Last keeper, forward or Nabokov

[tybiggs]

12 teams, basically everyone is over the top for goalies and all I see are backups come draft day.

Out of the top 55 goalies last year, only Joey Macdonald and Jason Labarberra weren't on a team, not including prospects. Averages out total to just shy of 6 goalies per 25 man roster. (12 teams, 2 goalie slots, max 82 games per)


I have Niemi, Nabokov, Vokoun, (Fasth + Khubodin on farm).
I got by last year with the condensed schedule and backups playing more.


Given my team (10 keepers + 5 farm), would you keep Nabokov (ranked 6th overall as a goalie last year), or keep 1 of Boyle, Marchand or Franzen and trade for a starter?

[rataylor22]

How easy would it be to trade for a goalie? At this point I would keep Nabby and hope a starter was available in the draft.

[Carcillo]

Nabokov will be the starter for the Islanders and if pretty much all possible goalies are owned then I'd keep Nabby over Boyle, Franzen and Marchand. You don't have another clear #1 goalie behind Niemi so Nabby is pretty valuable to your team as the second starting goalie option.

Of course if trading for a better starting goalie is an option, go that route. But if there's no deal to be made for a goalie then keeping Nabokov over those options you gave is the way to go.

[Kofax]

I would prefer to trade for a goalie, but it sounds like that would be very difficult and you would likely have to overpay (I would try a package including two of the guys you are discussing + Nabokov), so assuming that isn't a viable option:

Is this Roto or H2H??

If it's roto, I think you have to keep Nabby to try and hit the max games and maximize your stats.

If it's H2H, depending on what your minimum starts may be, I think you could probably get by with Niemi and Fasth/Khudobin (assuming you can call them up and send them down as much as you see fit). Goaltendings tends to be less important in H2H, and both Fasth and Khudobin will likely see 25-30 or so starts this year.

[tybiggs]

Thanks guys. I talked about it with another knowledgable gm at last years end and he thought i was crazy to consider it but looking at the way things are now I think it makes sense. Any starters will be nabbed in the first (i'm not talking howards or smiths, I'm talking dubynk, pavelec etc.) and some would be willing to move theirs but it'd have to be an overpayment.
Nabokov it is.

[JHM]

I think Nabby is a good choice. We play Fantasy to win.

Imagine it this way.

drop Nabby (30ish wins) and draft another guy 10 to 15 wins. Costs you quite a few points. Work hard to create a trade, sacrifice a whole bunch of points somewhere else on the roster. Costs much more than 20 points.

drop Marchand/etc. 60 point upside. Draft a 40 point guy. Costs 20 points.

Partial keeper diminishes age values somewhat.

[tybiggs]

I'm usually the guy with the old vets rounding out my team I dont usually have young boom or bust type players on my team as for every 1 that turns out, 5 dont and it kills the team. I somehow always manage to find a way to be near the top and I'm sure a 10th keeper will present itself by the end of the year should Nabokov become irrelevant so I do think its a solid choice as there are probably 15 marchand/franzen type of players to be drafted but maybe 1 Nabokov style. Here is to hoping he is even remotely close to a repeat.

Thanks for all the confirmation,

seems unanimous!