decided to "re-tool"...

[LeafNation93]

Hey everyone! So, this week decided that I couldn't win my league,so went balls out to retool for next year/future.

What area(s) would you try and upgrade first?

This is a keep 8-4-1-1 league, ten round draft.

G- 2pts, dg-2pts, shg 2pts, A- 1pt,gwg- 2pts, pppts- 1pt
Win- 4pt, SO- 6pt

Stamkos, tavares, hall, ericksson, stastny, Purcell, s.gagner, Brière, grabo, havlat, vrbata, Whitney,hornqvist, grabner (bn) m.johansson (ir)

OEL, subban, Myers, Eliot, seabrook, timonen, Orlov (bn)

Quick, crawford, neuvirth (bn)

Thanks in advance

[aleco83]

How many teams are in your league? Not sure how you can decide that you can't compete this year when the puck hasn't even dropped. Tbh, your team seems very close. I'd say ur goalies are a bit weak after quick but with no peripherals to worry about crawford will do well on a competitive hawks team...considering the weighting on offensive d I'd try to upgrade there first.

[LeafNation93]

Forgot to add thé teams in post. Its a 12 team league.

There are a few "stacked" teams and I could've finished 3-4 w my team. So should I somehow finish 4th at least I'll do it w stammer and jt.

A few teams are veteran laden, so a bit of stragedy is also in play.

[ericdaoust]

Why re-tool? Just keep improving your team. If some teams are stacked then it's up to you to put in the work and get to their level. If you do a massive re-tool you will face the same struggles later.

[LeafNation93]

I am always trying to improve! This is my 3rd season. 1st year was exp, 2nd year i fell just short. And i made the call that i couldn't win this league w the players i had.

Its a hard league to trade in as alot of teams went "young" and a few went for lack of a better word "old".

But very few are balanced. I.e, all fwd, no dee or all dee and decent fwds.

My goal is to be balanced, w stammer jt and hall being my anchors.

i have to ride it out and be patient. (patience has been my Achilles heel At times)

[LeafNation93]

but my retooling is complete. Now the task is to get more balanced.

[ericdaoust]

I am always trying to improve! This is my 3rd season. 1st year was exp, 2nd year i fell just short. And i made the call that i couldn't win this league w the players i had.

Its a hard league to trade in as alot of teams went "young" and a few went for lack of a better word "old".

But very few are balanced. I.e, all fwd, no dee or all dee and decent fwds.

My goal is to be balanced, w stammer jt and hall being my anchors.

i have to ride it out and be patient. (patience has been my Achilles heel At times)

You should just keep upgrading talent. It doesn't happen overnight, but time is on your side. A year is a long time in fantasy hockey and there are options that will create themselves along the way. You just have to be ready to strike.

I've been following this exact method for more than a decade and turned all of my teams into contenders by having a consistent obsession for championships and by taking advantage of others shifting direction and sometimes selling players for less than their true value. I simply hate to lose so I will do whatever it takes to avoid it

[LeafNation93]

I hate to lose too! But i feel good that an expansion tram almost won the league in there 2nd yr. Tbh, thid was my 3rd year to go fir thé kill but traded pieces to win last year.

im ready to do it again

[The Hockey Hitman]

I'd try my best to build around Stamkos/Tavares/Hall/Eriksson/Gagner/OEL/Subban/Quick...thats my core if this was my team. Obviously Stamkos/Tavares/Quick should be labeled "untouchable".

Borderline add Hall to the list, but his early injury woes are at least noteworthy to make him easier to let go of then the other two big forwards. Treat him like hes untouchable but then hint around if you got a really good offer, you might consider it...and if you get something worth looking at, bring it here for the Dobber crew.

Dmitri Orlov and Marcus Johansson are two players I'd also consider keeping around.

In particular, Ted Purcell, Brent Seabrook, Tyler Myers and Stefan Elliott are players I'd toy around with shopping. Crawford/Neuvirth/Stastny/Grabner/Hornqvist I'd throw in the "disappointing young players" category that probably won't hold much value right now...but based off age/potential in a keeper league, will be more attractive to the certain GMs over an aging vet.

Unfortunately, its likely there aren't too many of your other guys will be very attractive to other GMs...Briere/Whitney/Vrbata/Havlat/Timonen, hanging on to them might make more sense right now, as unless you get a bonafide solid return on them, keeping them until around your league's trade deadline where they could potentially net you a bigger return from a contending team is usually a worthwhile strategy.

In terms of actually getting deals done right now...good luck.

I'm in 5 leagues, 3 of which are normally very active year round, filled with GMs who are very knowledgable and competitive...and all of them are completely dead right now. I expect most fantasy leagues are dead right now as well, thanks to you know what. Hope this helps.

[LeafNation93]

Thank you for your responses everyone. I agree with what everyone was suggesting/recommending.

I have alot of work to do!

Don't really have many pieces to move, but in a tight race (which this league will def be) there is hope.

As of now my keepers will be:
Stammer, jt, hall, ericksson, stastny, Purcell, gagner and Johansson (grabo, possibly)
Oel, Myers, subban, Eliot/orlov
Quick.

Not a contender by any stretch,but not too far off Brother

[LeafNation93]

Haha. No idea why "Brother" is there. Supposed to be "neither"

[hockeymanG23]

You certainly have a solid young group of players in each position to build from.

How is your league set up with regards to prospects? It appears there is no farm team so do they just get scooped up when it seems they will start producing?

[LeafNation93]

Yeah, there is no farm team. Most of thé younger prospects were scooped up in our draft and then new expansion teams took thé rest.

But if anyone who isn't taken (and there isn't very many) starts to produce, then it's first come, first served.

I still have two 1sts (anywhere from 7-12, im guessing) so am hoping to use those picks to maybe get either one more dee or a fwd

Not many pieces to move at the moment, so have to bide my time.