn't happen, he'll be back for the last couple regular season games, then the playoffs.

I don't know all that much about Carter, but he doesn't look like a guy the Flyers would trade.

Answer 6

I read the column she writes for yahoo sports and they are usually annoying. There is some information buried in there, but it's usually under a couple feet of euphemisms, slang, and nicknames. It's not so much what she has to say as it is how she says it. It almost seems like she's trying to sound like a guy or in some way prove that she's qualified to talk about the subject. Either way, her writing style is annoying. Ironically, I'd be less annoyed with her, and see her as more credible, if she just wrote her recommendations without trying to "jazz it up" with her "wit".

"Trevor Daley, D, Dallas (0.16 percent owned) – This fire hydrant has a shot at big minutes and a true offensive role now that Phillipe Boucher is out for four weeks following shoulder surgery. Daley has loads of potential; he just needs to rein in some of the exuberance that comes with being an impatient young stallion. But even young bucks have a role to play in every herd so Daley could fill a short-term need on your roster. A two-point night and his first goal of the season Wednesday were enough to catch my eye; how about you?"

I'll even write an Eagleson-style one liner to follow this clip: "Hear that sound? It's me puking."

Answer 7

A couple weeks ago I read the same things in some rumor mill blog. She may have read it too, only putting more faith in the story than I did. The same folks also had Santana wearing pinstripes and Alex Rios in San Francisco by weeks end. As I said it was a couple weeks ago so they went 0 for 4. I guess you know where the term 'fantasy sport' comes from.

Answer 8

In an interview with Sportsnet yesterday, Joe Sakic was talking about retirement............but not until after the 2010 Olympics. Aside from the injury, he said he felt like he was in the best shape of his life.

Answer 9

Looks Like Janet was right, on BOTH predictions, hey but what do chicks know about hockey, eh? More than you idiots!