Focus on Leafs, Capitals or split the difference?

[stevegamer]

(I was unsure where to put this as it's a defense & goalie question, but is more about what to do with my current defenders. Has nothing to do with forwards, so the default didn't apply.)

With the Capitals defensive decline and Carlson's looming free agency, I have an issue on the back end of my dynasty team in signature. I've had Holtby for a number of seasons, and he's been generally very good, but this has been his worst year, and I have a fairly good alternative in Freddie Andersen. I currently roster 3 Capitals defenders to get a small boost, and fill out the rest of my 6 starting D with offensive guys. I'm considering moving on from the Capitals, and going with the Leafs. If Carlson leaves Washington in free agency, I would almost certainly do this next season, barring another elite offensive defender arriving there.

I finished second in my division and am progressing in the playoffs. If I win or tie this week, I am in the finals, which runs over mutliple weeks. If I lose this week, next week is the series tiebreaker.

League format (I know this is going to be confusing): The league only counts goals & assists, and requires starting at least 2 defensemen from the same team as your starting goalie; if you start more than 2, you get a boost to your save percentage for the week's matchup. The only goalie stat is save percentage, NHL shutouts get a bonus on top of the 1.000. Only the first game of the league week counts, so matchups are very variable, and results as well. If my starter doesn't play in his team's NHL game of record, then my backup counts, and if the backup(s) don't play, I get the stats for whomever plays for the NHL team of the starter. Modified save percentages are compared head to head.


My options as I see them are:

1. Stick with Carlson/Orlov/Niskanen (or maybe another Caps defender) starting with Holtby. No other Caps defenders are owned.

2. Switch to Rielly/Gardiner/3rd Leafs defender TBD starting with Andersen. No Leafs defender except Rielly (on my team already) is owned.

3. Drop Niskanen, add Gardiner and try to pick the correct matchup weekly.

Thanks in advance for reading this and replying.

[Eskimo Brother]

I would roll with the Leafs. Would trading your WSH set get you anything decent in return?

[Bubba55]

This is an unusual format and I'm not certain I actually get it but it peaked my curiosity so I had a look at the numbers. The 3 Caps defenders you named have a combined total of 99 pts. If you add Hainsey to Gardiner and Reilly they combine for 100 pts. Dead heat there. The big difference is in the net where Andersson has a .919 save % and 5 SO whereas Holtby has a 9.07 save % and no SO. Not even close. Holtby is having a tough year. Go Leafs!!!

[Tfan5211]

I like option 2 or 3. 3 seems interesting to me because you could play who has the better schedule each week. Only thing is you wouldn't have that extra boost from the third defender. If you have lots of moves and can pick up the third defender each week in free agency I would do that. If not that stick with number 2. Just have to figure out who the third defender might be. Who knows maybe Carlson will be a Leaf