The PIM Dilemma

[Steeler]

A few things that I have worked well for me competing in my 10 team PIM league for the past 6 years (Note: have finished 1st twice, top 3 five or six, lowest finish 4th).

1. Re-think how you value players. Always take a 50 PIM guy over a 20 PIM guy. (Example: Semin or E. Staal over Marleau or St. Louis every time) I generally try to avoid goons since you will be sacrificing offense. I would rather have a player contribute some to all categories. A roster full of Mike Richards would work great.
2. Since defense is generally the position that won't put out huge offense, try to target PIM guys here. (Chara, Weber, Bieksa, Phaneuf, J. Johnson).
3. Either drafting of via trade, do whatever it takes to get the M. Richards, Perry's, Getzlaf's, Nash's, Phaneufs.
4. When drafting, take fliers on these guys to acquire the next one before their values get too high. Target guys like E. Kane or K. Beach as reserves and see if they pan out.

I feel like the guys in my league just don't get it. It excites me to see them hold or draft guys like Brad Richards. Then late in the season when their PIM stinks, I see them pick up guys like Konopka way too late and i know the offensive categories are in the bag.

[Shoeless]

Damn you Shoeless, just when I was about convinced!! LOL...I'm glad that kid stole your shoes!

Yeah well the neat thing about toes exposed is that you can use them to count points.

[SlobTheGreat]

Good points Steeler! I personally think the points allotted to PIM's in out league are to high, but it is what it is and I better learn to live with it.

Geeze Shoeless, I hope to get more than 21 points from my guys!

[Carcillo]

Guys like Downie, Carcillo, Clarkson are worth gold in your league.

Downie with a season of 20 goals, 25 assists, 175 PIM and +5 equals Kopitar's output with a season of 35 goals, 65 assists, 25 PIM and +10. Downie is much more likely to actually achieve a statline like that and is worth more than Kopitar in your league.

Carcillo with a season of 10 goals, 10 assists, 200 PIM equals Hossa with a season of 30 goals, 45 assists, 30 PIM and +10. Again Carcillo is more likely to achieve those numbers.

You need to go after these high PIM/good point guys over a higher scoring guys who take practically no PIM.

[mister_mcgoo]

1. We all knew Downie was a goon, but what a crazy year last year w/200+ PIM.
2. Now TB brings in a very gentlemanly GM (Yzerman) and, surprise, no new contract for 250+ PIM guy Zenon Konopka - gone to NYI.
3. Do you think Stevie Y is going to allow Downie to continue to rack up PIM and put his team short-handed? I say no. I see him sitting Downie down (no pun intended) for a little chat. "son, you have talent - if you want to play here, it will be based on your skill & grit... but not by those PIM".

excellent point, I agree wholeheartedly, Downie will still rack up PIM because that's the way he plays but Stevie Y will curb him of the chintzy hacking and slashing type stuff and his PIMs will probably drop off markedly

dunno about the PHI example though, I think in Philly they know they're going to get penalties, thats just who they are so better to have Carcillo in the box than Richards

[SlobTheGreat]

my head agrees with you Carcillo...but damn it, it just doesn't seen right! LOL

[Carcillo]

Any sleepers in the Carcillo mold I should try to grab in later rounds?

Matt Martin (2 points, 26 PIM in 5 games last year)
Adam Burish (214 PIM few years ago. Will have bigger role with Dallas than has had with Chicago and could give you 15-20 points with 150+ PIM).
Arron Asham (20+ points, 100+ PIM)

Then there's the more known one's: Chris Neil, Steve Ott, Matt Cooke etc.

[SlobTheGreat]

I have actually been considering Asham as a mid rounder. I think he got kind of buried in Phillie, but may have a bigger role (at least as far as PIM's go) in Pitts...

Neil is on the downhill slide, but I did have Carkner last year and he did well for me. Always liked Ott....just a fun guy to watch! LOL

[fantasyhockeygeek]

Shoeless is dead right here. If you're valuing players based on skill and goalscoring ability (it seems like you are!) then you're entirely missing the boat because your league setup doesn't value players that way. There is a HUGE premium for PIM here, and a good one for +/- too.

Crunch the numbers... If you draft players based on projected points performance alone, you will never win this league.

Draft the players that will put up the most fantasy points (ie your scoring system applied to the raw stats) and you're golden.

Hope this helps.

HPG

[SlobTheGreat]

Thanks HPG....

I guess this was the way I was thinking all along, but was almost hoping I could get talked out of it! LOL