1st Pick Overall Debate

[Gixers]

So I'm sure this gets posted quite a few times, but I am generally interested in what people think at this point. So to set the stage, your league is drafting for the first time and you win the draft lottery and get 1st pic overall, Who? and Why? and for those who really want to get into it... make it a 12 team league, who do you shoot for with your 24th & 25th pick.
Cheers

[tomastop]

The answer to that one is easy - Crosby should go 1st overall in all leagues, unless forward scoring categories don't count.
Some people don't trust his health and would go Stamkos, Malkin or Ovechkin. But I think he is worth the risk, he is healthy now and brings so much to your team... he is the best fantasy option.

As for your 24th & 25th pick... it depends on your league, scoring categories, weight of goalie cats, but if you pick center (Crosby) in the first round, you would probably want to pick a wing and a goalie next.

Good luck!

[Mattp913]

Crosby for sure. Stamkos is the only other that I would ever consider.

[Vancityguy]

You have to take Crosby in all formats, he's the best in the world. I wouldn't argue with someone taking Stamkos but the answer is still 87 right now.

[rataylor22]

Yea it's not a debate. Owners who want to win take Crosby, owners who are "risk averse" and want to finish middle of the pack will take someone else.

[Axeman33]

1. Crosby
2. Malkin
3. Stamkos

[horrorfan]

What are the scoring categories, how many do you start in each position and what type of league (H2H, Roto etc)? Complete information ensures the most complete advice.

It may not make as much difference for the top pick but it's much more relevant for your 24/25 picks.

[suvojitde]

Agree with Horror - more league details would ensure more complete advice. For pick 1 though, no doubt it should be Sid.

For 24/25 - at least 1 of those would be a Goalie.

[horrorfan]

For 24/25 - at least 1 of those would be a Goalie.

Maybe, maybe not. If it's a shallow roster, H2H, starting 1 goalie and mostly quantity based cats, you may not need a goalie until later on.

[suvojitde]

Maybe, maybe not. If it's a shallow roster, H2H, starting 1 goalie and mostly quantity based cats, you may not need a goalie until later on.

Point taken. I do agree that league format would determine overall strategy, however, having a Tier 1 goalie picked in the first few rounds has always worked for me (personal preference). Not many fantasy leagues have I seen where Goalie stats don't count. Again, I guess it comes down to league format and personal preference.

[horrorfan]

Point taken. I do agree that league format would determine overall strategy, however, having a Tier 1 goalie picked in the first few rounds has always worked for me (personal preference). Not many fantasy leagues have I seen where Goalie stats don't count. Again, I guess it comes down to league format and personal preference.

Yeah that was an extreme example. Also the draft flow, other managers' tendencies and how you group them (i.e. tiers etc) can have an effect. Also if a H2H league, you may not need elite goalies as on a weekly basis their production can fluctuate. But yeah, we have our own strategies and many of them can work.

For example, last year in my one year, 12 team H2H league, I went into the draft thinking that I might wait a bit for a goalie, but ended with the 12 slot. That changed everything, and fearing a goalie run, I nabbed Rinne at 12. Not a bad choice I thought at the time. I ended up with Rinne, Backstrom, Hiller and Fasth for much of the year - guess who was my worst goalie, on a per game basis taking all the cats (W,GAA,SV,SV%) together? Yep, Rinne.