Getty ImagesDobber checks in every Thursday to force-feed you the latest fantasy hockey trends. The founder of DobberHockey.com and a columnist for The Hockey News website, he long ago immersed himself into this rollercoaster world and is unable to escape.

There are still some early surprises yet to adjust, but many of the crazy player stats have fallen back into the line. Here is a snippet of Frozen Pool's Yahoo! Roto Ranker, which ranks players in every category and then adds the ranks.

Studs...

These fellas are wielding a hot stick. Take that into consideration when you go after them in trade talks...

David Perron, St. Louis Blues (2-2-3-5, plus-5, 0 PIM, 6 SOG) – Perron is playing alongside David Backes and TJ Oshie on what has become one of three first lines on the Blues. Perron's return to health, as well as Andy McDonald's, not to mention the arrival of Vladimir Tarasenko, has made this team an offensive force. Fancy that, a Ken Hitchcock team scaring you with their offense.

Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks (6-3-8-11, plus-4, 2 PIM, 19 SOG) – Along with linemates Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau (who actually have even more points), Pavelski is enjoying close to a 90-point pace. Over 48 games. The last time he was this hot producing at this kind of clip you have to go way back to, well, a month ago when he was in Russia. But before that, you'd have to go back a couple of years.

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Dobber checks in every Thursday to force-feed you the latest fantasy hockey trends. The founder of DobberHockey.com and a columnist for The Hockey News website, he long ago immersed himself into this rollercoaster world and is unable to escape.

Just a few days into the season, but since the schedule is condensed, most teams are already approaching their 27th game, or something. It's early, so the fantasy league standings are all over the place. For what it's worth, here is a snippet of Frozen Pool's RotoRater, which ranks players in every category and then weighs them against the average by position.

Studs...

These fellas are wielding a hot stick. Take that into consideration when you go after them in trade talks...

Thomas Vanek, Buffalo (2-2-4-6, plus-3, 2 PIM, 12 SOG) – This is on the strength of a five-point game, but two things are clear. One, this guy always gets off to hot starts (he had 39 points in 38 games to start last campaign). Two, he is clicking with his linemates. In a shortened season, this could be a huge one.

Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis (3-0-5-5, plus-1, 4 PIM, 7 SOG) – Third-year defenseman could earn his 100th career point before playing his 170th career game. He needs nine points in his next 13 games to do it, and he's certainly playing like he will.

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Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis (3-3-2-5, plus-3, 2 PIM, 12 SOG) – A talented, super-hyped Russian playing under Ken Hitchcock is bound to thrive. Well, maybe not. But Tarasenko sure is. And the way he's playing right now, it's impossible to see him Nikita Filatoving his way back to Russia. Ever.

Cory Conacher, Tampa Bay (3-2-3-5, plus-3, 4 PIM, 5 SOG) – For the past year I've been calling this guy a feistier David Desharnais. But not because he's 5-8, undrafted, with high-end hockey sense. Actually, yeah, that's exactly why. He is in the top six for good. He'll go through his slumps, but on the whole he's a safe own in all fantasy formats for the long term.

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Darryl “Dobber” Dobbs is Puck Daddy’s resident fantasy hockey expert. Dobber can be criticized and ridiculed over at his own site, too. Follow him on Twitter (@DobberHockey), but only if you like cool tidbits on player trends.

The best thing to do after writing team-by-team stuff on the Eastern Conference is to follow it up with one about the West. That's just logic.

Anaheim Ducks

The battle: Kyle Palmieri vs. himself

The stakes: A top six spot

The lowdown: Palmieri did not look out of place during a couple of NHL stints, for the most part. As what happens to most prospects prior to making the jump full time, he was plagued by inconsistency. Even in the AHL this year he started off with 11 points in nine games before managing just five in his next 12 (and a minus-11 rating). He's lining up with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in training camp.

My call: He'll stick with the club, but will bounce in and out of the top six, ending with a middling 20 points that includes a couple of hot six-game runs.

Calgary Flames

The battle: Roman Cervenka vs. Sven Bärtschi vs. Jiri Hudler vs. Mikael Backlund vs. Curtis Glencross

The stakes: Three scoring-line spots

The lowdown: Cervenka and Hudler were the much-hyped acquisitions of the summer, targeted for the very reason that they can contribute on the second - or even the first - line. But Cervenka has been sidelined with a blood clot and Hudler has missed camp because his father unfortunately passed away this week. Bärtschi is coming off a great start to his pro career, though he kind of fizzled a little at the end with six points in 11 games for Abbotsford. Backlund put on a strong performance over in Sweden and has continued with that in training camp. And finally, Glencross is Glencross no matter the camp - a point every two games whether he plays with Tim Jackman or Jarome Iginla.

