2020 - 2021 NWHL Fantasy League Discussion

[Eskimo Brother]

Yeah I don't think any standings we have at this point are going to be legitimate. I'll do some analysis of the draft/results once it's all done though

[Pengwin7]

I was really disappointed today when I went to the NWHL website and the standings were all bunked up, with the best team at the bottom of the list.
Like... whoever is in charge of that website maintenance could make a little more of an effort. (and that better not be an "alphabetical" sort - cause that would be wrong too!)
Booo.

https://www.nwhl.zone/stats#/100/sta...ision_id=11112

[Eskimo Brother]

Yeah their website hasn't hugely impressed me over the last few months. When I started researching things I realized that only half of the team roster pages were kept up to date and the other half hadn't been touched since the end of the season.

[PenguinHunter]

Now the Whale are leaving the tournament

https://www.tsn.ca/connecticut-whale...ment-1.1586387

[Pengwin7]

Well... I mean... if you get beat by Toronto 6-0 AND there is a chance of serious health-concerns... yeah, I'd be bailing too.
Sort of stinks for the NWHL because they could've really used positive exposure (not meant as clever pun) and this doesn't seem to be getting it.

Unfortunately - I think we are looking at some really abysmal ratings for whoever is in the championship game.

[Eskimo Brother]

Yup, was just coming to post an overall update. They're leaving due to safety concerns but it sounds like there were no new positives on their team. They shared a hotel with MTR, so maybe that has something to do with it. Tough to speculate on.

Anyways, means that they should be jumping to the finals now which is TOR/BUF (Rookie battle - TOR the rookie team, and Carly Jackson the rookie G who is Buffalo's team) and BOS/MIN (battle of the Isobel cup finalists from last year).

I updated our standings and it looks like a two horse race at this point between Hockey Song and Kilts. Apparently I made a single good pick all draft, but somehow I nabbed the tournament points leader to this point in the third round (and she's a plays defence), so I'll take solace in that! She has more points than the rest of my players combined.

[Pengwin7]

Yeah... on check... Fratkin has 10assists and a +14.
(Probably doesn't hurt to have 4/7gp vs. the Beauts).
If I buy a NWHL t-shirt with a name on the back... it'll be hers.
Love me some PLUS defenseurs!




But I'm still committed that my first female sports jersey will be a Rose Lavelle US soccer jersey!
She's my favourite female athlete! Next US women's world cup... people will know her!!!

[Eskimo Brother]

Well... I mean... if you get beat by Toronto 6-0 AND there is a chance of serious health-concerns... yeah, I'd be bailing too.
Sort of stinks for the NWHL because they could've really used positive exposure (not meant as clever pun) and this doesn't seem to be getting it.

Unfortunately - I think we are looking at some really abysmal ratings for whoever is in the championship game.

I agree and disagree. Yes it isn't a great look that some teams are bailing, but the exposure to this point has been HUGE for the league. They're up over 30K streamers on twitch per game now, while last season they were lucky to get 10K at a peak. The last three games are all going to be on NBCSN or whatever the acronym is, and just getting the league out there into the mainstream is essential for the league to survive right now.

It's tough to say that it's worth doing in a pandemic, and we can go back and forth about whether sports should be played at all right now, but from a positive/negative viewpoint, they just need exposure, and if there are a couple of negative feelings then I think they will accept that if they can pull off awarding their championship trophy on live sports television.

[Eskimo Brother]

Fratkin is definitely one to watch. She was the one that stuck out to me in the couple games I watched last season.

I think I'm going to buy a shirsy, just have to decide who (maybe one or two as a gift as well). I feel like I might go with Wilson-Bennett or Grant-Mentis being Toronto based. The Whitecaps have the nicest jerseys though (have you seen that styling at the bottom?!).

[PenguinHunter]

I updated our standings and it looks like a two horse race at this point between Hockey Song and Kilts. Apparently I made a single good pick all draft, but somehow I nabbed the tournament points leader to this point in the third round (and she's a plays defence), so I'll take solace in that! She has more points than the rest of my players combined.

Here's hoping for a Boston/Toronto final so that Hockey Song and Kilts each have 7 players playing and we will be in for a big finish.

[Pengwin7]

^Yeah, you are probably right.
The people that are following ARE following... and that's huge.
I give credit to the interactive Twitch comment screen - I think that helps to feel involved. I like that style as a grass-roots platform.

And... 4 teams instead of 6... is still playoffs...
And the rest of the world need not care too much.

I guess... since I've been following... it now feels more like an asterik sort of playoffs... and I'm a tad jaded by my draft unluck.

But yeah... probably still has upside for the NWHL.

[Eskimo Brother]

Yeah I agree there's a lot of unfortunate side stories, from Metropolitan and Connecticut withdrawing to the Barstool @$$hats to the lack of clarity in information releases from the league, but there are always going to be bumps in the road.

It's also tough when the draft doesn't go your way. I told myself I was going to take Chuli with my goalie slot and after you took Ridgewell I doubted it. Plus getting the only Boston star who inexplicably has 0 points thus far is a little annoying.

I'm enjoying the hockey though, it's a lot of fun to get into.

[Eskimo Brother]

Super unfortunate news:
https://twitter.com/NWHL/status/1357061362921459715

Due to new positive tests the Lake Placid tournament has been suspended. Doesn't sound good towards possibly continuing it anytime soon either.

[PenguinHunter]

Super unfortunate news:
https://twitter.com/NWHL/status/1357061362921459715

Due to new positive tests the Lake Placid tournament has been suspended. Doesn't sound good towards possibly continuing it anytime soon either.

[PenguinHunter]

All jokes aside. it is very disappointing that they are not able to finish the tournament. Especially when the games were going to be nationally televised.