An Inside View of a Dynasty League Draft...

[LordoftheRinks]

Round 5 Update:
Given the glacial pace of this draft, we nearly got through 2 full rounds yesterday so here's my latest update...round 6 will follow shortly.

Round 5 - this was the round I finally broke down and selected a goalie - I would have waited another round but 2 guys I had targeted were taken this round (Couture & Landenskog). With the remaining keepers, my thinking was to select a goalie on the younger side, on a team on the upswing, and be the main man in net (no timeshare or high-end backup looking over his shoulder). The choices I had to select from were Andersen & Talbot. Dubnyk was also available at this point but I just don't see his upside or his team's in a compelling way. I chose Talbot - he'll provide me with enough quality starts to keep me competitive. And...at some point in the draft I'll pick up a quality backup or high-end goalie on the cusp.

My team through round 5: Giroux (C/RW), Backstrom (C), Letang (D), Pacioretty (LW), Talbot (G)

Other GM selections in round 5: 1. Puljujarvi, 2. Couture, 3. Mrazek, 4. Duchene, 5. Larkin, 6. Landeskog, 7. Rinne, 8. Stone, 9. Talbot, 10. Carlson, 11. Voracek, 12. B.Schenn, 13. Okposo, 14. Jenner, 15. Draisaitl, 16. Kessel

My goal next round is to get another PPP quarterback at D - I have 3 in my queue so I'm confident at least one will be there for me.

Stay tuned!

[tomastop]

Thanks for the update.

I like the selection (and your reasoning behind) of Talbot. Especially if this league keeps going past 1.year.

Kessel at 80 overall?

[LordoftheRinks]

Thanks for the update.

I like the selection (and your reasoning behind) of Talbot. Especially if this league keeps going past 1.year.

Kessel at 80 overall?

I assume his lack of peripherals caused GM's to sour on him (HIT & BLK) - in this format his ranking based on last year's production put him as the #87 rated skater (so, pretty spot on for where he was selected). He can produce G & SOG though!

[Laendarian]

whew yeah 80 seems very late for Kessel, nice steal there.

[LordoftheRinks]

Round 6 Update:

Round 6 - I wanted another PPP D quarterback this round and Shattenkirk was still available so my selection was easy. I'm going to be 'opportunistic' in the next few rounds - looking for value picks at C or W primarily.

I'm feeling good about my team so far through 6 rounds: Giroux (C/RW), Backstrom (C), Letang (D), Pacioretty (LW), Talbot (G), Shattenkirk (D)

Other GM selections in round 5: 1. Lucic, 2. Ristolainen, 3. Domi, 4. Schwartz, 5. Palmieri, 6. Drouin, 7. Huberdeau, 8. Shattenkirk, 9. Reinhart, 10. Troucheck, 11. Hellybuyck, 12. Horvat, 13. Muzzin, 14. Faulk, 15. Giordano, 16. Zibanejad

Somewhat surprised Ristolainen went so early - I'm a fan, but in view of some of the other quality pros and prospects still out there, it seems a reach (note: the GM is a Buffalo fan so maybe not so surprising). I like the Faulk pick as the lack of -/+ as a scoring category in this league really plays to his value. For me it was either Shattenkirk or Faulk as my D selection in this round - and I would have been equally happy with either. Muzzin was another surprise at this early stage as well - again, a nice player but the combo of HIT/BLK he brings can be made up later. It's the PPP quarterbacks that don't exactly grown on trees that you should lock down (IMO) sooner rather than later.

[chuckcouples]

Muzzin was another surprise at this early stage as well - again, a nice player but the combo of HIT/BLK he brings can be made up later. It's the PPP quarterbacks that don't exactly grown on trees that you should lock down (IMO) sooner rather than later.

You do realize that Muzzin has been a lock on the first PP unit for LA for the past two years and he's 30th in the NHL in PPP among dmen over that period of time. He was 34th last year. He was also top 10 in the NHL for dmen in hits and top 40 in blocked shots. He actually seems like a great pick at this point in the draft.

[Pengwin7]

Interesting draft.
I always find 16-team leagues so odd... it borders on the "goalie issue".
Start 1G... goalies have very low value.
Start 2G... goalies have insanely high value.

I like all your picks except for Talbot.
In a H2H, I would've gone full bore on stacking offensive categories, specifically looking to take 6 or 7/11 categories every week by pure offense.
Then a couple spot back-ups will get you two starts and steal you GAA 40% of the weeks.

HIT/BLK, as surely you know, can be very late drafted... so this draft should be pure scoring, scoring, scoring for the first 8-10 rounds.
Defensemen who play PPP and who get HIT/BLK are uber-rare, so I'd identify those guys and grab a few.

For goalies, I think I'd try to get half my offense (10 skaters) and then snag a value-tandem.
Maybe Elliott/C.Johnson for CGY... as they have a nice schedule for avoiding conflict.
I think Chad Johnson (CGY) as well as Neuvirth (PHI), Greiss (NYI) are three guys who we'll see seriously look to steal starts this year.
Calvin Pickard (COL) is a sleeper favourite of mine too.

Nice draft so far.
FWIW, Shattenkirk went 25th overall in the WHL dynasty last year! Nice value there.

