Critique my team please!

[blayze]

Just finished drafting for my big annual cash pool. Would love to hear your thoughts on what you like and don't like.

Format:
12 teams, $500 buyin
14 players per team, unlimited transactions
Head-to-Head
Points-only (Goal/Assist = 1, Defense Goal = 2, Wins = 2, SO = 1)
Weekly Active Roster: 10 starters - Minimum of 5F, 3D, 1G

Draft Results (I drew #4th overall... WORST position possible ughhh)

1) Giroux (F)
2) Rask (G)
3) Neal (F)
4) St. Louis (F)
5) P Kane (F)
6) Lehtonen (G)
7) Green (D)
8) Iggy (F)
9) Del Zotto (D)
10) Wideman (D)
11) Pacioretty (F)
12) Garrison (D)
13) Voracek (F)
14) M. Johansen (F)

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied. I front-loaded on forwards as usual and thought I got good value with MSL in round 4, Green in round 7, and Iggy in round 8 was a steal IMO.

The Neal pick was the most controversial for me... at the time Eberle, RNH and Parise were all available. I think I was pissed off at narrowly missing out on the "Big 3" so I emotionally took Neal as a hedge against Malkin/Crosby. I'll probably regret that one.

I'm pretty thrilled with my goaltending - I probably have one of the top 2 tandems in the league. There was a crazy run on goalies in late round 1- round 2, and I was stoked to grab Rask at #26 - Bruins only see 7 back-to-backs this year!

Voracek in round 13 may be a sleeper, if he clicks on the top line with Giroux it'll be magic for me, and if he sucks then I'll just drop him. Ditto Johansen.

What do you guys think?

[bluck]

Originally Posted by blayze

Just finished drafting for my big annual cash pool. Would love to hear your thoughts on what you like and don't like.

Format:
12 teams, $500 buyin
14 players per team, unlimited transactions
Head-to-Head
Points-only (Goal/Assist = 1, Defense Goal = 1, Wins = 2, SO = 1)
Weekly Active Roster: 10 starters - Minimum of 5F, 3D, 1G

Draft Results (I drew #4th overall... WORST position possible ughhh)

1) Giroux (F)
2) Rask (G)
3) Neal (F)
4) St. Louis (F)
5) P Kane (F)
6) Lehtonen (G)
7) Green (D)
8) Iggy (F)
9) Del Zotto (D)
10) Wideman (D)
11) Pacioretty (F)
12) Garrison (D)
13) Voracek (F)
14) M. Johansen (F)

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied. I front-loaded on forwards as usual and thought I got good value with MSL in round 4, Green in round 7, and Iggy in round 8 was a steal IMO.

The Neal pick was the most controversial for me... at the time Eberle, RNH and Parise were all available. I think I was pissed off at narrowly missing out on the "Big 3" so I emotionally took Neal as a hedge against Malkin/Crosby. I'll probably regret that one.

I'm pretty thrilled with my goaltending - I probably have one of the top 2 tandems in the league. There was a crazy run on goalies in late round 1- round 2, and I was stoked to grab Rask at #26 - Bruins only see 7 back-to-backs this year!

Voracek in round 13 may be a sleeper, if he clicks on the top line with Giroux it'll be magic for me, and if he sucks then I'll just drop him. Ditto Johansen.

What do you guys think?

This looks like a top 3 team for sure. I dont think you stretched with the Neal pick at all.. Im a big Neal fan and feel he is due for a repeat.

Johansen if he sticks which I think he might is an aweosme pick as well.

Overall great looking team! your tending is a real strength and you should be fine in the offensive cats as well.

[msb]

Wow, crazy buy in dude!

I don't think you will regret the Neal decision. His breakout was expected and I think he will maintain his level of production if not improve upon it with both Malkin and Crosby healthy.

Iginla in the 8th round is a complete steal. Impressive team.

[blayze]

Thanks boys, appreciate the feedback.

I feel better about the Neal decision now haha

[lucifer316]

Originally Posted by blayze

1) Giroux (F)
2) Rask (G)
3) Neal (F)
4) St. Louis (F)
5) P Kane (F)
6) Lehtonen (G)
7) Green (D)
8) Iggy (F)
9) Del Zotto (D)
10) Wideman (D)
11) Pacioretty (F)
12) Garrison (D)
13) Voracek (F)
14) M. Johansen (F)

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied. I front-loaded on forwards as usual and thought I got good value with MSL in round 4, Green in round 7, and Iggy in round 8 was a steal IMO.

i am not high on green personally however since you still grabbed iggy after that its tough to complain about it he just needs to come back now

besides msl and iggy which i love i think kane was a good grab where he was as well

The Neal pick was the most controversial for me... at the time Eberle, RNH and Parise were all available. I think I was pissed off at narrowly missing out on the "Big 3" so I emotionally took Neal as a hedge against Malkin/Crosby. I'll probably regret that one.

in a 1 year league i dont even consider eberle or rnh against neal tbh with you so you shouldnt feel bad there

to me until he has another ppg season parise shouldnt even be a consideration against neal in either a 1 year or a keeper

Voracek in round 13 may be a sleeper, if he clicks on the top line with Giroux it'll be magic for me, and if he sucks then I'll just drop him. Ditto Johansen.

with much of what i have been seeing about voracek i was shocked to see he went as low as he did that could be a huge steal for you

overall i like it

[Pengwin7]

Originally Posted by blayze

Just finished drafting for my big annual cash pool. Would love to hear your thoughts on what you like and don't like.

