Points only - Schultz or Trouba

[Teh Doktor]

I keep Schultz and hope Edm figures themselves out.

But I think I'd keep Palat over either.

[Gentle Yeti]

I'd keep Trouba because he's a sure thing and already has the name/trade value. Schultz may end up a few points better annually but he also has a much lower downside, call it a spook factor, I'm avoiding.

[Dikoi]

As long as Byfuglien and Enstrom are still in Winnipeg, you have to go with Schultz in a points only. I know Buff plays forward but he still mans the point on the top PP unit.

[Kofax]

I'd keep Trouba because he's a sure thing and already has the name/trade value. Schultz may end up a few points better annually but he also has a much lower downside, call it a spook factor, I'm avoiding.

I don't know how you can come to this conclusion when Trouba has barely played a full season in the NHL. You're entering Tyler Myers territory with that statement. Trouba appears to be the better NHL defensemen, but in a point only league, Schultz has a higher upside with a similar floor, and has actually proven more then Trouba has. I take Schultz in points only out of the two.

However, as others have suggested, in a keep 12, I'm not keeping 3D. Palat is an easy choice over both of them.

[Gentle Yeti]

I don't know how you can come to this conclusion when Trouba has barely played a full season in the NHL. You're entering Tyler Myers territory with that statement. Trouba appears to be the better NHL defensemen, but in a point only league, Schultz has a higher upside with a similar floor, and has actually proven more then Trouba has. I take Schultz in points only out of the two.

However, as others have suggested, in a keep 12, I'm not keeping 3D. Palat is an easy choice over both of them.

You're right, I might have been swayed by the fact I know Trouba personally. In fact, he's my brother-in-law! We call him Boob Troub for short, here in our klan.

[Pengwin7]

You're right, I might have been swayed by the fact I know Trouba personally. In fact, he's my brother-in-law! We call him Boob Troub for short, here in our klan.

Name-dropper!
(psh, seriously... I'm jealous. I can get to Jason Spezza in two-degrees... but not directly. I've always wanted a direct contact to the NHL just to ask them questions about stuff like: who do you like to sit next to in the lockerroom? who is fun to hang out with on road trips? who bangs the hottest girls? am I allowed to say that last one...?)


Side note:
Do you know what I think would be a really neat thing... but hasn't (to my knowledge) been done...
Lockerroom maps.

Just a website, with a plan view of each team's lockerrooms.
Then, you can also see where each player sits to get dressed.
I think that would be really neat.
Probably has to be one insider for each team that could get us that information.
It could even be pieced together from post-game interviews.
Shit from around the Penguins facility.

A good one:
BinsKUeIcAAnXs0.jpg

Fun project anybody?

[ross10019]

I agree with Axeman here.
Don't overthink this.

Trouba is an incredible defenseman, true.
Trouba is a better overall defenseman than Schultz, true.

One important face: We (as a fantasy hockey community) ALWAYS expect rookies to get better, increase their scoring.
"We" (not me actually) did it with Tyler Myers. We assumed he would get better than his rookie total of 48pts, while shooting an above D average 10.6%.
But... Myers logged 23:44 per game that first year. There was absolutely NO additional ice-time for him in his future... so why would his totals go up?
And... they did not. Myers was seen as a "disappointment"... though I'd argue (to all that liked him)... "we" should have seen the decline coming.

Trouba is actually averaging 22:41 per game this year.
How many more minutes are there for general improvement?


Anyways, back to talking about "points"
Defenseman points are STRONGLY linked to their role on the Powerplay.

The big Buff is still signed in Winnipeg for another two years.
And even though he is playing forward, Byfuglien (click "video") still reverts to the point, PP1, for powerplays... with Enstrom.
Check his PP goals vs. DAL on March 16th & vs. STL on Feb 8th. (Buff's been an even-strength forward since mid-January).
Point slap shots.

I don't see this changing.
Winnipeg's primary PP strategy is: Feed Buff at the point. Buff shoots.

It is very similar to Washington & Carlson (a great comparison).
Washington's primary PP strategy is: Feed Ovie atop the left circle. Ovie shoots.

So... if you are talking about "Points Only"... you've got to consider:

Trouba, perhaps 25-30 even-strength points, maybe 10 PPP. 35-40pts.
Schultz, perhaps 20-25 even-strength points, maybe 20 PPP. 40-45pts. (Note that Schultz had a disappointing 11 PPP this year, and I don't see that being THAT low again. His 21 ESP are actually pretty solid!!!)

Awesome post, and I agree, I might take Schultz by a bit over Trouba but primarily because he'll have more PP time over the next year or two. After that, forget it, Trouba's going to get tons of PP time and I'd take him.