Best Roto Stat Categories

[jtr101]

Alright the GMs in our league are having a large discussion on what the best stat categories are to keep things evenly weighted between players and Goalies.

We are using fairly standard catgories i would think
Players: (G), (A), (+/-), (PIM), (PPP), (SHP),(SOG)
Goaltenders : (W), (GAA), (SV%), (SHO)

Do you guys think this is too heavily weighted to tenders or is this pretty standard??

[Yardie]

Too heavily weighted to goaltenders. We had this same problem years back. Now we go with:

G, A, PPG, PPA, PIM, Hits, SOG
W, SV%, SHO

We used to have +/- but made the change over to Hits as +/- is an infuriating category. Hits is much more fun.

[JHM]

Players: (G), (A), (+/-), (PIM), (PPP), (SHP),(SOG)
Goaltenders : (W), (GAA), (SV%), (SHO)

Pretty standard. If I was starting a league, I'd look at more diversification in my stats.

G/A/PPP/SOG/+- are all interlocked. This combo embellishes the value of the super star again & again & again. Think about Gretzky with 92 goals, 200 points, 60 PPP, about +80, shots through the roof & yes SH points too. He sucked at PIM.

To devalue the super stars a bit, I love hits and blocked shots. This enhances the grinders and spreads value across more players on a roster. TOI is somewhat of an equalizer too, particularly for D-men. I'd probably use TOI.

W/GAA/SV%/SO again are interlocked. Play for the top team in the league and you look good. Play for a re-organizing team and you don't look so hot. Thus Carey Price is devalued by his teammates, while Jimmy Howard is enhanced.

I definitely like shots as one category. This brings the Carey Price's value back up a bit, while pushing down a Jimmy Howard. Top teams don't tend to give up as many shots, and the quality of the shots is somewhat diminished.

With 10 CATS, this outline is for 40% to goaltenders. Goaltenders make up 1 of the six positons on the ice. Goaltenders will be very valuable. If I was drafting, I'd likely have two goaltenders picked within the opening three rounds of the draft. They might be my first and second pick. I reviewed a league a while back, and essentially if you had Lundy, you were in line to finish in the top three in the league every year (based on that seasons stats).

Personally, I would likely change one goaltender cat, maybe W or GAA which are directly team stats. SO is also a team stat. I'd be inclined to add Hits & BS. Maybe TOI. I'm not a fan of +- as top team (1st place - Vancouver/Boston) players are enhanced too much to my liking. SH is too sporadic for my liking. Quality management will still only produce one point every four or five games.

Basically I support any stat which pushes up the bottom end of the players. The non-stars, grinders... this makes for more quality playing pieces in your pool, lessens the chance of dynasties and assists in keeping all poolies interested and having fun. Nothing sadder than a guy going on a "five year rebuilding plan" (which turns into 10).

[Pengwin7]

My personal thoughts:
1. Skater/Goalie Category Ratio should always be 2:1 or more-skater-heavy. I prefer to see a 8/4 or 9/4 or even 10/4 split.

2. SHP is a bad category. I despise it. It is stupid. My least fond league includes SHP. Don't include that. Gosh. Awful, awful category.

3. I'm slowly seeing leagues realize that scoring should be weighted more... and you do this by including "Points". (Yes, you've got G & A, but POINTS just adds more weight to the scoring aspect).

4. I also like Hits & Blocked Shots.

5. I actually don't quite care for GAA. This is something I'm in the heavy-minority on... and I don't expect leagues to get rid of this since it is such a staple of goaltender stats.


My ideal Roto settings includes a 9/4 split:
Skaters (9): G,A,P,+/-,PPP,SOG,PIM,Hits,BkS
Goalies (4): W,GAA,SV%,SHO

[jtr101]

Too heavily weighted to goaltenders. We had this same problem years back. Now we go with:

G, A, PPG, PPA, PIM, Hits, SOG
W, SV%, SHO

We used to have +/- but made the change over to Hits as +/- is an infuriating category. Hits is much more fun.

I hate +/- but we haven't had much luck changing around categories over the years...haha...

I like that set up though!

[horrorfan]

Personally I think 6x4 is too much weighted towards goalies in a roto league.