Draft Results (I drew #4th overall... WORST position possible ughhh)

1) Giroux (F)
2) Rask (G)
3) Neal (F)
4) St. Louis (F)
5) P Kane (F)
6) Lehtonen (G)
7) Green (D)
8) Iggy (F)
9) Del Zotto (D)
10) Wideman (D)
11) Pacioretty (F)
12) Garrison (D)
13) Voracek (F)
14) M. Johansen (F)

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied. I front-loaded on forwards as usual and thought I got good value with MSL in round 4, Green in round 7, and Iggy in round 8 was a steal IMO.

The Neal pick was the most controversial for me... at the time Eberle, RNH and Parise were all available. I think I was pissed off at narrowly missing out on the "Big 3" so I emotionally took Neal as a hedge against Malkin/Crosby. I'll probably regret that one.

The MSL & P.Kane picks are fantastic in points-only - you'll look back at those as your best picks, IMO.

Voracek in round 13 may be a sleeper, if he clicks on the top line with Giroux it'll be magic for me, and if he sucks then I'll just drop him. Ditto Johansen.

What do you guys think?

I like this draft, I'd rate it as a B... peg you as 3rd-5th in a 15-team league.
The 4th spot is tough... not the worst though. I think the drop off occurs around 7 this year. In point-only, I'm happy to get any of Crosby/Malkin/Stamkos/Tavares/Giroux/Ovechkin, then there's a drop. I think 7/8/9 have been the toughest slots this year... so 4th is definitely NOT the "worst" position. Considering you were able to get Rask on the way back and Neal in Round 3, I think that was a fine spot. I drafted 6th in two pools this year and went Tavares and was perfectly happy with that slot (or anything higher).

Based on the OKC performance, I'd have probably gone Eberle in round 3. I will say this... I seem to recall you posting about "having your doubts that Neal could repeat last year's performance". But then you peg him at 85pt pace and draft him over Eberle. Hmph - me thinks. What changed your mind???

The MSL & P.Kane picks in 4/5 are my faves.
If you win this pool... I'd guess those guys bounce back to top 15 league scoring - which they may!

You've also got a nice round late-pick in Voracek... I remember we had some conversation about him too.

I'm not sure what you see in Johnansen, and if I was you - I'd probably grab Brayden Schenn as Voracek-insurance. Whoever gets that top line RW gig along-side Giroux will be a great start in a weekly league.

You are going for the WIN in these leagues, so put-all-your-eggs-in-the-Giroux-basket... might as well. I equate this to rolling a dice. If somebody says "You can either roll two dice, or roll one dice and double your score." What should you do?

I'm sure you know the answer.
Good luck, I'd say you are a contender here.

[blayze]

Thanks for the feedback Pengwin, appreciate it.

With regard to the 4th spot... you're right, I WAS able to get Rask on the way back and Neal, so considering that - it's not too bad. Personally, I'd rather get someone like Quick at 9th-10th and then a Kovy on the way back, but fact of the matter is that I actually lucked out with Rask - he shouldn't have been available, but Smith, Schneider and Howard were all taken before him.

I do have my doubts about Neal repeating last year's performance which is why picking him third was disturbing to me. It was an emotional pick, cause I wanted to hitch myself to the Crosby/Malkin train somehow since I missed out on the Big 3. One of those moments where the guys you really wanted were just picked a few slots before you, and you're kind of panicking. I never pegged him at 85 points - those totals in my other post are the amount of points each player scored in my setting LAST year. I think I may regret that pick, but hopefully it won't be disastrous.

Schenn was gone by 13 - it was slim pickings and Johansson was just one of those "meh whatever" picks. I may just swap him for someone on the wire depending on what I see after week 1.

[Pengwin7]

Originally Posted by blayze

Personally, I'd rather get someone like Quick at 9th-10th and then a Kovy on the way back, but fact of the matter is that I actually lucked out with Rask - he shouldn't have been available, but Smith, Schneider and Howard were all taken before him.

Giroux + Rask >>>> Kovalchuk + Quick

Even if you hadn't gotten Rask, you'd probably still get a decent goalie to make the left-side better. The earlier pick is almost always better.