My turn - draft feedback please!

[horrorfan]

Hey everyone,

This is a follow up to my earlier thread where I had asked about your targets when picking 5th in my league. The draft was last night, and can share my results with you. I would appreciate your thoughts.

League settings:

Yahoo, One year 16 team H2H, 8 teams make playoffs (no byes)
Daily-tomorrow (lineups-moves), Max 6 moves/wk, Min 2 goalie app/wk
3C, 3L, 3R, 5D, 4Util, 2G, 8BN (10IR+, 3NA)
G, A, P, PPP, SOG, SHP, FOW, HIT, BLK / W, SV, SV%, SHO

My team (round and pick chosen included):

C: Eichel (3.37), Lindholm (5.69), Backstrom (14.220), Laughton (16.252), Byfield (24.380), Tyler Johnson (post-draft FA)
L: B. Tkachuk (1.5), Gaudreau (7.101), Rodrigues (20.316), van Riemsdyk (23.357), Hoffman (27.421)
R: Batherson (8.124), Duchene (13.197), R. Strome (17.261), Mantha (26.412)
D: Sergachev (4.60), Morrissey (6.92), Carlson (9.133), Theodore (12.188), Petry (18.284), Parayko (21.325), Thrun (25.389), Dumba (28.444)
G: Saros (2.28), Thompson (10.156), Hill (11.165), Luukkonen (22.348), Lankinen (post-draft FA)
IR+: Pacioretty (19.293)
NA: P. Kane (15.229), Askarov (post-draft FA)

Referring to my previous thread, my targets went in exactly the order I would have chosen them: MacKinnon 3rd and Matthews 4th, so I picked Brady Tkachuk 5th. From there, it was an interesting and unpredictable draft, with players going earlier and later than I had expected. With only 30 seconds to make your picks, I had to make some quick decisions - some panic ones and reaches were inevitable.

What do you think?

[tweetdrivr]

I like your D. All your F positions seem dependent on a few hits on players with questions (Backstrom, Byfield, all of your LW outside Tkachuk and Gaudreau, all of your RW aside from Batherson). Goalies are solid. Pacioretty and Askarov were wasted picks most likely. Particularly Askarov in a one year. In a 16 teamer I’d say it’s a probably a playoff team.

[horrorfan]

I like your D. All your F positions seem dependent on a few hits on players with questions (Backstrom, Byfield, all of your LW outside Tkachuk and Gaudreau, all of your RW aside from Batherson). Goalies are solid. Pacioretty and Askarov were wasted picks most likely. Particularly Askarov in a one year. In a 16 teamer I’d say it’s a probably a playoff team.

Thanks for your feedback.

Yeah being in a league this deep you have to take risks in the later rounds in the hopes that some will outproduce their draft position. Some good D kept falling so I couldn't leave that value on the table (Carlson / Theodore) so likely impacted getting better depth forwards.

With plenty of IR+ slots and being a H2H league, I consider Pacioretty at 293 as a low risk move even if his recovery timeline is uncertain. I was willing to take that chance in the hopes he can return in the second half of the season.

Askarov - he was picked post-draft where I have 3 NA slots. Since I have Saros (and also picked up Lankinen for insurance), I figure no harm in stashing him if something happens to Saros. I'm not expecting anything so it's a free pick as a wait and see.

But in terms of offensive depth, hopefully some of those guys will help enough to compliment my core squad. I'm sure a few of the late guys won't have a lot of value but there wasn't much left to choose from, well at least I could tell with only 30 seconds to pick!

I'll take it if it's a playoff team!

[tweetdrivr]

With that D and some really good players in Eichel, Tkachuk, Gaudreau and the goalies you have I think you have a very good chance.

[metaldude26]

It looks to me like C got picked over REAL quick. I don't like the lack FOW from the wing (outside of Brady) and outside of Eichel and Lindholm, it feels like you neglected the C position or rather the FOW category.

In this sort of league, I'd be building around dominating the reliable peripherals so it stinks to seemingly be punting the FOW category, but maybe you fair better than I am assessing.

You've got what should be rock solid goaltending with a proven #1 volume starter in Saros and a winning team tandem. Tough to do in a 16-team league. You may have spared yourself a lot of grief by committing to that position. Hopefully you won't be chasing goaltending this season.

[horrorfan]

It looks to me like C got picked over REAL quick. I don't like the lack FOW from the wing (outside of Brady) and outside of Eichel and Lindholm, it feels like you neglected the C position or rather the FOW category.

In this sort of league, I'd be building around dominating the reliable peripherals so it stinks to seemingly be punting the FOW category, but maybe you fair better than I am assessing.

You've got what should be rock solid goaltending with a proven #1 volume starter in Saros and a winning team tandem. Tough to do in a 16-team league. You may have spared yourself a lot of grief by committing to that position. Hopefully you won't be chasing goaltending this season.

Yeah, centres and wingers who take faceoffs are targeted heavily in this league. It wasn't my intention to avoid more of them, but either they were gone earlier or I would have to reach for one. I didn't want to focus too much on that one category when I had other needs elsewhere. I'm hoping with Eichel, Lindholm, Backstrom, Laughton, a few from Brady and hopefully Duchene and Strome will keep me competitive in FOW some weeks.

I'm hoping with the other offensive strengths, including my D and stability at G, there's enough balance amongst all the categories that I'll have a chance in most matchups.

As for G, yep after I picked Saros I waited for the opportunity to solidify the position as I didn't want to chase throughout the season. Thankfully after grabbing Thompson nobody grabbed Hill during those 8 picks in between.

I tend to micro manage based on my opponent each week in the hopes I can steal a category here and there, which adds up over the course of the season. If I feel I'm close in FOW one week, that might be my FA target.

Thanks.