Mason, Smith, or wait and grab Niemi?

[gfhyde]

League in sig.

I use FantasyHockeyGeek's set of tools (rankings, draft guru, etc) and based on my league's categories, here are the top remaining goalies in my draft:

1. Mike Smith - 146 rating
2. Steve Mason - 120 rating
3. Ryan Miller - 74 rating

Niemi and Lehtonen are 51 and 46 ratings respectively. As you can see, there is a sharp decline after Mason.

I'm kind of surprised to see Mike Smith ranked way up there, but I guess he's definitely got the job?

Anyway, our draft is slow and offline, and I've got a pick coming up. If I miss out on Mason, would you put your faith in Mike Smith, or wait even longer and grab a couple of defensemen and Niemi?

[4T2]

Really depends on who else is available right now with those picks. I don't have a lot of faith in any of the goalies you've posted so I would probably lean on waiting and snagging Niemi/Lehtonen later, but that really depends on who else you can get right now.

[gfhyde]

Really depends on who else is available right now with those picks. I don't have a lot of faith in any of the goalies you've posted so I would probably lean on waiting and snagging Niemi/Lehtonen later, but that really depends on who else you can get right now.

Thx. My pick is in 2 turns and I'm honestly leaning towards Vatanen at this point. Starting 4 D every day is a problem (if you don't have them!). I was going to go goalie next round and I assume Mason will be gone by then.

Outside of Vatanen, I could go Hartnell, Brouwer, Evander Kane (bleck), Phaneuf or Atkinson.

A lot of guys only have 1/4 Defensemen and it starts thinning out big time after Phaneuf and Vatanen (Erik Johnson, Larsson if you're a believer, Vlasic, Markov's knees)

[Eskimo Brother]

Vlasic is a good steal in a later round. Phaneuf is my pick because of PIMs. Vatanen is solid too though. I would try and wait until next round to snag Mike Smith. If you miss out though, definitely grab the Dallas Duo.

[Pengwin7]

In a 16-team, start 2G league... man, goalies have GOLD value.

I rag on Mike Smith a lot. People think he's good. He's really not.
That said - this year, I kind of liking Mike Smith & the Yotes as good sleepers.
Their D is deceptively solid. Obv they have OEL. Mike Stone & Murply are hitting a really good gear.
They brought in Goligoski & Luke Schenn.
And, if healthy Zibby Michalek & Grossman are actually decently mobile gargants.

The kids are going to have to play some defensive hockey... and unlike the Oils kids of past years, I think the Yotes kids can do it.
Hanzal & B.Richardson aren't sexy names... but they'll play defense since they aren't offensive dynamos.

I actually kind of wish Dobber (& FHG) hadn't pegged Smith high... because those that trust him (fairly so) will now up-value Smith and take him off the board.

So... yeah... Mike Smith... this year... I'm on board.
(hopefully nobody in my leagues is reading this - but... well... I don't hide most of my cards close to my chest in Sept... I just prefer to talk hockey...)

[gfhyde]

In a 16-team, start 2G league... man, goalies have GOLD value.

I rag on Mike Smith a lot. People think he's good. He's really not.
That said - this year, I kind of liking Mike Smith & the Yotes as good sleepers.
Their D is deceptively solid. Obv they have OEL. Mike Stone & Murply are hitting a really good gear.
They brought in Goligoski & Luke Schenn.
And, if healthy Zibby Michalek & Grossman are actually decently mobile gargants.

The kids are going to have to play some defensive hockey... and unlike the Oils kids of past years, I think the Yotes kids can do it.
Hanzal & B.Richardson aren't sexy names... but they'll play defense since they aren't offensive dynamos.

I actually kind of wish Dobber (& FHG) hadn't pegged Smith high... because those that trust him (fairly so) will now up-value Smith and take him off the board.

So... yeah... Mike Smith... this year... I'm on board.
(hopefully nobody in my leagues is reading this - but... well... I don't hide most of my cards close to my chest in Sept... I just prefer to talk hockey...)

I actually had Mike Smith last year and he was a god-send. He was my primary goalie and I was supposed to finish in dead last because I had no picks through round 1-5. With him and a couple of other good pickups, I finished 10th but was able to trade Smith for some picks this year.

I'll be honest though, I'd rather not put a lot of stock into him. I'd rather bet on a guy like Mason if I had to. But like you said, goalies are golden in a league this size. If I don't get one this round, I have to get one next round. 7 teams still don't have 2 goalies, which means they're going to go soon.

But you'd take Smith over Mason?

[gfhyde]

EDIT: Son of a bitch the guy before my just took Vatanen. Ugh.

[Pengwin7]

But you'd take Smith over Mason?

Yup. The Philly defense is terrible. (and I'm a PHI fan)

Arizona's strength is in their D.
If they can score a goal or two early - which they will, with their youth... I think they'll sit on their lead and play tough-nosed hockey.

Added to this... barring injury, Domingue will not overtake Smith.
But... Neuvirth could, very well, overtake Mason.

I think Philly is almost done with Mason.
He's been solid over a full season, but he still proves to have brain-farts, which does not fly for making a 2-month run towards a Cup.
If a team can't win a Cup with a goalie, I think they have to realize they might need to move on from him, even if he's been decent.

One last note, the PHI GM is Hextall.
Mason is pre-Hextall.
Neuvirth was a Hextall signing.
Hextall only gets credit for one of these guys.

[4T2]

In a 16-team, start 2G league... man, goalies have GOLD value.

I rag on Mike Smith a lot. People think he's good. He's really not.
That said - this year, I kind of liking Mike Smith & the Yotes as good sleepers.
Their D is deceptively solid. Obv they have OEL. Mike Stone & Murply are hitting a really good gear.
They brought in Goligoski & Luke Schenn.
And, if healthy Zibby Michalek & Grossman are actually decently mobile gargants.

The kids are going to have to play some defensive hockey... and unlike the Oils kids of past years, I think the Yotes kids can do it.
Hanzal & B.Richardson aren't sexy names... but they'll play defense since they aren't offensive dynamos.

I actually kind of wish Dobber (& FHG) hadn't pegged Smith high... because those that trust him (fairly so) will now up-value Smith and take him off the board.

So... yeah... Mike Smith... this year... I'm on board.
(hopefully nobody in my leagues is reading this - but... well... I don't hide most of my cards close to my chest in Sept... I just prefer to talk hockey...)

Note to self, draft Smith in the RHRS and trade him to Pengwin... Wait a minute!!! What if that's your plan all along?!!? Hype up Smith so that we jump on him early! I'm on to you... Unless you knew I would figure it out and you really do want Smith! That's it, I'm drafting him in the first round now!

[Pengwin7]

What if that's your plan all along?!!? Hype up Smith so that we jump on him early!

Round 11, Pick #11.
If he's still there, he's mine.
(not kidding - do with that as you will)

[stevegamer]

It's a one year league, as far as any of these guys are concerned. Smith is way safer than Mason, as Mason is a healthy Neuwirth (admittedly a rarity) away from losing this job for good. I view them as a tandem going into the year, and as Pengwin7 (a VERY odd name for a Flyers fan) said, Hextall gets credit for and acquired one of the two, and it isn't Mason.

He should know what it takes to get to the Cup as a goalie, and to be a trusted goalie in Philly. Mason is most definitely NOT that.

I would go Smith first, and if he's off the board, grab the Stars duo. I have Mason as an avoid.