[Moses]

Somewhat surprised Ristolainen went so early - I'm a fan, but in view of some of the other quality pros and prospects still out there, it seems a reach (note: the GM is a Buffalo fan so maybe not so surprising).

Prediction: Risto is going to finish as a top 10 D in your league with those settings (and will for years to come). This was your one and only chance to get him before his value goes through the moon.

SnipImage-5.JPG

Player GP G A Pt PIM SOG STP Hit Blk
Shattenkirk, Kevin - STL 72 14 30 44 51 180 27 82 113

2015/16

**Love the updates - please keep it up**

[yougo]

Interesting draft.
I always find 16-team leagues so odd... it borders on the "goalie issue".
Start 1G... goalies have very low value.
Start 2G... goalies have insanely high value.

I like all your picks except for Talbot.
In a H2H, I would've gone full bore on stacking offensive categories, specifically looking to take 6 or 7/11 categories every week by pure offense.
Then a couple spot back-ups will get you two starts and steal you GAA 40% of the weeks.

HIT/BLK, as surely you know, can be very late drafted... so this draft should be pure scoring, scoring, scoring for the first 8-10 rounds.
Defensemen who play PPP and who get HIT/BLK are uber-rare, so I'd identify those guys and grab a few.

For goalies, I think I'd try to get half my offense (10 skaters) and then snag a value-tandem.
Maybe Elliott/C.Johnson for CGY... as they have a nice schedule for avoiding conflict.
I think Chad Johnson (CGY) as well as Neuvirth (PHI), Greiss (NYI) are three guys who we'll see seriously look to steal starts this year.
Calvin Pickard (COL) is a sleeper favourite of mine too.

Nice draft so far.
FWIW, Shattenkirk went 25th overall in the WHL dynasty last year! Nice value there.

This is a great post Peng.

OP could have drafted a couple of forwards of great quality before going with Talbot. Elliot-Neuvirth_Greiss-Pickard are all going to be available much later in the draft.

[Moses]

(double post - my fault)

[LordoftheRinks]

You do realize that Muzzin has been a lock on the first PP unit for LA for the past two years and he's 30th in the NHL in PPP among dmen over that period of time. He was 34th last year. He was also top 10 in the NHL for dmen in hits and top 40 in blocked shots. He actually seems like a great pick at this point in the draft.

Thanks for the message. You make a good point and indeed, I do realize that he's on the first PPP unit (Muzzin had 13PPP last year and 14PPP the year before). D-men still on the board were Seabrook (25PPP), Yandle (22), Keith (21), Sutter (20), etc. - not to mention that Faulk (17 PPP in a shortened season and great periph stats) and Giordano (19ppp) were taken immediately after Muzzin. Not questioning the pick, just the value of taking him in round 6.

[LordoftheRinks]

Interesting draft.
I always find 16-team leagues so odd... it borders on the "goalie issue".
Start 1G... goalies have very low value.
Start 2G... goalies have insanely high value.

I like all your picks except for Talbot.
In a H2H, I would've gone full bore on stacking offensive categories, specifically looking to take 6 or 7/11 categories every week by pure offense.
Then a couple spot back-ups will get you two starts and steal you GAA 40% of the weeks.

HIT/BLK, as surely you know, can be very late drafted... so this draft should be pure scoring, scoring, scoring for the first 8-10 rounds.
Defensemen who play PPP and who get HIT/BLK are uber-rare, so I'd identify those guys and grab a few.

For goalies, I think I'd try to get half my offense (10 skaters) and then snag a value-tandem.
Maybe Elliott/C.Johnson for CGY... as they have a nice schedule for avoiding conflict.
I think Chad Johnson (CGY) as well as Neuvirth (PHI), Greiss (NYI) are three guys who we'll see seriously look to steal starts this year.
Calvin Pickard (COL) is a sleeper favourite of mine too.

Nice draft so far.
FWIW, Shattenkirk went 25th overall in the WHL dynasty last year! Nice value there.

Thanks Mike. I actually thought of you and your 'russian roulette' goalie strategy during this draft! The funny thing about this draft...for the most part GMs in this draft are definitely overvaluing goalies and creating an artificial demand - see earlier post where a GM selected 2 goalies in the first 3 rounds (Price & Rask). In hindsight, I could've waited a few more rounds but I opted for more certainty - ex. I know what I have and I can manage around it.

[The Comish]

Interesting that both Fleury and Murray are still on the board...I know that situation is fluid, but man by mid-season, one of these guys (I'm hoping it's Murray) will be golden in pools.

Thanks for letting us follow your draft and thought process. I enjoyed reading it so far, keep it coming!

[zetters]

surprising ehlers has not been picked yet with all the elhers hype going on the boards. Alot of people are expecting him to breakout over players like drouin and reinhart in the cage match post but both them have been picked up already over ehlers.

[Eskimo Brother]

Interesting that both Fleury and Murray are still on the board...I know that situation is fluid, but man by mid-season, one of these guys (I'm hoping it's Murray) will be golden in pools.

Thanks for letting us follow your draft and thought process. I enjoyed reading it so far, keep it coming!

Definitely very strange. I would have probably grabbed Fleury over Talbot, but I like the team make up so far.
Thanks for making the thread, always interesting to see how there managers value players in different set ups.