In our roto league we use the following categories:

Skaters: G,A,+/-,PIM,PPP,SOG,FOW,Hits,BS
Goalies: W,GAA,SV,SV%

For skaters, it's not perfect as there will always be a debate on whether to keep +/- and PIM, however for positional balance we have decided to keep them in there, without having much else sensible to use as a replacement. FOW adds value to centres, Hits to grittier players and Blocked Shots to defensemen. I don't like SHP at all; they are too random and infrequent.

For goalies, I suggest you get rid of shutouts and add saves. Shutouts are random and too infrequent so they have too much of an effect on the standings every time you get one. Saves makes gives you a good balance of counting and ratio categories, and to ensure you play your goalies or you risk dropping ranking points. But the SV and SV% combination works to ensure you have quality and quantity - a good challenge to find the right balance.

[LawMan]

It all depends on how deep and involved your league managers want to be. Personally I hate points only because its so one-demonsional, I love adding categories like Hits, Blocked Shots, FOW, because it adds value to different players and every move is "I gain here but I lose here" etc. lots of different analysis. Seems like your managers are interested in some variety but most of your scoring categories are still based around scoring. Further, I think 40% goalie stats is too high I prefer 2:1 or 2.5:1 for a skater:goalie ratio.

My perfect setup would be:
G,A,P- yes Points. As Pengwin mentioned this increases the value of a point by automatically counting it as 2 categories.
PPP- Adds more value to scorers and top PP guys. Also with PPP and +/- a point counts in one or the other.
+/- - far from a perfect stat and team based but it still does hold some value to distinguish forwards who tend to control the puck more
SOG- good stat,
ATOI- I've never actually used it but I love it as a concept. Gives value to most D-men, No other stat reflects guys playing 28 minutes, also 28 minute guys on bad teams usually have bad +/- so this bumps it up. Finally, hurts guys who roster a 3 minute per night goon (which I sometimes do). Like I said I've never actually use it but I push hard for its addition every year in my league
Hits- Great stat, rarely a bad hit in hockey only downside is some argue they aren't recorded consistently from rink to rink.
PIMs- some argue "PIMs are bad for teams" I've come to accept that overall its a good fantasy stat.
Blocks- a big addition to the NHL in the last few year, again adds value to D, spreads value around and no other stat recognizes guys who do it well.
SHP- I kinda like it in a roto league. In a head-to-head I'm not a fan as 1 usually wins the week and in playoffs losing by a SHP is silly. I do like the stat overall because it's the only stat the rewards PK players (although ATOI bumps value for guys like Iginla who do it all). I would love some stat like PK time but don't think such a stat is widely available.

FOW-not included-I don't like FOW because it creates (in my mind) too much value for guys who have W/C eligibility that are 80+% Centres. espn has been all over the place with eligibility in the last few years, some years tons of guys get it other years nobody does. In my perfect fantasy setup FOW would only count from guys starting at your Center position or you'd get 10 "FOW eligible" starts per week, or it would be FOW%. As it stands I don't like how the key is to start centers in wing spots so I'd exclude it. (If you want an extra category it would be the first one I'd add).

Goalies
Wins- yes its a team stat but its a quantity stat and still related to the goalie, equally important it adds value to solid goalies who play on offensive minded teams. Guys like MAF and Bryz who are hurt by their offensive focused teams get hurt in GAA but it's balanced by their advantage in wins.
SV%-The single best goalie stat in my mind.
SVs- rewards workhorses, in head-to-head you can do this with minimum goalie starts but in roto I want a stat to do it. Also mixes nicely with SV% to require a balancing act.
GAA- Also very team based but a staple.

Having 2 quantity stats with 2 quality stats is good in my opinion as every start is debatable and the workhorses who are also studs become very valuable.

SHO- For the same reasons as SHP I would be ok with it in a roto. I think over a season the stat will reflect which goalies were the best. However, a shutout improves the other 4 stats and I prefer the 4 goalie stats listed above and so wouldn't include shutouts.

G, A, P, PPP, SHP, +/-, SOG, PIMs, HITs, BS, ATOI,
W, GAA, SVs, SV%
So that's an 11-4 split or 2.75:1.

[jtr101]

Thanks for the input guys!