There are three spots open, not necessarily an entire second line as this team will mix and match. But if you assume Cervenka and Hudler have two of the three open spots, then the winner out of the other three could conceivably flirt with 30 points while the other two will be lucky to hit 20.

My call: Backlund is due.

Chicago Blackhawks

The battle: Viktor Stalberg vs. Brandon Saad vs. Michael Frolik

The stakes: A top six spot

The lowdown: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa are in the top six. Indisputable. Dave Bolland is also being tried out as the second-line center and it looks like that will remain the situation for the near future. That leaves one spot for potential rookie sensation Saad, 24-year-old former 21-goal scorer Frolik, and Stalberg, who is coming off a 22-goal season himself. Stalberg is already seeing plenty of power-play practice time.

My call: Stalberg wins and, if healthy, scores 15 goals in 45 games. The only way Frolik gains fantasy relevance is if he is traded to a team that actually puts him on their power play. Amazingly, Frolik saw just 11 minutes of power-play time - total - all last season.

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Darryl “Dobber” Dobbs is Puck Daddy’s resident fantasy hockey expert. Dobber can be criticized and ridiculed over at his own site, too. Follow him on Twitter (@DobberHockey), but only if you like cool tidbits on player trends.

Some interesting camp battles this year, especially with the field narrowed before camps even begin thanks to the rush to get the puck dropped. Things are happening quickly, so that "Dammit!" moment that you get every year when a guy you drafted gets cut will happen before you can say "Niederreiter".

Here are some key battles taking place on teams in the Eastern Conference. We'll take a look at the West tomorrow because those teams aren't as important.

(Just getting my friends out west all riled up. Like shooting fish in a barrel.)

Alright, let's get to it.

Boston Bruins

The battle: Dougie Hamilton vs. Dennis Seidenberg

The stakes: PP time.

The lowdown: As good as Hamilton is, teams generally don't give teenagers top billing on the power play. As hard as it is to believe, Seidenberg saw 2:36 of power play time each game on average in 2011-12. How someone can do that and fail to reach the 25-point mark is beyond me. But if Hamilton can earn the trust of Coach Claude Julien, it will mean the difference between 10 and 25 points in this shortened season.

My call: Hamilton by decision

Buffalo Sabres

The battle: Tyler Ennis vs. Cody Hodgson vs. Steve Ott vs. Mikhail Grigorenko

The stakes: Key ice time

The lowdown: Logic dictates that Ennis and Hodgson will be 1-2. And with Ott as the perfect third-line center, where does that leave Grigorenko? He's making waves in training camp and sticking him on your fourth line is like putting on a pair of nicely-polished dress shoes to go out in the yard and scoop up doggie doo after it stops raining. There's probably 125 points up for grabs between the four of them, and where they play and who they play will determine distribution.

My call: Ennis or Hodgson will get hurt early, because they often do. Either that, or Ott will be moved to the wing. Because Grigorenko should make this team and at the very least play on the third line.

Getty ImagesDarryl “Dobber” Dobbs is Puck Daddy’s resident fantasy hockey expert. Dobber can be criticized and ridiculed over at his own site, too. Follow him on Twitter (@DobberHockey), but only if you like cool tidbits on player trends.

Game on!

Nobody's as jacked about the season being saved as your typical hardcore fantasy hockey freak (of which I am a proud member). Draft season is even more special this time around because instead of being neatly spread out over the course of a month, it's jam packed into 10 nerd fun-filled days!

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But when you dust off those projections you bought last summer, you need to understand that it's not just a matter of multiplying their projected point totals by 48/82. You need to identify which players the season's delay hurts and helps, as well as which players are helped/hindered by a shorter schedule. Rather than bumble through that on your own, how be I force-feed it to you and you can just agree with me, kay?

Players Hurt by the Lockout

I have a theory, which pretty much becomes fact as soon as I publish it because damn it…it just sounds right. Here it is:

If a player is leaving his prime years, say in that 32 to 35 age group, and he has already shown signs of decline, then he should have been playing competitive hockey during the lockout.

And no, the odd charity game doesn't count. Three months of "informal" workouts after coming off a poor season (by that player's standards) is a recipe for disaster. Here are some candidates:

Dany Heatley, Minnesota Wild - On the heels of declining point totals in each of the last three seasons, the 31-year-old  (he turns 32 in a couple of weeks) decided that the best way to turn things around would be to not play hockey.

Brad Richards, New York Rangers - The 32-year-old had seasons of 91, 77 and 66. The graph is straight as an arrow - and it's pointing downwards. Putting Rick Nash on his wing should help. But then again, putting Marian Gaborik there didn't, so...

