Target Vasilevskiy Or Murray?

[Chicago Steel]

Long time reader first time poster. Goes without saying how much the knowledge kicking around here helps out a fantasy manager. Great resource you fans provide.

I'm a new manager in an existing 10 team league that allows 10 keepers (no positional limit). I have a decent roster that can challenge for a top 3-5 spot IMO but I really want to lay a foundation of a core and fill in from year to year and if I win this year that's gravy. That brings me to my topic, target Vasilevskiy or Murray who were left unprotected by their owners. The league scores GS, Wins, GAA, SA, SV and SHO.

Since both are unprotected I'm gonna offer a draft pick for one of them just trying to figure out which one. I can't see either TB or PITT exposing either one to the expansion draft so I'm assuming, unless they are traded, they'll be the starters with their current club next year.

TB will be in cap hell next year so I can't see them signing Bishop as a UFA over keeping Vas. IMO Vas is the safest bet for that reason, the cap. I also think long term TB will be better than PITT with a much younger signed core.

Murray IMO will be the better long term player, I'm a big fan. No way PITT exposes him to the expansion draft but PITT is relatively safe cap wise, compared to TB, and can keep both goalies should they choose to make a deal with Vegas to not draft MAF. So there is a chance PITT goes into 2017/18 with both Murray and MAF until an opportunity comes along to move one or the other.

Did I miss something and if not am I right to think Vas is the safer of the two to target?

[Axeman33]

Welcome to the forums!

I prefer Vasilevskiy myself personally.

[als_revenge]

I think Murray will put up better numbers this year and next.

To be honest, I am not a fan of your strategy. A top 3-team, in a limited keeper, trading a pick so you can protect a back-up goalie?

I've seen so many instances of new managers entering a league and prioritizing "a foundation" over winning; I've never understood that.

I'd be interesting is seeing who your 10 players are, and what kind of a pick you'd be giving up...

[The Black Panther]

If you are building a foundation to win or be near the top for many years that's an excellent idea. Provided you are confident the league is stable.
I'd definitely take Vas here for all the reasons u said.
And welcome to the forums.

[als_revenge]

Pittsburgh has already shown that they can win a cup with Murray. Tampa can't say that about Vas....

If I'm Yzerman, I make a hand-shake agreement with Bishop to re-sign him after this season. Bishop will be a UFA, so won't be selected by Las Vegas. Most of the mocks I've seen done have Killorn ($4.450M) being selected; then trade Vas and his salary ($3.5M) for some good futures, and you have more than enough to re-sign Bishop. I think TB has a better chance to win a cup with Bishop than Vas+Killorn.

I also think TB could get a better return trading Vas (signed for 3 years) than they could for Bishop.

Even if TB doesn't do something like this, I still wouldn't be shocked if they did not trade Bishop this year.

If you think Murray will be the better player long term, and your goal is to "lay a foundation", then I question taking Vas because he's in a better position today.

[Chicago Steel]

Oh man I typed 3 paragraphs and don't know if it got lost cuz it ain't showing on the thread. Glad you addressed my strategy.

27 man rosters, scoring cats for skaters are G, A, points, +-, PIM, PPP, SOG, FW, hits and blocks. Keepers are Seguin, Toews, Eberle, Taffolli, Voracek, Josi, Shattenkirk, Dubnyk, Elliott and will drop McDounagh to keep Vas or Murray..........Also have the 1st pick which will be Matthews.

I'm a guy who drafts goalies late to push on the goalie stats. I'll go with poor starters and their backups (Smith/Domingue-Ward/Lack-Letomen/Niemi) and win the GS, SV, SA stats and concede the W, GA, SPG stats and hope for no shutouts and push on the goalie category. As there are runs on goalies I'm getting value in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th rounds and draft mutli cat skaters and focus on winning just one more category for the win that week. I have ugly, ugly rosters that have won my share of cups.

So I'll give up a 5th rounder this year for a Murray or Vas that should see 60 starts per year for the next ten years. That's my thinking.

- - - Updated - - -

If you are building a foundation to win or be near the top for many years that's an excellent idea. Provided you are confident the league is stable.
I'd definitely take Vas here for all the reasons u said.
And welcome to the forums.

Thanks for the welcome, Panther.........

