ESPN Puts the Fantasy in Hockey

ESPN revealed their much awaited Fantasy League rankings recently and, surprise surprise, they’re pretty much based in fantasy land.

Wait, did I say "much awaited?" My apologies, I meant “much overrated.”

Martin Brodeur gets the No. 1 spot overall, just ahead of Alex Ovechkin at No. 2 and Sidney Crosby at No. 3. In the top 15 players, ESPN actually lists seven goalies. Do they know something about the fantasy value of goalies that the rest of us don’t?

Interested in knowing just who makes up that list of seven?

No. 1—Martin Brodeur
No. 4—Jean-Sebastian Giguere
No. 7—Jose Theodore
No. 10—Evgeni Nabokov
No. 14—Carey Price
No. 15—Ilya Bryzgalov

According to the great minds at ESPN, Chris Osgood (22 overall), Marty Turco (58 overall), Henrik Lundqvist (31 overall), even Marc-Andre Fleury (28 overall) don’t get a shoe-in when compared to the great Bryzgalov (insert chuckle here).

In fact Marty Turco is ranked two spots lower than Boston’s on-again-off-again Manny Fernandez. Vinnie Lecavalier, a player whom most would rank in the top 10 in the league, is down at No. 24.

Hey, they do call it “fantasy” for a reason, right?

So, who are the worse players in the league, according to ESPN?

Well, not including prospects or rookies (who, let’s be honest, are impossible to rank anyway), Martin Gerber (Ottawa Senators) falls in at No. 370.

Just ahead of him are two more net-minders—Mike Smith (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Alex Auld (Ottawa Senators). Does ESPN predict Ottawa will bottom out this season?

I’m almost inclined to think ESPN stands for Exceedingly Stupid Prediction Noobs!

I doubt it matters all that much. In the coming weeks when the fantasy leagues open to the public, I imagine the rush of people heading to Yahoo to join leagues will quickly make us forget ESPN even has a fantasy league system!