StarsContinuing with the week's series of fantasy-related content, I'm taking a look at the free agents who have signed with new teams - and where some of them should be targeted at the draft.

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Key movers

A fresh start can be a good thing. But sometimes that reliable comfort zone that we were in turns out to be better after all. Hockey players are no different.

Jaromir Jagr, Dallas Stars

A solid return last season, but time to call a spade a spade - he played with one of the best players in the NHL and he had trouble staying healthy. Jamie Benn is a great player and still getting better - but he's no Claude Giroux.

Bottom line: Even if Benn turns into Giroux, that wonky groin of Jagr's ain't going away anytime soon. Pass.

P.A. Parenteau, Colorado Avalanche

He tallied 120 points over the last two seasons when, let's face it, 29 other NHL teams would have never given him an opportunity. So there is a heavy sense of doubt in fantasy circles. Now the Avalanche hope that he clicks with Matt Duchene the way he clicked with John Tavares.

Bottom line: Fantasy owners seem to be exaggerating in their minds the terrible blow his production will suffer from losing Tavares as a linemate. He could probably be taken in the middle rounds and will be a steal at that point thanks to his assists and penalty minutes.

Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild

Parise is going to see better numbers. A lot better. But will it match the hype? He had 94 points before (2008-09) and the improved Minnesota Wild sure look like they have the roster around him to get him back up there. A point per game is more likely, making him a high second-round draft pick.

Bottom line: In all likelihood he'll be drafted in the first round. The hype thing, remember? So you probably don' t have to worry about it.

Getty ImagesContinuing with this week's series of fantasy-related content, we'll take a look at the rookies, and where some of them should be targeted at the draft.

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The sexy picks

Many poolies take the bigger-named rookies earlier than they should. The hype exceeds production, because let's face it - these days even Calder Trophy winners are barely getting 60 points if that.

Nail Yakupov, Edmonton Oilers

Someone's bound to take the No.1 pick of 2012 in the fourth or fifth round, hoping they snagged a 70-point winger with upside for the season ahead. And perhaps he will be just that. But historically speaking, Yakupov is probably looking at high 50s and a deserving spot in the middle rounds. He just won't slide that far for you.

Ryan Murray, Columbus Blue Jackets

An outstanding defenseman whose name carries a lot of weight in fantasy hockey. But that's for his two-way game, not his offensive game. And in fantasy hockey, we want offense. Considering he's on the Blue Jackets and looking at a golf-tournament-winning score when it comes to plus/minus he shouldn't even be drafted at all in your one-year roto league.

Alex Galchenyuk, Montreal Canadiens

After missing most of last season due to injury, Galchenyuk will be hard-pressed to stick with the Habs beyond a nine-game tryout (assuming those exist with the future CBA). So drafting him at any time before the bench rounds is wasting a pick.

Mikhail Grigorenko, Buffalo Sabres

The, at one point, projected second-overall pick in the 2012 draft fell to 12th, but Grigorenko is consider close to being NHL ready and the Sabres are eager to inject his combination of size and skill into their lineup. He's another 'maybe' just to play in the NHL this year and as such should not be drafted before the reserve/bench rounds, if at all. But you won't have to worry about it because some dummy will grab him in the 14th round and think that they snagged a great sleeper.

Getty ImagesContinuing with this week's series of fantasy-related content, we'll take a look at the fantasy value of some of the netminders in the year ahead.

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When it comes to drafting goaltenders, a tiered strategy is the way to go. It has worked for me for several years. The reason you look at them in terms of a tiered system is because you don't know when they will go in the draft. Goalies tend to go in "runs". Once a person selects one, others follow suit over the next few picks. Sometimes that's as early as the first round. Or it could be as late as the fifth round, depending on the rules of your league. All you need to do is ensure beyond a shadow of a doubt that you get a goalie from Tier 1 and a goalie from Tier 2. A second goalie in one of those tiers would be nice, but very tough to do because you are focusing on other positions. Tier 3 would be the goalies you take in the late rounds and generally include rookies, sleepers, those in 1A/1B situations and Band-Aid Boys.

Tier 1

Here are the slam dunks. These are the guys you can count on for 33 wins and they have a shot at 40. Their numbers are generally stellar and they won't let you down, barring a fluke injury (and if you get one of those, you're screwed anyway).

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Money in the bank. I don't know what else to say about him. Six consecutive seasons of 35 or more wins. There is no safer pick.

Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings

Three consecutive 35-win seasons and a dominant Conn Smythe-winning postseason. If the Kings have to showcase Jonathan Bernier, it may reduce Quick's starts mildly. But he'll still get his 35 wins easily.