[Chicago Steel]

Don't seem to be working the quote function correctly so this is to als-revenge post #5........... I'm a big Murray fan. IMO if you put him in a Caps jersey most would never realize that it was Murray and not Holtby in goal for Washington. Same size, build and smooth/balanced style of economy of movement that I love. Same demeanor. Forget the flair bs and stay up, square and balanced, talking to you Bobrovsky and Varmy.

That said IMO Vas ain't too far behind and IMO has a better team long term in front of him. You make good points, enough to make me think a bit more on it.

I think TB will keep Bishop all year and go for the cup even if they lose him for nothing at year's end. But I don't think Stevie Y will give 4-5 more years and big money to a 7 footer who is the wrong side of 30 with groin issues when he has a fine cost controlled kid who's shown he belongs in this league. Add the cap and with Kucherov still unsigned and Palat, Johnson and Drouin RFA's next year the cap reaper has his nose under the tent.

[als_revenge]

Don't seem to be working the quote function correctly so this is to als-revenge post #5........... I'm a big Murray fan. IMO if you put him in a Caps jersey most would never realize that it was Murray and not Holtby in goal for Washington. Same size, build and smooth/balanced style of economy of movement that I love. Same demeanor. Forget the flair bs and stay up, square and balanced, talking to you Bobrovsky and Varmy.

That said IMO Vas ain't too far behind and IMO has a better team long term in front of him. You make good points, enough to make me think a bit more on it.

I think TB will keep Bishop all year and go for the cup even if they lose him for nothing at year's end. But I don't think Stevie Y will give 4-5 more years and big money to a 7 footer who is the wrong side of 30 with groin issues when he has a fine cost controlled kid who's shown he belongs in this league. Add the cap and with Kucherov still unsigned and Palat, Johnson and Drouin RFA's next year the cap reaper has his nose under the tent.

If you really want to set a foundation, and are that high on Murray, have you given any consideration to going completely wacky and off the board: trade Elliot for a pick, drop McDonagh, acquire both Vas and Murray for late picks this year? If Murray is as good as you think he is, this might be your only chance to acquire him. I just throw this out there in the oft-chance you hadn't given this some thought yet.

[Sulla]

What's the rest of your current team out of interest?

[Chicago Steel]

I have thought outside the box a bit, Al. 10 team leagues aren't my gig, like a bigger 14 team leagues, and I don't know these managers but like the Commish. IMO a league is only as good as the Commish and I signed up for his one yr league cuz it's been around for 8 years and he invited me to his keeper league afterwards. So I'm here, for now.

Yea, I've thought of both goalies but don't think I can move Elliott so I'd have to outright drop him is my guess and with only 10 keepers and my theory of goalies in fantasy not sure I want to commit two spots to the position. But I've thought about it and am still doing so. If I can move him I'll try for both, maybe. I do like Elliott for 3-4 years out though, especially in a league that counts SV and SA cuz he'll be in a sort of Dallas like situation in Calgary and see a lot of rubber with a high scoring offense in front of him IMO.

Wonder if you had a thought on Matthews and Laine as far as who to take #1? I'm near certain Matthews will be my pick especially with FW being counted and Babcock running the show.

[Chicago Steel]

What's the rest of your current team out of interest?

Keepers are Seguin, Toews, Eberle, Taffolli, Voracek, Josi, Shattenkirk, Dubnyk, Elliott and McDonuagh (if I don't land Vas or Murray). Still need to draft but guys I'm not protecting are Brown, Eakin, Hemsky, Hertyl (thought hard about keeping him, great fancy numbers but opportunity?), Janmark, Lee (love this multi cat guy), Nyquist (2:47 PP TOI), Perrualt, Purcell, R Smith (2:34 PP TOI), Wennberg, Yak, Ellis, Chara, Spurgeon.

[Sulla]

Itching you're selling yourself short trying to keep those two guys... Personally I'd be peddling some of your non keepers (or bottom end ones) for picks and re loading on proven talent,...

[Chicago Steel]

Itching you're selling yourself short trying to keep those two guys... Personally I'd be peddling some of your non keepers (or bottom end ones) for picks and re loading on proven talent,...

Keeping which two, the goalies I'm looking to acquire? I tried peddling Shattenkirk for a 3rd in this 10 team league and was turned down.

[Sulla]

Sorry meant acquire and keeping... And the others aren't worth later picks? (Though in fairness that trade is dictated by roster dressed per night etc and categories)

[Noddes55]

I prefer Murray