Fantasy-impacting lessons learned from 2015-16 Regular Season

[RizzeeDizzee]

On Wednesday, in place of my normal Cage Match column (and as a bookend to my 10 Fearless Forecasts column that was posted just before the start of the regular season - note, the key word was "fearless"......) I'm going to assemble a list of the 10 fantasy-impacting lessons learned from the 2015-16 regular season. Once the column goes live I'll put a link to it here [EDIT - it's live now: http://www.dobberhockey.com/hockey-h...from-2015-16/]

But I figured that as we wait for the playoffs to begin, what better time to ask forum readers to offer some of their own lessons? Although mine will all be general lessons, rather than about specific players, you should go ahead and post any lessons that you think others could benefit from hearing. But do try and make sure they're lessons that emerged from (or were underscored by) the 2015-16 regular season, rather than things like pointing out how a band-aid boy got hurt yet again.

[BillyD.]

1. Elite players are elite players and patience is a must (see Crosby S. and Letang K.)

2. Don't go crazy over october's results. (see Pitsburgh and Montreal for example.)

[Axeman33]

Players can still produce after 30 years of age and are not totally worthless in trades (unless you are the one trying to acquire them).

This isn't just a lesson from this past season, this is one from most seasons.

[Eskimo Brother]

Don't be afraid to reach for the guys you are really high on. Klingberg this year and Forsberg last year. Made a huge difference in the leagues that I didn't wait too long to draft

[RizzeeDizzee]

1. Elite players are elite players and patience is a must (see Crosby S. and Letang K.)

2. Don't go crazy over october's results. (see Pitsburgh and Montreal for example.)

These are excellent - at least as good as mine. Rep coming.

[Pengwin7]

Will you admit that Pavelski > Getzlaf?
Or is Pavelski just still getting lucky?

[RizzeeDizzee]

Don't be afraid to reach for the guys you are really high on. Klingberg this year and Forsberg last year. Made a huge difference in the leagues that I didn't wait too long to draft

Actually, one of my lessons is essentially the opposite of this. Taking risk/reward gambles is fine, but if you get carried away you'll miss out on the best player available and have more misses than hits. Look for #3 on my list when it's posted and let me know if you think if I backed up this contention.

[Sulla]

Loading up on a team's top line can just as easily burn you as win it all for you - Johnson and Palat being a nice example

[RizzeeDizzee]

Will you admit that Pavelski > Getzlaf?
Or is Pavelski just still getting lucky?

If you do a search for my posts over the past three months you'd notice that on at least 2-3 separate occasions I've copped to being proven wrong about Pavelski and OEL. But of course you probably didn't bother to notice that, just like you seem to inconveniently forget to remind me when - more often than not - I'm correct in my assessments.

But thanks so much for your thought-provoking contribution to the thread.

[RizzeeDizzee]

Loading up on a team's top line can just as easily burn you as win it all for you - Johnson and Palat being a nice example

Bingo - this is actually along the lines of one of my lessons. Check out #1 on the list when it's published, and see the data I dug up. It was pretty eye opening, to me at least. Rep coming.

[Sherpa]

My successes and failures every season relate to how well I correctly parse October-November stats between hot/cold starts (with a market correction to come) or true sustainable production.

I was able to win this year by timing my early trades well. Other years, I waited too long to act.

Places like this help immensely in tuning out the noise and seeing your team for what it is (or isn't).

[Eskimo Brother]

Actually, one of my lessons is essentially the opposite of this. Taking risk/reward gambles is fine, but if you get carried away you'll miss out on the best player available and have more misses than hits. Look for #3 on my list when it's posted and let me know if you think if I backed up this contention.

Oh I completely agree that you don't want to be jumping up too high and missing out on the top players. I'm just thinking of for example with Klingberg in 12 team drafts last year, he was being selected on average in the 13th-14th rounds, and I managed to nab him in the 11th in just about all of my one year leagues, and was heavily rewarded for it. On the other end of the spectrum, grabbing Strome in the next few rounds after in most leagues, turned out to be a big mistake.

I guess I could have phrased my lesson better, in that being flexible from your draft list is good, as is understanding who you are drafting with to be able to reach at the right times for players that you really want.

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Looking forward to taking a gander at the list either way though!

[RizzeeDizzee]

Oh I completely agree that you don't want to be jumping up too high and missing out on the top players. I'm just thinking of for example with Klingberg in 12 team drafts last year, he was being selected on average in the 13th-14th rounds, and I managed to nab him in the 11th in just about all of my one year leagues, and was heavily rewarded for it. On the other end of the spectrum, grabbing Strome in the next few rounds after in most leagues, turned out to be a big mistake.

I guess I could have phrased my lesson better, in that being flexible from your draft list is good, as is understanding who you are drafting with to be able to reach at the right times for players that you really want.

- - - Updated - - -

Looking forward to taking a gander at the list either way though!

I see - that definitely makes sense now that you explained it. It sounds like we agree that reaching early is bad, but when it gets late it makes sense to think a bit more outside the box.

[Eskimo Brother]

I see - that definitely makes sense now that you explained it. It sounds like we agree that reaching early is bad, but when it gets late it makes sense to think a bit more outside the box.

Generally yes, that was what I was trying to get at.

[Dikoi]

Great idea! Was gonna post a "lessons learned" thread myself but I guess I'll just piggy back off yours.

For me, patience is so important and my patience was pushed to my very limits this season. Between Crosby sucking at the start of the year, Johansen getting benched by Torts, Kucherov/Thornton and others all off to slow starts, the whole goaltending situation in Anaheim and many more, I learned that patience does eventually pay off.